Trade Wars Helper 8.4 Commands The following are the introductory commands. Commands are case sensitive. That is, /k is different from /K. /? Displays a menu of all commands on a single screen. /a Displays the Adjacent sectors to three levels with port or other status info. A later page contains more details about the display generated by this command. * /b Displays the BBS file notes for review or editing. There is one set of notes for each BBS data file. Each is one page (20 lines) plus an additional page for every 1000 sectors in the TW universe. /c Displays the Configuration file notes for review or editing. There is one configuration file for notes common to all games. /d Displays a single path with complete detail to a Destination sector from the current sector. The destination sector is entered following the /, for example /23d. Enter /330,23d to view the path from 330 to 23 when 330 is not current sector. /e Issues the command to Explore the closest unexplored sector. After you have explored most or all of the sectors, enter /0e to clear he explored status for each sector and thus begin a subsequent exploration of the universe. The port and warp to information is not cleared. /i Displays the five closest Isolated sectors. This is based on the known universe and unexplored sectors may warp to those listed. An isolated sector has only one sector warping to it and warps only to that sector and is often referred to as a dead end sector. Like many of the displays, this one show the path of sectors in columns. Read down, not across! Enter /& for the next five closest isolated sectors. * /k Gets the sector and port information for all Known sectors using the Computer Interrogation Mode (CIM) of the Crai computer. Use this command first to initialize the database (just once per BBS data file). Since the CIM does not identify class 0 and 9 ports you will be prompted for those sector numbers. Use /K to gather the same information including the class 0 and 0 ports without using the CIM for those sectors not already in the database. /n Allows entry of up to three Notation characters for the current sector. For example an 'M' might indicate mines or 'P' a planet in the sector. The notation characters are displayed with the other sector information. Enter /N to search for sectors that match specific notation characters. * /p Displays the five closest sectors with a specified Port capability. Enter /& for the next five sectors with the same capability. * /q Quits the TW Helper program without quitting Trade Wars itself. Normally you just enter 'q' to quit both TW and TW Helper. In either case the database is saved to the disk file. Page 1 /r This command is used to Record the product percent and quantity available according to the interrogation mode of the Crai computer. Only the most significant digit of the percentage is displayed with the /x and /p command information. 100%% is shown as a colon. This information is optionally saved on the disk and because it is so volatile, this command is generally issued at the beginning of each session. /t This exceedingly useful command will negotiate a Trade on your behalf with the port in the current sector. It assumes the holds are either empty or the most expensive product in them will be sold. The command will then buy transaction the most expensive product is purchased when a port is selling multiple products or by entering /T (capitalized) the least expensive product will be purchased. Entering a sector number after the /, for example /23t, initiates automatic cross trading between the sector specified and the current sector. You must have product in your holds to sell at the specified sector before entering this command. At the end of each trade, you will be given one second to halt the trading by pressing the SPACE BAR key. Entering ,0 after the sector number , for example /23,0t, initiates single product cross trading where only the product in the holds is sold at the specified sector and is then bought at the current sector. In TW2002 version 2 automatic cross trading is available to registered users only. If you have a ship equipped with a TransWarp Drive, and you specify a nonadjacent sector containing your fighters, the TransWarp Drive will be engaged. Only Equipment and Organics can be traded. Fuel Ore will be purchased to replenish the amount used. If Fuel Ore is available to be bought at only one port, be sure to start with enough for a complete round trip. TransWarp trading is available to registered users only. /u Displays the five closest Unexplored sectors in columns with their paths. Enter /& for the next five closest unexplored sectors. * /w Displays information on the current sectors outgoing and incoming Warps. Also shows total sectors explored and other data. * /x Displays the five closest sectors with cross trading ports in adjacent sectors. This means you can trade back and forth between the ports. Enter /& for the next five closest sectors with cross trading ports. Multiple paths cause pairs to appear multiple times. * /z is used mainly in the multi-player Major BBS version to quickly Zip out of the current sector. TWHelper will first density scan and then move to one of the sectors whose density is less than the threshold set via an RTO. The sector is chosen randomly with emphasis given to sectors with the