I've got an error with the newest version, when drafting the MSEHorror Set. Here's an image:

My pack settings are as follows: 3 packs of MSE Horror (same set file that's up for download), with 1 Basic Land, 10 Commons, 3 Uncommons, 1 Rare, 12% Mythic Rare.

What I get is 1 Basic Land, 1 Common, 3 Uncommon, 1 Rare, and a thin blue line where the other 9 commons should be. Each pack is like this.

I don't have this same error with another set of mine, Enigma.

Does it always do this, frequently do this, or just that one time? I'll have a look into it as this is almost certainly a bug in the bit I changed.

EDIT: OK, I can replicate this bug, which is useful. I'll look into it and have a bugfix up asap.

EDIT2: It was really dumb thing I had done, which essentially meant that it ignored cards where the rarity hadn't been explicitly defined in MSE. As you saw, the common it brought up was always the same; this is because in that set, that was the only common with it explicitly defined; the rest had just been left on default. I just changed that bit of code back, and achieved the same thing a different way; and now, as a bonus, the 'cards with no names' bug is fixed.

EDIT3: OK, fixed version up at the front. Only three people download that last version, so Pichoro and you other two, you must download this update. Thanks for catching that, Pich. Like you said, not all sets appear so readily to have this bug, because most sets have at least ten cards with 'explicitly defined' common rarity. Its only because MSEHorror had so few that you caught the bug. Most sets would have been affected though, even if it wasn't as obvious as that; you'd have just found it impossible to open certain commons!

Thanks, LP. I didn't repost when I realized it was always the same common, but I did wonder why it was just allowing that one.

A friend of mine tried to use draftwithmse, but Panda told him it was a spyware...
We obviously know it isn't, but I report it anyway.

I imagine Panda told him it was spyware merely becuase it has an executable in it, which is a pretty poor basis for judgement in my opinion. I did check though, just to be sure; AVG says no virus. And AVG is better than Panda.

Very cool idea!

Thanks!

I have a few questions to ask of those who use the program; I've written the code to determine the colour of cards when importing, and want to ask you what you think of this as a way of using that in the GUI:

Obviously the colours used can be changed easily, and if some people like it and some don't, then I can put it in as an option. I'm just not so sure this is that great a feature, so I figured I'd ask before releasing. If anyone has any ideas how to represent the colour differently in the list, I'd be glad to hear it.

The other feature in the next release will be sorting. Currently you'll be able to sort the 'picked' list by colour and name; do you think sorting by rarity should be included also? Any other sorting factors I haven't considered?

Also, innuendo, did you get those emails? I didn't get any response so I'm a bit in the dark.

I like the way it displays the colors, the white is a bit hard to read, but the rest look fantastic.

The sorting update I can hardly wait for.

I did get the email but i've been working a lot so I've only breifly glanced of it. Curse you for not noting. I'm not used to looking at coding so condensed. So I'll figure it out but it'll take a while since i'm working a lot of hours atm...

I like the colored interface (as much as one who is color-blind can like it anyway), but I'll go a step further than innuendo. I would call the white practically illegible, not just hard to read. I'm not sure what color MSE itself uses for white in the card list, but what about that color?

And I think sorting by rarity would be cool. A bit less practical, but nice to be able to do, nonetheless. As for other sorting factors; what about sorting by land/creature/other?

Why didn't I think of this!? Great idea.

I can put in type sorting as soon as I put in type recognition
Type recognition will also allow me to colour lands differently (currently, they colour the same as all colourless cards, as in the image above)

EDIT: Urgh yuck; MSE's 'white' colour is a kind of brown colour, and while it works fairly well in a small nonbold font like in MSE, in the larger, bold, Java default font, it looks horrible. Eventually, I'm going to redo the whole UI, replacing all the defaults, but for the time being, I'd rather not, so I'll just fiddle with the white I'm using atm to make it more visible.

I probably solved the problem I had, by brutally replacing the .exe extension of the file with a .jar.
It seems to work, even if I don't know why...

Really strange; something must be wrong with the way your system handles exe files that want to start a virtual machine... As long you found something that works, all's good.

