Drizzle/OriginalUruAgeManager

UruAgeManager is now the "UAM" tab in Drizzle. This page is for historic purposes.

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• http://www.clickfire.com/images/flags/germany.gif Deutsch

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Introduction

There are some advanced topics on this page, but don't let them worry you. This program is very easy to use!

This program was written to keep the number of Unoffical Ages managable. It is capable of installing and uninstalling any number of Ages, as well as having the ability to merely disable them. It also manages the file dates on Python files, so you don't have to. It also provides a simple .ini interface for Uru Ages to tell what is installed. It also has a .pak file that allows new ages to be added dynamically, without even restarting Uru. The script to do that has been written, but it doesn't yet support special link images or flybys. This program will remove any of the problems that I imagined would happen as soon as people started modifying the Python files for their Ages. It is totally removable, leaving the Uru Installation in it original state. This program does not require an Internet Connection. It is possible and easy to backup Ages from one machine onto a CD, and take them to another person's machine.

Update: I now have .bik flybys working, except for the glitch where it will loop through the video twice, but no more! Because of the fact that it is Plasma which constructs the layout of the book from HTML, I am having trouble finding a method of dynamically loading an image for the Linking Image. We may have to construct our own book GUI for this(then we can use the LoadJPEGFromDisk subroutine, mapping it to a Dynamic Text object).

Update: I've released version 8. I've tested it and it works great! I can now link to test Ages! The program comes with a little "bonus", even if you don't download any Ages. Go to the new Unofficial Ages Book in Relto and take a look!

Update: I've released version 9.

Update: I've released version 10.

Update: I've released version 11.

Update: I've released version 12.

Update: I've released version 16.

Disclaimer And Legal

All Myst, Riven, D'ni, Uru images, text, sound and music © Cyan Worlds, Inc. All rights reserved Myst®, Riven®, D'ni® Uru®, respective Logos® Cyan Worlds, Inc. No part may be copied or reproduced without express, written permission of Cyan Worlds, Inc.

The author is not responsible for any damage done to your Uru installation or your computer. The author is also not responsible for the content of any Ages you download. That being said, throughout the writing and debugging and testing of features and trying out of unknown commands, there was no damage to any files, not even the .sav files. Since the program uses cryptographic file hashing functions, there should be no way someone could fake Ages.

Download Location

The following is a list of download locations, Thanks to everyone who hosts it!

Version 16:

Oct 13 2006: Currently since some weird things are happening, the only place you can get the files from are these two locations. They probably don't have the correct Dat file unfortunately.... http://files.hbyte.net/uru/UruAgeManager16.exe
http://huru.aegura.com/UruAgeManager16.exe

Version 12:

http://dusty.selfip.net/UruAgeManager/UruAgeManager12.exe
http://files.hbyte.net/uru/UruAgeManager12.exe
http://huru.aegura.com/UruAgeManager12.exe

Version 11:

http://dusty.selfip.net/UruAgeManager/UruAgeManager11.exe

Version 10:

The kind mirror-folks are probably getting annoyed with me by now, but here we go!
http://files.hbyte.net/uru/UruAgeManager10.exe
http://huru.aegura.com/UruAgeManager10.exe
http://dusty.selfip.net/UruAgeManager/UruAgeManager10.exe

Version 9:

Full install:
http://files.hbyte.net/uru/UruAgeManager9.exe
http://huru.aegura.com/UruAgeManager9.exe
http://dusty.selfip.net/UruAgeManager/UruAgeManager9.exe

The 2 new files, if you already have 8c: http://files.hbyte.net/uru/UruAgeManager.exe
http://files.hbyte.net/uru/BCBIE60.BPL

The source code(if you're nuts!): http://huru.aegura.com/UruAgeManagerSourceV9.zip
http://files.hbyte.net/uru/UruAgeManagerSourceV9.zip
http://dusty.selfip.net/UruAgeManager/UruAgeManagerSourceV9.zip

Version 8c:

http://huru.aegura.com/UruAgeManagerInstaller8c.exe
http://www.usuallyhell.com/UruAgeManager8c.exe
http://files.hbyte.net/uru/UruAgeManagerInstaller8c.exe
http://dusty.selfip.net/UruAgeManager/UruAgeManager8c.exe

Just The .dat File

If you don't have an internet connection, here is the link to the most recent Age List: http://uruagemanager.agebuilder.org/UruAgeManager.dat

New in This Version

Version 16

Features for Age Players:

1. Now allows you to download an older version of an Age, if you want.
2. UruAgeManager now supports multiple hosts for an Age, so there won't be a problem with my machine not serving files.
3. Now has more detailed version information, with more colors!
4. You can move and resize columns, and UruAgeManager remembers their position and size.
5. You can now cancel a download while waiting in a queue.
6. Directly uninstall a disabled Age.
7. Directly update an Age, without having to uninstall it first.
8. Launch Uru.
9. Warns you if you try to open UruAgeManager, and it's already open.
10. Save log to a file.
11. Shows hints, when you move the mouse over something.(Can be disabled.)

