Hello
The very simple question, where is the current (2020) info that details the process of building plugins please?
Scenario
To date, I have VV MQ2 installed and used it.
I've seen the macros, I've seen the plugins.
With macros, I have tinkered a bit and wrote some small basic things.
Now I'd like to tinker with plugins.
People here are doing it, and I'm wondering the how?
Background
Ok, so i saw the PeteSampras thread here titled 'Writing a bot plugin'. That interesting information, but it's a step ahead of the game.
It's authored in 2016 and makes reference to a Macroquest2.com page and assumes you have that set up, yet that is what I'm trying to do.
Somewhere (google?), i found reference to a document file, "MQ2PluginDevelopment.html".
This nicely talks about a couple of options. The first, "MQ2Template" as a basic starting block for plugins, that can copy / rename etc. The second, is the use of "mkplugin" that will automate the first option.
This has then progressed forward, in finding the MQ2 media, "MQ2-20200617(Test).zip", from the macroquest2 website. This has lots of source in it, and that "mkplugin".
One painless command line later: mkplugin MQ2BigDorfPlugin
It delivered a directory named just that, with source and Visual Studio project files etc.
Fire up the VS 2013 i have on this machine, and load the project. Go for a compile, t fails. A number of errors, standing out is data types not defined; PSPAWNINFO.
I think i saw something about requiring VS 2015 or later somewhere.
Taking the plunge, many GB of installs later, VS community 2019 is installed and try again. No, same problem.
It feels like things are missing, and this doesnt work "out of the box".
Battle
Following the breadcrumbs.
The project has one header file, MQ2Plugin, and that references "MQ2Main" and "MQ2Globals".
At the top of the MQ2Main, there is mention of definition for Live, Test and others, default to Live.
This will then lead to if it sources, "eqgame.h" or "eqgame(Test).h".
Looking on the disk, there is no "eqgame.h".
Default config live, yet don't ship files for it.
/salute the genius who came up with that plan.
Back to my plugin source, and before the includes, put in my own pre-process directive to #define TEST.
Well now it "compiles", but it won't "link" to complete the build.
It's looking for "MQ2Main.lib", which isn't there.
No interest in building MQ2, I just wish to build plugins!
I've tried battling with building the MQ2Main, but it's painful and not delivering.
and now
I just desire to get the basic framework there, so can start tinkering with writing my own code.
This has been several hours down a rabbit hole for something that should be so straight forward.
Figure I could keep going, and battle with futility, perhaps reinvent the wheel.
Then also figured, we have people in the RG VV community doing this stuff, so hopefully someone can point me (and others!) in the right direction. Stop using the random fruits of google.
As I asked at the start, where are the current details for the process of building plugins please?
Thanks and Regards.
The very simple question, where is the current (2020) info that details the process of building plugins please?
Scenario
To date, I have VV MQ2 installed and used it.
I've seen the macros, I've seen the plugins.
With macros, I have tinkered a bit and wrote some small basic things.
Now I'd like to tinker with plugins.
People here are doing it, and I'm wondering the how?
Background
Ok, so i saw the PeteSampras thread here titled 'Writing a bot plugin'. That interesting information, but it's a step ahead of the game.
It's authored in 2016 and makes reference to a Macroquest2.com page and assumes you have that set up, yet that is what I'm trying to do.
Somewhere (google?), i found reference to a document file, "MQ2PluginDevelopment.html".
This nicely talks about a couple of options. The first, "MQ2Template" as a basic starting block for plugins, that can copy / rename etc. The second, is the use of "mkplugin" that will automate the first option.
This has then progressed forward, in finding the MQ2 media, "MQ2-20200617(Test).zip", from the macroquest2 website. This has lots of source in it, and that "mkplugin".
One painless command line later: mkplugin MQ2BigDorfPlugin
It delivered a directory named just that, with source and Visual Studio project files etc.
Fire up the VS 2013 i have on this machine, and load the project. Go for a compile, t fails. A number of errors, standing out is data types not defined; PSPAWNINFO.
I think i saw something about requiring VS 2015 or later somewhere.
Taking the plunge, many GB of installs later, VS community 2019 is installed and try again. No, same problem.
It feels like things are missing, and this doesnt work "out of the box".
Battle
Following the breadcrumbs.
The project has one header file, MQ2Plugin, and that references "MQ2Main" and "MQ2Globals".
At the top of the MQ2Main, there is mention of definition for Live, Test and others, default to Live.
This will then lead to if it sources, "eqgame.h" or "eqgame(Test).h".
Looking on the disk, there is no "eqgame.h".
Default config live, yet don't ship files for it.
/salute the genius who came up with that plan.
Back to my plugin source, and before the includes, put in my own pre-process directive to #define TEST.
Well now it "compiles", but it won't "link" to complete the build.
It's looking for "MQ2Main.lib", which isn't there.
No interest in building MQ2, I just wish to build plugins!
I've tried battling with building the MQ2Main, but it's painful and not delivering.
and now
I just desire to get the basic framework there, so can start tinkering with writing my own code.
This has been several hours down a rabbit hole for something that should be so straight forward.
Figure I could keep going, and battle with futility, perhaps reinvent the wheel.
Then also figured, we have people in the RG VV community doing this stuff, so hopefully someone can point me (and others!) in the right direction. Stop using the random fruits of google.
As I asked at the start, where are the current details for the process of building plugins please?
Thanks and Regards.