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Still not getting the Make a Tab to work

S

SAbel

Well-known member
Hey all (mainly Mghel) for all the help but I am back again
here is what I think I am doing wrong (this is from the Wiki files)

Getting Everything to Work
If we were to re-compile the data files at this point, we would have an error that still needs to be resolved, so we'll address it now.
Open the "tags.1st" file and locate the "HideTab" tag group. The "abilities" tag needs to be changed to "skills", since that's what we
now key on within the Live tag expression of the panel.

*** I make it to this point BUT then next area I think is were I am messing up, I believe that I am not finding or understanding what the panel linkages are/located. I understand taht they are sending a message to look for a tab that is no longer there (since we have changed its name to Skills now, but am I only looking in the tags.1st file and do I change everything that says "abilities" to "basics" or is it only a specfic type of line I am looking for?***

There are also a few panel linkages on components that are currently tied to the "abilities" tab as a placeholder. These linkages are for edges and the like that have no relationship to the "Skills" tab, but we need to change them to something so the compiler can resolve everything.

We can change the linkages to "skills", "basics", or any other tab, as long as the tab exists. We'll change it to "basics" as something safe for the time being. We'll fix it once we have a suitable tab in place to hook these components up to. We should now be able to re-load our data files and see our new "Skills" tab appear. It isn't working correctly yet, but we'll take care of that in the following sections.
 
after I change the "hide tab" from abilities to skills I get this error

The data files could not be loaded due to the following errors:

Syntax error in 'evalrule' script for Thing 'valAbility' (Eval Rule '#1') on line 9
-> Non-existent panel 'abilities' used by script
Syntax error in 'evalrule' script for Thing 'valAbility' (Eval Rule '#2') on line 9
-> Non-existent panel 'abilities' used by script
Syntax error in 'titlebar' script for Portal 'skSkills' on line 2
-> Non-existent thing 'resSkill' used by script
Syntax error in 'headertitle' script for Portal 'skSkills' on line 2
-> Non-existent thing 'resSkill' used by script
Syntax error in 'position' script for Layout 'skills' on line 10
-> Non-existent portal 'abAbility' used by script

If I change the other areas in the tags1.str that have abilities all to skills (there are two)
<group
id="Hide">
<value id="Attribute"/> <!-- Indicates an attribute that is not user selectable -->
<value id="Skill"/> <!-- Indicates a skill that is not user selectable -->
<value id="InPlay"/> <!-- Indicates an in-play adjustment that is hidden from view -->
<value id="Ability"/> <!-- Indicates an ability that is not user selectable (i.e. conferred by race or similar mechanism) -->
<value id="Special"/> <!-- Indicates a trait that is hidden from the Special tab -->
<value id="Tracker"/> <!-- Indicates a tracker that is hidden from the In-Play tab (and likely shown somewhere else) -->
</group>

<group
id="SpecialTab"
sequence="explicit">
<value id="Ability" order="10"/>
<value id="Unknown" order="80"/>
</group>
I get this error
The data files could not be loaded due to the following errors:

File: traits.str (line 218) - Component 'Ability' (dynamic tag) - Tag 'Ability' not defined
One or more timing errors were identified. Please review the timing report and correct the errors. You can access the report under the 'Develop' menu or by clicking this link.

I am at a loss as to what wrong.
 
and were does one enter the following:
<component
id="Skill"
name="Skill"
autocompset="no"
panellink="skills">
...
</component>

this is in the secound paragraph

Internal Mechanics Changes
We now need to make some internal changes to mechanics in order to get skills behaving properly. The first thing to address is the
fact that all skills are being automatically added to every character. In Savage Worlds, skills are purchased, so each character should
start out with zero skills. Open the file "bootstrap.1st" and look for the various "enmasse" entries. Each of these entries automatically
adds all things that satisfy a particular tag expression. One entry specifies all things with the "component.Skill" tag, which will add all
skills. Delete this "enmasse" entry.

The next detail we need to address is that there may be some skills that the user is not allowed to purchase directly and that are
automatically added (e.g. via edges, powers, etc.). This means that we need a method for designating some skills as hidden from the
user for selection. A general mechanism for hiding things/picks is already defined via the "Hide" tag group, and we already have a tag
for hiding skills in the "Hide.Skill" tag. We can assign this tag to any things that should be hidden from the user. The Candidate tag
expression of the table portal will preclude such things from being shown for selection.
If errors are identified with any skills, it would be helpful to the user for the "Skills" tab to appear in red, drawing attention to the
problem for easy correction. To simplify this, we need to associate all skills with the new tab. This can be accomplished by linking the
"Skill" component to the new "skills" panel via a "panellink" attribute.
 
