Manalink BETA update : 2000 limit NO MORE !

[Gargaroz]

I think it should be "Enchant Creature" and "Eldrazi", it was probably wrong in the past.

[Mok]

I think it should be "Enchant Creature" and "Eldrazi", it was probably wrong in the past.

Yes, I tested it a bit and it won't work in different order properly. The problem is that magic.exe was "work in progress" and when I initially added a 2nd subtype, not all places were fixed to check both of them. I fixed it later, unfortunately the version that was used as a base for further development (when I left) is much earlier and a lot of places only check first subtype, an example is Rabid Wombat. If I place it in play, then I add Eldrazi Conscription into my hand and cast it on RW, it won't get +2/+2, but if subtypes are exchanged, it should work properly. I guess most (all?) of eldrazi enchantments must be changed. Some will be pretty weird... "none" in 1st subtype (211) and something else in second etc.

[0rion79]

Pals, I need help with installation of this beta.

I didn't see it (that's why I was requesting for a single beta pack).
I tried to install it from a fresh installation but, after that I've installed Visual Studio 2010 SP1, all text has gone from cards in the Deck Editor and I can't run the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit: I have Win6-64 bit and each time I try to open the MtG_-_DotP.sdb, the Microsoft applicaton fails to open it. If I use 32 bit version, it tells me that it does not support 64- bit databases and that I need the 64 version of the application to open it; when I do so it tells me to use the 32 bit version. As result, I can't open the database and I can play Magic but with no text. Any clue?
The worst thing is that before everything was fine and now all my versions are corrupted.

[Aswan jaguar]

Did you tried to uninstall Visual Studio 2010 SP1 maybe you can go back to your previous state perhaps?
Orion79 post your problem also to development "CardArtLib" for Snacko to see it maybe he can help.

[0rion79]

Yes, I did: it fixed everything. You have just anticipated me: I was next to edit my previous post. I've got really scared! )
This beta looks stable, even if there are a bunch of card arts and duel arts missing.
I've also seen some bug (eg. Gaea's Blessing is not working fine) but overall looks good.
As soon as a stable official release is ready, may I suggest to create an all-containing patch to be installed from a fresh installation? I mean something that also removes useless files and folders and that allows players to choose among some options as:
- Art for Rules Engine
- Art for in-duel hand
- Sounds selections (originals, tuned down from me or the new ones)
And so on....

[Mok]

Yes, I did: it fixed everything. You have just anticipated me: I was next to edit my previous post. I've got really scared! )

So uninstalling the VS 2010 SP1 fixed the text issue? Ugh, I don't have VS 2010 so cannot install SP1 and I'd really like to reproduce the problem

[Snacko]

It's runtime files you can install it anywhere, however it shouldn't change anything as text is rendered via gdi.

[Mok]

It's runtime files you can install it anywhere, however it shouldn't change anything as text is rendered via gdi.

Hmm, he mentioned SP1 and so I assumed it's service pack for VS and not just runtime. And no, it can change things as mana symbols are rendered via GDI+ now (as otherwise they look like ****). And gdi+ is all but reliable, it clashes a lot with normal gdi so I'd like to isolate the problem or at least have a test case where I can see it. VS 2010 uses GDI+ a lot so I assumed SP might contain updated gdiplus.dll or something like that. I'm off to download the runtime and try it.

Edit: Installing VS2010 SP1 runtime files didn't change anything here on both XP and Vista 64-bit

[Sonic]

OK - Here's the state of play.

Restored characters ‘Æ’, ‘û’ and ‘à’ in the ‘Manalink.xls’ and ‘ct_all.xls’ files.
Restored ‘long dash’ missing from Rules Text.
Restored full ‘Planeswalker’ Rules Text.
Few other minor text related corrections.

Restored a number of missing ‘100/100’ Power/Toughness entries. (My bad from the original beta csv file).
Moved Trench Gorger into ‘Commander’ block.
Added missing ‘Named Token’ entries.
Reordered ‘Flip’ cards. ‘Casting’ face entries are now followed by the ‘flipped’ face entries – as per ‘Animated’ and ‘Transform’ cards.
Marked card entries (coloured row) which have a corresponding Animated, Flipped, or Transform entry.
Few other minor parameter corrections.

