New Limited Edition plans

by **Masaaki** » 18 Oct 2011, 19:32

Thanks so much!
I was sure I made errors that had to be corrected. I'm just not familiar with the file format.
Now that I have an idea what to avoid there's probably lots of fine tuning left to be done, as I often had only a very rough idea what the specific values referred to.

PS: Maybe I'll put the what-to-avoid things into the csv wiki

by **Sonic** » 19 Oct 2011, 02:57

Gargaroz wrote:I found out some ";" in the text fields. You should never use this character for values or in text fields, it's reserved to separate the records.

Actually, that's not true - if the entered text in a text field contains a semicolon, the csv will ignore it’s function as the field delimiter if the text is signified by a " at the beginning and end of the text entry. In fact, the skymagic editor will enter " at the beginning and end of a text field automatically if you enter a semicolon in any of the text fields.

As an example, if you look in the file for a rules text entry containing the phrase 'Choose one —', these always have a semicolon in the text, so you'll find "at either end of the entry.

Because of the Manalink.csv format using the standard keyboard quotation mark " as a text signifier, I tend to use the “ ” Unicode 'quotation symbols' when entering quoted text in the text fields - as this then stops the need for the multiple """ characters you see at the start and end of quoted text when the keyboard " is used as a quotation mark.

If needed the symbols can be entered in Excel using Insert/Symbol... under subset 'General Punctuation' - character codes 201C and 201D.
Or do what I do... Copy/Paste from another entry.

So you only really need a " text signifier at the beginning and end of a text field which includes any of the format characters, or a semicolon in the text. This is why the '#' character was causing problems in the file.

From a working point of view, it doesn't really matter whether you use the keyboard quotation mark or the unicode quotation symbols - but the symbols make the file easier to follow in a text editor, actually reduces the size of the csv, and look better in the italicized flavor text card display.

by **Masaaki** » 19 Oct 2011, 14:16

So here's the csv which finally holds all cards since M12.

By the way, I need to learn C. Can you suggest a good documentation? I have some basic knowledge of python, but one of my lectures requires me to work with C.

by **Gargaroz** » 19 Oct 2011, 14:25

Sonic, since the better way to edit the CSV is using stuff like Excel or a text editor, the correction about ";" you talk about will not be done unless you manually insert "" as text-qualifiers, and the CSV will be "truncated" by SkyMagic, causing errors.
So, unless you're using SkyMagic (aka CardEditor or CardEditorLimited), avois ";" as hell.
Masaaki, for my part I just used the knowledge basis I already had and wikipedia, so I cannot help you

Try to ask Jatill or Snacko.

by **Sonic** » 19 Oct 2011, 16:34

Gargaroz wrote:Sonic, since the better way to edit the CSV is using stuff like Excel or a text editor, the correction about ";" you talk about will not be done unless you manually insert "" as text-qualifiers, and the CSV will be "truncated" by SkyMagic, causing errors.
So, unless you're using SkyMagic (aka CardEditor or CardEditorLimited), avois ";" as hell.

Sorry, but I've never had this problem. And the only time I've ever needed to enter a text qualifier manually was when editing the files exclusively in a text editor

If the file is edited and exported from Open Office Calc, and I assume Excel, the text qualifier and field delimiter can be entered automatically when you select the export format.
The spreadsheet will only export the file using a general delimited and text qualified format, as its not aware of which special characters the Manalink.csv uses within it’s own specific format (the hash ‘#’ being a case in point). So you tend to find all the fields will be text qualified when exported.
The file can then be loaded into the skymagic editor and saved in the specific format used by the Manalink.csv – this then strips out all the unneeded text qualifiers – whilst leaving those in the text fields which contain special format characters like the semicolon delimiter.
This is why I use unicode quotation symbols rather than the keyboard ‘"’ when entering quoted text – because the manalink.csv format uses the keyboard quotation mark as a format character like the ‘;’ semicolon, and requires another ‘"’ before and after any used as quotation marks in the text fields to show it as text rather than a format character. So you end up with this when viewed in a text editor:

;"""We hold sacred the powers of light and life. Truth and honor are our greatest weapon.""\n—Alabaster creed";;

Whereas using the quotation symbols you get this:

;”We hold sacred the powers of light and life. Truth and honor are our greatest weapon.“\n—Alabaster creed;;

Which results in the file being smaller, due to less characters in the file, and easier to find errors in using a text editor without the need to figure out which ‘"’ are text qualifiers and which are quotation marks.

by **Gargaroz** » 23 Oct 2011, 12:28

I'm working on finishing Scars of Mirrodin coding, then I'll probably release a first part of this "mod", including M12 and Scars of Mirrodin.

by **Gargaroz** » 25 Oct 2011, 16:13

Sonic or Masaaki, could you please renaming the images following these changes :

0431 Golem token
0452 Stormblood Berserker
1339 Naturalize
1982 Deadbox
1985 EDH
1990 Random Singleton
1992 Avatar - Planechase
1993 Myr token
1994 Avatar - Momir
1995 Face-Down creature
1998 Koth Emblem

The "Random Singleton" is a new "Avatar"-type card and need a brand-new image. If you put it in your deck, it will automatically generate a new mono-colored of 60 cards with no duplicates. It's really fun to play and really useful for debugging. I'm planning on improving this card so you could choose to play versus a random EDH general with a fitting deck each time.

by **Masaaki** » 25 Oct 2011, 17:02

Sounds great!
I've renamed the art for you, though Sonic might find some better pictures for Singleton and Planechase.

by **Sonic** » 26 Oct 2011, 01:54

I'm a bit confused as to what the 'Avatar - Planechase' card is. In the current Constructed there's a 'Planechase Special Effect' card. I created this piece of artwork for it for the current SCV card art update.

Is the Avatar card the same as the Special Effect card - or are they separate things. Will this artwork do for the moment?

As to Random Singleton - I came up with this for the time being. I just adapted the Handicap Card artwork. I'll try and think of something else when I get more time.

Oh, and by the way. There's an image number error in the csv for the new limited. Assembly-Worker is listed as having 0 images, it should be 1.
Sorry, my bad - the card list posted didn't have Assembly-Worker shown in it's slot and I missed it when compiling the 'Num Pics' column.

by **Aswan jaguar** » 26 Oct 2011, 04:37

Sonic for Random Singleton image I think it would be nice a dice or 2 having cards of magic as sides and if the one is spinning(showing standing on one corner I mean to show effect of spinning)that would be amazing!
Of course,it's an idea easy to say but requirring lot of work so ....

Another idea is cards on the air falling, others showing face, others back side,others horizontal,vertical....what do you think?

by **Sonic** » 26 Oct 2011, 14:10

Aswan jaguar wrote:Sonic for Random Singleton image I think it would be nice a dice or 2 having cards of magic as sides and if the one is spinning(showing standing on one corner I mean to show effect of spinning)that would be amazing!
Of course,it's an idea easy to say but requirring lot of work so ....

Another idea is cards on the air falling, others showing face, others back side,others horizontal,vertical....what do you think?

The falling cards would be easiest to do - but for now, I think this would probably suffice. :wink:

by **Tattooedoni** » 26 Oct 2011, 20:11

I support it!

by **Gargaroz** » 03 Nov 2011, 15:47

V1 is out, along with the current update : viewtopic.php?f=85&t=5668

by **Masaaki** » 04 Nov 2011, 06:55

Great work guys!

Now that the first release is out, I will create the draft sets.

My only concern is that the editions got mixed up. I had hoped if would be enough to change the set descriptions in the .csv files. My aim is to play sealed deck with the new sets.
Do you have any idea how to fix this, Gargaroz?