Ignore this post - I made a mistake in my assumptions.

Mathias Gehl
 
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In the wiki walk "A Tab for Skills (Savage)" its page 439-443 if you have the pdf
it say to rename abilities tab to skills tab, b/c there is not a skill tab in the wakl through. then to go through and change all these labels for abilities to skills ect which I am getting lost b/c not everything tells me which files to find things like above.
I was hoping for a way to just add tabs (maybe more typing but if I know what to put in I am willing to type it out) so that I can add the info they
 
Okay, first, for easy reference, here's the wiki page I think we're both working from:

http://hlkitwiki.wolflair.com/index.php5/A_Tab_for_Skills_(Savage)

In your XML editor, learn where the go to line function is. In mine (XML Spy 2006 - a nagware varsion that's no longer available), it's in the view menu, "Go to line/char -ctrl-g". The compiler in HeroLab will sometimes tell you the line number of an error, and in writing the Cortex files, I've had to look them up quite a number of times.
 
Last edited:
In the system it does not use other races, yes there are some but most are never played (but I am sure someone would like them) instead there are different clans with multiple families (that give bonuses to abilities) and then finally schools (which also give bonuses to abilities and starting packages which included some skills with options of others to pick from, gear, money, and the rank ability (powers) for the school (a character receives one rank ability from the class each level (there is no choice it is a static set that is given to anyone in that school.
 
SAbel said:
There are also a few panel linkages on components that are currently tied to the "abilities" tab as a placeholder. These linkages are for edges and the like that have no relationship to the "Skills" tab, but we need to change them to something so the compiler can resolve everything.

We can change the linkages to "skills", "basics", or any other tab, as long as the tab exists. We'll change it to "basics" as something safe for the time being. We'll fix it once we have a suitable tab in place to hook these components up to. We should now be able to re-load our data files and see our new "Skills" tab appear. It isn't working correctly yet, but we'll take care of that in the following sections.
Click to expand...

This section is referring to traits.str
 
I am using the XML maker which seems very basic. It has a "lookup" but it does not go by lines just text search,
 
ok well I have made it forward to the next error :)

The data files could not be loaded due to the following errors:

File: tab_skills.dat (line 17) - Portal 'Domain' - Invalid unique id

which is coming from me adding the following

<portal
id="lbldomain"
style="lblSecond">
<label
text="Domain:">
</label>
</portal>

<portal
id="Domain"
style="editNormal">
<edit
field="domDomain:">
</edit>
</portal>

This is to allow people to use multi skills like a knowledge and id each time they take it with the spec. area that it covers.
 
Man I am not sure how you guys understand this stuff, I am not trained or have ever used this before I have made an excel sheet but its rather basic for the character and the pain in my head makes me wonder if I will ever get this stuff.
 
SAbel said:
after I change the "hide tab" from abilities to skills I get this error

The data files could not be loaded due to the following errors:

Syntax error in 'evalrule' script for Thing 'valAbility' (Eval Rule '#1') on line 9
-> Non-existent panel 'abilities' used by script
Syntax error in 'evalrule' script for Thing 'valAbility' (Eval Rule '#2') on line 9
Click to expand...

You'll find these in thing_validate.dat - look for:
container.panelvalid[abilities] = 0

and change it to:
container.panelvalid[basics] = 0

SAbel said:
-> Non-existent panel 'abilities' used by script
Syntax error in 'titlebar' script for Portal 'skSkills' on line 2
-> Non-existent thing 'resSkill' used by script
Syntax error in 'headertitle' script for Portal 'skSkills' on line 2
-> Non-existent thing 'resSkill' used by script
Click to expand...

The resources page of the walkthrough:
http://hlkitwiki.wolflair.com/index.php5/Resources_(Savage)

Includes how to create resSkill

SAbel said:
Syntax error in 'position' script for Layout 'skills' on line 10
-> Non-existent portal 'abAbility' used by script
Click to expand...

It's probably referring to this layout (copied from tab_abilities.dat in the Skeleton files):

Code: 
<layout
id="abilities">
<portalref portal="abAbility" taborder="10"/>
<!-- This script sizes and positions the layout and its child visual elements. -->
<position><![CDATA[
~freeze our table in advancement mode to disable adding new choices
~Note: All freezing must be done *before* any positioning is performed.
if (state.iscreate = 0) then
portal[abAbility].freeze = 1
endif
~position and size the table to span the full layout; it will only use the
~vertical space that it actually needs
perform portal[abAbility].autoplace
]]></position>
</layout>

Notice that there's a mention of "abAbility" at the top, but then there are two more mentions inside, you have to catch all three.

