[fre_ber]

Hi, some of you already know what this is, but I'll start this thread where I will try to post status reports and hope to get your feedback.

Ok, now what is PSDL Viewer some of you ask... Well, it started out to be a test program that displays PSDL files as lists of the PSDL file components as well as a 3D view of the terrain defined by a PSDL file.

Did someone shout "What is a PSDL file?"? Ok, a PSDL file is the file that describes the terrain of a city in Midtown Madness II. PSDL stands for Processed Scene Description Language (I think) and it contains nothing but the terrain. It defines the material and geometry of the ground you are driving on.

To enable more people to experiment with PSDL files, and thus help me to understand the remaining unknown parts of the format, I turned the viewer into an editor. With the current functionality, it is perfectly possible, if not yet practical, to create complete terrains for new cities as well as analyzing most parts of the PSDL files shipped with MM2 using this program.

System requirements:
The PSDL Viwer is completely written in Java. I use Java2 SDK v1.4 that can be freely downloaded from SUN microsystems. (http://java.sun.com/)

It is required that at least the run-time environment of this version of Java is installed.

PSDL Viewer also uses, and therefore requires Java3D, this extra package can also be downloaded from SUN.

So, I encourage all of you to download and start experimenting with my software and post your experiences gained from doing so in this thread.

See my signature for my little web site describing the project in more detail.
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"He who re-invents the wheel, understands much better how a wheel works."

<[4D]JoeShmo> what we have here, is a failure.. to communicate

[Awesys]

I am not, and never will test this software, for I do not have any use for it, and would probably not understand it. However, I'm sure it's a great piece of software
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[Coolguy001]

I have still yet to try this, so in a few days I will have a reply on how things went

[RandysWay]

I have yet to try this also, I'll try it out when the time comes.. I'm sure its very handy
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Also known as XR_Owner since 1999.

[Stereo]

I would be testing this thing, but I get an error when I try to start it up:
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: PSDLViewer

I am new to this java thing, so I have no idea how to fix this. can anyone help?
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Hi!
I can bend minds with my spoon.

A member of Team Graduation 2004/05!

[Awesys]

[Stereo]

No, those are the things that I downloaded specifically for this, and thus have no experience using them.
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Hi!
I can bend minds with my spoon.

A member of Team Graduation 2004/05!

[Rippance]

I believe I had the same problem before, now I forgot what the right commands were to start it. It had to do with the default directories of Java I think .. I am sure fre_ber knows the answer
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Rippance

w: http://www.crumbl.com
c: #mm2c @ irc.gamesurge.net

[fre_ber]

Hmm... On some systems it appears as if the "classpath" is messed up. (It is defferently set up in different OS). The classpath is where Java searches for the class files.

Try this:

Make sure that you are in the folder where you unpacked the stuff.
Type:

java -classpath . PSDLViewer

I am just about to upload a new version that is a little easier to handle.
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"He who re-invents the wheel, understands much better how a wheel works."

<[4D]JoeShmo> what we have here, is a failure.. to communicate

[fre_ber]

Ok, folks - a new version is available. No changes in functionality, but the deployment is a lot better. The bunch of class files are now stuffed into a JAR-file. You should only have to double click the file "Viewer.jar" to start the application.

Remember that you need both Java 2 1.4 and Java3D.

P.S. For those of you interested - a JAR-file is a ZIP archive.
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"He who re-invents the wheel, understands much better how a wheel works."

<[4D]JoeShmo> what we have here, is a failure.. to communicate

[onlinegaminggod]

Cool, now you should make an .exe so it will be better for different OS. And much easier to distribute. It looks as if it's going well though, keep up the hard work. You can make some kick a** viewer/editor here!
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Managing the almighty Xen-Online Game Design Team. Found at it's temporary website... www.xen-online.8m.net, soon moving to www.xen-online.co.uk, when I can get off my ass and make some money...

[fre_ber]

This software will NEVER be released as an ".exe" file. Simply because that exe-file would be about 12 MB in size and I don't know if it is even possible.

Keep in mind that the Java runtime environment is much like an entire operating system, and this needs to be working for this application.

Making an .exe out of this would imply to put all of the Java run-time inside the .exe - this is not practical. I was once thinking about the possibility to make a program that analyzes which parts of the Java run-time that is used by a specific application. But I realized that this is not, and will never be possible.

So swallow your pride and don't buy in to the Microsoft propaganda, dissing Java - install it NOW!

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"He who re-invents the wheel, understands much better how a wheel works."

<[4D]JoeShmo> what we have here, is a failure.. to communicate

[onlinegaminggod]

I don't think it would be about 12 megs. I was just thinking it would be an easier way of distributing it. I thought it would have been cooler. And I haven't got a clue what a .JAR file is. Though I still thought an .exe would have been easier. But hey, don't flame me for giving my own opinion man!
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Managing the almighty Xen-Online Game Design Team. Found at it's temporary website... www.xen-online.8m.net, soon moving to www.xen-online.co.uk, when I can get off my ass and make some money...

[fre_ber]

Sorry about that - is was not meant as a flame, and certainly not for you. I was simply trying to make a general adress of an off-topic topic in a discrete kind of way...

The exe would, in fact be about 12 MB - because that is the size of the Java run time environment.
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"He who re-invents the wheel, understands much better how a wheel works."

<[4D]JoeShmo> what we have here, is a failure.. to communicate

[crazydriver]

I cant get java to install.
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midtownguy/pentiumuser