MTM2.com

WHAT

Yet another pod mounting utility

WHY

* To see if I could
* Because it was there
* Maybe try and add some functionality
* A partial response to Scrooch : http://forum.mtm2.com/viewtopic.php?t=3154

WHO

* Prompted and encouraged by METH
* Inspired by Podit
* Influenced by CH_2005
* Input and ideas by Wint, Malibu350, Cope, JustMight and METH

FEATURES

* Option between Podit and Podini style interfaces
* Option to sort with a sub option to leave a user-set number of pods on top
* Import/export (aka open and save as)
* Refresh lists
* Copy to clipboard
* Restore proper stock and minimal lists
* Option to place shortcuts on desktop and/or start menu
* Minimal nags
* Send pod.ini to the default text editor (usually notepad)
* And a toolbar too.

EXTRAS

* auto detection : game version, and if pod.ini and monster.ini exist
* registry : reset mtm info, activate traxx, repair cpod startup position
* fonts : customize in-game fonts
* paths : mount pods ANYWHERE on your computer, and recurse directories infinitely

REQUIREMENTS

* For best results, has to be in the mtm2 folder
* You should probably make a folder called "INI" in the mtm folder
* no extra files needed

LIMITATIONS

* no drag sorting
* no auto detect list
* no 'mount all' option
* no 'sendto' option
* very unimaginative program icon

CAUTION

If you intend to do anything to the registry, you should back it up first. Same for fonts. Back up Monster.ini. These features have been tested extensively but better to be safe than sorry.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

* report any bugs you find
* offer suggestions

THE FUTURE

While I can't promise all suggestions will be implemented at this time, all of them will get due consideration and be noted.

An attempt will be made to solve any glitches that turn up (there will be a few)

OPEN SOURCE

When it's deemed finished, it will be released as an Open Source program. That means, anybody with the inclination can use the code to help build their own program or add on to this one. The only condition being that that project also be released as Open Source too. That may not mean much to most people but to anybody looking to customize their own pod mounting program or attempt the ultimate all-in-oner will have a good foundation upon which to build. We've already seen the advantages to this approach with Binedit, and currently with the Traxx beta. I would like to continue in that tradition and allow anybody the opportunity to contritute further to our game. I feel it's time to stop reinventing the wheel and give people a chance to raise the bar even further. If we stand on each other's shoulders, we can eventually reach the top. This, I hope, will be a first step.

DOWNLOAD
<ul><li><a href="http://mtm2.com/~mtmg/downloads/temp/Cowpod052.exe">Cowpod Beta 0.5.2</a></li></ul>
Enjoy!

Looks great, Phin! A very slick utility.

What happens to all of the lists I have setup using PodSwap if I install this? Does it mess up PodSwap?

Yes. Better back up your current pod.ini file.

[ edit ]

I should add, however, that you can change the fonts, for example, and then just cancel out of cowpod and the pod.ini file will not be touched. It changes only if you click save (or send to notepad).

I feel so influential

Nice job with the recursive directory searching - if u had wrote it that is.

Props.

Good question about podswap.
glad u use it.

Ch, we need a podswap import and export feature. All ini files found in an INI directory imported to podswap so lists don't have to be created one by one. And exported to individual ini's again to use standalone. This new one uses the INI folder by default. Seemed a sensible name.

Thanks for the info Phin. I was mainly interested in cowpod for the font changing feature. I've used podit, podini2, mtmstarter, podswap, etc. Although podswap takes some time to setup, it's still by far the best(easiest/fastest) mounting utility I've used to date.

Thanks CH.

If it messes up Podswap, does that mean it will cause problems if I'm using MTM Starter?

Just to be perfectly clear here. Cowpod does not mess up anything in the sense that it does something wrong. It doesn't do anything wrong (that I'm aware of, hence the need for a beta test). However, when updating the pod.ini file it does not try to preserve the contents of whatever is there previously. So, it will write a new pod.ini file, thus over-writing the old one. It does not harm a podswap pod.in file, it doesn't tamper with it, it doesn't change it. It merely it ignores it.

At this stage, cowpod is a pod mounting program. It is not a list manager. Conversely, podswap is a list manager and, while it has "some" pod mounting ability, that is not it's primary asset - which is managing lists.

I have been talking with Cope on the topic and understand the requirements of the multi-list mtmer. That's why there is 'save as' and 'open' options. And, as time goes on, I hope to expand on those capabilities. But like I was saying to cope, if the current program does not work rock solid, then attempting anything else is putting the cart before the horse. Once we're sure the mounter part is working properly and without error, then we can move on to list management and see if we can come up with anything comparable to what podswap does.

