The Wiki Swiss Tool provides a number of functions that assist in creating wiki content. The tool is intended to remove or minimize repetitive tasks, allowing you to spend more time contributing new content. If you have suggestions, comments, or bug reports, you can post them here. New features will be gladly added on request.
Installing
You do not need to install this program, simply download the zip file, unzip it whereever you like. By default, all image files created will be saved in the Images folder, you can set a different save location for each image type by clicking on the Options tab. To uninstall simply delete the folder (remove your images if you want to keep those). To install an updated version download the new zip and just copy Wiki Swiss Tool.exe to replace the old one. General templates have been provided, there is a text file for each template so you can change/add templates to suit your needs/tastes, more details here.
User Interface
Each group of functions is accessed by clicking the tab at the top or by pressing the number key for that tab (for example press 2 to access the Live Shot functions). Many times an additional function is accessed by right clicking something. For example the templates provide a secondary template by right clicking. On the expanded clipboard right clicking allows you to set the text (left clicking copies the text that has been stored).
Stats Panel
This section is one of the workhorses of this tool, it lets you quickly and simply save the stats panel and icon for an in game item.
- While in game (windowed or fullscreen), press ALT + PRT SCR (both at the same time). This captures an image to the clipboard of just AC (if you don't press ALT the capture will be of your entire desktop).
- Click the Panel tab or press 1 (if not already in Panel mode), then left click the button marked with the pixel height of the panel you wish to capture. If you're uncertain how high the panel is, you can right click any of the buttons for a preview.
- An input dialog will open asking you to name the file. Type the name and press enter or click OK. In the Options section you can specify a prefix, a suffix, and what type of file to save as (bmp, gif, jpg, or png). You can also specify the quality of compression for jpgs, ranging from 1 to 100% (75-90% provides a good compromise between size and image quality). By default there is no suffix or prefix for stats panel images, and images are saved as jpgs at 75% quality unless you change these settings in the Options section.
- There is a check box labeld Icon in the upper left corner, if checked the icon will be extracted from the image and saved as well. By default icons have "Icon" as a suffix and are saved as pngs, unless changed in the Options section.
Live Shots
This section allows you to quickly crop an image of a particular size. This is most commonly used in gathering in game captures of items, creatures, and locations.
- While in game (windowed or fullscreen), press ALT + PRT SCR (both at the same time). This captures an image to the clipboard of just AC (if you don't press ALT the capture will be of your entire desktop).
- Click on the Live tab or press 2 (if not already in Live mode), then press the button on the left that has the dimensions you want for your image. For example, if it is a creature, press the button marked 300 400. If it is of an item or NPC, press the button marked 200 300.
- The screen capture will appear, if you move the mouse across the image you will see a dotted line box that is the size the cropped image will be. Center the box over your target then left click.
- An input dialog will open asking you for the name of the file. Type the name and press enter. In the Options section you can specify a prefix, a suffix, and what type of file to save as (bmp, gif, jpg, or png). You can also specify the quality of compression for jpgs, ranging from 1 to 100% (90% provides a good compromise between size and image quality). By default the suffix "Live" is added to the name you entered.
- If you don't see the size you want on any of the buttons, hold SHIFT and right click one of the buttons (any). It will ask you the width and height of your custom crop. Now left click the newly captioned button again for the new crop size. If you regularly use sizes not listed, you can permanently change the buttons, more info here.
Template Text
Accessed by pressing the Text tab or pressing 3, this is a simple but very useful function. The wiki code for templates is stored in individual text files in the Templates folder. When pressed each button will copy the text for that template onto the clipboard. Then just paste the text into the Wiki Edit box then fill in the details (right click then paste, or CTL + V). Some buttons have an alternate template if you right click the button instead of left clicking. For example, left clicking the Creature button gives you the standard horizontal template. Right click and the vertical template is given. Or left click NPC for quest and crafter NPCs, and right click for shopkeepers.
Because all templates are stored as text files in the Templates folder you can readily change any of them to better suit your needs. If you make a change, click the Reload button in the lower right corner to load the changes (the template files are normally loaded when the program starts). You can also add or remove templates by indicating the name to display on the button and the file name in the settings file.
Format Text
Accessed by pressing the Text tab or pressing 3, this tool allows you to format text by adding wiki formatting to whatever is currently in the Clipboard. Right clicking for some will have an alternate formatting operation.
- Copy the base text (right click then copy, or CTL + C).
- Left click the button for the formating operation you need:
- Dialog - This will add font coloring and breaks to in game dialog. This may be fixed in a future version but currently it only works for speech (darkgoldenrod) and interactions (green). If you want a different color, you can still use this to add the wiki code, then just change the color. Also, you may need to copy the text into a wiki text box first, then recopy it and then click the Dialog format button. Right clicking will format with cornflower blue (magic).
- Spells - After you've written the spells for an item, copy them and this will format them into a bullet list and add the descriptions for you to add to the Spell Descriptions section. New or unique spells may need to be added typing them in, but most common spells will be described. If you think a spell should be added, list the name and description here (currently about 40% of spells are in, the most of the rest will be added in the next release).
- Image - This will format a name to be displayed as an image link, useful for adding a panel to a talk page. For example, "Golden Key" becomes "[[Image:Golden Key.jpg]]". Right click for the alternate, an icon link. For example, "Golden Key" becomes "[[Image:Golden Key Icon.png]] [[Golden Key]]".
- Redirect - This just adds redirect code, and is useful in making icon pages. For example if you copy the text "Swamp Stone" then click Redirect, you will now have "#Redirect [[Swamp Stone]]".
Expanded Clipboard
Accessed by pressing the Text tab or pressing 3. Sometimes it's useful to have several chunks of text available for pasting. To set a chunk of text, copy the text then right click on any of the eight buttons, click Yes or hit return to set the text. The first few letters of the copied text will now caption the button to help you remember which button is which. Now anytime you left click that button, it will copy the original text into the clipboard, ready to be pasted. Currently only text is supported, though image support may be added later.
Icon Merge
Accessed by pressing the Merge tab or pressing 4. Most people won't need these functions, but this section allows you to create new icons or reproduce icons from in game (this is ideal for items that are either very hard to obtain, or no longer available). This section is still being actively developed, so UI interactions may change in future versions.
Several backgrounds are already shown, drag and drop an image file onto a background to create a new icon. Pure white areas will be transparent when they are combined. Use the drop down box at the bottom to add edge effects.
The gray boxes in the middle can be used to combine more than two images. First drag and drop one of the backdrops onto a gray middle box. Then add as many more images as desired. Double click when done to get a save dialog. (Edge effects don't work with these yet, will be fixed soon, you can work around by constructing partially in the normal way, then using that file to continue).
Settings File
Application settings are saved to a text editable file named Wiki Swiss Tool.ini, located in the same location as the exe. There are a number of settings you may find useful to manually edit.
Each button in the templates section is configured here, you can specify a name, back color (6 digit Hex in RGB format, see here for more info).
The path should either be a valid path to the file, for example "C:\Temp\Template.txt". Or if you store your templates in the default location, the folder named Templates located where the program is at, put the word "Default" then the name of the file. For example, "Default Template.txt".
Although you can reconfigure dimension buttons while in use (SHIFT + Right Click on a button), you can permanently change a dimension in the settings file. For example, if you don't like the 120 pixel height of the first button and want it to be 140 pixels high instead, in the [StatsPanelDimensions] section change 1=120 to 1=140.
Change Log
Version 1.01
- 2008-06-29
- Initial Release