Should the WadAuthor source code be released?

As I'm beginning to reach the end of my tether with WadAuthor's infuriating bugs, isn't it about time the source was released so someone who wants to improve the editor can fix these bugs (namely the illegal operations that cost huge amounts of mapping time, not to mention the goda w f u l s l o w n e s s o f simple actions when working on big maps)

So, do you think the WadAuthor source should be released?

(btw, can someone move this to Editing?)

/me goes off to try Doom Builder...

Didn't the creator of Wadauthor post here a few months ago about improving the editor?? I hope I'm not crazy.

Um...yeah, John Williston still plans on releasing a new version one of these days. Releasing the source to the version out now would just be a step backwards.

Suffice it to say that WadAuthor is not dead. It's got at least one more release coming, and I will get it done. It's just a question of time. Thanks for your patience.

http://www.speakeasy.org/~wc/wauthor/wauthor_progress5.html

Should? No. If the author wanted to release it, fine, but he doesn't owe the source code to anybody.

I hate the bug that when you copy sectors and a vertex from another sector is being copied as well, when you paste it Wadauthor crashes.
It always gets me. That's about the only bug I know. :)

Lucky for you, here's the ones I know of (the amount of time lost on these is staggering):

Crashes when copy-pasting a free vertex.

Crashes when moving one vertex of a loose linedef onto the other.

Crashes when you click on the 'forbidden' sign in the texture properties box and then press Enter.

Crashes when doing one or two other things. (one involves undoing actions involving those buggy columns, another involves copy-pasting them with the sector still in)

When creating a column, it creates a sector within (see above crash), until a property is changed.

You can't undo the creation of these columns.

When highlighting a bunch of linedefs referring to the same sector on the front and a different sector on the back, going to the properties box, viewing the back sidedefs and pressing OK (whether you change something or not) copies the front sector reference to the back, screwing up all the sectors.

When highlighting a bunch of linedefs with different properties from the same category, going to the properties box and pressing OK (whether you change something or not) changes all the properties to the first one in the category, screwing up all the linedefs. In ZDoom mode it changes them to one of the properties in use.

Clicking the front or back radio button when already looking at that sidedef copies the references and screws up the sector(s).

You can't auto-align custom textures unless the first linedef you highlight has an original texture on it.

All actions involving adding, moving or removing anything on the map slow right down if the map gets really big. (and I recently found a size limit as well, where the map screws up if you try to save it)

The error checker still classifies tall sectors (1024+ high) as bugs.

The error checker doesn't recognise exits in Hexen mode.

If you delete a sector by changing references (rather than deleting it's parts) and then save the map without adding/removing any more sectors (via the normal method), it changes all the properties and screws up every sector numbered above it.

It's up to the author of Wadauthor whether he releases the source code or not.

I'd say try another editor. That list of bugs looks just awful.

Dunno why, but WadAuthor is the only editor I was (and could) be able to build something with, and yes, I know about DoomBuilder. Sure, it has issues, but if you're careful you'll be fine. I've made two big levels (on the verge of savegame limit) back in 1997 and didn't have much trouble. But to each his own I guess.

It'll take an afternoon to learn Doombuilder, persisting with Wadauthor seems pretty futile.

Well, I think it is as futile as playing with doom2.exe nowadays. Some people do it, some don't.

I haven't been building anything for the last 6.5 years, I now only use an editor to find out some things about a map, like tags or secrets, and I still find WadAuthor to be the most comfortable. Sure, when I need to find that yellow key or plasma gun in a large map, I use DoomBuilder's better search feature.

And returning to the topic: it would be great to see an improved version, whether Williston made it himself or released the source.

Donce said:

I now only use an editor to find out some things about a map, like tags or secrets, and I still find WadAuthor to be the most comfortable.

That's hardly called 'editing'. Yes, it might have a few good features but the most defining aspects of it are its outdatedness and the blatant lack of certain editing features (and of course its bugs!) I started mapping with DEU back in 1994 and I have to say that WadAuthor is the only Doom editor I never could get into.

Hardly, yes, but, as I said above, I did edit with it, and quite succesfully. People are very different so it's no surprise that for you WadAuthor was the only editor you couldn't get into while for me it was the only I could get into.

It's up to the author.

Wad Author is a very nice editor, if only the bugs were ironed out.

The Ultimate DooMer said:

When creating a column, it creates a sector within (see above crash), until a property is changed.

Using the error checker fixes this too...

The Ultimate DooMer said:

When highlighting a bunch of linedefs referring to the same sector on the front and a different sector on the back, going to the properties box, viewing the back sidedefs and pressing OK (whether you change something or not) copies the front sector reference to the back, screwing up all the sectors.

Ugh, I hated that one. I could never figure out what I did to cause open sectors. Heh. But if you're careful you can see it happening and just make that box empty, therefore preserving them.

