Alint: checking files

[Thralni]

I want to use Alint for once and see how it works, but I can't get it to check something. This is caused by the simple explanation, that I have absolutely no idea how to use commandlines in DOS (or Mac OS X). Can somebody explain to me exactly how it should be done?

[Kelandon]

I can tell you how to do it on a Mac. Download the latest version (the one with a GUI), open it up, use the file menu to open the files you want to check, and look for error messages.

 

For Windows, you actually need to use the command line, though, and I have no idea how that works. So if you have access to both, I recommend using the Mac.

[Khoth]

What Kel said. I should probably add that if there are no errors, then (slightly unnervingly) it won't say anything at all.

[Thralni]

I manage to come to the main menu (that menu where you see all these letters with a description behind them), but the program quits after that. How do I get it to check something?

[Lilith]

I take it you're still trying to run the command-line version? That's not a main menu; that's an explanation of how to use the program. When you try to run the program, instead of just typing alint, you have to follow the name of the program with a set of parameters, including the name of the file you want to check. So, for example, typing alint dungeon.txt would check the file named dungeon.txt (assuming it was in the same directory as alint).

[Xoid]

[sarcasm]

Ah, how quaint. We have children of the GUI era on the boards. Isn't that positively delightful?

[/sarcasm]

 

A "how to" on using the command line variant of Alint under Windows XP:

 

Note 1: The process is extremely similar no matter what variant of Windows you are using.

 

Note 2: You can run the *.exe from wherever you extracted it, just expect to type giant amounts of text. You should extract Alint to BoA's data folder - it will shorten the amount you have to type.

 

Note 3: Alint does not understand path names with spaces in them. To get around this limitation, take the directory's name (e.g. "My Documents") and type in the first six letters, a tilde and a 1. (e.g. "MyDocu~1"). In most cases this will work. On rare occasions (like when you have directories with similar names and have been deleting and/or reorganising them), replace the 1 with another number. You will have have to guess what number the directory has.

 

• Extract alint to a folder of your choosing.

• Find out where your scenario is located.

• Start->All Programs->Accessories->Command Prompt

• Type in the following, replacing %path_to_alint% with wherever you extracted Alint to. Then press enter.
  Code:

  CD\%path_to_alint%  - OR - CD %path_to_alint%

  Note:

  With "CD ", %path to alint% is the path to alint from whatever directory the command prompt is already in.

  With "CD\", %path to alint% is the full path to alint.

• Type in the following, replacing %scenario_path% with wherever your scenario is located, and replacing %script_name% with whatever your script is named. You may opt to use "*" - the wildcard, which will match anything. Then press enter.
  Code:

  alint %scenario_path%\%script_name%.txt

• Example 1
  Code:

  cd\docume~1\clint\mydocu~1\mydown~1\alint(~1alint E:\progra~1\spider~2\avernu~1\blades~1\data\A2Temp\guard.txt

• Example 2
  Code:

  cd mydocu~1\mydown~1\alint(~1alint E:\progra~1\spider~2\avernu~1\blades~1\data\A2Temp\*.txt

• Example 3
  Code:

  cd mydocu~1\mydown~1\alint(~1alint E:\progra~1\spider~2\avernu~1\blades~1\blades~1\asmall\*.*

Edit: Made it a bit purtier. Not by much y'all understan'? Uh... What I meant to write was: If you see an ampersand followed by nbsp; anywhere - then your browser sucks.

[Thralni]

aha, okay, thanks. I'll try it. jesus bok, these command lines are really complicated. I guess that when you work mwith them for quite some time, you et to understand them, just like Avernumscript.

[Khoth]

CPeters: Thanks for the detailed explanation of the sort that I can never be bothered giving. About spaces in filenames - I can't test it in Windows, so would you mind letting me know whether it works if you put the paths in quotes? It would be easier that way, and not involve guessing weird short paths.

[Xoid]

Quote:

Originally written by Thralni, chicken god prophet:
aha, okay, thanks. I'll try it. jesus bok, these command lines are really complicated. I guess that when you work mwith them for quite some time, you et to understand them, just like Avernumscript.

They're not complicated really. They're just not visual. But not every one is good at working with slabs of text. I always thought that there were multiple types of intelligences; mathematical/logical, audio/visual, sort of like that. I remember reading about it somewhere too...

Quote:

Originally written by Khoth:
About spaces in filenames - I can't test it in Windows, so would you mind letting me know whether it works if you put the paths in quotes?

I thought I was clear on that, but re-reading my post it's obvious I wasn't. Sorry. To answer your question: adding quotes does not help. Tested with cmd.exe - the command prompt from the start menu. Alint does not support spaces in paths. I also tested with ye olde command.com - neither command.com or Alint supports spaces in paths.

Fourty Ninth Edit: Corrected a misattribution. Argh. I should re-read everything I've posted, I've probably unintentionally insinuated that the moderators wear dresses or something.