EclipseFE
EclipseFE is a Java-based front end for Simutronics games that runs within the Eclipse Platform. It includes SGE functionality and uses the XML data stream. Since it is built on Eclipse, it will run on any platform that Eclipse will run on, including Win32, MacOS, and Linux.
EclipseFE is not an official client, and is entirely unsupported by Simutronics.
Functionality
EclipseFE currently includes a fully-functional login, highlighting, and macro facilities. It also includes a StormFront-compatible scripting engine with the exception of the scripting commands that manipulate highlight strings. It is missing several features that are vital to playability, however, including status bars for health, mana, and such things.
Plugin architecture
EclipseFE includes a plugin architecture that allows the user to develop modules in Java and plug them into the FE using the standard Eclipse plugin system. Modules may define new macros, intercept commands, send commands, echo text, and intercept and process incoming text. The scripting engine for the FE is actually a plugin.
Differences between EclipseFE and StormFront
General
- EclipseFE duplicates the functionality of the SGE as well as SF.
- There are both global and character-specific versions of macros, highlights, and variables. If an item is defined both globally and on the character, the character takes precedence.
- Many of the tags that the server sends are just dropped.
- Window layouts are defined in XML and may not be changed while the program is running.
- Window layouts are defined per-element rather than per-dialog, so the elements of individual dialogs may be separated.
Scripting
- The SHIFT command in SF tokenizes the entire %0 variable the first time it's used. In EclipseFE, it's properly maintained.
- In SF, when waits/matches are found, the script takes over and immediately processes any further commands. In EclipseFE, the ordering of these is not guaranteed, since the script operates in a separate thread.
- In SF, IF_X only works for the numerical command line variables. In EclipseFE it works for any variable.
- In SF, IF_X tests if the variable is defined. In EclipseFE, IF_X tests if the variable is defined and nonempty.
- EclipseFE does not support the highlight-modifying scripting commands.
- New commands:
- SET - Alias for SETVARIABLE
- ECHOW {window} {text} - Echo text to a window instead of the story window