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[Vandala]

I think you'll need some way to check what other files there are for a lot of things.  Like, the program should either check that the bodypart you're trying to add actually exists or only show you which ones exist through a dropdown menu.  The first one might be slightly better, because it could allow a way to add bodyparts first, and then see which bodyparts need definitions when you start working on the appropriate raws there.  things like this would also apply to entities(checking that the creature and the items they can use also exist), and materials.

It really depends on how you choose to add those things though.  If the user types in a list of all the parts they want, it could be in the order they want, and the program could highlight the ones that don't exist yet, and add them to a display in the appropriate raw tab.  I think this way is more powerful, but it also requires at least some knowledge of the format.  And it's probably not necessary for things like equipment.  Maybe selecting a creature for a civ will allow you to pick one from a list, picking equipment is checking boxes based on what raws are loaded into the mod, and . . . ok, I can't really think of a smooth way to do body parts.  That sort of thing is vast and messy, and I don't know how you would do things like only allowing people to modify the material of body parts the creature has and things like that.

We will make everything as easy on the modder as possible. The goal is to allow even someone without any knowledge of dwarf fortress to mod a creature (at least.)
Multiple selection lists with all available pre-made body parts, tissues, materials, etc will be included but people will also be able to create these parts themselves in other sections of the program aided by tool tips and other hints we can throw in once we ourselves have working knowledge of this.
It's even possible to trade such lists between users (modding the modding tool yay!)
Anyway, you'll always know what already exists due to the way the program is set up, the lists of all existing stuff you happen to be modding is right there on you left, this is true for creatures as well as everything else.

It is possible to have the program check all other creature files once you safe your new creature to see if a duplicate exists, but thats not really a priority right now.

I'll keep your idea's in mind.

[Eagleon]

Well looky here, only about less then one third of the skills can fit on a page. I wish I know how a simple scroll bar worked in wxglade, cause without that I can't add any more.

Whether scroll bars appear or not should be a property of the panel/container you put everything in. There might be a special Scrollable panel, or it might be part of most panels.

Fake edit: http://wxpython.org/docs/api/wx.ScrolledWindow-class.html and focus, which saves sanity: http://wiki.wxpython.org/ScrolledWindows

[Vandala]

Heh, just got an idea.

We could have our own clipy assistant window.

I will name him Clip the Dwarf.

Hmm, now all we need are pictures and funny banter.

There's a job: make "Clip the Dwarf" pictures and collect dwarf fortress jokes, 12-bay forum community history, in-jokes, dwarf science, and the like. Aim for 200 by 200 pixels in size.

I'm just joking of course, but if somebody is crazy enough to do it then I'll see that it's added somewhere down the line.

[Alexander86]

This is looking amazing! I am no representative of the community but thank you for doing this.

[Vandala]

I touched up the creature abilities tab a bit. I think I'll actually be able to fit all of the "Megabeast/Night Creature/Undead + Lair" in there as well but not today.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

EDIT: I've fused the "world" with the "population" tab.
EDIT: I've fused the "name/look/age" and the "sound/death" tabs.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Vandala]

Ok, I'm going to need help.

I need an clear explanation of what the following creature tokens do and how to use them. Otherwise I won't be able to add this stuff.

SELECT_ADDITIONAL_CASTE
SELECT_CASTE
SELECT_MATERIAL
SET_BP_GROUP
SET_TL_GROUP
USE_MATERIAL
USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE
USE_TISSUE
USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE
CHANGE_BODY_SIZE_PERC
COPY_TAGS_FROM
CREATURE_CLASS
CV_ADD_TAG
CV_REMOVE_TAG
FEATURE_ATTACK_GROUP
GENERAL_MATERIAL_FORCE_MULTIPLIER
GO_TO_END
GO_TO_START
GO_TO_TAG
MATERIAL
MATERIAL_FORCE_MULTIPLIER
PLUS_BP_GROUP
PLUS_MATERIAL
REMAINS_UNDETERMINED
REMOVE_MATERIAL
REMOVE_TISSUE
SET_BP_GROUP
SET_TL_GROUP
TISSUE
TL_COLOR_MODIFIER
TLCM_GENETIC_MODEL
TLCM_IMPORTANCE
TLCM_NOUN
TLCM_TIMING
TSU_NOUN

[Vandala]

The latest addition, looks awful, will be reshuffled some other time but I think I'll need the info about the creature tokens in my previous post to help me with that first.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Vandala]

A little bump.

