Rich featured OpenKore frontend/GUI

[darkfate]

Hello OpenKore community

I want to start a little project in my free time. It will be a very rich featured frontend aka graphical user interface for OpenKore. This should become a lot more feature-rich, powerful and professional (hopefully) than the current WX OpenKore interfaces around.

This project will be implemented in Java, probably with SWT/JFace by using Eclipse RCP. There are many reasons why I won't use Swing, one of them is performance. Besides that, I hate Swing.
Now the reason why I want to develop an OpenKore frontend and why with Java is simple. First of all Java is plattform independent and I want/need to improve my Java knowledge as I want to pass the SCJP exam (Sun Certified Java Programmer). Of course it won't be enough to just develop a Java application I'll probably have to learn every freaking language feature before I try it.

Now the part where I NEED YOUR HELP!
I don't play Ragnarok Online, means that I don't bot either and don't use OpenKore. I have no idea which features are important for a botter and which aren't. I want you guys to list up all features you would want in a frontend for OpenKore. Please sort them by priority, so the first ones you list have a high priority and are very important for you.

Example:
1. Wizards for config creation
2. Map viewer
3. List of players/monsters on the screen
4. ...
5. ...

The more exact you describe your wishes/requirements, the higher is the chance that it's implemented as you wish.
Of course I can't implement every of your requirement wishes and will have to sort out those who don't seem to be important for others. In a first release it will probably provide basic funcionality, like VisualKore or WX. Later it will then be improved with new features.

One more thing: I will delete every post which looks like you wrote it in 30 seconds (I think you know what I mean with that)

[Bibian]

Java is too much of a memory hog for this imo... should use either C++ or C# >_>

[darkfate]

Java is too much of a memory hog for this imo... should use either C++ or C# >_>

Eye candy always needs memory and CPU time Bibian. After all, the user isn't forced to use it. Anyway Java's performance is a lot better than a few years ago, I don't know why everyone keeps thinking that Java eats all your resources. It's true that Java probably even uses more memory than Perl does, but it's still up to 30x faster.
Now you said I should use either C++ or C#. Well forget C# as it's not plattform independent. And forget C++ as I don't want to spend a year of development until the first release. C++ might be fast and uses less memory but it takes a hell lot longer to develop applications with and you have to take care of how to make it plattform independent yourself.

Java is still the number one language when it comes to developing an OO application which isn't that critical about CPU and memory usage. A frontend which intended to run on a desktop system ISN'T a CPU/memory critical application.

Like I mentioned before, one reason why I choosed Java is to improve my knowledge for the SCJP exam.
(I'd have chosen it even if it wouldn't be for the exam. You really can't compare Java with C# or C++ just because of the performance)

In other words... JAVA RULES!

[Cozzie]

WX still uses a fair amount of ram at around 80MB/bot and a 20-30% of CPU on my core 2 duo 2.2Ghz(will get the exact processor/memory consumption detail later, at work atm =P). So I think performance is an issue.

Regardless, I bid you the best darkfate! This is a great service to the openkore community.

Front end features:
GUIng most of the config files
map viewer
separate player/monster/item list(unlike wx)
profile saving feature

Non-front end features:
map optimization (eg: maze maps should have lower routing step such as 30)
waypoints
file cross checking(eg: monster control poring 1 0 0 on wizzie but it has attackUseWeapon 0 and poring is not listed in any magic skills, consequently, bot cannot kill and will keep dropping target or at least provide alternatives to fix those problems instead of having the user to fix it themselves - usability).

[Kleenex]

Active list of name + coords/distance.
mon + item_control config maker. (I'm imagining an input field that lists all available options as you type each letter in, until you find the one you want)
^^^ That one I'd really like to be added, because the config is so useful but tedious to make.

[darkfate]

WX still uses a fair amount of ram at around 80MB/bot and a 20-30% of CPU on my core 2 duo 2.2Ghz(will get the exact processor/memory consumption detail later, at work atm =P). So I think performance is an issue.

Regardless, I bid you the best darkfate! This is a great service to the openkore community.

Front end features:
GUIng most of the config files
map viewer
separate player/monster/item list(unlike wx)
profile saving feature

Non-front end features:
map optimization (eg: maze maps should have lower routing step such as 30)
waypoints
file cross checking(eg: monster control poring 1 0 0 on wizzie but it has attackUseWeapon 0 and poring is not listed in any magic skills, consequently, bot cannot kill and will keep dropping target or at least provide alternatives to fix those problems instead of having the user to fix it themselves - usability).

What uses 80MB of RAM ist most likely OpenKore and not WX. Same for the CPU usage. OpenKore's performance really sucks compared to 1.6 (I don't know what causes it) anyway I won't rewrite OpenKore, just a frontend for it so I can't really do much about OpenKore bad performance.

Thanks for your ideas, I hope others will post their requirement wishes too.

[darkfate]

Active list of name + coords/distance.
mon + item_control config maker. (I'm imagining an input field that lists all available options as you type each letter in, until you find the one you want)
^^^ That one I'd really like to be added, because the config is so useful but tedious to make.

Thanks, I never thought about something like that. You probably mean something like code completion which most language IDEs provide? What exactly is a 'config maker' to you?

[Cozzie]

yah, I do realize that this isn't an openkore rewrite but I since this is a usability improvement aspect, a few minor non front end improvements can be made.

Owh, what he meant probably is just GUIing the files.

[Bibian]

C# can be run on linux using Mono >_>

[darkfate]

C# can be run on linux using Mono >_>

Seriously Bibian, I really don't want to discuss why I'm using Java with you, so stop it.
(btw Mono is always versions behind .NET)