Will's Gunship Mission Editor - Copyright (c) 2004 W. Baldwin

To install:

1) If you are re-installing, or upgrading from a previous version:
   a. If the previous version is earlier than 3.0, then you can just delete the old
      program and supporting files in Explorer.
   b. If the previous version is 3.0 or *later*, use 'Add/Remove programs' in
      Control Panel to remove 'Will's Gunship Mission Editor'.

2) Double click the new .exe package in Windows Explorer.  Next, the
   installation will ask you where to unzip the installation files.  It will probably
   suggest the Windows\Temp folder, which is fine, or you can pick any empty folder.

   When it has finished unzipping the installation files, the actual installation process
   will begin, by running setup.exe.  It will ask you which folder to install the software
   to, etc.

3) Now, you should test your installation.  The program will be listed in your
   'Start' menu, under 'Programs', 'Will's Gunship Mission Editor'.

   For installation troubleshooting, see the next section.

-------------------------------------

Post-installation - Verifying Microsoft Support files:

1) Will's Gunship Mission Editor is a Visual Basic program.  Visual Basic programs
   require that certain files be present in the user's Windows\System directory for
   them to run properly.  These are called 'Run Time' files.  In most cases, these
   files are already present on the user's system, and so no further action is
   necessary.  In a very few cases, however, some users may find that they cannot
   run Will's Gunship Mission Editor on their system, and may receive one of various
   error messages if they try to do so.  This is caused by the fact that either
   these files are *not* present on their system, or, the files are there, but the
   version #'s are old.  This can be solved by downloading and installing the latest
   'Run Time' files from Microsoft (currently at Service Pack 5), at:
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=28337

-------------------------------------

Uninstall instructions:

To remove the software, click the Add/Remove Programs icon in Control Panel, and
click to remove 'Will's Gunship Mission Editor'.

-------------------------------------

Operating Will's Gunship Mission Editor:

When you open a battle file, it can be edited in the text editbox.  PLATOON: 
and SUPPORT: lines appear in the text box in red or blue, depending on what 
side they are, to make them easier to pick out.

/* comment */ blocks appear in grey. 

Also, any single line that starts with '/' is treated as a comment.

Mission commands are then spell-checked against MissionCommands.txt, a file of
most mission commands that can be spell-checked.  MissionCommands.txt must
reside in the same directory as the .exe file.  Read the comments in that file
for more information.

If a set of coordinates in a PLATOON:, SUPPORT:, or ADDWAYPT: line is found 
that is more than 8km from map center, a warning is issued and the line is
highlighted in green.  There may be situations where you *want* to use coordinates
that are off the 16km square main battle map; this check is only intended to
help find situations where an extra digit or 2 were appended to or omitted from
a coordinate accidentally.

The program requires that GunshipUnits.csv reside in the same directory as the 
.exe file.  GunshipUnits.csv is an ASCII CSV (comma separated values) file of 
all of Gunship's platoon and support units, sorted by Unit ID# and Side.  It can
be copied and then loaded into a spreadsheet program, if desired, and sorted or
used in other ways.  For more information about GunshipUnits.csv and the other
included .csv files, including how to make multiple (side-by-side) installations
of Will's Gunship! Mission Editor, read GunshipUnits_Readme.txt.

If a PLATOON: or SUPPORT: unit ID falls outside the range of the unit id's 
found in GunshipUnits.csv, the program will display an error message and 
highlight the line in green. 

An informational message is displayed if a SUPPORT: unit is found in a PLATOON:
line or vice versa.  Some SUPPORT: units *can* be given PLATOON: commands
(and vice versa?), so this message is only displayed to catch possible typos in
the mission.

For PLATOON: and SUPPORT: lines, the program also checks:
initial facing = 0-360
initial formation = 0-9
skill level = 0-3
call signs = 1-32
that there are no more than 6 total waypoints for each unit.
for each ADDWAYPT: command for helo platoons, it checks that ORDER_ commands
aren't repeated or conflict.

What this program *doesn't* check:

BATTLEFIELD: parameters
ENGAGEMENT: facing
OBJECTIVE: coordinates or briefing ID
ORDER_WPT_SETDELAYTIME: seconds
It doesn't check if _ORDER commands are appropriate for the type of unit (ground,
helo, etc.), or are illogical, etc.
_TARGET: and _PROTECT: id's
It doesn't check if call signs or ID's are of the proper type (artillery, etc.)

These shortcut keys are available:

Ctrl-F displays the Find dialog.
Ctrl-H displays the Find/Replace dialog.
F3     finds the next string or phrase.
F4     Prompts for a command
Ctrl-O Opens the file selected in the file listbox.
Ctrl-S Saves the currently opened file.
Cut, copy, paste, etc. are available from the textbox right-click menu, and
    also have their standard Ctrl-key shortcuts.

Map Grid Editor:

How to automatically display icons when painting objects on the map/grid, rather than
display the unit ID's:
The field after the last comma in each line in GunshipUnits.csv can contain the name
of a .gif that you want to be drawn for each unit.  Some are already included, and you
can add your own.  Open GunshipUnits.csv and you'll see names like "HeloBlue.gif", etc.
To draw these .gif's on the map/grid:
1) Make sure the .gif's are in the \Graphics subfolder of Will's Editor folder.
2) Regenerate the object list from the mission file, selecting 'By Unit ID's'.
3) Checkmark the preference option 'Paint icons, not unit id's'.
4) Click 'Repaint selected items' from the menu.

You can load Terrain.jpg or TerrainWithUnits.jpg to see what you can do and to
experiment with.

