MOTD-Edit Help File [version 0.6]

About MOTD-Edit
The Main Screen
The Menu System
The Favorite Character Button Bar
The Favorite Character Selection Screen
The Format Specifier Button Bar
The MOTD Viewer
The Character Selection Grid
The Common Command Button Bar
Text Formatting Options
MOTD-Edit Settings
About Format Specifiers
Other Noteworthy MOTD-Edit Functions
Contacting Me, Seeking Additional Help
Links, And Other Related Information
Glossary
What is Shareware
Version Revision Information

About MOTD-Edit

MOTD-Edit was originally designed to work exclusively the Viking mod for Quake2. I have since coded it to be as generic as possible, allowing it to be customized for any other mod that uses the high ascii characters of the Quake 2 character set. It works on the same principal as Notepad, but displays all of the characters and high-ascii as it would be graphically displayed in Quake2 when using the mods that are equipped to center print the text on startup. It was made to edit Message Of The Day files, which are displayed at startup-connection to a server, and is customizable by the server operators.

The Main Screen

It works just like an editor with the Keyboard fully utilized, and the Mouse may select any of the characters from the character grid at the bottom of the main screen. A full description of Keyboard functions are defined in the character selection below.

The Menu System is similar to Notepad, with the addition of Format Options, Settings, and the Export Bitmap option.

On the left is the Common Command Bar which provides quick access to the common menu options.

At the top is the Favorite Character Bar, which is customizable, and provides quick access to 20 of the most used characters.

Just below that bar is the Format Specifier Bar which is customizable. This is an advanced feature that may or may not be available in the mod you are making the MOTD for.

The MOTD Viewer is center printed, and updated as changes are made. Basically it handles 9 lines of text, 32 characters in length, which is customizable.

The Character Selection Grid displays the characters that are used by Quake 2, and the mouse is used to select them.

At the bottom is the Status Bar, which displays some vital information about the MOTD, and a few hints as well.

The Menu System

*File*
	*New*	This clears the MOTD Viewer area and you are ready to create a new MOTD.
	*Save As*	This calls the Save As dialog boxes. See your mods documentation on where to save the MOTD.
	*Load*	This calls the Open dialog boxes. Simply go to the directory of the mod and select the MOTD to load.
	*Exit*	Exits the program.

*Format*
	*Color*
		*Color1 to Color2*	See the Text Formatting Options section of this help file for the various options of color changing.
		*Color2 to Color1*
		*Switch Color*
	*Case*
		*Lower to Upper*	See the Text Formatting Options section of this help file for the various options of case changing.
		*Upper to Lower*
		*Switch Case*
	*Export*
		*Bitmap of MOTD*	This allows you to make a snapshot of the MOTD Viewer, and you select where to save the bitmap.
	*View*
		*Toolbar*	These are either checked or unchecked. Checked means the bar is visible, and unchecked hides the bar.
		*Favorite Button Bar*
		*Format Specifier Bar*
	*Tools*
		Change Settings	Brings up the MOTD Edit Settings window.
	*Help*
		*About MOTD Edit*	Just a small window for info About MOTD Edit.
		*Help File*	This help file.
		*Register*	If the program is registered this is not selectable, otherwise this is an easy way to enter the registration codes that I provide after the registration fee is paid.

The Favorite Character Button Bar

The Favorite Character Button Bar allows you quick access to user defined characters. Left Clicking places the character at the current character position, and Right Clicking will bring up the Favorite Character Selection Screen which allows you to choose what the character is.

This button bar may be hidden via the Menu, or by clicking the right end of the bar and selecting the Favorite Character menu option to hide it.

motd13.gif (1515 bytes)

The Favorite Character Selection Screen

The Favorite Character Selection Screen shows the old Favorite Character in the solid red box, and left clicking will choose a new one. You may click the Reset button to retrieve the old Favorite Character. Click OK to choose the character in the Red box, or Cancel to quit the process and undo the changes made. The Characters that are Red-Crossed Out Circle are not valid characters, and may not be selected.

The Format Specifier Button Bar

The Format Specifiers that are disabled will be grayed out, but the ones that are enabled will be selectable. Right Clicking on the specific Format Specifier will bring up the Format Specifier Settings window where you cand change the actuall purpose and char the Format Specifier will use. Left Clicking will insert the Graphic of the button, and will be replaced in the MOTD when viewed by Quake 2 as the Format Specifier that the Quake 2 mod uses.

Please consult the mods documentation for what the characters are, and how the correspond the the letters that you select as the character replacement in the MOTD.