most warps. TWHelper will continue to zip out of sectors until the SPACE BAR is pressed. For registered users a destination can be specified following the /, for example /23z, to zip to sector 23 while scanning along the way. Page 2 * For those commands marked with an asterisk, entering a sector number after the /, for example /23a, displays the data for the specified sector instead of the current sector. If you run the program without being online, you must enter the sector number since there is no current sector. The following are the lower case advanced commands: /2e Begin autoexploring. Select Run Time Option 10 for details. /f Displays the paths to a destination sector from its nearest five sectors containing Fighters. The paths are proceeded by the number of hops from the current sector to the fighters. The destination sector is entered following the /, for example /23f. This command is available to registered users only. /g Goes to the sector specified following the /, for example /23g. A ship equipped with a scanner will density scan along the way and stop when the next sectors density or navhaz is at or above a threshold value set via a Run Time Option (RTO). You can manually enter that sector and then enter /g without the sector number to continue onward to the original destination. Other RTOs specifies whether a fighter is deployed, if trading, stealing and/or robbing is to be done along the way and if unexplored sectors are to be holographic scanned. This command is available to registered users. /j First buys a limited quantity of each product and then jettisons all of the products. The cycle repeats untill you press the SPACE BAR key when prompted. You must be at a port that sell at least one product (an SSS port is best) with empty holds. This command is used to gain experience points. A psychic probe is recommended. In the Major BBS game a minimum of 20 holds are required to gain experience making this transaction somewhat expensive to use. /h Used to Haul colonists, product, or shields from one planet to another. You must be on the receiving planet with empty holds or room for the shields. Enter the planet number following the /, for example, /3h to haul from planet 3 to the planet you are on. Enter /3,223h to haul from planet 3 in sector 223 to the planet you are on when the planets are not in the same sector. You will be prompted for what to haul and the production area. The planet's TransPort and/or ship's TransWarp will be engaged if available and there are fighters at both sectors. Start with enough Fuel Ore for a round trip which will be replenished at the originating planet. Fuel Ore can not be hauled when using the TransWarp Drive. This command is available to registered users only. /l This command is used, after the /r command, to Locate enemy forces. Enemy fighters in a sector block the Crai computer from providing the product percentages. Thus sectors with blank product percentage values are the ones displayed. Enter /& to locate the next five sectors containing enemy forces. Page 3 /s This command is used to initiate the automatic Sell/Steal cycle. You must have product in your holds as this determines the number of holds and the product that is first sold and then swiped back. This cycle repeats until you are busted or you press the SPACE BAR key when prompted. This command is available to registered users only. When using the /s or /R commands, TW Helper keeps track of the ports where you have been busted. These ports are displayed in red. Entering a sector number after the /, for example /23s, initiates automatic sell/stealing cycle between the sector specified and the current sector. This mode of the /s command is for TW2002 version 2 and works much like automatic cross trading except product is swiped instead of being bought. One difference is the /t command will buy as many holds of products as possible while the /s commands will only steal as many holds as have been sold. In addition, if the product in the holds is being bought at both ports (best for both credits and experience), then only it will be sold and swiped back. For the /s and /R commands transporting between ships and then stealing or robbing is done by entering the commands like /2,9s or /2,9R where the 2 and the 9 can be any ship numbers from the Transport list of ships. Transporting to the leading ship number is done first followed by the sell/steal or robbing sequence. The ships can have no or different passwords which will only need to be entered for the first cycle. When stealing both ships must have the same product in their holds, thus the ports must both be buying that product. /o This command is used to enter the Run Time Options. All RTOs are saved in the BBS data file and can thus be set different for each game. They are: 1. The minimum and maximum product percentages at ports displayed with the /X, /x and /p commands. Use the /r command first to bring the product percentages up to date. 2. The turn at which the auto /t, /s and /R commands will halt their process. 3. The cycle at which the /B, /C and /P commands will halt their process. 4. Used to turn on/off the inclusion of the Hops in the Deployed Fighter Scan. 5. Used to turn off/on the haggling over the price during trading. 6. Specifies when a fighter is deployed for the /g amd /e commands. Also see RTO 17. 