I just checked in code that lets the Universe Manager Lite export areas and rooms to JSON formatted files. So here is what the sequence looks like now:

So there you have it, that's how you export an area.

Here's what I have left for exporting:

• Add code to attach JSON exit arrays to rooms
• Add code to attach JSON visual arrays to rooms

After that, I'll get working on importing these files. The code for the Universe Manager Lite is over here:

svn://svn.wheelmud.net/UniverseManagerLite/trunk

This uses the docking control from DivElements. Please do NOT get the trial for this control, as you won't be able to run the code, when the trial expires.

I just wanted to show everybody that SharpDevelop 4.0 is a good IDE to work with WheelMUD. Here are some screenshots of me running WheelMUD from SD4:

I just put up the first 1U server on the rack. I had to switch from the PowerEdge 1850 to the PowerEdge 1750, since the 1750 can't run Windows 2008, at least not easity.

The most impressive part was when I downloaded the Windows Service version of WheelMUD from CodePlex and unzipped it. I only had to double-click on the WheelMUDWindowsService.exe program to install it. I then went to the Services snapin and started it. It ran flawlessly. Now that's how software should work!

The test MUD is now up and running again.

I actually started with the migration. I'm setting up the Dell Poweredge 1850 as Vulcan. I got the 10K RPM SCSI drives delivered yesterday, but I still needed the hard drive rails to actually use them. I got those today. I've temporarely installed Windows 2003 Server, until I can get Dell's latest version of OpenManage Server Administrator. This utility is a bootable ISO, which helps to prepare the hard drives for Windows. True server level hardware is quite different than desktop wanna-be server hardware.

The current version of OpenManage Server Administrator only lets me install Windows 2003. The newer version lets me install Windows 2008 and 2008 R2. This is a ginormous download (1.3 gigs), so it's going to take a good portion of the night.

I still need the server trays, which look to be delivered either tomorrow or Thursday. I need those so that I can mount these 1u servers on the rack.

Hopefully, I'll have Vulcan ready by tomorrow night. That should at least get the test MUD back up.

While working on fixing the NHibernate stuff, so that it would work at runtime, I came across a very handy tip. You need to add this bit of code to your app.config file to help .NET 4.0:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
  <startup useLegacyV2RuntimeActivationPolicy="true">
  <supportedRuntime version="v4.0" />
</startup>
</configuration>

That is what got me over to hump in moving all the projects over to .NET 4.

I finally got the exit stuff in Universe Manager Lite completely done. This means that I can mark 5192 - Fix the room exits in Universe Manager Lite as fixed.

I'm attaching a zip file with the latest binaries. As before, just unzip the files in the directory as your WheelMUD binaries.

I got part of the exit UI stuff done tonight. The UI will now place the new exit on the source room and exit room, at the same time. This is still not finished, as I still have to deal with updated nodes, and deleted nodes. I did tweak the config dialog to make more clear to users, why they are seeing database info. Here's the screenie:

I'm also attaching a zip file with the binaries. Just unzip this in the same directory as your WheelMUD binaries. You'll have to install the .NET SQLite driver, before using the connection string editing abilities. You can download this driver from here:

sourceforge.net/projects/sqlite-dotnet2/files/SQLite%20for%20ADO.NET%202.0/

The config file for the Universe Manager Lite can now be edited completely from the UI. I revamped the default dialog, by changing the "Connection String Name" from a textbox to a combobox. Here's what it looks like when it loads:

The information on the other controls changes, when you select a different name.

I did this, so that we have built in support for additional database engines. This will let people easily change database back ends once they become available.

The thing that I'm excited the most for, is that I found a custom dialog to edit connection strings. This looks a lot like the built in dialog that comes with Windows.

This is now part of the UML source code, and has all been checked in.

The only thing left now, is to deal with the Treeview stuff. I wanted to get the easy stuff done, so that I can concentrate on this little bit. After some testing, I realized that it was going to be non-trivial. I'm hoping that I get this last item done by tomorrow. I will put together a zip file with the binaries for UML, as I've been promising.

I finally nailed saving exits correctly to the database from the Universe Manager Lite just now. I still need a bit of Treeview magic, to finish this work item. I need to update the destination room when I add, delete, or update the exit on the Treeview. Fortunately, the hard part is finally done.

I revamped the dialogs to look a bit more like part of the OS. Here's the new revamped Exit Editor dialog:

The Room Picker dialog got the same treatment:

I'm going to be working on the Treeview issue, and on the config dialog for Universe Manager Lite (UML). Here's what it looks like right now:

I'm working on this dialog, so that users won't have to edit the UML's config file by hand. I will start putting out UML releases on CodePlex, once I get these two items completed.

I finished the room picker dialog. This dialog will be used for several different room related functions.

I only have a couple more things to work out, then I'll be done with the 0.4 iteration of the Universe Manager Lite. So these two things are:

1. Figuring out the A or B stuff
2. Saving new and changed exits to the database

There's still plenty of stuff to finish with the 0.4 milestone.