[Excel] WidowMakers XML Writer Tool

[WidowMakers]

Here it is everyone. I made and excel based XML writer. There are instructions on the first tab of the excel file.

Update:
-zipped files for smaller download
-fixed a couple formatting issues in excel file. This did not affect XML output.
-added a tab to output all XML at once
Tool Version 4
Excel 2007
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/ ... el2007.zip

Excel 2000
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/ ... el2000.zip

Output The TEST.xml passed the XML checker.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/1180567/TEST.xml

Follow the instructions and it works.
I made a very basic circle of territories that can attack left and bombard right. Plus there are starting neutrals and auto deploy bonuses as well. I also coded in required continent bonuses and overrides.

Let me know what you think. Once we agree it works and is good, we can give it to the community.

WM

[RjBeals]

Dude... Seriously...

[wcaclimbing]

Thats a huge Excel file

I'll give it a try once Panama is ready for XML.

[yeti_c]

I'll check it out later WM... if it's good - then with tools like this - then there's no reason Mapmakers can't make their own XML anymore.

C.

[MrBenn]

There's no real reason they can't right now....

[yeti_c]

There's no real reason they can't right now....

Agreed!

C.

[WidowMakers]

Updated files in first post.

-Added New tab in file that groups all XML to one page. (easier to copy into text doc)
-Zipped the files
-Added 2 version - Excel 2000 and 2007

WM

[WidowMakers]

Hello everyone,
With all of the XML I am going to need to write for the USA Map Pack, I made and excel based XML writer. There are instructions on the first tab of the excel file.

Once you use it once it is real easy and it allows a user to setup all of the XML features (most of them) without typing or copying/pasting text.
You only need to enter you territory names once and the rest of the time you select them from the initial list.

Features:

-Only input territories once and then the rest of the file references that list (no more typos)
-Select border and bombard territories easily. Each excel cell has a drop down list of every territory (see 1st feature)
-Set auto-deploy and/or neutral starting values for any territory
-Name Continents and then select all territories in those continents from drop down lists
-Set Required and Override requirements for continents (This feature is used when a map has 5 territories and there is a bonus for holding any 3, 4 or all of them)
-Has 4 output tabs (Title, Continent, Territory and ALL). Just follow instructions and copy desired tab contents into XML text file.

Tool Version 4
Excel 2007
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/ ... el2007.zip

Excel 2000
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/ ... el2000.zip

I have already made several test XML files and a XML for the USA:West map. They all pass the checker.
Follow the instructions and it works.

Let me know what you think.

WM

[Kaplowitz]

:O
You're amazing...

edit: maybe you should put your bonus generator in the same excel file

[WidowMakers]

:O
You're amazing...

edit: maybe you should put your bonus generator in the same excel file

Sure I can do that. Plus if people don't want to use it then they can just enter their own bonus numbers

[cairnswk]

I'd give it 9/10 for a first preview. Congrats WM. With some tweaking, i think it will be quite productive to use.
I used it this morning to create the xml file for Ottoman Empire, and it works very well.
I copied the image into the Tert worksheet, and used that to list the terts for easy referencing - i hate switching widows.. I still had to open the tool's xml file into the Java GUI to track the coordinates but this was easy.
I'm not sure if it was any less time consuming than copying and pasting the way i used to do it in a text editor, I seemed to spend a lot of time trolling the picklists.

As suggestion....WM
Can you look at combining the Territory bordering page where you use the picklists to determine the borders (nice use of data vaildation) and the Continent page where you have list the terts in each continent from the picklist. Perhaps a column in front of the tert names column that can be easily copied down to place the continent names in front of the terts. Just seems a double up of having to use the licklist twice.

Nice work and thanks.

[WidowMakers]

As suggestion....WM
Can you look at combining the Territory bordering page where you use the picklists to determine the borders (nice use of data vaildation) and the Continent page where you have list the terts in each continent from the picklist. Perhaps a column in front of the tert names column that can be easily copied down to place the continent names in front of the terts. Just seems a double up of having to use the licklist twice.

Nice work and thanks.

I don't know if that will work since some territories are in multiple continents, especially for overrides. Or maybe I am just misunderstanding you.

WM

[cairnswk]

As suggestion....WM
Can you look at combining the Territory bordering page where you use the picklists to determine the borders (nice use of data vaildation) and the Continent page where you have list the terts in each continent from the picklist. Perhaps a column in front of the tert names column that can be easily copied down to place the continent names in front of the terts. Just seems a double up of having to use the licklist twice.

Nice work and thanks.

I don't know if that will work since some territories are in multiple continents, especially for overrides. Or maybe I am just misunderstanding you.

