LOTR TCG Decklist Builder Written by Zorbec Current version : 1.8.0 PRESENTATION ------------ This program allows players of the Lord Of The Rings : The Card Game produced by Decipher to build, check, preview and print their decklists for tournaments. The goal of this software is to present a simplified user interface that allow the quickest card selection and formatting capabilities. This software does not pretend to reproduce the complete features of Decipher's Deck Builder. This is a Freeware, you may use it and distribute it freely provided you do not make any alterations to the files of the original distribution. If you have any comment, suggestion, bug report and question about this software, feel free to send me an email using the following address : zorbec.lotr@free.fr You will find new versions on the following web site : http://eric.minet.free.fr/ DISTRIBUTION ------------ The Decklist Builder distribution contains the following files : DeckListBuilder.exe : The main program DeckListBuilder.INI : DeckList Builder configuration file CardList.dat : Card definitions file headervo.jpg : Header picture for English decklist printing headervf.jpg : Header picture for French decklist printing readme.txt : This file lisezmoi.txt : This same file in french collection.txt : Collection text file used to display available card quantities. The setup program will keep any existing version of this file. collection_std.txt : Collection sample file in text format used to display available card quantities. For use, The real file must be renamed to: collection.txt collection_std.xls : Excel template file for easy editing of available card quantities. You may save it using the name collection.txt in tabbed-delimited text format to display these quantities into the software. CardImages.txt : Text file containing the file names used to display card images. The setup program will keep any existing version of this file. CardImages.xls : Excel template file for easy editing of the previous file. You may use it to generate the final file using tabbed-delimited text format saving. CardListReader.dll : DLL you may use to read and decode the card list (option) file for your own developments. Card informations are limited and only in english. TransHelper.exe : This little application allow a quick view of (option) both french and english cards. It is designed to to help the french cards translators. ZdlReporter.exe : This program may be used by tournament directors (option) to generate a report file for tournament reports. The text file can contain any number of decklists and can be used quickly with Microsoft Word for example. The \ReaderDemo subfolder (option) contains a sample Delphi project showing how to use the card list reader DLL. Any translation of the uReader.pas unit into other languages is most welcome. Do not hesitate to send me such translations for integration into this package. The \Starters subfolder (option) contains all the starters decklists. The \Samples subfolder (option) contains some decklist samples. You may customize the header picture files provided you keep the same names for the files and the aspect ratio of the pictures for correct printing. INSTALLATION ------------ Just run the setup program. The program may be placed on a removable media provided you copy all the necessary files. Write-rights are required on the DeckListBuilder.INI if you want to modify some software options. UNINSTALL --------- Use the uninstall icon or the uninstall function of the Windows configuration panel. The software is 'clean', all files are generated into the installation folder and no modifications are done to Windows Registry. COLLECTION MANAGEMENT --------------------- The Decklist Builder can display the card quantities you own in different ways and check the cards availibility to build your deck. To use this function, you have to give the software the quantities of cards you own. This is done using the 'collection.txt' text file. This file is a tab-delimited text file. Each line of the file corresponds to a different card. The line begins with the card collector number (for example : 12R54), followed by a tabulation character, then the number of cards you own as a number. For an easy editing, the base file containing all the known cards collector numbers is installed in Excel format (collection_std.xls) and text format (collection_std.txt). If you use one of these files, keep in mind that you have to rename it or save it as the 'collection.txt' file. Note to Excel users : use the tab-delimited text format generated by Excel to generate the final file. Note to OpenOffice 1.x users : the text/CSV file format allows the tabulation character as separator but forces the use of a field delimiter (single or double quotes). You will have to clear this field delimiter using a text editor after saving. Note to text editors users : use a text editor which does not convert tabulations into spaces characters. Windows' Notepad keeps the tabulation characters correctly. Once the file is modified, you must restart the Decklist Builder. The software will use the entered quantities these ways: - Into the search and selection lists of the main screen (Free Peoples and Shadow pages only), the background color of cells displaying quantities is green when the quantity own is sufficient. It is red in the other case. So, you'll be able to check your card avaibility for the draw deck very quickly. - The Informations/Errata section of the card display shows the quantity owned. - There is a quantity filter available into the advanced filters. - During deck check, an option allows the quantity check to be performed for all the cards of the deck. CARDS PICTURE DISPLAY --------------------- Since the version 1.4.0, the Decklist Builder can display cards pictures along with the usual semi-graphic card display. One little warning : picture reading takes some time to perform. The list browsing will be slower with this option activated. Note that the card pictures are not loaded if you deactivate the card picture view. Distributing or direct downloading of the pictures from the editor site is something I do not want to do for different reasons. Users of this function should build their card pictures library by their own means. The software can deal with pictures in .bmp or .jpg formats only. Only one set of pictures can be used, switching from english cards to french cards into the software will not change the displayed picture. Pictures are displayed without any alteration. Please, use an external image processing software to perform any rotation or resize required to correctly display your pictures. Once the pictures are available, you'll have to tell the software where they are on the disk. To do this, you first have to specify the base folder of your card library into the software options. Then, you'll have to specify the file name of the picture to use for each card using the CardImages.txt file. (An Excel version of this file is also available to ease editing). This file is a tab-delimited text file. Each line of the file corresponds to a different card. The line begins with the card collector number (for example : 12R54), followed by a tabulation character, then the relative path and file name of the corresponding picture. Note to Excel users : use the tab-delimited text format generated by Excel to generate the final file. Note to OpenOffice 1.x users : the text/CSV file format allows the tabulation character as separator but forces the use of a field delimiter (single or double quotes). You will have to clear this field delimiter using a text editor after saving. Note to text editors users : use a text editor which does not convert tabulations into spaces characters. Windows' Notepad keeps the tabulation characters correctly. Once the file is saved, start the Decklist Builder and activate the usual card display. Into this screen, you will find a little button (just above the checkbox) which switches the card picture display on and off. This picture display will be reduced to the title only if the picture is not available or of an unknown format. Once activated, this display is automatically activated or deactivated along with the usual card display. The last position of the picture display is saved when you quit the software. The 'CardImages.txt' file is set, by default, for a simple organization of pictures files stored into subfolders corresponding to the different cards sets and using the same file names as the pictures you can download on the editor web site. Here is a little example: If your card picture library is arranged like this: C:\Decipher\Lotr\Pics\00\ -> Promo cards OPxx C:\Decipher\Lotr\Pics\01\ -> Fellowship of the Ring set cards C:\Decipher\Lotr\Pics\02\ -> Mines of Moria set cards and so on... You'll have to select the "C:\Decipher\Lotr\Pics\" folder as your card library base folder into the software options and use the same naming for the files as the one used into the original 'CardImages.txt' file (no starting backslash for the filenames). You may use any other disk arrangement provided there is a common base folder and that you adapt the 'CardImages.txt' paths and file names. FUTURE VERSIONS (if possible) --------------- - User manual. HISTORY ------- 1.8.0 of 04/05/2008 : ===================== - Added last known promo cards 0P125 to 0P129. - Added new deck export format with [card][/card] BBCodes for The Pelennor Fields board. - Added new card export formats to the card display window. When you click on the export button, a popup menu allow the selection of the format. - Added a new 'Custom' deck format based on a selectable external definition file. The file defines the quantity allowed for each card of all the sets. This definition file is selectable in the 'Custom format' tab of the Options screen. A filter for this format is added to the formats list. This format is tested during the deck check, but there is no sites block selection available, as the allowed site path is defined by the format itself. For more information about the custom format definition file, please read any of the samples files installed inside the 'CustomFormats' folder of the software installation. - Added new indicator to the cards lists for the custom format legality. The indicator is a 'C' letter inside a colored button. A grey color means the card is illegal for the selected custom format. Red background indicates a restriction and green background indicates that 4 or more copies of the card are allowed. - Added legality indicator to the sites lists for Standard and Custom formats. Also the cards with corrections or clarifications has a special indicator. - Loading times for the collection and card pictures definition files are improved. 