Help still needed, check two posts that ^^^ way.  Pretty please?

[Vandala]

Can't continue with creature stuff right now so I decided to do this:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Someday you'll be able to easily control all your dwarf fortress setting with the program as well.

EDIT: I'll make sure the program will hold all the standard color schemes by default (those that I can grab off of the wiki.)

[rawrcakes]

I have to say, for a dabbling modder like myself, a tool like this would be god sent for at least getting some basic stuff into my world. Cheering for your success!

[neil_v]

Amazing! I feel for you. This is crazy, thats why I am taking a rudimentary approach. I wish I could help, but I am way out of my league here.
My only recommendation is: Don't jam it all in, have the ability to collapse, scroll, and jump through the information being displayed. The user does not need to see everything at once, just what they want to see. Visibility and functionality. DF users are used to hotkeys.

[Vandala]

Amazing! I feel for you. This is crazy, thats why I am taking a rudimentary approach. I wish I could help, but I am way out of my league here.
My only recommendation is: Don't jam it all in, have the ability to collapse, scroll, and jump through the information being displayed. The user does not need to see everything at once, just what they want to see. Visibility and functionality. DF users are used to hotkeys.

Hmm, yes dwarf fortress does have a lot of hot keys doesn't it? I could add another page in my program that allows for the changing of those as well if you think that's a good idea? It would come much later on my to do list though, there's a LOT of 'em.

Some people want to see less tabs while others want to see less options thrown into their face all at once. I can understand both sides, we'll have to refine the look of the program once people actually get their hands on it.

[Trapezohedron]

Ok, I'm going to need help.

I need an clear explanation of what the following creature tokens do and how to use them. Otherwise I won't be able to add this stuff.

SELECT_ADDITIONAL_CASTE
SELECT_CASTE
SELECT_MATERIAL
SET_BP_GROUP
SET_TL_GROUP
USE_MATERIAL
USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE
USE_TISSUE
USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE
CHANGE_BODY_SIZE_PERC
COPY_TAGS_FROM
CREATURE_CLASS
CV_ADD_TAG
CV_REMOVE_TAG
FEATURE_ATTACK_GROUP
GENERAL_MATERIAL_FORCE_MULTIPLIER
GO_TO_END
GO_TO_START
GO_TO_TAG
MATERIAL
MATERIAL_FORCE_MULTIPLIER
PLUS_BP_GROUP
PLUS_MATERIAL
REMAINS_UNDETERMINED
REMOVE_MATERIAL
REMOVE_TISSUE
SET_BP_GROUP
SET_TL_GROUP
TISSUE
TL_COLOR_MODIFIER
TLCM_GENETIC_MODEL
TLCM_IMPORTANCE
TLCM_NOUN
TLCM_TIMING
TSU_NOUN

Would take too long to write stuff, so here's the wiki's creature token page. It also includes pointers on how to use the tokens. URL starts at letter S, so you should start with the SELECT_CASTE tokens.

I'll try my best to explain stuff if you ask about it.

[Vandala]

Thanks New Guy but I already had that page of the wiki mined out and now I'm stuck.
For me to be able to continue I need a better explanation of how those tokens really work.
I hate to be a bother but I can't add those tokens to my program if I don't know what they do. These are the rare exception where I must know how they work otherwise it won't work.

[MiamiBryce]

Vandala,

Some advice / constructive criticism from someone who earns his keep as a programmer / analyst...

When going from start to finish, you're going to have to load all the mod files into some sort of memory structures and then bind them to your UI.  I think you should, before coding any UI, figure out what method you will use to store the mod data in memory and what sort of UI would best bind to that method.  Something I know you'll use, but I saw not a one of in your screenshots, are grid views (I don't know what they're called in your toolkit). 

Your form is entirely too large, with too many things crammed on it.  I'm assuming the main object on your form is some sort of tab control widget.  What you're most likely going to want to do is, within each of those tabs, add another tab control widget with the tabs at the top.  So, for your DF: Game Setting tab you could have within it a tab for d_init, a tab for init.txt, and a tab for color.txt.  Actually I'd suggest splitting the d_init and init.txt into more than one tab each, because they'd still be pretty big.

Something else I just noticed, you don't have any check-boxes.  Typically Y/N items like temperature, weather, etc would be check-boxes not buttons.  If you're not going to use check-boxes I'm wondering how you'll indicate whether those items are enabled or disabled.