This button bar may be hidden via the Menu, or by clicking the right end of the bar and selecting the Format Specifiers menu option to hide it.

motd13.gif (1515 bytes)

The MOTD Viewer

The position of the cursor is displayed by a green box at the top half of the screen, and the numerical value is displayed in the status bar at the bottom right.

The Character Selection Grid

As the mouse moves over the bottom half of the screen, the character grid, the green box will follow the position of the mouse pointer and surround the character the will be selected if the mouse is clicked. Characters that are Red-Crossed Out Circle are not selectable, because of the nature of the printing functions internal to Quake2.

Summary of Keyboard Functions
CTRL	Depressing and holding the CTRL key will force all keys pressed to be displayed as the secondary color of the character that is pressed. CTRL and F1 through F8 places a few of the common symbols as well.
CapsLock	Enables or disables the keys pressed to be capitalized. Status displayed in the status bar.
Shift	Depressing and holding the Shift key will capitalize all keys pressed.
Insert	Enables or disables inserting or overwriting of characters from the current cursors position. Status displayed in the status bar.
Home	Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current line of text.
End	Moves the cursor to the end of the current line of text.
Arrow Keys	Moves the cursor through the text, left-right, and up and down through the lines in the MOTD Viewer.
Enter	Moves the cursor to the beginning of the next line of text.
Backspace	Deletes the preceding character in the text.
Delete	Deletes the character at the cursors position.

The Common Command Button Bar

This bar may be hidden via a Right Click or by selecting View-Toobar. The Common Command Button Bar provides quick access to the most common menu functions in the following order:
	File-New
	File-Save As
	File Load
	Format-Color-To Color1
	Format-Color-To Color2
	Format-Color-Switch
	Format-Case-To Upper
	Format-Case-To Lower
	Format-Case-Switch
	Export-Bitmap of MOTD
	Tools-Change Settings
	Help-About MOTD Edit
	Help-Help File

Text Formatting Options

Formatting options exist by way of the Format menu, and can be used to change the case or color of any or all of the lines of text in the MOTD. The following dialog box appears when selecting the formatting options which asks if you wish to perform the format change to all, or just the current line you are working on.

motd10.gif (2436 bytes)

Color-To Color1	This converts the character that are the secondary color (green) to the primary color (white).
Color-To Color2	This converts the character that are the primary color (white) to the secondary color (green).
Color-Switch	This converts the character that are the secondary color (green) to the primary color (white), and the characters that are the primary color (white) to the secondary color (green).
Case-To Upper	This converts the characters to their UPPER case equivalent.
Case-To Lower	This converts the characters to their lower case equivalent.
Case-Switch	This switches UPPER case to lower case, and vise versa to the characters equivalent.

MOTD-Edit Settings

Use the settings to configure MOTD Edit on the fly. The changes to the settings are applied when the OK button is depressed. Clicking Reset will rest the options to their original values, and Cancel will cancel any changes made.

motd11.gif (3235 bytes)

Maximum Lines	The number of lines in the MOTD Viewer is configurable between 9 and 20. This is useful for MOTD's that completely fill the screen. The default is 9 lines.
Maximum Length	The number of characters per line in the MOTD Viewer is configurable between 8 and 32. This is useful for very small displays.
Use Format Specifiers	This enables or disables the Format Specifiers Bar. Some Quake 2 mods utilize these, but not all. Refer to the documentation of the mod for what is does allow. Default is true.
Total Format Specifiers	This sets the total number of Format Specifiers on the Format Specifier Bar that are utilized. This is configurable between 1 and 20. 2 is the default value if the Format Specifiers are enable.

About Format Specifiers

If the mod allows for Format Specifiers you should enabled in the Settings window and a description and graphic will be displayed on the Format Specifiers window.

motd12.gif (5435 bytes)

Char	This is the char that will be replaced in the "%" format specifier text. Common usage of this may the persons name, in which the Format Specifier may be the letter "n".
Description	This is a general description of the Format Specifiers purpose. Using the same example as the letter "n" for the char, the description could be entered as "Players Name".

Special note on the graphic associated with each Format Specifiers. The graphic is numerated between 1 and 10, with alternating colors between white and green. The mod may utilize this by printing the Format Specifier in the game as either white or green text, depending on the the graphic that I supply in this format. Thus the example of char "n" could be display as white if lower case "n", and the upper case "N" could be substituted as the green text in the MOTD. This way it is easier to determine if the text for the Format Specifier is white or green, by viewing the MOTD Viewer.

Other Noteworthy MOTD-Edit Functions

The first box is the Dirty Flag indicator (*), meaning the MOTD has changed, and MOTD Edit will prompt you to save when exiting.

The next box displays some mouse over hints when passing over some of the areas in the Main Screen.