1.7.1 of 19/08/2007 : ===================== - Added newly X-Listed cards and corrections from the last FAQ. - Added a special BBCode format to the card export function. Pressing the CTRL key while clicking the export button on the card display activates this function. 1.7.0 of 03/07/2007 : ===================== - Added all cards of the Age's End set, with an unofficial french translation of gametexts. - Added all cards of the Treachery & Deceit set, with an unofficial french translation of gametexts. - Added and updated the filters for the new sets. - Added scratch pad content to the deck importation function. - Update of web links to card pictures for the HTML export function. - A few errors of keywords and special abilities are corrected. 1.6.0 of 17/03/2007 : ===================== - Added all cards of the Rise of Saruman set, with an unofficial french translation of gametexts. - Added newly X-Listed cards and corrections from the last FAQ. - Added saving of the last selected folder for all the open, save, import and export functions. - Added the scratch pad. The content of the scratch pad is saved into the deck file but does not belong to the decklist itself. It is designed to keep at hand useful cards for last-minute tweaking of the decklist. 1.5.3 of 28/01/2007 : ===================== - Added first published cards of the Rise of Saruman set, with an unofficial french translation of gametexts. - Added last published promo cards and 13TF1 to 13TF5 cards. - Added filter button and statistics for Shadow followers. - Added XML deck export format. - Corrected statistics by rarity. 1.5.2 of 03/10/2006 : ===================== - Added all cards of the Wraith Collection, with an unofficial french translation of gametexts. - Added a specific button to the card display screen allowing the direct export of the spoiler information for the selected card to the clipboard. - Added configuration saving of the formats, blocks and exclusions filters. The configuration is restored when the software is launched again. - Corrected the deck checking rules. - Corrected the spoiler format export. 1.5.1 of 18/07/2006 : ===================== - Corrected card display for the french translation. 1.5.0 of 14/07/2006 : ===================== - Added the Hunters cards in english with an unofficial french translation of gametexts. - Added first published card of the Wraith Collection. - Added all known promo cards. - Added filters for the new block and new card capacities. - Added a button (right of the Open button) allowing to : * open one of the last 15 decks used within the Deck Builder. * call a screen to search for a deck containing specific cards. - Updated the deck checking for the new rotated block. - Corrected the strength title into the filters box. 1.4.0 of 17/09/2005 : ===================== - Added Bloodlines cards in french and corrected the cards in english. - Added Middle-Earth draft box cards in french. - Added card pictures display function (please, read the chapter specific to this function in this document). - Complete redesign of the deck check. The deck is now checked for all formats in all blocks at once. A new screen displays an array of all the results and you can have the details just by clicking on the cell corresponding to the required format and block. Options are available to ignore warnings, check only sites coherency and check of the card quantities available into your collection (please, read the chapter about the collection management into this document). - Added selection persistence on the search lists. - Corrected the special abilities filter for some cards. - Corrected the culture filter buttons on the main screen in both Free Peoples and Shadow pages. - Removed the obsolete check options tab from the options screen. 1.3.0 of 16/07/2005 : ===================== - Added all the Bloodlines expansion cards in english. - Added all the Expanded Middle-earth draft box cards in english. - Added last published promo cards. - Added a progress screen at program startup. - Added new card types and new keywords. - Added a delay between keystrokes for titles, numbers and gametext filters input fields to allow quick typing without too much intermediate processings. - Corrected the card titles filters for accentuated characters. - Complete redesign of the cards special abilities filters. 