7. Used to turn on/off trading or stealing along the way when using the /g or /e commands. Page 4 8. The value at which the /g command will stop when the next sectors density is at or above this threshold. 9. The value at which the /g command will stop when the next sectors NavHaz is at or above this threshold. 10. Used to turn on/off the deploying/trading/scanning when using the /e command. The previous four RTOs also apply to the /e command when on. *** AUTO EXPLORING *** capability is discussed when you select this option. Also refer to the /g command. 11. Used to turn on/off the stopping of a ship equipped with a Holographic Scanner at the sector immediately preceding the unexplored sector when the /e command is used and the unexplored sector not is adjacent. 12. Used to turn on/off the holographic scanning of unexplored sectors not in the destination path when using the /g command. 13. Used to turn on/off the porting and trading at all ports even when the port is not buying the product currently in the holds in order to gain the additional experience points from neglected ports. 14. The rob factor which is multiplied by the experience points to determine the credits to rob when using the /R command. Also used to set the minimum rob amount. 15. The threshold at which the /g and /e commands will auto rob a port selling equipment when the percentage is at or below this value. Also used to set the number of days the drained status is retained for ports and to indicate if a port is to be robbed immediatly after buying equip- ment. Based on these values, ports that are candidates for robbing will be announced. 16. The number of attack fighters to be automatically used when enemy fighters are encountered while using the /g or /e commands. The attack is made only if there are fewer enemy fighters. 17. The number of fighters to deploy, their type and their mode when using the /F, /g or /e commands. 18. The control option for issuing TW commands at startup or when leaving the Stardock or using the Transporter. Generally only used in the interactive Major BBS game. 19. The sector number where Terra is located for the /C command. Also used to specify the sector number for which Enter need not be sent. For example, in some versions of the MBBS game of 2000 sectors Enter is not sent for sector numbers of 200 and above while in other version its 300 and above. This number is usually the number of sectors divide by 10 or that number plus 100. Leave this at zero so it defaults to the proper value unless it appears TWH is not handling the condition correctly. Page 5 The following are the upper case advanced command. /0B This can be entered to change the Busted status of a sector or to set all sectors to a not busted status. The busted status is cleared when the games running time reaches multiples of 14 days and you play that day. /0S Used to mark or unmark a sector as Safe for the /e, /g and /z commands to move into regardless of the density, navhaz or annomaly. /A Used to attack ships. Full fighter strength will be used. By entering a number greater than 0 after the /, for example, /1A or /100A, the offensive odds of your ship and the opposing ship plus its shields (when known) will be taken in account to determine an exact strength of the ship being attacked. That strength, less the number you enter, is the number of fighters that will be used. /B This command is used to initiate the automatic Buying of product for a planet and/or selling of product from a planet. Enter a sector number after the /, for example /23B, to specify the sector containing the port to use. You must be on the planet with sufficient credits (if buying) and/or product in your holds (if selling) before entering the command. The cycle repeats itself until you press the SPACE BAR key when prompted or the number of cycles set by an RTO has been reached. See /P command for using the planet's TransPorter and/or the ship's TransWarp Drive. Fuel Ore can not be sold when using the TransWarp Drive. /C This command is used to initiate the automatic Colonizing cycle. You must be on the planet you wish to populate. The colonists are retrieved from Terra and distributed in the production area prompted for. This sequence repeats itself until you press the SPACE BAR key when prompted or the number of cycles specified by a Run Time Option has been reached. Another RTO is used to specify the location of Terra. This command is available to registered users only. Entering a sector number after the /, for example /23C or /1C, initiates TransPort and/or TransWarp colonizing. Again you must start on the planet to be populated and with sufficient Fuel Ore. The TransPort or TransWarp drive will be engaged for the sector specified and any Fuel Ore used will be replenished if available at a port in the sector. The Autopilot then will be used to move to Terra while the TransWarp drive will be engaged to return to the originating planet. A fighter (or beacon if commissioned) must be in the sector specified and in the originating sector. Fuel Ore will be replenished on the planet if it is not available at the sector. /D Saves the database to the disk file and then shells to DOS. A mimimum of 45,000 bytes of memory must be available. /E Launches an Ether Probe to a sector chosen randomly from those unexplored sectors that have no known warp