LORD Skeleton - CONVSKEL.TXT
Player Database Conversion Utility program docs

ConvSkel v1.00 was officially released on Oct. 09th, 2008.

CONVSKEL.EXE Status:  v1.10.      {January 2011 Non-beta development}

Compile Date:  December 26, 2010.

Docs Update:   December 26, 2010.

Current Status:   Official release processing.
------------------------------------------------------------

Required:  Any compilation of SKELETON.EXE made AFTER
           Oct. 12th, 2008, which uses SKELPLAY.DAT file.

Mandatory: Must use LORD Skeleton compilations dated on/after
     Oct. 12th, 2008, due to revised player database format.

For use when utility is in beta development:

    http://camelot.legendarydragons.com/IGM-Beta/convskel.zip
============================================================
                                  
CONVSKEL v1.02+ Beta is ONLY for use to convert from L.S. v0.80
beta to v0.81+ betas.  LORD Skeleton was adapted to cover ALL
of the Realm of Lore IGM's DDIGM Code.  Which was converted
into ANGEL toolkit compatible code.

10/12/08: IGM's player database format was revised so that it
will allow users to store up to 500 Skill Use Points in their
Banked Power Pellets account.  The previous format could only
handle a range of 0 to 250.
=============================================================
                                  
If you are making a CLEAN install of L.S. v0.81+ Beta,
after un-installing L.S. v0.80 Beta, then there is no
need to use this program.  The first time L.S. v0.81+ beta
executes after installation, it automatically creates a new
SKELPLAY.DAT player database file for the current player,
that uses the new database structure.

Anyone who is using SKELETON.EXE v0.81+ beta, once it is
prepared, will NOT need to use CONVSKEL.EXE.
=========================================================


Why do you need to use CONVSKEL.EXE?
--------------------------------------------------
The current IGM uses a different player database file structure
than LORD Skeleton (L.S.) v0.80 Beta was using.  Therefore the
older SKELPLAY.DAT file is INCOMPATIBLE with the current IGM's
SKELETON.EXE and SKELEDIT.EXE programs.

You have to use CONVSKEL to convert your OLD database file,
using BONES080.DAT, into a new SKELPLAY.DAT file.  Benefit:

    * Players can now store up to 500 Skill Use Points in their
      Banked Power Pellets account, which they can withdraw in
      the Commerce Menu for use in LORD Skeleton, or other igms.
============================================================


How is CONVSKEL.EXE used?
--------------------------------------------------
CONVSKEL.EXE and SKELEDIT.EXE are bundled inside the LORD
Skeleton beta distribution archive, BONEWORK.ZIP.  Obtain
a copy from me via Email, using donaldtidmore@comcast.net or
gtidmore@hiwaay.net.

The copies posted of BONEWORK.ZIP on the Camelot LordNews FDN
site (and its mirror sites), on the BBS Archives servers
operated by Mike Ehlert, and on my Castle Camelot web-site,
are not always up-to-date.

Be sure that you get BONEWORK.ZIP, CONVSKEL.ZIP, and
SKELEDIT.ZIP archives from me directly.

The CONVSKEL.* files are included inside BONEWORK.ZIP with
the exception of its source code file.
================================================================


REMEMBER:  If you are doing a CLEAN INSTALLATION, there is no
need to use this utility program.  It saves you time not trying
to protect user's Treasury Gold and Treasury Gems balances, and/or
player's Asleep in IGM status.  But your BBS users probably would
not be very happy with you then.  No one likes to go to sleep in
an IGM, and then suddenly find themself under a tree in LORD.
================================================================


Update process from LORD Skeleton 0.80 (or earlier betas):

1) Run LORD Skeleton v0.80 beta.  Do something inside the IGM
   and then exit the program.  Then exit LORD as well.  Do NOT
   EVER try ANY of these conversion steps while the IGM is in use!

   Optional, but recommended:  You should run the IGM one time
   for EACH player who has Gold and/or Gems on account in the
   IGM's Treasury.  Write the balances down on paper.  This is
   useful in case the conversion process screws up somehow. It
   shouldn't do so, but computer programs can ALWAYS mess up
   in some fashion when "Mr. Murphy" decides to pay you a visit.

