Script - Journal/Fluff Viewer

The Journal/Fluff viewer is a LUA Script that allows the viewing of articles that have no plot-related content, but help with world building (aka Fluff). This is similar to the tech room, but this script has a better layout for text heavy entries.

This page will assist modders to install it, configure it, and use it.

Download Link

LINK!

Required Files:

• interface/
  • 2_Journal
  • axui_close (+ c and h variants)
  • axui_left (+ c and h variants)
  • axui_right (+ c and h variants)
  • axui_zoomin (+ c and h variants)
  • cb_sidetab (+ c and h variants)
• tables/
  • axui-sct.tbm
  • barracks-lcl.tbm
  • imonitor-sct.tbm
  • journal-sct.tbm
  • parsecfg-sct.tbm
  • zLoadFirst-sct.tbm (written by Nuke)

Demonstration Files:

• config/
  • journal_diary.cfg
  • journal_FreeSpace2_config.cfg
  • journal_people.cfg
  • journal_photo.cfg
• fiction/
  • surrender.txt

Configuration Files

All configuration files must be in /config/

Interface Monitor

imonitor.cfg is a JSON configuration file for imonitor-sct.tbm which allows the player to access different custom interface screens. Full documentation can be found in Script - Interface Monitor.

Journal Config File

Must be named in the format: journal_YOURCAMPAIGNFILENAME_config.cfg

journal_FreeSpace2_config.cfg

If no valid config file is available for a campaign, the journal will be empty

Index

Number, start at 1 and go up, journal supports up to 3

Name

String, this is what the label by the tab will be

Style

String, valid options: FullText, ImageText, Thumbnails, descriptions below

RevSort

This will reverse sort the entries in the file. So files at top of the specified file will be at the bottom and vice-versa. Useful for when you want the new entries to be at the top.

File

The file name of the content you want to display. Should be a cfg file as well or else FreeSpace won't see them in a VP file!

Content Files

FullText Type

Good for lots of words. No Images.

Index

Enter a number or leave it blank, the script isn't picky here. It just needs to know to start here.

Visible

Boolean, is this entry visible by default?

Font

Optional. Reference to a font in the font.tbl or -fnt.tbm file. If this is absent, the game will use a smaller font (font01.vf) on lower res screens, and a slightly larger one (font03.vf) for higher res screens. No scaling will be done if a font is specified.

Title

String, this is what will be displayed on the selection list box near the bottom

Text

Your wall of text. Note that normal line breaks won't work here. If you need a line break, use the escape sequence \n

File

A .txt file in the /fiction/ folder, this will be displayed instead of what is entered for Text. There's no need for \n escape sequences in the txt file.

ImageText Type

Good for showing an image + caption plus more words. Good for pilot profiles.

Index

Enter a number or leave it blank, the script isn't picky here. It just needs to know to start here.

Visible

Boolean, is this entry visible by default?

Title

String, this is what will be displayed on the selection list box near the bottom

Font

Optional. Reference to a font in the font.tbl or -fnt.tbm file. If this is absent, the game will use a smaller font (font01.vf) on lower res screens, and a slightly larger one (font03.vf) for higher res screens. No scaling will be done if a font is specified.

CaptionFont

Optional. Same as font, only for the text under the image

Text

String, your wall of text. Note that normal line breaks won't work here. If you need a line break, use the escape sequence \n

File

A .txt file in the /fiction/ folder, this will be displayed instead of what is entered for @Text. There's no need for \n escape sequences in the txt file.

Image

Filename, image that will be displayed to the left of the text.

FullImage

Optional. Filename, if this is present, a zoom icon will appear on the Image's top right corner. Clicking it will display this image. Image can be closed by clicking the close button on the top right corner. Optional.

Caption

String, this is what will be displayed underneath the image

Thumbnails

Good for a lot of images and little text. When the user clicks a thumbnailed image, the image grabs focus and can only be closed by clicking a close button in the top right corner. Can also navigate through the images with side arrow buttons.

Index

Enter a number or leave it blank, the script isn't picky here. It just needs to know to start here.

Visible

Boolean, is this entry visible by default?

Font

Optional. Reference to a font in the font.tbl or -fnt.tbm file. If this is absent, the game will use a smaller font (font01.vf) on lower res screens, and a slightly larger one (font03.vf) for higher res screens. No scaling will be done if a font is specified.

Title

String, this is what will be displayed under the thumbnailed image

Image

Filename, the image that will be thumbnailed and displayed when the user clicks the thumbnailed image.

Generated Files

Just for reference, you don't need to make these.

Save File

Will be named CAMPAIGNFILENAME_PILOTNAME.JOURNALCONFIGINDEX.sav

Eg: FreeSpace2_Holley.1.sav

Index

(blank)

Visible

Boolean, is this visible?

Read

Boolean, was this read?

Title

Title of entry

Notification File

Generated when a new entry is added

Will be named CAMPAIGNFILENAME_PILOTNAME.n.sav

FRED Functions

Use with the script-eval sexp

journal set visible

jsv('tab name', 'entry title')

Sets an invisible entry to be visible. Use single quotes! Tab name is the @Name in the config file. Entry title is the @Title in the referred file

eg: jsv('Contacts', 'Misuzu Stella')

journal set invisible

jsi('tab name', 'entry title')

Makes a visible entry invisible (effectively hiding it).

journal reset progress

Journal:ResetProgress()

Deletes all the sav files, basically reverting everything back to defaults

Command Briefing Buttons

If imonitor-sct.tbm is present, a button will appear on the command briefing screen that allows you go to to the journal screen. A "New!" notification is also displayed if a new entry has been added.