Originally Posted by Knudde (Shab) INI's are awesome, especially if you rig up some way to stuff like 8 different values into 1 line.
String Parser ftw.
I use INI's for simple stuff like game options, but I use Apppath$ to make sure they don't flutter over into the Windows directory. I use arrays topped with Blowfish for save files.
PS: Why does the name "Blowfish" sound so wrong? I had to check like 2 times, just to make sure I was typing it right.
I just hate how big the INI expressions get in the expression editor. Otherwise it pwns arrays with a bit of encryption
I used to use arrays for data storage, then it got annoying finding where I put which value. I also used the data store object, but that one messes up any timed events its connected to.
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
After saving all my level files as ini's with gridquest, i'll say its as easy and quick to use as possible. Its just that small matter of the filesizes being 100x as large. Seems to write/read instantly for all purposes, and allows me to do many things I couldn't possibly due in arrays (comment the file's data, store both strings and variables as needed anywhere, put random data in the same package as my level grid, etc)
Its incredibly nice to have my ini files lined up in extremely easy to read formats, at least for me. I can read through them if theres any errors and figure it out without even having to open up TGF alot of the time.
Arrays are faster at level editors merely because it has built in save and load for the entire array, and the entire extension is already built in a grid, which is what a level editor generally always is. As far as saving random information in an array, you can do that too. Remember, array's are multi-layer. You have X and Y to mark positions for the level, but you also have an entire Z layer which seems to have no real use for a 2D editor, other then storing extra information.
Arrays are good if you're making grid-based level editors. But I don't like level editors anyway, they make the levels look too mechanical
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
You can encode the INI file. It just takes like, 1 event.
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
INI files are handy for their ease of use, and useful for your nice, amorphously-expandable data storage needs... They get a little unreliable if you try to access them too intensively, though, and can cause fierce slowdowns or even random freezing.
I really like binary files for levels, though. You can refer to a single byte, drawing upon its value, or a particular string (which is ideal for using the Text Blitter). And if you plan the file structure correctly, you can store all the extra data you need in a file header, and have a neat little file format.
I rarely use arrays any more, but they still have their uses.
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