Author Archives: Armin

New bits

From the beta list post for the newest build:

* Fixed a bug in saved XML data that didn’t preserve the owns() value.

* Fixed a bug that called up Combinations editor for non-editable traits.

* Fixed issue with modifiers not being pasteable in Classic View.

* Fixed bug preventing $ functions from being solved from the Solver.

* Zooming the form will now also zoom the menu fonts.

* Removed the main menu from the toolstrip container.

* Added a couple threads to FastLoad loading. Makes a minor improvement to loading times.

* GCA5 is more restrictive in what it considers a numeric value. For this reason, a fair number of incorrectly written expressions worked as if they were valid in GCA4, but fail in GCA5. I have inserted a ‘shim’ into the Solver for GCA5 that checks for one such case: % values being offered in functions/expressions as numeric values. Technically, this isn’t allowed, but GCA returned the value without the % sign anyway, while GCA5 would return 0. This shim should allow returning the value without the % sign as GCA4 did.

* Trying out new trait lists in Compact View that are based on standard list boxes. I’d thought this would save time and effort when making improvements and adjustments down the line, but it looks like this way has it’s own issues, too, so I’m not sure it saves me anything in the end.

I’m also trying out a new method of creating and populating the Compact View boxes, which I hope to expand to allow more flexibility in the future. For now, every box being populated with this new method has a title that is prefixed with “TEST BOX”, and every such trait list is using the new list box based boxes. (The new trait list boxes also each have an ‘options’ box with gear icon in the top right corner, although it’s unpopulated at this time.)

The entire set of boxes in Compact View is currently displayed twice, once each with the new method and the old method.

More bits

From the beta list post for the newest build:

* Fixed Select dialog to resize its contents properly.

* Fixed drawing issue for library items in Select window related to experimental option.

* Fixed character tags not being initialized properly.

* Adjusted handling of #BuildList to support more than one instance of the %listitem% variable in the output template.

* Added support for the removes() tag for templates. Removes() specifies a list of traits to be removed from the character, separated by commas. Prefix tags are required. You may use the “all” keyword to specify that all variations of the skill should be removed, otherwise the name and name extension specified must match exactly. For example: removes(All SK:Guns, SK:Accounting, “SK:Animal Handling (Dogs)”) will remove every Guns skill, only the normal Accounting skill, and only the specialized Animal Handling for Dogs. Without the “all” keyword on SK:Guns, no specialized Guns skill would be removed.

* Added support for the removesbytag() tag for templates. RemovesByTag() includes one or more specifications (separated by commas) of the format

<Type> where <tag> [ is | isnot | includes | excludes | listincludes | listexcludes ] <tagvalue>

This is the same format as that used by the #BuildCharItemList directive, so see that for more information on how each of the comparison types works. Note that it is very dangerous to use ones that specify a non-match, because that means any trait without the specified tag will likely not match, and will be removed. RemovesByTag is intended to be used primarily in conjunction with tag values added during a SelectX() process, for further customizing templates with lenses later on, but data file authors will do as they will.

* Updated the report engine. Sheet plugins need to be rebuilt. (Included plugins were rebuilt.)

Not Forgotten

I have not forgotten about this site. I’ve been working on the day job lately, so I haven’t really had anything to post here. Work on GCA generally tends to go in bursts, and we’re in between bursts at the moment. I’ll have more to post soon.

And more bits

From the beta list post for the newest build:

Added a very simple Groups viewer for the current character/library to the View menu.

Moved the character dialogs (Appearance, Campaign Log, etc.) from View menu to Character menu.

Made an adjustment to how characters are recalculated when loaded from saved file. This may increase loading time slightly.

Fixed an issue with some valid default options not being recognized.

Fixed an issue with defaulted skills with valid levels at 0pts getting no bonuses.

Fixed an issue where bonuses targeted to the $ value of a tag weren’t created correctly, so their bonuses were never being applied to the targets.

Addressed issue with the Edit Traits window not correctly updating the attack mode values when the Damage Based On combo box was changed.

Even more bits

From the beta list post for the newest build:

Found and squashed the issue that was causing unexpected exceptions to be raised when processing certain books, such as GURPS Low-Tech 4e.gdf.

Fixed issue that raised an exception when the last character was closed, but GCA was not closed.

Added an Option to prevent most of the book-processing messages from appearing in the Log.

Added UI for Character Rules options in Options.

Fixed bug that was causing defaulted skills to get point happy.

More bits

From the beta list post for the newest build:

Mucked about with some of the XML output and the schema.

GCA will toss an error into the log when it sees duplicate tags for traits in books that are being loaded. (I will add an option to enable/disable this later; for now it’s enabled.)

Libraries that are changed in the library manager, and are also currently active in GCA, will now be reloaded when the library manager is closed.

The Modifiers button should now work consistently.

Clicking in one of the icon columns of the Classic View character trait lists should no longer trigger an exception.

Fixed some issues related to the Experimental option.

Updated some of the right-click menu options and handling in Classic View character trait lists.

Enabled cut/copy/paste in text boxes of Classic Attributes and Compact General Info.

Fixed an issue that created a fatal exception if creating a character, and the creation failed for some reason. (Any underlying issue still remains unfixed so far; this just keeps GCA alive.)

Latest GCA5 bits

From the beta list post for the newest build:

Now supporting the direct editing/changing of certain values inside the Classic view character trait lists: points and level for skills and spells; qty for equipment; score for attributes (in the left-side listing).

The logging pane may now be placed on the right side of the main window, under the Info pane.

Print and Print Preview should now be working. Note that the Print/Preview Using… options have been removed from the File menu, as the Print Preview window allows for changing the current Sheet, which can then be printed. We will probably still allow for having characters specify preferred alternative sheets, so they can still quickly be selected and printed or previewed from the toolbar.

GCA 5 Compact View

I’ve previously posted a screen shot of the new Compact view in GCA 5, which has all the character traits and important information in a single screen. So, I thought for my first GCA 5 post here on this blog, I’d post an updated shot of Compact view, with some more info boxes being peeked at.

gca5 compact view peek

A peek at more blocks.

Maybe I’ll talk about the new Loadout or Protection stuff, later.