> does that mean it will cause problems if I'm using MTM Starter?

Can you send me your mtm starter pod.ini file so I can see if there is anything to worry about? I tried mtm starter a while back but had issues with it and never followed them up, so I don't really know if there is anything special about its pod.ini configuration. I'll have a look if you can send it to me.


For both you fellas, maybe cowpod should create a pod.ini file backup whenever it saves, eh? Might be a handy thing to have anyway. For now, tho, I'll have to ask you guys to right click pod.ini and send to compressed folder in order to back it up.


For what it's worth, when I was testing the 'view mode switching' and the 'sorting options', I worked for days and must have opened cowpod several hundred times, and never once did I over write my test file (which was specially made in order to see if everything was working properly). I just never did anything to save the file. Just cancel. The paths, the registry, the fonts can all be edited without a problem. When you're done, press cancel to exit the program. But if over writing is a concern, please just back the pod.ini file.

I hope that helps.

UPDATE
<ul><li><a href="http://mtm2.com/~mtmg/downloads/temp/Cowpod052.exe">Cowpod Beta 0.5.2</a></li></ul>
Fixes include

* pod limit check on the single list
* shortcut 'open in' fix
* way better sorting


For those who haven't actually downloaded to see what's up, here's a couple screenshots. Cowpod has "two" working modes. The side by side method of pod selection...


<center><img src="http://mtm2.com/~forum/images/cowpod_sidebyside.gif" width="388" height="414"></center>


... AND a checkbox method of selection. Be sure to save before switching views.

<center><img src="http://mtm2.com/~forum/images/cowpod_checkedlist.gif" width="388" height="414"></center>


Notice tracks can be more than one directory deep, and you can even use tracks that are not in the game folder (They don't even have to be on the same drive). Complete flexibility over how to manage your pod files.



A few hot keys are

F4 to toggle the toolbar on and off
F5 to refresh the list (just like windows explorer)
F8 to switch between the side by side view and the checkbox view.

Very nice updates. Your track selections leaves much to be desired, but I very much like this utility.

Ah, I see Phin. Sorry about my worrying. I opened Cowpod and looked around, then hit cancel to close it. I was thinking it would do the same job that podswap does.

Not to belabor the topic or anything, but podswap is unique in the way it handles pod.ini lists. Almost none of these mounters let you open and close the pod.ini file like a normal program does it's own files - that's why many people use notepad. That scene is changing, and I think ponyexpress' does to an extent, but by and large, building lists has involved copying the pod.ini file away from the game folder and renaming it, then starting again with the next one. You can make batch files to copy them back pretty quickly but over all it's not the most efficient way to work. Podswap attempts to remedy that by saving all lists to the one file... which is a pretty ingenius way to work. However, it makes the saved file vulnerable to overwrites like we've been talking about so it's probably a good idea to back it up periodically anyway. Not doing so runs the risk of losing all the time and work you put into building it.

Cowpod, on the other hand, can do a similar job but it will use a separate file for each list (saved in an INI folder). At this stage, it is not quite as quick to switch lists as podswap might be because you have to run the program, open the file you want, then save. Five clicks in total. If you are just switching, the batch file method would probably give you one click switching. And I hope to be able to build that into the program. For now, however, list switching is not as automatic as it ideally might be. But! Building, saving and switching lists is something it definitely can do. Not only that, but it will not build a bad list. All files are verified that they exist or they're removed from the list. No false starts.

Like with most things, there are trade offs depending on the system you use. At the present time, podswap has it up on the list switching thing. Cowpod, on the other hand, has it up on them all for selection and flexibility with regard to file management. Previously only podit allowed the subfolders. Now, not only can we do subfolders but we can do them many layers deep, or switch to non game locations. For racers, that may not be a big plus, but for many it will be - I know people who have been waiting years for that. And as a bonus, this has the registry repair thing, and the font selector. Scrooch called for an all-in-one program. That hasn't been done yet. But we're getting closer.

> then hit cancel to close it

That's what I'd do.

Looks good!

Haven't actually tried doing anything with it yet, I guess I ought to go download a new track or two and try shuffling my pod list around. But initial impression is it looks good.

So, like, who has the messiest game folder most in need of clean-up?

Let's not forget that this program will also alphabetize your tracks by track name, which I happen to like quite a bit. I've done the random search scene, passing by the intended track several times over because I'm rushing trying to find it. It just makes things that much easier. Only thing I can think of that would make this program spectacular is if it had a pic of my truck lol.

