New program to help set up VASL scenarios

Stewart

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Does this new version solve the issue with your opponent not having VASL templates error bugs?
No sync possible.

We tried everything, then I deleted all the templates and he synced just fine.

Is the link to the updated file here ? or ?
 

Pacman Ghost

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Does this new version solve the issue with your opponent not having VASL templates error bugs?
No sync possible.
I'm not sure what you're referring to, but I suspect you've created the snippets with vasl-templates configured to get images "from this program" instead of "from the internet". You can check this by opening the scenario in VASSAL, looking at some of the labels and checking the <img> tags. If they're referencing localhost:5010, images will be coming from "this program", if they're referencing github.com and/or vasl-templates.org, they're coming from the internet. To fix this, configure vasl-templates to get images "from the internet", then update the VASL scenario (from the menu).

Even if images are coming from "this program", when your opponent tries to open the scenario, he will get a blank VASSAL window, but it will eventually come back (just with broken images).

Is the link to the updated file here ? or ?
It's in the release announcement.
 

Pacman Ghost

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The next beta of vasl-templates is now available. Please PM me if you'd like to take it for a spin.

The main new features are:
  • Added support for VASSAL 3.4.2 and .6 and VASL 6.6.0 and .1
  • Added support for Fight For Seoul.
  • Added a report to the log file analyzer that shows the number of 2's and 12's rolled, and Sniper Activations.
15600

IMPORTANT: Older versions of VASSAL and VASL are no longer supported. I tried, but it just got too messy :( You will also need to configure a new version of Java (the one that comes installed with VASSAL is fine).

I also finally managed to get VASSAL running inside a Docker container, which means that the full functionality of the program is now available if you run the program this way. PM me if you want to give it a go - the image is up on Docker Hub, but you will need a new run-container.sh script to launch it. The image is large, but damn, it's cool... :)

Other minor features and bug fixes:
  • Improved how the latest scenarios are downloaded from ROAR and the ASL Scenario Archive.
  • Added icons to the File menu.
  • The "CBI" theater (from the ASL Scenario Archive) is now imported as "PTO".
  • Allow the web server to be automatically initialized after it has started up (instead of waiting for the first request).
  • Added a dialog to show the program configuration (only available from a browser).
  • Tightened up how volumes are mounted into the container.
  • Fixed a possible timing problem at startup that could cause a new scenario to be flagged as changed.
  • Fixed a problem that could cause the "Get images from" droplist in the User Settings dialog to be loaded incorrectly.
  • Fixed a timezone problem when checking the date for OBA in the ASL Scenario Archive scenario cards.
  • Fixed a problem that was preventing a ZIP file to be used as the default template pack.
  • A player's description is now cleared when their nationality is changed.
  • Changed how the scenario date is unloaded from the UI.
  • Changed how we control VASSAL to save scenarios.
  • Re-architected the test suite.
  • Minor UI changes.
 

Pacman Ghost

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The next beta of vasl-templates is now available. Please PM me if you'd like to take it for a spin.
  • Adjusted the layout of dialogs in the desktop application for HiDPI.
  • Show larger flags in label headings that use a larger font.
  • Improved how we handle and report errors during startup.
  • Handle encoding when reading data files.
  • Ensure that the default settings are applied correctly when running the desktop application for the first time.
  • Tightened up some National Capabilities labels.
  • Only translate URL's for images in Chapter H notes if they are relative.
  • Handle tabs in snippet content.
  • Hide the Flask startup banner when running the Docker container.
  • The Program Info dialog now shows the build info if connected to the desktop application.
  • Show the configured VASL module correctly in the Program Info dialog when running the Docker container.
  • Tweaked the styling for subscripts (e.g. for Pz IV IVF 1 and 2).
  • Tidied up the Docker launcher script.
Definitely on the final run to the next full release. There seem to be more people using the program, which means more bug reports and FR's :cautious:, but that's OK, it makes the program that much better 👍 Thanks to everyone who has been helping out.
 
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von Marwitz

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  • Added a report to the log file analyzer that shows the number of 2's and 12's rolled, and Sniper Activations.
15600
I like this one...

A thought:

The ASL Scenario Archive had a 'VASL Log Analyzer' a couple of years ago, into which you could by copy/paste of the log in the VASL controls window have your rolls analyzed and your 'all time' average collected. There was an 'all time' Best Rollers / Worst Rollers Top Five and an 'all time' Boxcars / Snakeeyes King Top Five which I liked very much and fed it with close to 10.000 rolls over the time (with only sessions of a minimum of 50 DRs being collected).

This function did not work any more, when instead of numbers for dice the pip-depictions were introduced. With the latest update of the ASL Scenario Website, even the old data which could still be called up, disappeared.

What do you think?

Might it be able to somehow incorporate your analyzer to the ASL Scenario Website using the former copy/paste method of logs for that old functionality to be revived? As far as I can tell, it was the only place anywhere, where you keep track of your DR averages over extended periods of time and an unlimited number of VASL sessions.

Nowadays, VASL has better statistics functions inherent, but they only cover a single VASL session. Your functions top that of VASL, but still, they are limited only to a single session as far as I can tell and they won't allow long time coverage or the comparison of rolls beyond those players involved in that session.

von Marwitz
 

Pacman Ghost

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I like this one...
Yah, me too. I've just finished a game where I rolled an awful lot of 2's, and my opponent even more 12's, and that report looks fabulous :D

Might it be able to somehow incorporate your analyzer to the ASL Scenario Website using the former copy/paste method of logs for that old functionality to be revived?
Yes and no. vasl-templates lets you download the dice data as a CSV, so you could bung that in a spreadsheet and track everything yourself.

