Is there a Guide to the 40K AB files?

[redeath]

Is there a ABC Creator guide or cheat sheet specific to the 40K files...I went in there to see if I could make some quick changes like turn on the Allies function or add the AP value to Power weapons and add Hull points myself but I am lost in there any pointers on where to start. I figure the make "General" Box from the Warhammer Fantasy Battles 8th Edition files could be borrowed for the make "Warlord" in 40K. I am willing and able to try if someone can get me started or point me in the right direction to learn.

[Homer_S]

FYI,

None of those changes are "trivial". We can either help you or make the changes...

Choose,
Homer

[Talizvar]

My "wants" are different from the OP's.

I want to learn.

I can make out many of the calls and variables are fairly clear English.

I too am curious if you keep a "crib sheet" handy for remembering common areas or structure.

I am going through the examples and tutorials so it IS a bit early.

It just seems the resources are a bit tight and I would like to get to a stage where I could help with the "common" corrections that need doing so the more painful to sort out items you folks can focus on.

Plus the participation is a bit more sedate here than Dakka Dakka so I would not want you to think you are neglected...

Thanks.

[Homer_S]

My "wants" are different from the OP's.

I want to learn.

I can make out many of the calls and variables are fairly clear English.

I too am curious if you keep a "crib sheet" handy for remembering common areas or structure.

I am going through the examples and tutorials so it IS a bit early.

It just seems the resources are a bit tight and I would like to get to a stage where I could help with the "common" corrections that need doing so the more painful to sort out items you folks can focus on.

Plus the participation is a bit more sedate here than Dakka Dakka so I would not want you to think you are neglected...

Thanks.

We wish! Outside of the core code functionality for things like extra attacks, stat and FOC changes, most everything else is individual style of the maintainers. Maybe one day...

I know for myself, I try to mimic the layout of the codex options and gear towards the printout. On some of the finer points we are limited by AB functionality. My bug-a-boo? Upgrade a model to sergeant/exarch behavior: works perfectly in AB2.x, blows chunks in AB3.x. Don't know why they futzed with it. Dig up an old Eldar thread if you want details.

Homer

[Mettius]

From this thread I understand that possibly no two "Codex's" data files/etc may be done the same way.
But is there any documentation/notes on how things are structured?

I originally intended to leverage AB40K to write Heralds of Ruin Killteam data files, but lord these are complex!

I decided to just start from scratch (and that has certainly aided my learning how to write data files), and have been making headway, but I wonder how much reinventing the wheel I'm doing. Anyway, I'm still beginner enough that I'm having trouble understanding the basic architecture of how the AB40K files are logically structured.

For example, with the Blood Angels ba5EDat.dat file, AB40K 6th ed), there are only two items in the "Item" tab. Since the AB Authoring Kit tutorials/docs seem to indicate the jist is for items to be things like "Pistol", I'm trying to get my head around how the AB40K project is using them.

For example, A vanilla BA Tactical Space Marine has a Bolter as part of his wargear. That doesn't seem to be implemented as an "item" as far as Army Builder architecture is concerned.
Having an example of how something like a piece of wargear is handled in pseudo code (not really the right term, I know) would be a boon to understanding the data files, and hopefully broadening the pool of potential maintainers as well.

Thanks again for all the efforts. I'm still slogging my way through understanding the files. Any light in the darkness appreciated.

-Mettius

[Homer_S]

From this thread I understand that possibly no two "Codex's" data files/etc may be done the same way.
But is there any documentation/notes on how things are structured?

I originally intended to leverage AB40K to write Heralds of Ruin Killteam data files, but lord these are complex!

I decided to just start from scratch (and that has certainly aided my learning how to write data files), and have been making headway, but I wonder how much reinventing the wheel I'm doing. Anyway, I'm still beginner enough that I'm having trouble understanding the basic architecture of how the AB40K files are logically structured.

For example, with the Blood Angels ba5EDat.dat file, AB40K 6th ed), there are only two items in the "Item" tab. Since the AB Authoring Kit tutorials/docs seem to indicate the jist is for items to be things like "Pistol", I'm trying to get my head around how the AB40K project is using them.

For example, A vanilla BA Tactical Space Marine has a Bolter as part of his wargear. That doesn't seem to be implemented as an "item" as far as Army Builder architecture is concerned.
Having an example of how something like a piece of wargear is handled in pseudo code (not really the right term, I know) would be a boon to understanding the data files, and hopefully broadening the pool of potential maintainers as well.

Thanks again for all the efforts. I'm still slogging my way through understanding the files. Any light in the darkness appreciated.

-Mettius

And now you know why I do not want to separate 30K from 40K... there is a lot of infrastructure in the 40K files from keeping track of extra attacks to stat adjustments to automating transport capacity. IIRC, items are only used when an option will not do what you need it to do. I personally have only used them to keep track of unique artifacts, since they have built in "unique" functionality. Everything else is options of varying priority.

Homer