path to them. /1E launches an E-probe to a sector chosen randomly from those explored sectors considered to be isolated and not already visited during Page 6 the current session. /2E chooses a sector so the E-probe passes thru the most sectors not already visited during the current session. Note that unexplored sectors may cause TW to select a significantly different path. /3E launches E-probes to isolated sectors sequentially keeping track of the last sector probed so it will pick up at the same point later. /3,1000E causes the /3E routine to start at sector 1000. /6E and /7E are both used following the /U command (Universe Mapping Feature). They chooses a sector so the E-probe passes thru the most unexplored sectors. The /k command must be used following /7E although it operates much faster overall. All E-probe commands will continue to launch probes until there are none remaining, a probe is destroyed, or you press SPACE BAR when prompted. Enter /0E to mark a sector as inaccessible for the /E commands. Some orphan sectors have no other sectors warping to them and thus can never be accessed. /F Deploys Fighters based on RTO #17. /G Displays a Graphical view of the current sector and the adjacent sectors to any level. The mouse or keyboard can be used to select several options shown in the boxes on the screen. The capitalized letter is the hot key for keyboard entry. The items with + and - signs can be increased/decreased by clicking on the left or right portion of the box or entering the letter in upper case or lower case. You can also click on a sector in the map to display its adjacent sectors. A sector other than the current sector is specified following the /, for example /23G. Enter /330,23G to view the graphical path from 330 to 23. After using commands that list the five closest sectors (/x, /p, /f, etc.) you can enter /G and then click on the +Sector- box to graphically view the sectors. Isolated sectors are shown as double circles. Major Space Lanes are shown as a thick blue line. Unregistered usage is limited. /H This command is used to initiate the automatic Heisting of product for a planet. Enter a sector number after the /, for example /23H, to specify the sector containing the port to use. The cycle repeats itself until you press the SPACE BAR key when prompted or the number of cycles set by an RTO has been reached. See /P command for using TransPort or TransWarp drive. This command is available to registered users only. /I Shows a report of deeply Isolated sectors (tunnels to dead ends). Enter the depth factor following the /, for example /1I, /2I, /3I etc. An * indicates the sector is part of a longer tunnel. By entering /G afterward and clicking on the +Sector- box you can graphically view each tunnel. This command is available to registered users only. /L Used to Lower population Levels to 999, 988, and 994 respectively or until the holds are filled. These are the minimum values to produce the maximum number of fighters on a planet in a version 1.03 game. /1L lowers the population level to zero by jettisoning the colonists and repeating the cycle. You must be on the planet before entering this command. Page 7 /M Used to merge another traders database into your own. The data merged is the port type, warp to sectors, and if being saved, the product percentage and quantities. Merged sectors are shown in brown. Enter /0M to remove the merged data. This command is available to registered users only. /N Used to search for sectors that match specific notation characters entered with the /n command. /O Displays the paths to the five closest Oneway outgoing warps. Enter /& for the next five closest oneway warps. /P This command is used to initiate the automatic purchase of Planetary shields from the nearest class 0 or 9 port. You must be on the planet to receive the shields with ample credits on the ship. The process repeats itself until you press the SPACE BAR key when prompted or the number of cycles specified by a Run Time Option has been reached. Entering a number after the /, for example /23P, initiates TransPort and/or TransWarp purchasing. Again you must start on the planet with sufficient Fuel Ore. The TransPort or TransWarp drive will be engaged for the sector specified, and if not already there, the Autopilot then will be used to move to the nearest class 0 or 9 port. The sector specified must have one of your fighter (or beacon if commissioned) ndn it and another in the originating sector. Fuel Ore will be replenished on the planet. Available to registered users only. /Q Used to Quash mines by launching a mine disruptor into a specified sector. The sector number is specified following the /, for example /23Q. The process repeats until you press SPACE BAR when prompted, all the mines are destroyed, or all disruptors are exhausted. /R Used to initiate the automatic Rob credits cycle. The rob factor RTO is multiplied by the experience points to determine the credits to rob. Entering the TW I command first will insure TWH is using the most recent experience points. In version 1.03 the cycle repeapq umail busted or you press the SPACE BAR key when prompted. When using this command, TWH keeps track of the last time you robbed the port, were busted at the port and when the port is drained of credits. Entering a sector number following the / initiates