If you want to revive the old website functionality, it's possible. The bit that extracts the rolls from a log file isn't actually part of vasl-templates proper, but a separate stand-alone program that vasl-templates runs, so it's conceivable you could upload a log file to the website, the server runs this program to get the data, then does whatever it used to do. You would just need to convince Dave to do that work :)

TBH, you're better off tracking it yourself. It's a bit more work, but you're not going to lose the data at some point in the future, because Dave got hit by a bus or something like that...
 

Jazz

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So, I am trying to get my Chap H notes into the template.

In the directions, one is told to

"...configure the location in the Server Settings dialog ..."

Where is this Server Settings dialog? Not seeing it anywhere?
 

Robin Reeve

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Hi all,
As this thread is about a very useful feature to setup VASL scenarios, I stickered it.
Here is the link where you can get it : vas-templates
 

Tuomo

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Sorry for the ignorant question - is there a repository of previously set up scenarios? After going through the work to put one together, it seems a shame to not share it.

Or is that a copyright concern.
 

von Marwitz

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Sorry for the ignorant question - is there a repository of previously set up scenarios? After going through the work to put one together, it seems a shame to not share it.

Or is that a copyright concern.
Currently, there are two places which you could use as a repository that I know of.

In any case, I would strongly recommend to delete any pictures and even more importantly information about VC & SSR from the VASL files, as to make these files 'incomplete' so that you still need the scenario-card to play them for copyright reasons. That said, I am no lawyer or some such, so do not take this as 'official legal advice'.

1. vasl.info

Under the following link, you can find ready-made VASL setups. The regrettable thing is that the version info which was part of the filenames has been removed, so you do not know, how old the stuff is - unless that information is provided within the VASL file when you open it.


The good thing is, that with current VASSAL/VASL combinations (I use VASSAL 3.4.12 with VASL 6.6.1 as of 2. January 2021), you can easily update even very old VASL files (I have successfully tried with VASL files as old as v5.9.2) with a few steps, which I have outlined in this and the following posts.

To get the vasl files online, it is my understanding that you would have to email them to Sam Tyson, whose contact you can find here (marked in the picture):

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2. ASL Scenario Archive website

If you have an account on the ASL Scenario Archive website and have logged in, then you can upload VASL files yourself.

To do so, search for the desired scenario via the 'Advanced Search' and open the the page of the scenario.
Then scroll down and click the tab 'User Files'. After that you can specify which (VASL-) file to upload from your machine, select the correct type (not an AAR in this case...), add a 'Description' if desired and then 'Upload'.

The site will not check details of your file, so please do not upload crap and once again - for copyright-reasons I would strongly recommend to delete all pictures and VC & SSR information from your VASL file to make it 'incomplete' and not equivalent to a complete scenario card.

The marked example below shows a VASL file for SP204 'Yankee Pride' with the filename thoughtfully providing the VASL version with which this VASL-file has been created.



15928


von Marwitz
 

Pacman Ghost

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is there a repository of previously set up scenarios? After going through the work to put one together, it seems a shame to not share it.
vasl-templates integrates with the ASL Scenario Archive. You can search it for a scenario, and it will load up the basic details (e.g. scenario name, location, player nationalities, etc.), but it will also tell you if someone has already uploaded a vasl-templates and/or VASL setup, and let you download it.

When you've finished your setup, vasl-templates will let you contribute it back, and will also automatically generate a screenshot, and remove the VC and SSR's, before uploading it to the ASL Scenario Archive.

More info here ("Adding the scenario details" and "Suggested workflow").
 

Stewart

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Newer versions of Vasl can be problematic.
Also, 50% are created inaccurately.
It doesn't take much to setup.
 

Michael R

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To do so, search for the desired scenario via the 'Advanced Search' and open the the page of the scenario.
Why use advanced search? The standard search at top right of their web pages brings one to the same page.
 

Stewart

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Any chance in getting graphic images on the add to OB listing?? names aren't my forte.
 

Pacman Ghost

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Version v1.4 of vasl-templates has been released here.

The main new features are:
  • Added support for VASSAL 3.4.2 and .6 and VASL 6.6.0 and .1
  • Added support for Fight For Seoul.
  • Added a report to the log file analyzer that shows the number of 2's and 12's rolled, and Sniper Activations.
  • Got the full functionality working when running in a Docker container.
Check out the release notes for the full list of changes.

IMPORTANT: Older versions of VASSAL and VASL are no longer supported. I tried, but it just got too messy :( You will also need to configure a newer version of Java (the one that comes installed with VASSAL is fine).

If you are running v1.4.beta2, you don't need to do anything - this release is the same.
 

von Marwitz

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IMPORTANT: Older versions of VASSAL and VASL are no longer supported. I tried, but it just got too messy :( You will also need to configure a newer version of Java (the one that comes installed with VASSAL is fine).
Did I get this right - you need a seperate independent JAVA installation and having just the one which is inherent to the newest VASSAL releases will not suffice?

If so, which JAVA version do you recommend?

von Marwitz
 
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