Note: Although you can load several different graphic formats, you can only save as
.bmp's.

You can call Will's Gunship Mission Editor with an optional parameter, the 
pathname of a file you want it to open when it starts up, for example: 
WillsGunshipTool.exe "C:\Gunship!\Battles\This has spaces.txt".  Depending on 
how you're calling it, you may or may not have to enclose the pathname in 
quotes like I did.

If you want to start Will's Gunship Mission Editor in a certain directory
(probably your \player directory or wherever you store your mission files),
do this:

a) Drag a shortcut from WillsGunshipTool.exe to the Desktop or wherever you
   want the shortcut.
b) Right click on the shortcut, select Properties, and change the 'Start in'
   field to the directory you want the program to start in (probably
   C:\Microprose\Gunship!\Data\Battles\player).  You might have to enclose
   the pathname in quotes.
c) Then, when you launch the shortcut, it will automatically change to
   your \player directory and display your mission files.

You can also create multiple (side-by-side) installations of Will's Gunship!
Mission Editor.  Open and read GunshipUnits_Readme.txt for details.

See the manual for more operation instructions.

----------------------------------------------
Change log: 

3.3. 
1) The title bar now displays the current line that the caret is on. 
2) The program now ignores /* comment */ blocks when it parses lines, so they 
   won't trigger a warning.
3) Added the ability to call the program w/an optional parameter of a filepath
   to open on startup (see above).

3.5.
1) Added a find/replace dialog

3.7.
1) Added an informational message if a SUPPORT: unit is found in a PLATOON:
   line or vice versa.  (see details above though).

4.0.
1) Added a new function 'Move coordinates'.

4.3.
1) Added a new function to spell-check mission commands against MissionCommands.txt,
   and a Commands: combo box to view them on the screen.

4.4.
1) Added error checking for all parameters in PLATOON: and SUPPORT: lines.

5.0
1) Added a 'Show Grid' button to open a Map grid editor window (see above).

5.1
1) The map/grid editor will now generate and paint waypoints, as well as units, from
   the mission file.
2) You can now paint selected objects from the list instead of always painting
   all of them.
3) You can now drag lines, circles, and boxes to the desired size and position.
4) Many more menu options were added, including font size and style, and graphics
   fill style and pen style.

5.2
1) Added a preference option to automatically display *icons* when painting objects on
   the map/grid, rather than the unit ID's (see above).
2) The grid lines now are scaled according to the battlefield x and y center points
   rather than the borders of the picturebox.
3) A function was added to paste a bitmap from the clipboard to the map/grid.
4) Added a function to display informational 'initial facing' messages for platoon
   and support units (see above).

5.4
1) Added a new function to 'Select' a random battle to play immediately.

5.7
1) Added a 'Zoom cursor position' function.

5.12
1) Changed map/grid Undo levels from just 1 to 5.
2) Improved screen resizing and closing functions.

5.13
1) Added a map/grid right-click option to copy the cursor coordinates directly
   to the clipboard.
2) Added a new 'Freehand' drawing tool.
3) Added the display of the bearing (in degrees) between objects and while
   drawing lines.
4) Added the ability to choose any font and color for adding text and drawing
   lines, boxes, and circles.
5) Added a 'Randomize' option to the 'Apply global skill level' function.  See
   the manual for more information.

5.14
1) Added new drawing tools: 'Ellipse', 'Diamond', 'Arc', & 'Pie'.
2) Added instructions to the manual about how to paste a Gunship! aerial photo
   (map) of the highest resolution and detail into the map editor.
3) Fixed a bug that sometimes caused a crash when the 'Select random battle'
   function was used.

5.15
1) Added an informational message when a callsign is used for more than one
   unit.
2) Added the display of all the callsigns in the Program notices window for
   easy reference.
3) Added a warning message if the # of waypoints for a unit exceeds 6.
4) Fixed the map/grid editor, when drawing waypoints, it was numbering waypoints
   incorrectly if the coordinates of the first waypoint were the same
   as the unit's spawning coordinates (ie. it was ignoring the 1st waypoint in
   this case, so that the waypoint #'s were short by 1.  WP 5 was numbered
   as 4, 4 as 3, etc.).
5) Changed the program to treat an entire line as a comment, if it starts
   with '/'.

5.16
1) In the manual, clarified how Gunship! interprets the initial helo facing
   direction.
2) Made direction facings that are shown in the Program notices window
   more specific, determined by platoon type.

5.17
1) Added an error message if there are more than 6 total waypoints for a unit.
2) Added an error message if an ORDER_ command is repeated or conflicts in the
   same helo waypoint.
3) Expanded instructions in the manual concerning how to synchronize aerial
   map and grid editor coordinates.
4) Added a function to copy the grid image to the clipboard.

Use this program at your own risk.  Backup your battle files before using, etc.
---------------------------------------------- 
baldwinwh (at) netscape (dot) net 

I am available for work on a full-time or contract basis.  My rates may surprise you.
I am also willing to discuss modifying parts of Will's Gunship Mission Editor for
use with other games and applications.

'Will's Gunship Mission Editor' website: 
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/baldwinwh/GunshipTool/Gunship.htm
Check for updates often. 

Other links:
Gunship Helipad:            http://www.simwarrior.com/gunship/index.html
Mission building manual     http://www.waypoint.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
Helo Sims:                  http://www.helosim.com
SimHQ:                      http://www.simhq.com
1st Bear Hunter Squadron:   http://gunshiplink.homestead.com/