1.2.3 of 20/03/2005 : ===================== - Added all the Black Rider expansion cards in english and french. - Added last published promo cards. - The name for the 'Rare Foil' rarity is changed to 'Legends series' and the new 'Legends Masterworks series' rarity is added for which the 'RG' label is used for card collection information instead of the Ring icon printed. - Added Expanded format tournament deck check. Standard tournament deck check now takes the site bloc into account to apply, or not, the card rotation introduced with the Black Rider expansion. - The card gametext errata and clarifications are directly included into the displayed game text. The card titles errors are kept as they are to ensure card list coherency with real cards. In any case, the FAQ text indicates the type of correction applied. - Modified the card block filters. These filters now allow direct filtering of Free Peoples and Shadow cards for standard and expanded tournaments and cards belonging to X-lists or restricted lists. The block selection is cumulative with the format filter. These filters are applied simultaneously to the Free Peoples and Shadow lists. - Added exclusion filters, also common to Free Peoples and Shadow lists. - The search list sort order is moved from software options to a button on the main screen. - The card validity indicators are modified and added to the ring-bearer and ring lists. These indicators now show the compatibility of the cards with the different types of tournaments : O for Open/Block. S for Standard. E for Expanded. The indicator color shows the level of compatibility : Green for Ok. Red for Restricted (Open/Block formats) or Rotation (Standard). Grey for forbidden. - Added an indicator for cards having erratum or clarification. - Corrected web site links. - Corrected some localization errors. 1.2.2 of 23/01/2005 : ===================== - Added first published cards of the Black Rider extension. - Added last published promo cards. - Added last FAQ informations and X-List changes. - Corrected french title of cards 0P31, 1C78, 1R221 and 2R25. - Corrected english erratum of card 4U236. - Corrected the actual block name used into the program. - Corrected some french elements into the interface. - Corrected numeric filters maximum limits. 1.2.1 of 01/12/2004 : ===================== - Added french Shadows cards. - Corrected french gametext of 4U126. - Corrected french phase filters list. 1.2.0 of 11/11/2004 : ===================== - Added english Shadows cards. - Added last published promo cards. - Added Shadows starters decklists. - Added filter buttons for the three new cultures. - Added new rarity types (RF and S) to the corresponding filter. - Added new keywords (Toil/Muster/Lurker) and card sub-type (Box) to the corresponding filters. - Added new special abilities filters (increase/decrease resistance, lurker and muster keywords gain, play sites, etc...) - Added visual indicators on card lists for tournament restricted cards : * The T letter indicates a card not legal for tournament. * The X letter indicates a card forbidden in standard tournament. * The R letter indicates a card forbidden in standard tournament and limited to 1 in open tournament. - Complete redesign of the selected sites list, including : * New site deletion buttons. * Numbered and unnumbered sites cannot be mixed (even using the deck import function). * Unnumbered sites can be reorganised using new buttons. * Addition of an unnumbered site is done into the first available slot of the list. In case of a full list, a site must be deleted before adding a new one. - Added last FAQ informations and X-List changes. - Added Restricted List decklist checking for open tournaments. - Added Shadows block to the checking options. - Added unnumbered sites checking for the new twilight cost limit. - Shadows sites are displayed by default. - Corrected the sub-type of card 5C17. - Corrected the french gametext of cards 5R59, 5U64, 5C65. - Corrected the base address of HTML image links. - Corrected the HTML image links of the Siege of Gondor set. 1.1.1 of 14/09/2004 : ===================== - Added french Mount Doom cards. - Added french 0P27 card. - Corrected file open and save dialog boxes. - Added Mount Doom starters. 1.1.0 of 25/07/2004 : ===================== - Added english Mount Doom cards. - Added french Reflections cards. - Added last published promo cards. - Added last FAQ informations and X-List changes. - Added advanced filters for the site list. - Added new export format : Spoiler-List. - Corrected block filter and deck check rules for 0P50 to 0P54 cards. - Corrected english title of card 7U14. - Galadriel 9R+14 can now be selected as Ring-bearer. - Corrected game text of card 1R189. 1.0.9 of 14/05/2004 : ===================== - Added english Reflections cards. - Added french ROTK and SOG cards. - Added last published promo cards. - Added last FAQ informations and X-List changes. - Added card set filters for Reflections and post-ROTK. - Added subtype filters for Maia and Tree. - Added signet filter values for the new 'Ring resistance' concept. - Added R+ rarity to corresponding filter. - Added direct internet links to published card images into the HTML files generated by the export function into this format. - Corrected french FAQ informations misplacements for ROTK cards. - Corrected the french translation of Enduring and Corsair keywords. 