   Also note down whether a player is Asleep in the IGM.  Remember
   the IGM's primary mode of recognizing a player is sleeping
   in the Campgrounds is from analysis of the LORD OUT files.

   Regardless of the SLEEPING VAR's status for a player in the
   SKELPLAY.DAT record, if that player has no OUT file in
   existence, then they are not asleep in the IGM any more.

   Change into the L.S. IGM Directory.

2) Make a backup copy of SKELPLAY.DAT as BONES080.DAT.  Make a
   backup of it also, such as BONES080.BCK.  Write-protect
   both of the BONES080 files to protect them.

3) Unzip the files from BONEWORK.ZIP using overwrite with new
   files mode.  Do the same thing with SKELEDIT.ZIP.  

4) Run CONVSKEL.EXE.  It automatically processes the BONES080.DAT
   file and creates a new SKELPLAY.DAT player database file.

   You only need to run the CONVSKEL.EXE program ONE time.
   At this point, you can move all of the CONVSKEL.* files
   into a sub-directory or delete the files.

5) Now run SKELEDIT.EXE v1.02+ Beta.  Open each player's record
   and check them for glitches.  There should not be any.  If
   you find any, correct the errors immediately for each record.

   To verify that Treasury Gold and Treasury Gems balances are
   valid, and/or Asleep in Camp status is valid, you will need
   to have that data available to you.  A printout of the igm's
   BONESUSE.TXT file will contain that information.

   The file is updated each time someone exits the IGM in LORD
   igm sessions, or when SKELETON REPORT has been run.

   Do "Reset Player Data" option * to reset all records to
   "New Day for Player" values.   New Day does NOT ever alter
   the Treasury Gold, Treasury Gems, or Asleep in IGM status
   with the exception of fixing negative Treasury amounts.

   Once you are sure all of the new player database records
   look normal, you can exit the SKELEDIT.EXE program.

At this point, the player database file is now fully compatible
with LORD Skeleton v0.81+ beta.

When you installed L.S. v0.81+ beta, it would have automatically
created the SKELETON.CFG file, along with a SKELEDIT.CFG file.

If you don't have a SKELETON.CFG file, you will have to re-run
SKELETON INSTALL command to create one.  This will possibly result
in duplicate entries for LORD SKELETON in the LORD 3RDPARTY.DAT
file, which you have to deal with yourself.

As of 09/08/2008, there are now 8 variables in the config file.
The seventh is for Max IGM Fights/Day, and the eighth is for
Allow Power Moves in IGM Fights?.

As of late Sept 2008, the IGM is running *ALL* of the events
from Realm of Lore, but not all of them have been effectively
tested yet.

At this point, you can resume normal use of the IGM.
=============================================================


Official download links for ConvSkel.exe v1.00:
===============================================

    http://camelot.legendarydragons.com/LordApps/convls10.zip
    http://www.filegate.net/camelot/lordfile/convls10.zip
    http://www.nightfallgames.com/files/Utils/convls10.zip
    ---------------------------------------------------------

Notes: Includes source code file for ConvSkel utility v1.00.
       Utility was officially released on Oct. 09th, 2008.
============================================================


CONVSKEL Development History:
=====================================

Sept. 08, 2008: Created the CONVSKEL.EXE utility program.
                Started with 0.10 beta, then v0.20 beta.

Sept. 13: Added remaining ROL IGM vars to CONVSKEL. Used v0.35.

Oct. 08, 2008: Finished development cycle #1 of ConvSkel.

Oct. 09:  Officially released the Convls10.zip archive on
          Oct. 09th, 2008.  Distribution done on Oct. 10, 2008.
----------------------------------------

Oct. 12, 2008: Rewrote program to use new player database format
               and recompiled CONVSKEL.EXE as v1.02 beta.
               Rewrote CONVSKEL.TXT docs file.

Dec. 31th, 2009: Ended development of CONVSKEL utility.

Started work on creation of CONVLS11.ZIP archive.
------------------------------------------------------------

Donald Tidmore.  Created file CONVSKEL.TXT on Sept. 09, 2008.

The CONVSKEL.* files are Copyright 2008-2010 by Donald Tidmore.
============================================================

Revised on:   December 26, 2010 at 06:15 pm.