Features for Age Creators:

1. Allows you to create a bare-bones .sdl file for your Age.
2. Allows an Age to be left out of the "Unofficial Ages" book.
3. Now has an API, to make common Python tasks easy!
   1. check if an Age is installed.
   2. sdl interactions.
   3. finding if an object is in range.
   4. open an "Unofficial" book, and allow user to link.
   5. show Journals, Bahro stones, Notebooks, and Linking Books.
   6. very useful output function, outputs to text file, saves everything even if Uru crashes.
   7. get a list of all installed Ages.
   8. link to any Age.
4. Now allows you to edit any "What Do You See" encrypted file.(Such as .age, .fni, and .sdl files.)
5. Now has a font creation tool!
   1. Allows you to save your work.
   2. Allows you to select each letter from a part of a bitmap.
   3. Fully powerful: all settings can be done, yet it is quite easy to use!

Bug fixes:

1. fixed "calculate corruption" bug for missing files.
2. fixed: re-enabled Ages' .sum files weren't read-only.
3. fixed: Each file downloads, but UruAgeManager reports: "not all files downloaded properly"
4. fixed: Access violation in module 'rtl60.bpl'

Version 12

Features for Age Players:

1. Now has a new http,ftp unit. It's libcurl, and it's very well made.
2. Now has downloading progress bars.
3. Now allows you to continue downloading from where you left off, even if your connection is reset. You can effectively pause the downloading.
4. Now allows you to cancel a download at any point.
5. Reorganised the interface.
6. fixed problem where UruAgeManager didn't start up in the front.

Features for Age Creators:

1. Now has 8 slots for your test Ages, so you can simultaneously work on 8 Ages.

Version 11

Features for Age Players:

1. Can now delete corrupted Ages.
2. Fixed "feature" where failed downloads can't be deleted. (File handles that aren't released by http,ftp units.)
3. Made downloading more talkative.
4. Asks you if you want to update the file list, when starting up.

Features for Age Creators:

1. Finds important information in .prp files.

Version 10

1. Fixed "feature" where Uru modifies .sum files, causing trouble with the MD5 corruption check.
2. Added lots of Cyan Assets Legal notices.
3. Now remembers last file you updated the .sum file with.

Version 9

Features for Age Players:

1. Now has built-in web viewer, so you can connect to the Unofficial Uru Database, when it is up and running.

Features for Age Creators:

1. Fixed a glitch in the .sum file creator.
2. Allows you to create a .sum file in the "dat" folder, so no more moving files around!
3. Allows you to register an Age you are testing, on the local machine, so that you don't have to play with the .int file all the time.

Instructions For Use

Installation and Update

These instructions are for version 12, 11, 10, or 8c; if you have 8 or 8b, then go here

Note: POTS (=Path of the Shell) and Complete Chronicles are the same game. The folder where it is located is probably C:\Program Files\Cyan Worlds\Uru or perhaps C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\Cyan Worlds\Uru.

1. This step is only required if you install Uru Age Manager for the first time. If you update an existing installation, then you can skip this step and continue with the next one.
   Go to the Python directory in the POTS directory, and copy python.pak to UruAgeManager.pak (keep it in the same folder).
   To do this:
   
   1. Right-click "python.pak", go to copy.
   2. Right-click an empty spot in the folder, go to paste.
   3. Right-click "Copy of python.pak", and go to rename.
   4. Type in "UruAgeManager.pak" as the new name, and hit enter.
2. Download the installer.
   
3. Run the installer, deselect "Backup the files that will be modified".
   
4. When asked to "Choose Destination Location", enter the directory where POTS or Complete Chronicles is installed.
   Note: This program hasn't yet been tested on Alcugs, so don't try it without permission from the Shard Admin.
   
5. If it asks you if you want to overwrite a file, then select "Yes".
   
6. Run UruAgeManager.exe in the POTS or Complete Chronicles folder.
   

Functions

The Update button will acquire the latest list of Ages available.
The Tabs allow you to view a list of all Ages, Ages installed, Ages not installed, Ages disabled, and advanced options.

Installing an Age

1. Go to the non-installed Ages tab.
2. Click the Age you want.
3. Click on install, it will let you know if everything was downloaded correctly.

Downloading an Age Without Shutting Down Uru

If Uru is running, you should stop doing anything until you complete the following(Obviously, you can't be in an Age you want to uninstall; nor should you be viewing the Unoffical Ages Book):

1. Alt-Tab or Ctrl-Esc or whatever to minimise Uru.
2. Click the Age you want, and click Install.
   
3. Wait for it to finish. If any files are missing or corrupt, it will let you know.
4. After everything is done, go back to Uru and enjoy!