The Ultimate DooMer said:

Clicking the front or back radio button when already looking at that sidedef copies the references and screws up the sector(s).

Wow, never saw that one before.

The Ultimate DooMer said:

You can't auto-align custom textures unless the first linedef you highlight has an original texture on it.

So is that why it would sometimes fail and leave every line's offset zero?

The Ultimate DooMer said:

The error checker still classifies tall sectors (1024+ high) as bugs.

Well... they WERE bugs... in very old eninges, anyway.

The Ultimate DooMer said:

The error checker doesn't recognise exits in Hexen mode.

Or ZDoom mode for that matter. And it should also not say "no exit" if it finds a romero-head object...

The Ultimate DooMer said:

If you delete a sector by changing references (rather than deleting it's parts) and then save the map without adding/removing any more sectors (via the normal method), it changes all the properties and screws up every sector numbered above it.

O_O
THAT's what causes that bug!? Thanks for telling me. That's happened to me twice... I'll be sure to stay away from that.

netnomad312 said:

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The Ultimate DooMer said:
The error checker still classifies tall sectors (1024+ high) as bugs.
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Well... they WERE bugs... in very old eninges, anyway.

Yes, in v1.2. v1.666 didn't have any problems with this anymore and Hexen even has such sectors in its original maps! So why the autor even thought they had to reported as bugs will remain a mystery.

The Ultimate DooMer said:

The error checker still classifies tall sectors (1024+ high) as bugs.

Why 1024? In v1.2 sectors >512 caused strange moire patterns, but other than that glitch, they were save to use. Since v1.666, sizes up to 4096 were supported, but the engine segfaults ocassionally when going higher than this. (So "didn't have any problems" is not exactly correct.)
This is no problem in GL ports, and at least ZDoom has fixed that issue in the software renderer, too.

LogicDeLuxe said:

Why 1024? In v1.2 sectors >512 caused strange moire patterns, but other than that glitch, they were save to use. Since v1.666, sizes up to 4096 were supported, but the engine segfaults ocassionally when going higher than this. (So "didn't have any problems" is not exactly correct.)
This is no problem in GL ports, and at least ZDoom has fixed that issue in the software renderer, too.

Hexen has a sector that is 6784 units high.

Graf Zahl said:

Hexen has a sector that is 6784 units high.

I didn't played it. I guess, they fixed that 4096 limit which is still present in Doom v1.9, or is this a place you can't reach at all? The segfaults only happens when going near the boarders of such a sector.

I've played with Doom Builder and while it does have potential, can it do the following WA features:

Quick loading times
Not having to manually input the custom texture wad every time
Ability to create custom config files (like the wcf's in WA)
A non-filtered object mode (like 'None' in WA)

LogicDeLuxe said:

Why 1024?

That's what the bug checker says when it finds them.

Of course you can create custom configs with Doombuilder, how do you think it supports all those engines?

What I meant was there doesn't seem to be a way of selecting anything other than the default config files (from the Game box) so I can create a special one for my project (like I have for WA) and use that.

(although I could workaround it by renaming it to the default ZDoom config)

The Ultimate DooMer said:

What I meant was there doesn't seem to be a way of selecting anything other than the default config files (from the Game box) so I can create a special one for my project (like I have for WA) and use that.

(although I could workaround it by renaming it to the default ZDoom config)

Easy, edit the Builder.cfg file. It's down near the Iwad section. You can't miss it, the file is quite small.

The Ultimate DooMer said:

What I meant was there doesn't seem to be a way of selecting anything other than the default config files (from the Game box) so I can create a special one for my project (like I have for WA) and use that.

(although I could workaround it by renaming it to the default ZDoom config)

Heh, its as easy as copying one of the existing configuration files which is closest to your project's engine and modify it. Make sure you give it at least a new filename (duhu!) and a unique name in the "game" setting.

Wadauthor is the easiest editor to use, that's why I want it to be upgraded.

wad author was a nice editor. It was the first editor I used, and it is really good for beginning mappers. But once you get to creating more complex maps you reall need to step up to Doom Builder or if you go to the extreme get DeepSea.

I learned mostly using deepsea. I then switched to wadauthor. I used WA for some time, but I didn't really get anywhere with mapping. One day I decided to try doombuilder and now that is my editor of choice. I prefer it's line drawing mode as opposed to drawing sectors. The things I do in maps now, I would have a lot of trouble doing in WA.

The only thing that really kills me about WA is the horribly inadequate zoom. This forces me to switch between WA and DB frequently.

So yeah, I'd love to see an update. Of course, we cant decide whether or not the source should be released. That's up to the author. Maybe someone can ask nicely :P

Another good feature of WA would be able to open different maps in megawads...

Lutrov71 said:

Another good feature of WA would be able to open different maps in megawads...

View -> Select Map