Author Topic: RTR Developer Walkthrough  (Read 9891 times)

RedFox

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RTR Developer Walkthrough
« on: April 07, 2014, 07:48:42 PM »
This thread is for getting new developers integrated into our development cycle.

RTR Developer Walkthrough


Development Cycle (daily)



Creating an Installer package (Full or Test)

  • Download latest Nullsoft Scriptable Install System
  • Create a shortcut of makensisw.exe into C:\Projects\RTRProject\
  • Drag and drop RTRInstaller-Full.nsi or RTRInstaller-Test.nsi ontop of the shortcut
  • The installer package will be compiled. Full package compression can take around 10-15 minutes.


Debugging GameEngine.dll (Advanced)
  • Any version of Visual Studio 2013 is required
  • Ensure you have compiled RTRLauncher.sln and the following files exist:
    RTR\GameEngine.dll - Debuggable external GameEngine.dll
    RTR\GameEngine.pdb - Debug database for the debugger
  • Start C:\Games\RTRGame\RTR\RTRLauncher.exe
  • Tick the checkbox "Attach VS JIT"
    A new instance of VS 2013 debugger is launched and attached to process
    The debugger starts with an internal breakpoint - so click Continue
    RTR\GameEngine.dll is injected
    If any of the steps fail, the launcher reverts to an internal GameEngine packed resource instead and the Launcher will continue without debugging enabled.


This list will be updated with more information in the future. You can contact me on the aforementioned IRC webchat if you have any questions: https://kiwiirc.com/client/irc.freenode.net/rtr-dev
« Last Edit: November 29, 2014, 05:19:15 PM by RedFox »
"I'm telling you this because you don't get it, you think you get it, which isn't the same as actually getting it. Get it?"

The Sloth

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2014, 07:43:07 PM »
Quite honestly, I don't like the idea of downloading, installing, or signing up to whatever stuff I only need for a hobby. I'm already supposed to download/join pidgin and hamachi, and I don't even get what those really are, so I have simply ignored them until now. So what exactly is that all above, and why would I need it?

Bercor

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2014, 07:47:06 PM »
You don't need to download neither Pidgin nor Hamachi. In the end, we decided not to use it.

IRC is an online chat, where we can all talk. To enter it, you just need to set your name and you're good to go. SVN allows us to more easily change the files between us, and correct them (especially code and script files). You don't really have to download it, if you don't want it.

RedFox

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2014, 07:05:41 AM »
Like ahowl11 stated, IRC webchat doesn't require any further input. As for SVN, it's a Subversion management system used by pretty much every software project nowadays. Without it, projects like this are pretty much impossible.

SVN allows multiple developers to edit the same files at the same time, with automatic merging and conflict resolving. Furthermore, with SVN you can always stay up-to-date with the latest version of the mod by simply doing "SVN Update".

An additional benefit is that any harmful changes can always be reverted or an interim version of the mod can be extracted from the repository at any given time. If you don't edit any script or txt files and don't want to be up-to-date with the latest version of the mod, then you needn't download TortoiseSVN client.
"I'm telling you this because you don't get it, you think you get it, which isn't the same as actually getting it. Get it?"

RedFox

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2014, 09:33:41 PM »
I updated the Developer walkthrough with an additional section of setting up a symlink to a clean RTW installation. This makes development seamless.

The game is launched via RTRLauncher.exe, which handles all extra work.
"I'm telling you this because you don't get it, you think you get it, which isn't the same as actually getting it. Get it?"

Aquila

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2014, 12:57:38 AM »
I have been trying to get on the IRC, but nothing happens when I hit "Start".  Except once, at apparent random.  I was then told I can't be Aquila, then I saw ahowl say I could probably change now, and when I couldn't find how, I closed the tab and made a new one to log in from, and nothing still happens when I hit "Start". 

ahowl11

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2014, 01:22:43 AM »
That makes no sense. Everyone else logged in just fine Maybe RedFox knows?
God, Family, Baseball, Friends, Rome Total War, and Exilian. What more could I possibly need?

RedFox

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2014, 07:37:14 PM »
Aquila might be an already taken name. Try simply logging onto freenode and see what message the server gives you:
https://kiwiirc.com/client/irc.freenode.net
"I'm telling you this because you don't get it, you think you get it, which isn't the same as actually getting it. Get it?"

ahowl11

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2014, 09:04:14 PM »
Updated the symlink. Instead of the RTR folder being in Games/RTRGame it needs to be in Games/RTRGame/Rome - Total War

I kept having to drop the symlinked RTR folder into my RTR mod folder to update the game.

It may have been my fault with installing but hopefully now everyone can be on the right page.
God, Family, Baseball, Friends, Rome Total War, and Exilian. What more could I possibly need?

RedFox

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2014, 08:37:49 AM »
Updated the symlink. Instead of the RTR folder being in Games/RTRGame it needs to be in Games/RTRGame/Rome - Total War

I kept having to drop the symlinked RTR folder into my RTR mod folder to update the game.

It may have been my fault with installing but hopefully now everyone can be on the right page.

I think you got it wrong somewhere ahowl11 :) C:\Games\RTRGame is supposed to be your RTW folder. It's just a clean copy of RTW. Of course we don't really need it to be like that, but if you want to change it for yourself, please make a private copy of "CreateSymLink.bat" and add it to SVN Ignore list.

Also, you only need to create the symlink once, so I don't see why you had to keep dropping the symlink folder? Symlink is a hard shortcut, so as long as the target is valid (RTR Project\RTR), everything works as expected.

I have no idea why you deleted the entire RTR folder and committed it to SVN? If you need to revert something there's SVN Revert. If you lost your folder somehow, there's SVN Update. I strongly suggest you go over the SVN guide here: http://betterexplained.com/articles/a-visual-guide-to-version-control/

Last but not least, please, please and again I say please write a Detailed Comment to every commit you make. I have no idea what happened last night with /trunk/RTR deletion and that's mostly because there is absolutely no comment why it happened.
http://code.google.com/p/rtr-project/source/list

If you need to undelete a folder, use SVN Repository Browser and use Update Item to Revision... on the folder. That will apply the change for the entire repository.
"I'm telling you this because you don't get it, you think you get it, which isn't the same as actually getting it. Get it?"

Aquila

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2014, 09:26:17 PM »
I changed my name for the IRC, and that seems to have been the problem.  I can stop by there under "aqui1a".

Could someone please enlighten me on what I am supposed to do with this SVN thing?

RedFox

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Re: RTR Developer Walkthrough
« Reply #11 on: April 21, 2014, 06:58:44 AM »
I changed my name for the IRC, and that seems to have been the problem.  I can stop by there under "aqui1a".

Could someone please enlighten me on what I am supposed to do with this SVN thing?
http://betterexplained.com/articles/a-visual-guide-to-version-control/
"I'm telling you this because you don't get it, you think you get it, which isn't the same as actually getting it. Get it?"