SAbel said:
I get this error
The data files could not be loaded due to the following errors:

File: traits.str (line 218) - Component 'Ability' (dynamic tag) - Tag 'Ability' not defined
One or more timing errors were identified. Please review the timing report and correct the errors. You can access the report under the 'Develop' menu or by clicking this link.

I am at a loss as to what wrong.
Click to expand...

You'll find this in the traits.str file.

Does line 218 say:
Code: 
perform forward[Ability.?]
and about a dozen lines above it, did you change:
Code: 
<identity group="Ability"/>
to something else?
 
SAbel said:
ok well I have made it forward to the next error :)

The data files could not be loaded due to the following errors:

File: tab_skills.dat (line 17) - Portal 'Domain' - Invalid unique id

which is coming from me adding the following

<portal
id="lbldomain"
style="lblSecond">
<label
text="Domain:">
</label>
</portal>

<portal
id="Domain"
style="editNormal">
<edit
field="domDomain:">
</edit>
</portal>

This is to allow people to use multi skills like a knowledge and id each time they take it with the spec. area that it covers.
Click to expand...

It's the colons ( : ) in your field name that it's complaining about.

field="domDomain:">

should be:

field="domDomain">
 
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SAbel said:
Man I am not sure how you guys understand this stuff, I am not trained or have ever used this before I have made an excel sheet but its rather basic for the character and the pain in my head makes me wonder if I will ever get this stuff.
Click to expand...

I worked for Lone Wolf as a part-time contractor since early '06, adding things to the d20 files (all the Pathfinder modules, many of the races, most of the psionic classes, etc.), so that gave me a lot of experience with writing scripts. Before that, I had written a few ArmyBuilder and CardVault files, which gave me experience with the programming language (HeroLab, ArmyBuilder, and CardVault are based on the same custom programming language and XML setup, so experience with one helps with the others).

You aren't alone. Programming every option possible in a role-playing game into a program is a very complex operation. There have been a few days where I've needed to stop work around the middle of the afternoon, take the rest of the day off (making up the time later) or switch to a different project, and come back to it after a good night's sleep.

I ran into the same sort of errors you're running into, so you're not alone in that, either.

I really applaud you for taking this project on. You're also providing a service to the next person to try it. I can edit the wiki, so now I know a few places where the walkthrough wasn't clear enough, and tripped you up, and I'll edit them to make them clearer for the next person (it'll probably happen Friday afternoon or Monday - I need to get back to my regular work now).
 
Okay is there a way to just add in a tab not change the tab. I would rather try that and add materials then attempt to find all these little areas and change them :( but if this is the way it has to be done I shall try again (hey 7 is a lucky number correct LOL)

Thanks for the encouragement I need it, I just do not want to take up to much time and would like to have a good chunk of material finished before Gencon so that I can use up even more time trying to get this correct LOL!

I never thought of someone lerning from my mistakes (which means there is a lot here to learn from :)

I wish you guys lived in Ohio b/c then I would feed you or something for all the help, I am a "hands on visual learn type" I start reading all this and I have to pull out high lighters and every thing to try and figure this stuff out and still not close!

Again thanks for everything, Mgehl you have been a God send! Tomorrow I shall wake up and try again on changing that tab, So Have a great day I ll post either way!

I am going to start from scratch, maybe I ll try putting in some advantages/disadvantages or out in clan info under races.

CYA
Sean
 
SAbel said:
Okay is there a way to just add in a tab not change the tab. I would rather try that and add materials then attempt to find all these little areas and change them :( but if this is the way it has to be done I shall try again (hey 7 is a lucky number correct LOL)
Click to expand...

If you take the tab_abilities.dat file, and copy it to tab_skills.dat, the original will still be around, so everything that points to abilities won't need to be changed.

Then, you proceed with the modifications to tab_skills.dat, changing everything in it over to use skills.
 
Ok I did that and no errors but also no skill tab showing up the skills are still listed on the basic tab. I am guessing I have to add some files but what and were I am not sure.
I put in a screen shot.
 

Attachments

first I went to tags.1st file and added in the "hide tab"
<value id="skills"/>

then went to Bootstrap.1st and removed this so skills are no longer on basic tab.
<!-- Add all skills to the actor -->
<enmasse><![CDATA[
component.Skill
]]></enmasse>

it worked had this error but still could make it into program

Attempt to access non-existent child pick 'skMelee' from script
Location: 'eval' script for Component 'WeapMelee' (Eval Script 'Calc wpNetAtk') near line 2
 
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I am not sure if this goes in the Bootstrap.1st file but it is with it in the wiki I added it after the "enmasse"

<component
id="Skill"
name="Skill"
autocompset="no"
panellink="skills">
...
</component>
 
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