Pandora Pnd Builder For Windows

[streak]

Only basic functionality , app produces pnd_file.pnd file from desired dir. Program is not idiot-proof so far, so dont try to build a PND file without adding source dir / target dir .

Download:
CODE

http://rapidshare.com/files/209631894/PND_Builder.zip



Any comments/ideas welcome.

 

[Kramy]

I haven't tried it yet, but I do have suggestions:

1) Option to save current settings to a file. (ex: %gamename%.settings) - then you can open that file to restore source/target/label/etc.

2) If no target dir specified, default to the parent folder of the target folder.

3) A checkbox or button to set the target folder to the desktop.

4) An "Open Folder" button (or some such; opens the target folder(the folder with the .pnd file in it))
CODE
%systemroot%\explorer.exe "%1"


5) Unpacking of .PND files.

Pick and choose whichever aren't hard to implement. If you eventually get #5 in(a big feature), then associate .pnd files with the program and have it pop up a window asking where to unpack. (ala WinZip)

 

[dflemstr]

Déjà vu :blink:
You really like making small Win32 utilities from time to time, don't you
Well, this application will come in handy for sure, at least for the Windows-users among us.
For us Linux-users, the script in the pandora-libraries might be enough for now, but I heard about someone wanting to make a gui app for that purpose. Sorry for awaiting that release more eagerly.
Anyways, great job!

Pick and choose whichever aren't hard to implement. If you eventually get #5 in(a big feature), then associate .pnd files with the program and have it pop up a window asking where to unpack. (ala WinZip)

Use your favourite ISO-editor and BAM, you have all the files you need

 

[Squidge]

Where do you tell it the pxml file? and could you get it to automatically append the pxml to the .pnd if one is detected in the directory, or show a dialog if more than one is detected?

and how does it work from the command line? I'm thinking most devs will want to automate the process.

Just a few more features for you to add

 

[skeezix]

command line is part of the libpnd download, so thats moot

Presumably it is pulling the PXML.xml from the directory? (It should _also_ be in the dir, and _also_ appended.. but it could be outside the dir, but I think that woudl be bad form.)

What about icon? Are you pulling the icon filename from the PXML and then appending it if present, or just assuming a filename?

(I didn't try it).

Good one

jeff

 

[streak]

Is it a good idea to force user to put PXML file in source dir otherwise app will not build PND file. Your opinion?

 

[Squidge]

command line is part of the libpnd download, so thats moot

For Windows? Last I heard, it was a shell script which required bash or similar.

 

[dflemstr]

Is it a good idea to force user to put PXML file in source dir otherwise app will not build PND file. Your opinion?

The standard as it is now says that it MUST be so, as far as I know.
A directory is not valid and discoverable unless there's a PXML.xml-file in it.
And, the backend sees the "source" directory exactly like it sees a PND file.
I didn't change that in the new PXML-format, either, btw. (look in my sig for the code for that)

EDIT:
@Squidge: Well, it is very basic and very easy to convert to .bat-format.
It's basically alot of echos with variables inserted here and there.

 

[Kramy]

Is it a good idea to force user to put PXML file in source dir otherwise app will not build PND file. Your opinion?

Heh... seems backwards to me, unless there's two copies of the .pxml file.

Everything in the source dir should be in the .iso; if you append the .pxml(as is proper) that's fine, but it should also go into the .iso, since that's where the file is.

How are icons appended atm? Matching filename, .png extension?

 

[Squidge]

How are icons appended atm? Matching filename, .png extension?

Just append the .png to the iso, there is no filename.

 

[Vorporeal]

In linux:
CODE
echo image.png >> filethingy.pnd (this is post xml-append, which is done the same way)

In windows:
CODE
type image.png >> filethingy.pnd


Those should work, but I could be wrong (haven't tested; it's all off the top of my head).

 

[Kramy]

My point was, shouldn't this .pnd builder automatically append them if the filename matches the filename of the .pxml file?

 

[valhalla]

In linux:
CODE
echo image.png >> filethingy.pnd (this is post xml-append, which is done the same way)

Those should work, but I could be wrong (haven't tested; it's all off the top of my head).

that's probably
CODE
cat image.png >> filethingy.pnd

 

[Squidge]

In linux:
CODE
echo image.png >> filethingy.pnd (this is post xml-append, which is done the same way)

I'd imagine that appends the literal text "image.png" to filethingy.png. valhalla's post sounds more correct, but yes, since this the "Pnd Builder For Windows" topic, we should expect the gui to do it for us

 

[Kramy]

that's probably
CODE
cat image.png >> filethingy.pnd

I posted this in another thread:

Windows:
CODE
COPY /b file.iso+file.pxml+file.png file.pnd

 

[Vorporeal]

In linux:
CODE
echo image.png >> filethingy.pnd (this is post xml-append, which is done the same way)

I'd imagine that appends the literal text "image.png" to filethingy.png. valhalla's post sounds more correct, but yes, since this the "Pnd Builder For Windows" topic, we should expect the gui to do it for us


Yeah, my bad. That should be "cat". As I said - it could be totally wrong, as it was off the top of my head and it was 5:30 in the morning.

 

[streak]

Any of You still needs a PND Builder for Windows [and for Linux with WINE] maybe?

 

[foxblock]

Well, we already got two actually.

I made PNDTools, which is Delphi based and features a graphical browser for creating and opening/editing PNDs (you can add or remove single files or folders) as well as a (WIP) PXML Editor: Thread

Speaker Ender made PNDManager which has a more slim interface and basically works like the Linux script (only that it also can open PND files): Thread

Both basically work the same using cygwin and the cygwin compiled squashtools for Windows.

I have to admit this is the first time I saw your tool (not following the project as closely in 2009), I did not even know such a thing existed (and neither did the the rest of the community in the official boards apparently). So sorry for the duplicate.

 

[streak]

Thanks for reply.

BTW. I already implemented basic PXML editing options in PND Builder. Everything seems to work. I build few different PND's ant everything's fine

BTW. PND Builder works like charm on Linux WINE as well.

Here's a screen:

 

[Esn]

Thanks for reply.

BTW. I already implemented basic PXML editing options in PND Builder. Everything seems to work. I build few different PND's ant everything's fine

BTW. PND Builder works like charm on Linux WINE as well.

Here's a screen:

That PXML editor looks very nice. I can't find a working download, though; the rapidshare link in the first post no longer works.

I didn't realise this program existed, either. Perhaps because nobody ever added it to the relevant wiki article (until I just did, right now).