New white: slightly darker and more saturated, but still different enough from multicolour and yellow.

defiantly a step in the right direction with the white. I wouldn't be opposed if it went more yellow like, it would make it easier to read, at least until you changed the default font to something else that looked good with a "brown" for white cards like MSE uses.

Any who, I'm really looking forward to the next update to this already fantastic piece of work.

Indeed, that's an improvement. Still rough, but better.

pich i'll ask here since you are so bloody hard to find...

care to play on apprentice?

Let me finish playing moderator (got some more stuff that needs done), and I'll begin setting up a functioning apprentice.

Do you use any instant messenger services, innuendo?

currently yahoo, if you would rather use something else I have trillion so all I would have to do is sign up...

Just let me know what you prefer

Trillian rocks ftw. Although I can't believe how long it is taking for Astra to release... It's been literally years.

Sorting by type and rarity is confirmed for the next release, though not actually finished yet.

hip hip huzzah!

Lp interested in playing today?

Not really, sorry. I have stuff to do in rl and obviously working on the actual program.

Plus I really don't like apprentice; I mean, I have it, prefer it to MWS, but it could be so much better. Thinking about it makes me want to go and start writing PlayWithMSE .

If MWS would let me import full sets I would be using it, but as shareware It makes my eyes want to explode with anger. Probably a bit dramatic but MWS and apprentice are both lacking in so many ways...but apprentice does let me import full sets so for playtesting custom cards via the interweb it's all we got...

/me goes back to apprentice and having to remember wtf our planeswalker's abilities cost...

Play with MSE would be really nice, since after you draft it would be nice to use these drafted cards for something. lol

Anyway, just thought I'd let you know I just did a test a draft with a non-magic orientated set. My set has no colors and odd rarirty numbers. It worked absolutely perfect.

One suggestion though. Given that all new packs will have tokens included, it would be nice to have that token card in the pack when you're drafting. It serves no purpose other than being there, but it would still be cool to include them. I put them in my MSE set as special cards, but you could ad a second import box to import a token set. This could help with timeshifted cards too, right? from timespiral? I never opened timespiral packs so I have no idea how they were packed.

I prefer yahoo as well. Innuendo, if you tell me a name I can reach you at, either in this thread, or via the contact button on the left, I'll be happy to do so. If you want me to delete your account name after you post it, I can do that too to protect your identity.

The idea of PlaywithMSE makes me quite happy. I also hate Apprentice and MWS. An actual friendly tabletop would be cool.

I'll post results opposite of blau's; Hecatomb is not draftable using this. Which is odd because although it has different colors, I also have a regular common-uncommon-rare rarity system in it. I really expected Hecatomb to function with the program.

As for how Time Spiral packs work, that's what the special rarity is for. TSP packs had 1 special rarity card per pack, and that can be done with DraftwithMSE already. Tokens; I actually feel the other way; I wish there was a way to specifically exclude them. As is, tokens are already set to sort to the end of a set file, although they don't have a different numbering run currently. But unfortunately now, if you include tokens and tips & tricks cards, they would be caught by this program. The only way to prevent it currently is to give your tokens the "special" rarity, or perhaps the basic land rarity. Unfortunately, in Alara, a basic land will be built into each pack. *sigh*

One thing I need to do is give tokens their own separate numbering system. Hmm...

Just put them as special rarity and include one in the pack quantities. Also (Shameless Plug!) you can do this with my Rules Tip template as well, to get that extra special out-of-the-booster-pack feel. Link is in sig.

The only problem with doing it this way is that you can't have a special rarity for cards (like in TS) and tokens/rules tips at the same time. And I don't see that issue coming up a lot.

Since tokens are specific to sets, it makes sense to include them actually in the set rather than in a separate one like you're suggesting. You say you do this anyway; does anyone keep their custom set tokens in a separate file?

Isn't the issue going to be that in a draft you would have to draft them like any other card in your set when in reality no one would draft them?

it's been ages since I've been to a real draft so I'm not sure what they do with the tokens when they are opened so I could be wrong on this.

Well I keep my tokens separate right now because they need to be separately numbered. It throws off the set count if you include them in the actual set.

Okay new problem. Since loading my Drinking Magic set in, the one with no colors, now none of my actual magic sets work anymore. It's really bizarre. I load them in as packs, hit the ok, but the draft never starts. Weird. I'm try messing with it a little more and see if I can get it back.

