[Koen]

I'm currently working on a program to allow the mod user to easily have multiple mods installed and giving him/her the ability to select a mod at startup (if the user launcher the Mod Selector instead of the normal game shortcut). This is done through the new -mod switch in Generals v1.4.
While this switch does not work for certain files (audio, video, see The -mod switch thread), it's useful for most mods which do not yet use this.

Current features:
- User places the mod's .BIG file in a subfolder of the Command And Conquer Generals folder in Program Files: Mods. For example, C:\Program Files\Command And Conquer Generals\Mods.
- The program checks all BIG files in this folder for containmennt of a file called modinfo.ini. Example of such a file:

[ModSelector]
Name=My first mod
Icon=generals.bmp
IconTransparent=1
Author=Koen van de Sande
Website=http://www.tibed.net
Version=1.0
Date=15-03-2003

The picture for the mod should be 32x32 and be .ICO or .BMP. If you have a .BMP, then you have to specify whether you want to use transparancy in it (if used, the lower left corner of the picture is used as the transparent color).
- If the user selects a mod and hits play, the game is automatically launched with the correct -mod switch.

I could use some input about the features needed in such a program which allows the user to select a mod. What do you need?
I'll try to release a first beta version based on input I get here in a few days.

Edit: check the new screenshots below.

[DeeZire]

Very nice!

Heres a suggestion - given that the mod will be run by passing a command line parameter to the game, can you not have built-in functions to give the user extra options from the command line, such as -win and -quickstart?

[Koen]

I'll build in -noshellmap and -quickstart. I assume -win is "run in windowed mode"? Can be useful at times, so I'll add as well
Any other suggestions?

[mrpoo]

Koen you rule i loved tibed for redalert 2!!!!!!

I WANT YOUR BABIES

[PsychoLamb]

You scare me sir poo.....

[Detail]

Is it possible to have the big "C&C Generals Mod Selector" image change when you click on each mod icon? This space could provide the mod creator with a nice space to show of the mod, making people play it instead of the others in the list.

Having the website address info be clickable would also be nice.

[SquaLdon]

Sounds like you got everything I'd bother concerning about, but that graphic up there is kind of... big, to say the least

[Koen]

Originally Posted by Detail

Having the website address info be clickable would also be nice.

Will be done.

I'm not to sure about changing the top graphic - I have to make a choice about size of the program here:
Currently it supports BMP and ICO, so you'd have to provide this image as a .BMP, because adding support for JPG will increase EXE size by about 50 KB (IIRC). But a bitmap this size is 72 KB @ 256 colors so your mod size will be a bit bigger (BMPs are compressible though).
I'll have a look at how hard it is to add.

[DeeZire]

If I was the 'end user' of this program I wouldnt be bothered about what image appears, but I would think its a little too big Koen. Try reducing it so the total window size is not as obtrusive.

[Koen]

I've added the clickable hyperlinks and the options. Also, the header bitmap can now be changed.

Deezire: it's a bit big, I know, but if I make it smaller I get a 'black hole' effect with lots of empty black space. Not sure if I want that. But maybe if I make the logo smaller I can make the icon list bigger (or perhaps the info box). I don't know exactly what to do. Some mod creators might like such a big space for a picture?

I'm having a bit of a problem though: None of the game files include version information! The game.dat does not contain any EXE-like version info. So I'm unable to determine whether the user is running 1.4... Ideas anyone?