I opened this topic on a programming forum and was advised to pick up this book

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1565926706/">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1565926706/</a>
• <a href="http://btobsearch.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?pwb=1&ean=9780641515149">http://btobsearch.barnesandnoble.com/?pwb=1&ean=9780641515149</a>

> who has the messiest game folder

I had to compose that picture. My own is quite the jumble, now that it reads more than one directory deep.


> if it had a pic of my truck






[ edit ]

Note. Canceling out of the open box clears the pod.ini side. I'll look into that.

UPDATE
<ul><li><a href="http://mtm2.com/~mtmg/downloads/temp/Cowpod052.exe">Cowpod Beta 0.5.2</a></li></ul>
Fixes include

* no longer clears the list when canceling open
* smart restore (I'll explain more when writing the help notes)
* a few behind the scenes doo-dads


Given the amount I'd have to study (and spend) to implement really easy list switching, I think it'll be a while before that can be done. Batch files, or five clicks, in the meantime. So... unless somebody turns up more problems, then I think this is pretty close to being finished.

UPDATE
<ul><li><a href="http://mtm2.com/~mtmg/downloads/temp/Cowpod052.exe">Cowpod Beta 0.5.2</a></li></ul>

Fixes include

* accepts three command line parameters
* shell extensions (this is the list manager)
* a few minor tweaks


Here's how to take advantage of everything. Start cowpod like normal. Then, on the edit menu, you will see a new option called "register shell extensions" which is just a technical way of saying "make this thing work for me."

<center><img src="http://mtm2.com/~forum/images/cowpodshellextensions1.gif" width="388" height="414"></center>

Click the register shell extensions option on the menu. You should get a confirmation prompt that looks like this. If you don't, we'll have to figure out what went wrong. It is, after all, still beta, so there might be an undiscovered bug. Anyway, it "should" look like this.

<center><img src="http://mtm2.com/~forum/images/cowpodshellextensions2.gif" width="111" height="100"></center>

The program will still look and feel the same when it's open. No real changes that way. Okay? Now close cowpod.

Go to wherever you keep your list ini files. Hopefully, in an INI folder off the game directory. But wherever it is, right click on one of them. You should now see cowpod entries in the menu that pops up. Like so.

<center><img src="http://mtm2.com/~forum/images/cowpodshellextensions3.gif" width="364" height="349"></center>

You should see three options.

* COWPOD - send to desktop
* COWPOD - install as pod.ini
* COWPOD - open with

If the names are not obvious, let's take a minute and run through them.

* COWPOD - open with

This will open the highlighted file in cowpod. Just the same as if it was already the pod.ini file. With it open, clicking save will save it as the new pod.ini file.

* COWPOD - install as pod.ini

This will work exactly like above only you don't need to open the program and click save. It is all done automatically for you. Cowpod will check the file, make sure all entries are valid (eg, you didn't delete any pods) and save it as your new pod.ini file. Cowpod will not even open on the screen. It will just copy the designated file as pod.ini and that's it (checking for errors while it works). The original file that you right click on remains unchanged. You can edit it later or leave it the same forever or whatever. Everytime you want to use that list, just install it again and again as many times as you want, no fuss no muss.

* COWPOD - send to desktop

This will created a "special" desktop shortcut. When you send a file to the desktop by right clicking, that shortcut will now work exactly the same as if you right clicked the file and chose 'install as pod.ini'. That is, clicking on the shortcut will install the file it's linked to. If you send all your lists to the desktop, you can switch to any list you want without ever opening windows explorer or cowpod. Furthermore, if you drag the icons to the taskbar, you can switch with one click. No batch files, no programs to open. Just click and go.


If you move the game folder, just reset the shell extensions and you'll be good to go. If you decide you don't want to use cowpod, or you don't want to use that part of it, then goto the registry screen, and on the menu select clear shell extestions and the cowpod options will no longer show up in the right click menus.


And that, is cowpod. I'll fix bugs for a couple days, then we'll call it finished.

This will be the help site

http://mtm2.com/~mtmg/cowpod/

Page one is up, more to follow.

Looks good so far. I've been using PodIt for a while now but I could use a little variety. I have also created a few pod lists (saved so the instant replays would work lol) which are annoying to have to switch around. With this one, I just right-click one and set it as the default pod list.

BTW, I know this is off-topic, but I figure it wouldn't be all that good to waste database space with another thread. What's your e-mail address? I tried to send something to phineus at mtm2.com and it didn't appear to work.