1.0.8 of 21/04/2004 : ===================== - Added a complete setup program. - Added card list reader DLL and sample Delphi project. - Added translation help and reporting tools. - Added first published Reflections cards in english. - Added last published promo cards. - Added last FAQ informations. - Added partial or complete import of another decklist. - Added tournament legal card check. - Added a filter for game phase. 1.0.7 of 15/03/2004 : ===================== - Correction of the 8C109 card culture. - Correction of promo cards 0P50 to 0P53. 1.0.6 of 07/03/2004 : ===================== - Added last FAQ informations. - Added all cards of the Siege of Gondor expansion, in english only. - Added last published promo cards. - Added new keywords and characters types to the filter lists. - Added new filter for cards that give initiative to the Shadow. - Corrected the french gametext of card 6C112. - Corrected the gametext filter. The search is no more fooled by internal and invisible text-formatting markers. However, you should use the following markers for the graphical elements embedded into the gametext: [1] to [9] and [X] for the twilight tokens numbers. [culture] for the culture symbols, where 'culture' may be one of the following words: dunland, dwarven, elven, gandalf, gollum, gondor, isengard, moria, raider, ringwraith, rohan, sauron, shire. - Corrected the file open and save dialog boxes to keep the last used file path during the current session. 1.0.5 of 21/01/2004 : ===================== - Added the french translation of the Countdown Collection promo cards. - Added latest FAQ informations and updated the X-List checking rules. - Added the 0P27 promo card. - Corrected french gametext of card 2R20. - Corrected title of card 7R58. 1.0.4 du 24/11/2003 : ===================== - Added Apprentice identifiers for cards of the ROTK block. - Added filter on collection available quantity for Free Peoples and Shadow pages. - Corrected the unicity identifier used for card quantity check of the following cards : 6R123, 7U136, 7C137, 7U168, 7C226, 7C297 and 7C303. - Corrected the title of card 7R167. - Corrected the french gametext of card 5C74. 1.0.3 of 06/11/2003 : ===================== - Added compression to the card definitions file. - Added card definitions of the Return Of The King expansion and the necessary new keywords and capabilities filters. - Added some Promo cards. - Added a specific error message when the collection.txt file is not available or locked by other applications. - Added the decklists for all published starters. - Corrected the cards 3R66, 6P121. 1.0.2 of 19/10/2003 : ===================== - Added french titles and gametexts for Ents Of Fangorn expansion. - Added latest published Promo cards. - Added very first Return Of The King published cards and corresponding new filters. - Added collection quantities display for the draw deck lists into the main screen and the card display screen. A green background indicates an available quantity into the collection. A red background is used in the other case. Quantities are extracted from the 'Collection.txt' file. This file is a Tabulation-delimited text file. Each line must contain the card identifier (for example 1C123) followed by a tabulation character and the card quantity as an integer. This file may easily be generated using Excel. A typical Excel file is provided (see 'Collection.xls'). - Improved 'About' box with complete list of contributors and donators. - Corrected the rarity of cards : 4C13 -> 4U13, 4U25 -> 4C25, 4U52 -> 4R52 and 4R57 -> 4U57. The .zdl files containing such cards will be automatically corrected when loaded into the software. Then you should save the file to definitely upgrade it. - Corrected the unexpected card selection occuring after selecting a file with a double-click when opening or saving is requested. - Corrected some data of cards 4U268, 4R272, 4U280, 5U78, 6R82. - Corrected mouse scroll button strange behaviour when switching pages. - Corrected english gametexts : strenght->strength. 1.0.1 of 23/09/2003 : ===================== - Added search without accentued letters for card titles. - Added player identifier and email fields to text export. - Added deck format and player identifier fields to then general information page. - Added a general option to print card collection number to decklist print output. - Added keyword filter inversion capability. - Added the Ring-bearer to the unique companions count inside the statistics window (but it does not count into the draw deck companions total except if other Frodo cards appear inside the draw deck). - Corrected the translation of the Shadow keyword filter list. - Corrected special abilities filters for some cards. - Corrected cards 1R172, 2C61. - Incorrect characters that may be placed into automatically-generated file names are replaced by an underscore '_' to avoid saving problems. - Added card collection number to the text export (file and clipboard). General information fields are modified to best match TD needs. 