WM

Point taken

[gimil]

Ok WM added the tool to the map makers tools thread for you

[gimil]

Small suggestion WM, would it be possible to add a function that allows you to import an XML file into the spreadsheet? Could make editing easier in the long run.

[WidowMakers]

Small suggestion WM, would it be possible to add a function that allows you to import an XML file into the spreadsheet? Could make editing easier in the long run.

I think that is a great idea. Unfortunately I have no idea how to do that or that it could even be done with how I setup the file. Sorry.

WM

[gimil]

Small suggestion WM, would it be possible to add a function that allows you to import an XML file into the spreadsheet? Could make editing easier in the long run.

I think that is a great idea. Unfortunately I have no idea how to do that or that it could even be done with how I setup the file. Sorry.

WM

I wouldn't of though it was possible, but thought it was worth mentioning.

[yeti_c]

It would be possible...

You'd need to code some VBA stuff though...

C.

[cairnswk]

It would be possible...

You'd need to code some VBA stuff though...

C.

but gees, it would need a hell of a lot of code to import it back into the format that WM's s/sheet is in

[yeti_c]

It would be possible...

You'd need to code some VBA stuff though...

C.

but gees, it would need a hell of a lot of code to import it back into the format that WM's s/sheet is in

Yep!!!

C.

[WidowMakers]

It would be possible...

You'd need to code some VBA stuff though...

C.

but gees, it would need a hell of a lot of code to import it back into the format that WM's s/sheet is in

Exactly. The point of the tool was not to fix existing code but to make entirely new code for an new map. If someone is doing a revamp and they change a couple names or something then this toll is completely worthless to them.

If yeti wants to code the VB for it I will gladly let him but I still think it is not needed.

Plus the real reason I made this is that I HATE to type (as may of you can see from my posts) so allowing the territories to be entered once and then selected from drop down lists is great for me. The biggest help the tool has for me was that I did not have to deal with formatting issues. If the steps are followed the XML will not have any errors when the final code is copied into the text document and the XML is made.

WM

[e_i_pi]

It would be possible...

You'd need to code some VBA stuff though...

C.

but gees, it would need a hell of a lot of code to import it back into the format that WM's s/sheet is in

Yep!!!

C.

Did I mention I'm an Excel VBA programmer?

[cairnswk]

....
Did I mention I'm an Excel VBA programmer?

e_i_pi...i've done some excel work also.
I hate the use of the drop downs pick lists that you have to go through with WM's tool, (sorry WM no offense for the great work you've done)
Is it possible to place thij whole continent/territory thing in to a set of formulas that would simply propogate out if you had two columns: first one for continent, next for territory (thrrough the use of concatenation and formulas.

[WidowMakers]

....
Did I mention I'm an Excel VBA programmer?

e_i_pi...i've done some excel work also.
I hate the use of the drop downs pick lists that you have to go through with WM's tool, (sorry WM no offense for the great work you've done)
Is it possible to place thij whole continent/territory thing in to a set of formulas that would simply propogate out if you had two columns: first one for continent, next for territory (thrrough the use of concatenation and formulas.

That still will not work Cairns. Some territories belong to multiple continents. The way I set it up was to allow each continent the possibility of having multiple territories. You are simple asking to have both pages into 1 and that would just make them even more HUGE than they are now. Plus each territory borders others right. If you wanted a Territory / continent list, you would still need to make sure that there was a bordering/bombardment list too. Plus if there was a territory that belonged to two continents then you would need to make space for that as well. Plus with override bonuses, you would need to have the excel program automatically understand what those are and auto generate the code. Right now it is all there just waiting to be turned on. Plus, the drop down list allows a person to never need to type after the initial territory is placed in the list. Of course a user can always type everything in as well.

All I know is that it saved me TONS of time with MU USA maps. I think I only had 6 errors (and 4 or them were coordinate based so they don't count) over all 6 maps after the first XML version. I think I spent around 2 hours total (maybe) doing all of the initial XML for all 6 maps.

And no offense taken cairns. Just to let you know this was the 4th version I actually made. The first was actually quite similar to your suggestion (not 100% but similar) and I found that there were issues in layout and it was easier to make it this way.

So feel free to rip it apart and do anything you want. It is not really editable from a layout perspective so any changes might really screw it up.

WM

[ZeakCytho]

It would be possible...

You'd need to code some VBA stuff though...

C.

but gees, it would need a hell of a lot of code to import it back into the format that WM's s/sheet is in

Yep!!!

C.

Did I mention I'm an Excel VBA programmer?

Is there nothing you can't do?