Added artwork for ‘Flipped’, ‘Split’ and Token cards.
Recompiled ‘CardArtManalink’ folder. If the ‘Num Pic’ field in the xls file shows a card as having artwork, it’s included in the CardArtManalink folder.
PLEASE DELETE THE OLD ‘CARDARTMANALINK’ FOLDER BEFORE INSTALLING THE NEW ONE – there are a number of changes in the artwork files which won’t overwrite the old artwork by just copying the new files into the old folder.
(Current number of images in folder: 6277)

Manalink Files: http://www.mediafire.com/?q89uh5d5cdckqcp
Card Art Folder: http://www.mediafire.com/?4kcnexnkkodmkuf

A small warning to anyone interested in editing the manalink files.
PLEASE DO NOT IMPORT THE MANALINK.CSV FILE INTO MS EXCEL 2000/3. DO ALL EDITING IN THE MANALINK.XLS FILE AND THEN COVERT IT TO A CSV.
Excel 2000/3 seeming regards a combination of the characters in the Planeswalker Rules Text as a malformed formula entry and, rather than reporting a formula error when importing the csv file, fails to import the complete rules text of some of the Planeswalker cards without warning.
So unless you want to re-enter the rules text in these card entries anytime you want to change anything; edit the xls file – not the csv.
(It’s currently unknown whether this affects later versions of Excel - if someone would like to check?)

[Mok]

Restored a number of missing ‘100/100’ Power/Toughness entries. (My bad from the original beta csv file).

You checked these to make sure it should be really set to */*? Originally the game couldn't display p/t of 0/0 but now it can so there's no reason to keep */* (in main csv) if the original card is 0/0, especially because the values are only used for card displaying, the real p/t are in ct_all anyway. Disregard please if it's related to different cards.

[stassy]

No problem so far on the last Sonic update, seems to be all card images and special chars are showing
Not sure where to unpack the Manalink Files so I extracted them all in the magic_updater folder then duplicated Magic.exe, cards.dat, DBinfo.dat and Rarity.dat in the Magic root folder.

Edit: Oops, speak too fast, there are still some cards image missing and the playdeck is messed up again, but thanks to Dave's ID changer it's not a big deal

[Aswan jaguar]

@Sonic about images everything is great except the * aproximation asterisk that is missing from aproximately made cards.
@Stassy the cardart that you miss I can take a wild quess,are the ones with asterisk right?Go to magic_updater click csv2dat and then copy/paste the 3 dat files,DBinfo,Rarity,Cards to main directory.Then all images will show correctly just miss the asterisk of aproximated cards.
Stassy before you do what I mentioned please please play/test some games do you see anything peculiar?
I believe the renumpering of cards has resorted to some faults like wrong colors and abilities to cards in play.

I am going to keep this messed for me at least version in random singleton should be fun to play it could even become a challenge =(nothing is what you think)

[Mok]

Uhm, simply using the files posted by Sonic will not work. The order changed so you'll have to wait for new magic.exe/manalinkeh.dll files etc.

[0rion79]

So uninstalling the VS 2010 SP1 fixed the text issue? Ugh, I don't have VS 2010 so cannot install SP1 and I'd really like to reproduce the problem

Yes, Mok! Esactly!

Has any of you seen that now the game misses the button to minimize combat screen? When I need to lower it in order to target cards that are "covred" by it, I have to right click on the combat screen to minimize it. Then the sword to show it is available again.
Also, I've seen that some creatures with Infect have banding icon.

[stassy]

Hum nope, really no problem with cards order in DeckEditor nor color shift



So as Mok confirmed the id cards will change as the final csv is not ready yet but with the ID card changer it's no longer an issue.

I also noticed that Orion79, the little button on the top right corner to minimize the attack windows is missing but I think it's due to a missing art (we nearly all use the beta working "pack" I guess so no one tried a real clean install (this one was not completely clean but was working).