1.0.0 du 24/08/2003 : ===================== - Added all known 0Pxx promo cards. - Added comments from the last published FAQ. - Added collection number to the site titles listed in the main screen. - Added sort on card number for the deck lists. - Added sort orders for the source lists in the general options. - Added advanced filters for Free Peoples and Shadow cards on all possible characteristics of the cards. - Added export to delimited text file format or clipboard for tournament reports. - Added Apprentice .dec text file format export. - Added display of selected sites by clicking on the card title. - Filtering is quicker but with a slightly longer loading time at startup. - Better display of the first selected card after filter application. - Added filtered card number display for Free Peoples and Shadow lists. - Corrected the minimization button for the application. - Corrected sites block checking. - Corrected sort order labels not translated. 0.9 Beta of 27/07/2003 : ========================= - The file loading, modification and saving behaviour is now identical to the standard Windows applications. Added a status bar showing the current file name and the modification state. - Added gametext and corrections in french for all cards except the Ents Of Fangorn expansion, not yet published. - Added general information fields for team, deck author, email and web site. - Added default values for general information fields into the software options to simplify repetitive editing tasks. - Added specification of automatic format for the proposed file name of new decklists inside software options. - Corrected the sort order of card titles with the unicity marker. - Corrected printout of decklists with incorrect blank pages. - Corrected card titles comments placed inside the decklist file. 0.8 Alpha of 07/07/2003 : ========================= - Added EOF Expansion cards, in english only for the moment. Update of french titles will come as soon as they are published. - Added keyword filtering. - Added extended statistics : * Number of different card titles for each type (usefull to count companions). * Number of cards by rarities. - Added notes edition screen. - Card type is now completly displayed in the lists. This information is now translated according the language selected for card titles. - Corrected the display of card type for allies with 2 homes. - Partial french translation of cards : titles (except EOF) and card types. - Added a splitter to change the size of the cards lists. This size is saved. - Added export in HTML format including notes and statistics. 0.7.2 Alpha of 30/06/2003 : =========================== - Added cards unicity marker to print outputs. - Added web site address to print outputs. - Added card title filter type memorization. 0.7.1 Alpha du 29/06/2003 : =========================== - Corrected the card search by start of name for unique cards. - Corrected card title with outnumbered double-quotes. 0.7 Alpha of 28/06/2003 : ========================= - Added card display with known errata and clarifications, only in english for the moment. - Added buttons for card number edition and card deletion into the selection lists. The delete button replaces the double-click. - Added site number display to the main sites list. - Correction of the card ID display for Ring-bearer and The One Ring lists. - Correction of the card number filter. 0.6 Alpha of 10/06/2003 : ========================= - GUI redesign : * Main screen can be resized (minimum of 800x600) * The size and position of the main screen are saved * All statistiques are put into a floating window. Visibility and position of the statistics window are saved * Card number is now displayed into a separate column * Added culture and card type columns * Added culture and card type filters * Added sort order on type and culture 0.5 Alpha of 02/06/2003 : ========================= - Complete bilingual user interface french/english. - Language selection for user interface and card titles are now saved. - No more card quantity limitation check by title in Draft format. - Color of print preview page background is corrected. 0.4 Alpha of 23/05/2003 : ========================= - Added sort functions for the draw decks lists into the main user interface - Added checking of the deck. Tournament format and sites block are defined into the software options. The check report is printable. - The decklist printout is now completly bilingual, depending on the language selection for the cards titles. - Added choice of user-definable decklist printing fonts to the options box - New user interface and printing design - New About... box ;-) - Small little corrections - Main executable file is compacted using the excellent UPX tool by Markus Oberhumer & Laszlo Molnar. You can find UPX on http://upx.sourceforge.net. The program and all necessary files can operated from a 1.44MB 3"1/2 floppy. - Added this file ! 0.3 Alpha of 09/05/2003 : ========================= - Added decklist printing feature - Some corrections into the card list - Correction of a buggy behaviour of the source lists while using the mouse scrolling wheel. 0.2 Alpha : never distributed =========== 0.1 Alpha of 07/05/2003 : ========================= - First release - Decklist building, saving and restoring functionalities.