automatic robbing between the sector specified and the current sector using the TransWarp Drive if appropriate. Refer to the /s command for discussion on using the Transporter. This command is available to registered users only. Hint: use RTO 1 to set a low maximum percentage and then the /X or /p commands to locate sectors with ports that have sold most of their product. /U Used to initiate the Universe Mapping feature. This feature is fully discussed in the DOCMAPER.TXT file. /V Creates the TWVIEW and/or TWASSIST data file(s). The directory path(s) must be specified with the configuration options. /1V creates only the TWVIEW .FTR file and/or the non CIM portion of the TWASSIST file. /2V creates only the TWVIEW .SCT file and/or the CIM sector portion of the TWASSIST file. /3V creates only the TWVIEW .PRT file and/or the CIM port portion for TWASSIST. Page 8 X Request the entry of subcommands to display the five closest specialized trading pairs which includes nonadjacent cross trading pairs, transwarp trading pairs, triple trading pairs and other combinations. Enter /& to display the next five closest specialized trading pairs. This command is available to registered users only. The following discusses the /a command and color coding: The /a command shows adjacent sectors to three levels. It is generally used by unregistered users while the /G command is used by registered users. The first level is the sectors adjacent to the current sector. These are displayed across the top row. The second level is the sectors adjacent to the top row of sectors. These are displayed in the columns below the top row of sectors. The third level is the sectors adjacent to the column sectors. These are displayed in the rows to the right of the column sectors. The color coding and status abbreviations are as follows: Red - An unexplored sector (une) or a port where you've been busted. Brown - A sector with info merged from another trader. Magenta - An explored empty sector (emt). Yellow - A sector with ports (BBS, SBS, etc). Green - A sector with a class 0 port (000). Blue - A sector with a class 9 port (999). Gray - A sector marked as avoided. Cyan - A cross trading sector or the notation characters. A sector with a status of 'pre' was previously displayed. Enter the /a command a second time to display the data for those sectors not shown because of the limited screen width. The following are general points to be aware of: Trade Wars Helper waits for selected text sequences before proceeding. Line noise or unforeseen circumstances may get TW Helper out of sequence with Trade Wars itself and thus cause indefinite waits. If it appears the program is not responding, press the ESC key several times or the ESC and ENTER keys until some request is displayed. An attempt is made to keep track of the last product purchased. This info is displayed with the current sector information in the lower right corner. Under certain conditions this information will not be accurate (i.e. when you start but don't consummate a trade.) The TW I command can be issued to correct this information. This anomaly doesn't occur when using the /t command. Page 9 Repetitive process are generally terminated by pressing the SPACE BAR key when prompted. You can also press the SPACE BAR key prior to the message which will halt the process at the next "Command" prompt from Trade Wars. After using an E-probe or Holographic Scanner TW Helper will issue commands to gather warp to and port information. If you interrupt this process by pressing the SPACE BAR key the next probe or scan will process the missed sectors. Otherwise you should do the /k or /K command soon afterward so TWHelper is up-to-date. Interrupting is generally only done in the interactive Major BBS game. There is no message displayed to remind you of this interrupt capability. When you issue the TW X command to transport, TW Helper will auto- matically issue the TW I command afterward so it is up-to-date on the current sector and ship you are using. TW Helper learns of avoided sectors from the opening 'Hazardous Sector' display and when you issue the TW Computers X command. If you add to or clear the avoided sectors, do the TW Computers X command afterward to bring TW Helper up-to-date. TW Helper learns which sectors contain fighters from the TW g command or when you use the /F command or when it automatically deploys fighters. If you use the TW f command to deploy fighters then do the TW g command afterward to bring TW Helper up-to-date. If you spend the night ii a citadel, leave the citadel and planet so TW Helper can issue the commands to gather its initializing information before entering planet oriented commands like /h, /B, /C, /H, and /P. Use the Page Up key to view Trade Wars text that has been scrolled off the top of the screen. The Page Down, Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Home and End keys can also be used to view text in the scroll back buffer. Function keys 1 and 2 can be used to Save and Restore the current contents of the scroll back buff experience points. A Psychic Probe is recommended. If you have purchased a Psychic Probe, the program will optimize the experience points realized during the auto trading and auto sell/steal cycles. After the first full cycle you will generally get 2 points trading and 2 or 5 points stealing. Page 10