The INS and CAPS indicators displays whether they are engaged or disengaged.

And finally is the cursors position, displayed as Line Number, Line position.

Contacting Me, Seeking Additional Help	Back To Top
Q2NM and QNM website: http://qnm.telefragged.com Email Me: bspbuild@telefragged.com Also check out the other websites listed in the Links ANd Other Related Information section of this file.

Links, And Other Related Information	Back To Top
My home page, the Quake Name Maker - Quake2 Name Maker - MOTD Editor http://qnm.telefragged.com QDevels Quake 2 mod coding help and tutorials. http://www.planetquake/qdevels Inside3D website for other help with coding the Quake 2 source http://www.inside3D.com The Viking Quake 2 mod home page, which started this program http://www.planetquake.com/viking

Glossary

MOTD	Refers to the Message of the Day file that is read in on startup of a Quake 2 mod and
High Ascii	Ascii refers to the characters that are stored as text in a text file. Numerical values are between 0 and 255, and are displayed as characters, or Ascii letters. High Ascii refers to the characters numbered between 128 and above, which are not displayed as text, but as symbols when viewed as text, but are graphically displayed in Quake 2 as the graphic equivelent in the secondary color of the primary color.
Format Specifier	A Format Specifier is commonly used in the 'C' programming language, and refer to displaying text or numbers in a format that is converted prior to the actual viewing. The most common Format Specifiers is the "%s" specifier which takes a argument to the print function, and dsiplays a string of characters in place of the "%s" in the text of the printing string.
Quake 2 Mod	A Quake 2 Mod is written by a programmer, or anyone who as downloaded the Quake 2 source for the Dynamic Link Library file that they can customize anyway they wish. Mod is short for Modification, or altered to suit the needs of the altered game of Quake 2, such as CTF.

What is ShareWare

Shareware is a legitimate program. It is a try before you buy program. If you find it useful and use it often, it helps to support the author who wrote it. It encourage them to make it better and continue improving on it. MOTD Edit does not stop working, and all of the features are intact and operational. I made it that way because I hate to install something and uninstall it 10 days later because the trial period ran out. I really on honest peoples judgement and thus far I am very encouraged by the response. Thank You.

Registering MOTD Edit

Send a check or money order (cash is ok, but hide it in something) (payable to Tony Browneller) in the amount of 5 US Dollars to:

Tony Browneller
13 Graywood Rd.
Baltimore MD. 21222

Include your real name and email address. Once I have processed the check or money order you will receive the registration information in your email. I cannot process the registration if I do not have your name and email address, so be sure to send that as well. Registering MOTD Edit also register QNM, Q2NM, and future versions of all of my shareware programs. 3 for 1 low price, and more to come!

Version Revision Information

Version 0.6
	August 25th, 1998
		Added Favorite Button Bar cutomizing window.
		Added Format Specifier window for each FSpec.
		Added Common Button Bar for quick access to the most common menu options.
		Added Customization option to hide or viewer the additional button bars.
		Added mouse over hints for main features on the main window.
		Rewrote and condensed a majority of the code for the MOTD Viewer. Much more compact and faster overall.
		Added code to blink the cursors position for the MOTD Viewer, and the Character Selction grid.
		Added code to automatically create the file "motd.ini" with default values if one is not present.
		Rewrote the entire help file for a much more indepth view of the internal functions of MOTD Edit and moved the viewing link to the Help menu.
		Overall cleanup of the entire main screen. Twas a bit messy, and added code to resize and display all portions of the screen in the appropriate manner.
		Stored the character set graphic internally in the program, for the sake of convience.
		Performed Gamma correction to the character graphic, so it will be easier to see the darker symbols, and brighter characters in the program.
		Lots more stuff I don't remember since this was a major upgrade from the previous release of MOTD Edit.

Version 0.5
	May 31st, 1998
		Added error checking to protect against run time errors.

Version 0.4
	May 22nd, 1998
		Public release of MOTD Edit for distribution as standalone program.

Version 0.3
	May 20th, 1998
		Added menu to export bitmap of motd file.
		Added command line option to create bitmap without loading motdedit.
		I.E. motdedit.exe /createbmp e:/quake2/ctf/motd_o.txt
		Added prompts for saving changes.
		Added settings window.
		Added Favorite button bar.
		Key coding internal to program now.
		Added automatic save for Pathsent not being changed

Version 0.2
	May 17th, 1998
		Added CreateBmp to the ini file.
		Added ability to create a bitmap of the motd file (if CreateBmp=True) when exiting.
		Added File Overwrite prompts.
		Added Command Line to load a motd file.

Version 0.1
	May 16th, 1998
		First release to be bundled with the Powerful Viking mod!