Using the Book in Uru

There should now be a new book in your Relto.
Open it and flip to the page you want, and click the Linking Image.
You'll now see the flyby or LinkingImage, and you can either click it to link, or click "ESC" or the DownArrow to back out.

Disabling and Backing Up

Disabling Ages moves their files to the Disabled directory. The directory they are placed under is named for their unique number. They can then be enabled at any time.

You can make backups of an Age in this way:

1. Disable the Age.
2. Just copy the right directory under Disabled to wherever you want.
3. Enable the age, if you want it to be enabled again.
4. To restore, perhaps on someone else's computer, just copy the folder into the "Disabled" folder, then run UruAgeManager, and there you are!

Download the files on your own, then adding them to UruAgeManager

Information here

Uninstalling an Age

1. Go to installed Ages
2. Click the age you want.
3. Go to uninstall Age.

Uninstallation of Uru Age Manager

1. Shut down Uru and Uru Age Manager.
2. Delete the following files:
   

UruAgeManager.exe, UruAgeManager.dat, UruAgeManager.ini, UruAgeManager.txt, UruAgeManager.int, UruAgeManager.upd, Python\UruAgeManager.pak, avi\UruAgeManager.bik(note that some of these files may not be present.) You can also delete the following Borland C++ Builder v.6 files: BORLNDMM.DLL, CC3260MT.DLL, RTL60.BPL, VCL60.BPL, and the 3rd Party INDY60.BPL .

Troubleshooting

The troubleshooting section can be found here: Troubleshooting

Bugs

See the Bugs section.

Testing One of Your Own Ages

Version 12, 11, 10, 9

1. Export the .age and .prp files to the "dat" folder.
2. Run Uru Age Manager and go to the Advanced Tab and use "create .sum file" in the "This works with files in the dat folder" section. Enter the filename in the box.
3. Enter the Filename and Spawnpoint in the "Register Link" section, if you haven't already. Click the "Register" button. You only have to do this once, Uru Age Manager remembers the last Registered Link.
4. Run Uru!
5. Remember that you have to redo the .sum part each time you make a change to your Age.

Version 8c

Zib_Redlektab has an excellent tutorial on testing an age using v8c:http://www.usuallyhell.com/agemanager.txt

1. Put your .prp files in the same directory as UruAgeManager.
2. Run Uru Age Manager and go to the Advanced Tab and use "create .sum file" after putting in the filename(e.g. if you age is "Dustin.age", put in "Dustin")
3. Copy all the files(.age, .prp, .sum, etc) to the "dat" directory.
4. Shut down Uru Age Manager.
5. Modify UruAgeManager.int(If this file isn't present, you'll have to run UruAgeManager, then shut it down.)

[filenames]
1=Kadish
[spawnpoints]
1=LinkInPointGlowRmBalcony
[descriptions]
1=Kadish Tolesa
[texts]
1=This is the one link that did not make it into the final game. Enjoy the view.
[flybys]
1=
[linkingimages]
1=

1. Add entries for the next number(in this case:2) Filenames is whatever name is on the .age file(e.g. for "Dustin.age" use "Dustin"). Spawnpoints is LinkInPointDefault, by default, so that is probably what you want. The others you can set as blank (put "2="). Descriptions is the title that will be placed on its page. Texts is the rest of the text that will be placed on its page(It is possible to use html). Flybys is the name of a .bik video if you want it played(it should be in the "avi" directory). LinkingImage is a jpg file that should be in the "dat" directory.(This feature is not currently used.) UruAgeManager.int should now look something like this:

[filenames]
1=Kadish
2=Dustin
[spawnpoints]
1=LinkInPointGlowRmBalcony
2=LinkInPointDefault
[descriptions]
1=Kadish Tolesa
2=Dustin's Age
[texts]
1=This is the one link that did not make it into the final game. Enjoy the view.
2=A World of intrique and other stuff.
[flybys]
1=
2=Dustin.bik
[linkingimages]
1=
2=

1. The next time you run Uru Age Manager, the .int file will be overwrote. So if you don't want to retype the .int file, you can make a copy of it, and restore it whenever you want.

Submitting Ages

To submit an age, add an entry in the Unofficial Age List. Be sure to include a list of the files, and download location. Make sure that it meets the Guidelines, or if not, how and why. You can also email the author, Dustin Bernard, at superdusty[at]canada[dot]com . There may be some delay, as I use this account for spammable items, and so, don't check it as offen.

UruAgeManager API

This allows Age makers to use some useful functions, that greatly simplify scripting their Age. This is the section: UruAgeManager API.