skins submissions

[viking73]

I just got done submitting a new skin. It's a clean process that is nicely organized. However I would make some suggestions for changes.

1. If there is an error of some kind, (ASCII, file name, etc) take the person back the the already completed form or don't go to another page at all if there is an error of some kind. Just mark the error. Currently it takes you back to a blank form and everything has to be redone. This can be quite lengthy and time consuming if you've typed in a lot of information. (like my 4 times)

2. When finished and the submission is accepted, there is no link to the management page, only back to the submission form.

3. The two places that showed upload the dude1 and dude2 files should be open to any extra files. What about materials.txt, bump files and specular files? 

[Greebo]

I always write my history into a text file and save it. Then I can just copy and paste it into the box on the submissions page however many times I need to.

Some of the older AH1 aircraft shapes do not have material, bump and specular effects which is why those files do not appear in the list for those skins.

I suggested the link back to the management page. It is on Skuzzy's list of things to do, but apparently it is not a straightforward job.

[Skuzzy]

I always write my history into a text file and save it. Then I can just copy and paste it into the box on the submissions page however many times I need to.

Some of the older AH1 aircraft shapes do not have material, bump and specular effects which is why those files do not appear in the list for those skins.

I suggested the link back to the management page. It is on Skuzzy's list of things to do, but apparently it is not a straightforward job.

Actually, the change to put the link back to the base page is straight forward.  The request came in the middle of a lot of changes being done to for the functionality needed on our side to complete the skins.  There is a major update to the admin page, coming soon.

There is a limit on much session data I can post back to a page.  There are limits to using WEB page based stuff without going to Java and that is not going to happen.  It is far more secure to use server side, than client side.

The list of what can be submitted matches the plane.  There are planes which cannot accept bump, environment, or specular maps.

[Skuzzy]

I also need to add, if you run into a skin project which requires files that are not listed in the submission form, contact me about it BEFORE you submit the skin.

It is not beyond the realm of possibilities a file has been missed when the definitions were created, for the purposes of skinning the object.

[viking73]

Greebo, I do that. this is what I get...



Submitting again and once again multiple times. First it didn't accept cause it said I wasn't authorized like there's a timer on the session. Second got the ASCII error above. I copied it from a txt file using Notepad. Looks like i'm gonna have to type out the whole (blank) thing.

EDIT: After typing it all instead of copying and pasting, it took the submission. Whew.

[Skuzzy]

Greebo, I do that. this is what I get...

(Image removed from quote.)

Submitting again and once again multiple times. First it didn't accept cause it said I wasn't authorized like there's a timer on the session. Second got the ASCII error above. I copied it from a txt file using Notepad. Looks like i'm gonna have to type out the whole (blank) thing.

EDIT: After typing it all instead of copying and pasting, it took the submission. Whew.

Do not use Wordpad.  Use Notepad and do not use word wrap or press the <ENTER> key when you type up the description.

Yes, the session ID is only good for until the top of the hour.  That will change and the session ID will be good for one hour from the time you start the submission.

[viking73]

I did use Notepad. But for some reason even MS Word didn't pick it up right away as txt. Maybe something I copied down from a website.

[Krusty]

Special characters, perhaps?

[viking73]

Weren't any special characters. I think it was hidden text code since Word asked to convert. My other txt files i have worked fine.

[oboe]

Do not use Wordpad.  Use Notepad and do not use word wrap or press the <ENTER> key when you type up the description.

Yes, the session ID is only good for until the top of the hour.  That will change and the session ID will be good for one hour from the time you start the submission.

Do not use word wrap or press enter?  Do you mean to say all the text will be on the same line.

[Skuzzy]

Do not use word wrap or press enter?  Do you mean to say all the text will be on the same line.

Yes.  The WEB page will format the text to fit.  As it will be displayed in a couple of places, in the near future, we need it to be flexible.

I think I do strip carriage returns out of it, if the text contains them.

[Krusty]

Skuzzy, I noticed on existing skins that the info.txt file is cut off somewhat short. What is the character limit? I normally go into the background of the skin and problems with executing it (mirrored skin, etc), but I spot-checked a handful and most were cut off mid-sentence.

[Skuzzy]

Which skins?

There is no display limit.  There is in input limit of 4,096 characters, at the moment.

[Krusty]

Which skins?

There is no display limit.  There is in input limit of 4,096 characters, at the moment.

It may be running into that limit, or an earlier limit. 109E4_5, "2/JG27" for one example. I copy it to MS Word and it says char count with spaces is 2048.

Same for 109F4_5, "10/JG2", it cuts off and MS Word says 2048.

It's possible these were imported when the setting was lower (they were all existing skins).

[Skuzzy]

It may be running into that limit, or an earlier limit. 109E4_5, "2/JG27" for one example. I copy it to MS Word and it says char count with spaces is 2048.

Same for 109F4_5, "10/JG2", it cuts off and MS Word says 2048.

It's possible these were imported when the setting was lower (they were all existing skins).

Actually. there is a 2K limit in the current info column.  I have extended it to 4K for the next update.  I still have the original "info.txt" files so I can resurrect the column in the table.