Campaign Text File Management

[Double Deuce]

Are there any MS Access guru's out there? I'm working on an Access DB so you can enter all your campaign text files into so it’s easier to see all the files for a particular scenario/node on the same screen. This should make it easier to keep up with what text is in each file as opposed to having to open and tab through numerous text files opened in notepad.

The problem I have is generating all the individual text files via reports and a macro. It will generate the txt files I need as is BUT I have to have a report set up for each to make it work. Is there a way to have Access extract code out of the report to use for creating the actual filename when outputting the text files?

I have places to enter the Campaign Slot # and each Scenario Node so that when you run a single massive report it creates all the desired txt file name (i.e. U122i000.txt) and all the text for them BUT in a single txt document.

I'd like to have a macro that would extract only the text needed for "U122a000.txt" to create that individual text file, and then go to the next text file needed (i.e. U122b000.txt); create that .txt file and so on.

Anyway, I just started working on this so it’s pretty crude so far. Here are some early screenshots.

[Double Deuce]

Screenshots added.

It'll not be real user friendly to start with so you would have to know Access and being willing to change some stuff occasionally. :whist:

[Achilles]

Nice thinking! :smoke:

It will certainly prove to be a useful campaign tool.

cheers,
Pyros

[hoplitis]

I may be of some help. I'm not an Access Guru but an Access Follower. Access "runs", I chase and never catch her :nuts: . I think I can help you up to having a single report per node and see what can be done from there on. Please clarify the following:

1) Access version

2) Are you acustomed to form/report design view ?

3) It seems that your data input form consists of a main form (Camp data) and a subform (node data). Are they related through a common field? I assume that Camp data and node data are stored at two distinct tables with at least one common field.

Send info in a private message.

[Double Deuce]

Question for Campaign Designers

When you put the campaign together do you;

use consecutive slots (NODE: 000, 001, 002, etc) or
spread them out every couple slots to leave room for future changes (NODE: 000, 003, 006, etc).

[wulfir]

Question for Campaign Designers

When you put the campaign together do you;

use consecutive slots (NODE: 000, 001, 002, etc) or
spread them out every couple slots to leave room for future changes (NODE: 000, 003, 006, etc).

I use consecutive slots..., though the practice of "leaving room between scenarios" is probably a good idea if you think you might be "fleshing out" the campaign later on...

[Achilles]

Question for Campaign Designers

When you put the campaign together do you;

use consecutive slots (NODE: 000, 001, 002, etc) or
spread them out every couple slots to leave room for future changes (NODE: 000, 003, 006, etc).

000, 003, 006 ... 746, 749, 752....:laugh:

[Double Deuce]

Well it looks like I'll be going with the following node pattern; 000, 002, 004, 006, etc. The current database will create all the required text files for up to an 11 scenario campaign (000-020). :)

[Double Deuce]

One other difference with using this will be is that I designed all the txt file templates to replicate actual OPORD format and not the usual (standard) txt file brieifing format/layout.

[Achilles]

Well it looks like I'll be going with the following node pattern; 000, 002, 004, 006, etc. The current database will create all the required text files for up to an 11 scenario campaign (000-020). :)

DD,

Why do you put a limit of 11 scenarios (is it a technical issue)?

cheers,
Pyros

p.s The number 11 is fine with me because the 95% of the campaigns won't even reach the 11 linked scenarios, but what about the 5%... :smoke:

[Artur]

There are 42 scenarios in Das Reich... :laugh:

Artur.

[Double Deuce]

Why do you put a limit of 11 scenarios (is it a technical issue)?I only stopped at 11 because I was too tired to continue at the time after having created the 67 reports and the 67 lines of action code in the macro, not to mention the supporting tables and data entry forms. :nuts:

I can add as many as is needed BUT if you only use 5 scenarios it would still create the full 67 text files because the macro runs till the end whether there is data there or not. If I was to design it to handle 50 scenarios it would require at least 300 plus reports plus the 300 action arguments in the macro.

Another thing is I have it designed it for my OPORD format and NOT the current standard briefing formats. I may have to create another entire DB to replicate that format. I may have found a workaround for that BUT I haven't had time to try and design it.