It depends. Most places I've been to, and online, you instantly keep the token/tip card since it is card 16. I have been to two places where they made us keep the token in and draft it. I believe the DCI rules are you don't draft the token.

Pichoro, just replying to you first, since I took about half an hour to write that last post; I know some people put tokens as common rarity or whatever; maybe once Twan's command-line thing is implemented, I can write something that checks card.shape (or is token not noted there?) Either way, some sort of deliberate checking for tokens is on the books eventually.

Theoretically, no template made with anything other than magic should actually produce cards (the import should abort and just continue with no cards loaded), so this might be a bug if other sets are being loaded in. I'll check this now.

blau; delete the properties file and that should repair it. Also, if you want, host and link to the exact set file you used so I can debug it..

Isn't there an option in MSE to number special rarities separately? Ahh, but again, not everyone puts tokens as special... that's just the way I do it... damn.

Indeed, MSE can number special separately from the regular set run. But most tokens use common symbols, excepting Marit Lage.

If you're able to ever check card_shape, that would probably be best. I definetly plan to try to add a third separate numbering system for tokens, now.

this has nothing to do with draft with MSE, how do I number my tokens individually?

Currently, the only way is to give your tokens the special rarity. I'm working on the game file modification to give them their own numbering run inside the set list, but currently am slaying bugs in it.

I just downloaded this today and I'm still getting the bug Pich mentioned at the top of this page.

Here's another problem, I'm getting cards with no pictures. It's exporting a png for the card (I checked the directory) but no card is showing up inside Draft w/MSE. Is there a fix for that? It seems to occur at random, as I deleted everything, reimported the set and got a different card not having a picture on the second try.

Suggestion: a smaller window under the card window that allows you to see a selected card in your draft picks. That would be helpful for those times when you say, "was that last card I drafted a warrior?"

Erm, forgive me if I haven't understood you correctly, but can't you just click on the card in the picked list? why bother having two viewers?

Is this all cards, or just some? If just some, which ones. When you say 'without a picture' do you mean without art, or without any card image at all? If the latter, what happens, what is displayed when you click on the name?

Exactly the same bug? With the same set and the same results? Because, forgive me for saying, I fixed that bug. And there is no way you are having the same one. Could you please post the set file that is causing the errors?

Lastly, what OS are you running, and more importantly, what version of java? If you do not know, open the a command prompt, type "java -version" (without quotemarks), this will tell you.

I'll confirm for you LP that the bug I reported is fixed. I did some drafts yesterday, in fact.

I'm using java version 1.6.0_07-b06 and windows xp

OKay so I tried it today. I didn't notice you can click on the draft picks you've already made to see them. Sometimes it doesn't work, but if you keep clicking they show up. So my bad.

The picture problem, only affects one card. It may be because that card has a ":" in the name? By no picture I mean when you click on that card as a draft choice, there is nothing in the card image window. It is just a blank white space. I tried to get a screen capture of it today, but after doing three drafts, the card never showed up in any of them. I didn't want to spend all day waiting for this. But trust me it's there. If it does show up at some time, I'll totally get a screen shot of it. lol

I could not reproduce that bug today. Maybe it was just a fluke. However, I did remember this morning that it was NOT the set I was using frequently I had imported a test set and that set had blank cards in it. So that might have been what was causing that bug.

I get the same thing, i have to click on a drafted card a bunch of times before it will load the picture. Meh, not that it matters much.

Yes, that would be the reason. I haven't been that thorough in checking for symbols that are ignored by MSE when exporting, but this easily rectified.
Peculiar behaviour with the white blank space then; you should get the cardError.png filler card. Maybe its an issue with the colon specifically.

Sets with blank cards are possibly causing these bugs. I'll test some more and play around with this. Also, you will see behaviour like that that Pichoro described when you select, say, 11 commons per pack when the set only has 4.

Strangely, I have no lag at all when clicking on lower-pane cards. Will one of you just test something for me? Try clicking one, and then wait for a few seconds to see if it changes on its own, rather than having to click multiple times? Or does it only ever work after you have clicked and clicked multiple times?

