Outlands Tavern - CONVOUTS.TXT
Player Database Conversion Utility program docs

CONVOUTS.EXE Status:  v1.00.         {January 2011 Non-Beta development}

Compile Date:  December 25, 2010.

Docs Update:   December 25, 2010.

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

Required: Any version of OUTLANDS.EXE that is v1.66.1 Beta
or higher.  Prior versions are NOT going to work with CONVOUTS.

Required data files: OUTS166.DAT input file. Must be based
on an OUTLANDS.DAT player database file.
--------------------------------------------------------

For use when utility is in beta development:

    http://camelot.legendarydragons.com/IGM-Beta/convouts.zip

Notes: Includes source code file for CONVOUTS utility v1.00.

============================================================
Abbreviations used: O.T. stands for The Outlands Tavern.
-------------------

CONVOUTS v1.00 is ONLY for use to convert from OUTLANDS
TAVERN v1.6, which was officially released on June 11th, 2005,
to v1.67 Beta.  Or to update from v1.61-v1.66 betas to v1.66.1+
Betas of Outlands Tavern.  The current version of OUTLANDS.EXE
is v1.67.7 Beta as of 09/21/08.

O.T. v1.66.1+ Betas ARE not compatible with OUTSEDIT v1.00.

You can ONLY use CONVOUTS.EXE in association with OUTSEDIT
v1.01+ Betas, using compilations dated May 26th, 2008 or later.
=============================================================


If you are making a CLEAN install of O.T. v1.66.1+ Beta,
after un-installing O.T. v1.61-v1.66 Beta, then there is no
need to use this program.  The first time O.T. v1.66.1+ beta
executes after installation, it automatically creates a
OUT2PLAY.DAT player database file for the current player.
=========================================================


Why do you need to use CONVOUTS.EXE?
--------------------------------------------------
The current IGM uses a different player database file structure
than O.T. v1.66 Beta was using.  Therefore the old OUTLANDS.DAT
file is INCOMPATIBLE with the current IGM program.

All versions of OUTLANDS.EXE and OUTSEDIT.EXE released by me
prior to May 26th, 2008 are using the OUTLANDS.DAT database file.

You have to use CONVOUTS to convert your OUTLANDS.DAT file into
the OUT2PLAY.DAT file that is now in use by O.T. v1.66.1+ Beta.

The OUTSEDIT.PAS and OUTSEDIT.EXE program files used by the
Player Database Editor that you are to use to test/use CONVOUTS
are included inside the OUTSEDIT.ZIP archive.
===============================================================


How is CONVOUTS.EXE used?
--------------------------------------------------
CONVOUTS.EXE is bundled inside the Outlands Tavern IGM's beta
distribution archive OUT-WORK.ZIP.  Obtain a copy from me via
Email, using donaldtidmore@comcast.net or gtidmore@hiwaay.net.

The copies posted of OUT-WORK.ZIP on the Camelot LordNews FDN
site (and its mirror sites), on the Nightfallgames server,
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 the CONVOUTS.ZIP, OUTSEDIT.ZIP, and
OUT-WORK.ZIP beta distribution archives from me directly.

All CONVOUTS and OUTSEDIT files, except for source code files,
are stored inside the OUT-WORK.ZIP archive.
================================================================


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 Asleep in Tavern Room and Asleep in Dungeon Cell,
however if you DON'T use it, some of your users may be unhappy
with you.  Most likely those who were in the Dungeon, will be
HAPPY though.
================================================================


Update process from Outlands Tavern v1.6:
Also applies to update from v1.61-v1.66 Betas:

1) Run Outlands Tavern v1.6, or the v1.66 Beta.

   Do something inside the IGM and then exit the program.
   To test the IGM to the best extent possible, I advise
   that you have ONE player go to sleep in the Tavern Rooms,
   and that you have ONE player imprisoned in the Dungeon.

   To do that, you probably will need to run the IGM two
   times using separate characters.  Unless you already have
   someone who is in the Dungeon, and someone who is in a Room.

   Then exit LORD as well.  Do NOT EVER try ANY of these
   conversion steps while the IGM is in use!

   Make a copy of the OT-USAGE.TXT usage reports file.  You might
   want to print it out also.  I recommend using Wordpad for that
   purpose.  This gives you something to check to make sure there
   were no conversion screw-ups.  Which can always happen as long
   as "Mr. Murphy" is sneaking around waiting to pounce <G>.

   Change into the Outlands Tavern IGM Directory.

2) Make a backup copy of OUTLANDS.DAT as OUTS166.DAT.  Make a
   backup of it also, such as OUTS166.BCK.  This new file SHOULD
   be write-protected after it is created.

3) Unzip the files from OUT-WORK.ZIP using overwrite with new
   files mode.  The files in CONVOUTS.ZIP and those in OUTSEDIT.ZIP
   are not needed if you use OUT-WORK.ZIP.

4) Run CONVOUTS.EXE.  It automatically processes the OUTS166.DAT
   file and creates a new OUTLANDS.DAT player database file.

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

   If any records in the OUTS166.DAT are marked as Deleted, they
   will *NOT* be written to the new OUT2PLAY.DAT file.

5) Now run OUTSEDIT.EXE v1.01+ 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.
   The current version of OUTSEDIT is v1.06 beta, as of 09/21/2008.

   To verify that Boolean variables Sleeping and Captured are
   valid, you'll have to have that data available to you.  The
   details will be in the OT-USAGE.TXT file, created each time
   the IGM is used, or the OTSETUP REPORT command is run.

   Do "Reset Player Data" option * to reset all records to
   "New Day for Player" values.

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

At this point, the player database file is now fully compatible
with Outlands Tavern v1.66.1+ beta.

When you installed Outlands Tavern v1.66.1+ beta, you should have
already created a new TAVERN2.DAT igm configuration file.  If you
have not done so, be sure to use OTSETUP.EXE now and do so!!

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


CONVOUTS v1.00's Development History:
=====================================

May 21th, 2008: Started creation of CONVOUTS.PAS program.

May 26th, 2008: Created CONVOUTS.EXE, and did full testing.
                Full tests ended with creation of v0.25.

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

Started work on creation of CONVOT10.ZIP archive.
---------------------------------------

Donald Tidmore.  Created file CONVOUTS.TXT on May 26th, 2008.

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

All Outlands Tavern files, with the exception of OUTSEDIT.EXE,
and CONVOUTS.EXE, are also protected by Jason Brown's
1995-2010 copyright.
============================================================

Revised on:   December 25, 2010 at 07:15 pm.

