<MSG text formatter

I was bored this weekend, and had a lot of free time, so I decided to actually make a project I'd kind of wanted to get done for a while.
Basically, what this program does is take whatever TSC code you have copied to your clipboard, and replaces it with a version with line breaks inserted wherever the text would be cut off.

If that explanation doesn't make sense, here's a sample input and output:
Input:

<MSG<FAC0020This is a test message, and without line breaks, it will be cut off in places.

Output:

<MSG<FAC0020This is a test message, and
without line breaks, it will be
cut off in places.

Basically, you copy your message code, you run the program, and boom! Your messages are fixed.

Regular download
Debug download (the console window stays open, and shows your input and output text. You will never need this version)

 

It's cool, but was it that hard to press enter when you see grey text in boosters lab?

 

So I tried my own sample bit of text, and I found a few problems. I tried this excerpt below:

<MSG<FAC0000This is a test message, and without line breaks, it will be cut off in places. And I have a lot of super special secrets that I would like to share with you so please have a seat and start playing with my hair as I drop a sick beat and spit fire.

And I got this:

1) <MSG<FAC0000This is a test message, and
2) without line breaks, it will be
3) cut off in places. And I have a lot
4) of super special secrets that I
5) would like to share with you so please
6) have a seat and start playing with
7) my hair as I drop a sick beat and
8) spit fire.

A few problems with this:

• On the first line, it seems to treat my text as if it's using a face picture other than 0000, and therefore tries not to break the 27 character per line limit that is in effect when you're using a face picture, even though the limit is 35 when there's no face picture. In all the lines below, however, it seems to be shooting more for the 35 character limit that applies when there's no facepic.
• Line 3 is exactly 35 characters long, so there shouldn't actually be a line break after the word "lot." After 35 characters, the game automatically inserts a line break. I tested it out, and there was an extra line between the content of line 3 and line 4.
• Line 5 goes beyond the 35 character limit.

I think this program could do with a bit more testing.

 

It doesn't account for facepics, and certain other things.

It does in my experience. But only for the lines before <CLR with the <FAC command

 

So I tried my own sample bit of text, and I found a few problems. I tried this excerpt below:

<MSG<FAC0000This is a test message, and without line breaks, it will be cut off in places. And I have a lot of super special secrets that I would like to share with you so please have a seat and start playing with my hair as I drop a sick beat and spit fire.

And I got this:

1) <MSG<FAC0000This is a test message, and
2) without line breaks, it will be
3) cut off in places. And I have a lot
4) of super special secrets that I
5) would like to share with you so please
6) have a seat and start playing with
7) my hair as I drop a sick beat and
8) spit fire.

A few problems with this:

• On the first line, it seems to treat my text as if it's using a face picture other than 0000, and therefore tries not to break the 27 character per line limit that is in effect when you're using a face picture, even though the limit is 35 when there's no face picture. In all the lines below, however, it seems to be shooting more for the 35 character limit that applies when there's no facepic.
• Line 3 is exactly 35 characters long, so there shouldn't actually be a line break after the word "lot." After 35 characters, the game automatically inserts a line break. I tested it out, and there was an extra line between the content of line 3 and line 4.
• Line 5 goes beyond the 35 character limit.

I think this program could do with a bit more testing.

I'll admit, I didn't do a lot of testing. I'll have to get those bits fixed. Also, for some reason I was under the impression that it inserted line breaks after 33 characters, not 35.
I suppose a V2 will be coming out soon, after I fix those issues.

Also,

It's cool, but was it that hard to press enter when you see grey text in boosters lab?

I haven't used BL in several years, so I had no idea that it did that. I suppose this program will be for people like me, who still use CE.

 

I'll admit, I didn't do a lot of testing. I'll have to get those bits fixed. Also, for some reason I was under the impression that it inserted line breaks after 33 characters, not 35.
I suppose a V2 will be coming out soon, after I fix those issues.

Fair enough.

One other thing I might mention is that continually running the executable is a bit of a hassle. It would be more convenient to have a really simple GUI and to be able to click a little button to make it format your text. That would also be a convenient opportunity to add a toggle for formatting the text in accordance with whether or not a face picture is in use.

 

Fair enough.

One other thing I might mention is that continually running the executable is a bit of a hassle. It would be more convenient to have a really simple GUI and to be able to click a little button to make it format your text. That would also be a convenient opportunity to add a toggle for formatting the text in accordance with whether or not a face picture is in use.

I may just be tired, but I don't really understand that last sentence.

 

Sometimes you'll want to make sure lines don't exceed 27 characters because your textbox uses a face picture, while other times you'll cap it at 35 characters because you aren't using a face picture. Being able to tell it to format the text based on which condition you want would probably be beneficial.