I think i can reproduce it. The issue is if you select the highlighted card. Say I have a pack with Dagon in it as the M.rare and he is highlighted. Then I have a drafted as my first card aldrizan's madness. I just opened this pack with dagon so dagon and aldrizan's madness are both highlighted, with dagon's image in the viewer. When I go to click on my draft cards I click on aldrizan's madness and nothing happens, I click on the card below it in my draft pool and everything loads fine, then I can click on aldrizan's mandess and it loads fine. Now when I go back to the pack's cards I click on dagon (still highlighted) and it wont load until I click on a different card from the pack and then click on dagon...

tada, I figured it out. And for the record, clicking the highlighted card in a different pane a billion times or just once and waiting has no effect, it never loads.

For me, the change is instantaneous as long as I've drafted more than one card. If I only have one card, it will not show it to me.

Edit: Or what innuendo said...

pich play magic?

And for once it was nice for pich to have to edit in I said something correct instead of the other way around!

OK, I found the bug. The image only updates when the value of the list _changes_. Since you don't _change_ the value when you click on the one that's already selected, the pic doesn't update. Just bad logic on my part. Added a click listener as well, and added some optimisation code to cope with the overloading.

Found another one. Although this time it didn't give me a empty white space, it's giving me an empty grey space. This time the card has quote marks in the title. Aren't I just the biggest problem creator?

Fairly obviously this is the same problem. Next time I do a big coding session i'll dig into the MSE source to find the general rule for punctuation and implement it directly.

By "another one" I meant, a card that doesn't work. This time I was actually able to show you the problem, as you had asked me to do before. I wasn't trying to point out a new problem. Just trying to show proof of my crazy ranting. lol Like suffering from Bigfoot syndrome. "I swear to god he's real. I just can't offer any proof at all." I am vindicated!

// only use these characters in filenames, remove the rest
bool is_filename_char(Char c) {
	return isAlnum(c) || c == ' ' || c == '_' || c == '-' || c == '.';
}

String clean_filename(String name) {
	String clean;
	for_each(char c in name) {
		if (is_filename_char(c)) {
			clean += c;
		}
	}
	if (clean.empty() || clean.starts_with(".")) {
		clean = "no-name" + clean;
	}
	return clean;
}

Excellent, thank you. So essentially, only alphanumerics, spaces, underscores, dashes, and . are allowed.

Posting from the other thread as a possible reminder for this program at some future date in time.

Blau said:

I'm not actually sure what you're getting at. I don't plan to implement 'pack runs', such as what one would find in a booster box to prevent you getting 30 of the same rare, for the same reason I'm not implementing print runs; too complex and unnecessary. And for pack runs, you can hardly say it adds realism, since in drafts its never guaranteed that you are using packs all from one box.

Are you asking for a separate 'mode' in DraftWithMSE that prints out a booster pack/multiple packs? That's unlikely to happen, since it's not really part of what the program is meant to do. I think this functionality belongs in MSE, not DraftWithMSE, which is, after all, a draft simulator...

Anyway, in other news, after an excessive amount of fixing my own stupid bugs, all card names should now work, except blank ones, which are never included in the first place.

Also, I fixed the GUI 'feature' that meant I arbitrarily limited the number of packs to 6. In the new draft dialog, see that the scroll bar scrolls down onto the empty space where the extra packs up to 6 would be? That's now fixed, so I can arbitrarily set the upper limit to much higher now. Any suggestions?

Contrary to what I said before, Sorting by Rarity is not going to be possible at the moment without some additional overhead, which i'm trying to avoid. All other sorting is sort of done... I just need to put in the algorithm that makes it sort in proper magic order, not BGRUW alphabetically

sorting by rarity seems like the least usefull of sorts (sorry pich)...sorting alphabetically, color, and type are all more needed I think. I can live without rarity sorting.

/awaits update

What about a way to export our picked cards to a ".dec" file or something? I say this because as I was doing a draft and building my deck in Apprentice for use against innuendo, I got kinda sick of searching out each individual card to add it. Something to speed the process up would be nice. I've envisioning Apprentice's .dec format, which someone has cracked, since mtgsalvation deck tags allow for downloading an Apprentice dec file.

that would be fantastic wouldn't it, I hate having to search for each card i want to add to add it. But i guess when PlayWithMSE comes out this wont be an issue!