MODManager V1.0
Beta Version
by Angelo Scotto (e-mail:scotto_a@hotmail.com)

README FILE

REQUIREMENTS
-------------
-Civ2TOT
-MFC42.DLL or more recent
 (This file should be installed with IE but you can download it from the net if 	     you haven't http://solo.abac.com/dllarchive/M.html)

INTRODUCTION
-------------
This program helps Tot players to manage their MOD files, it's still a beta and a lot of feature are not implemented yet but the program in my opinion is quite useful.
MODManager lets you play your favorites MODS without waste the standard ToT files, it archives new MODS with an easy "Plug&play" interface and makes backup copies of standard ToT files automatically.
Let's make an example:
you have just downloaded a great MODPack from the net but you don't want to waste time in backuping Standard files or, even worse, you don't want to remove another MODpack you have installed last week.
With MODManager you only have to unzip the modpack in the MODS subdirectory of MODMANAGER directory, then you have to launch MODManager;
it will warn you of the new installed MODpack and asks you to describe the MODPack, at this point you only have to double click on the MOD name and MODMANAGER will backup standard files,will copy mods files into ToT directory and will launch Tot, at this point you can play your MOD with Tot and when you decide to close Tot, then MODManager automatically removes MOD files and restores the standard files.
With MODManager you'll download also a MODPack, "Civ2Classic" which is a MODPack i've made with CivConverter to restore classic graphic into ToT (just in case you become nostalgic ;))
I'll use this MODPack later to explain you how to install new MODPacks.

CREDITS
--------
I'll place credits here because this readme is very long and i don't want to place it where nobody will read it.
Many thanks to Steve Pillinger who found a giant bug in backup routines.
Many thanks to Cary Astrogator Semar who found another bug in Tot detection routines.
And that's all, if you want credits then you've to find a bug (i hope it's difficult but who knows...)

HOW TO INSTALL MODMANAGER
--------------------------
Installing MODManager is very easy, simply unzip it to a directory and you've done.
MODManager consists of this file (Readme.txt) and the executable file (MODManager.exe)
plus you'll get Classic.zip which contains Civ2Classic MODPack (why to zip a zipped file? for tutorial purpose)

FIRST LAUNCH
-------------
When MODManager is launched for the first time, it'll do a lot of installation things automatically (to search for ToT path, fix preferences, create system subdirectories and so on).
If it's the first time you launch MODManager, the program will show you the preference screen:
It consist only of one check box (BACKUP), the south section is now disabled so don't worry if you cannot make it function (it will be enabled in future versions)
Let's see what means the BACKUP check box.
If it is checked then this means that MODManager will create a full backup of all four games of TOT (Original,Extended,Fantasy or SciFi) while if it's not checked MODManager will create dynamically copies of ToT files just before using a MODPack.
MODManager with Backup enabled is more safe because MODManager cannot delete backup directories (and so you are sure to find always full backups of ToT games) and so it's recommended even if it wastes a lot of space and time (you'll have two copies of Tot files on your hard disk).
Backup not enabled never gave me problem during testing, so probably it's also fully functional (actually i use MODManager with backup disabled because it's faster).
REMEMBER:If you choose to create Backups prepare to wait few minutes after pressing the OK button, this happens only once and it's caused by the creation of backups directories.

WHAT IS A MOD?
---------------
This is a quite obvious question but it's better to explain this well:
With the term MOD i mean a set of modified files to use with Tot changing the graphics or gameplay or both; not scenarios! So if your mod comes with SCN files you have to lauch the mod with MODManager normally and then to start scenario searching it into the MOD directory.
Normally a MODPack can modify sounds and spr but this version of MODManager don't backup nor use that files (they are simply ignored).

INSTALL MODPACKS
-----------------
When MODManager is launched for the first time it creates a MODS subdirectory and the program will search modpacks as subdirectories of MODS directory.
So if you want to install a new MOD you'll have to unzip it into .\MODS\<your choose here> directory, at this point the MODPack is ready to be seen by MODManager.
to can force MODManager to search new MODS while running selecting "Search New MODS" from Preferences menu, or you can simply launch MODManager and wait: it'll find the new MODPack automatically.
Once you've installed the MODPack, MODManager will ask you some information about the MOD just installed (name, author, description etc.) the most important thing to note in this screen is the "Which section overrides?" Section, here you indicate to MODManager which is the game modified by the MOD (Original,Extended,Fantasy or SciFi).
Remember: Don't use sub\subdirectories; MODS\MODPack1 is accepted but MODS\MODPack1\MODPack2 is not accepted, so be careful while unzipping MODPacks!

EXAMPLE: INSTALL CIV2CLASSIC
-----------------------------
Let's see an example; with the MODManager pack you'll get the Civ2Classic MODPack in a separate zip file, imagine you've just downloaded it from the 'net and you want to install it.
Launch MODManager for the first time and fill forms until you access the main screen of MODManager, at this point look at the MODManager directory, you'll see that MODManager created a MODS directory, unzip Classic.zip to .\MODS\Classic directory, then say MODManager to search for a new MOD selecting "Search New MODS" from Preference menu, at this point you'll see the main screen with a new entry: Civ2 Classic.
The MODPack is installed! you can double-click on the name to access the launch screen, from this screen you can examine the title, the author and other things about the MOD (notice the text:OVERRIDES ORIGINAL, this means that changes will take effects on ToT Original directory), you can edit this informations but, most important you can start Tot.
Press Start Tot and , if all works ;) MODManager will launch Tot (if you have to wait don't worry, MODManager is copying MOD files to Tot Original directory), try to launch a new original game: you'll get the Civ2 Classic graphics!
At this point close Tot and close MODManager.
Restart ToT and try to start a new original game: you'll get the Standard ToT graphics!
Well, this is exactly the purpose of MODManager.

UNINSTALLING MODMANAGER
------------------------
To uninstall MODManager you should delete MODManager directory AND eliminate the MODMANAGER.INI file (it's into Windows main directory)
If you want to reinstall MODManager remember to eliminate the MODMANAGER.INI because otherwise the new installation won't work correctly.

BUGS
-----
A lot not discovered but only two little bugs discovered :)
-A strange end character (like '|') in Description EditBox from "Edit Info File" screen.
-MODManager is able to add new MODS while running but it can't eliminate them, you have to   stop MODManager before removing MODPacks.
-No more... till now... Please report any bug to scotto_a@hotmail.com

NOT YET IMPLEMENTED
--------------------
-Copy also Sound and spr files:this version of MODManager doesn't backup or copy sounds and spr files, in a future one this will be implemented.
-Preference "Section": it should indicate MODManager to let a MODPack installed instead of  removing it when closing ToT.
-Import Civ2 MODPacks: Using routines from civconverter in the future version MODManager  will be able to convert MODPacks from Civ2 to Tot versions.
-We'll see...

NOTE TO MOD CREATORS
---------------------
Make your MODPacks compatible with MODManager!
If you feel that MODManager is a good program you can add to your MODPacks a MODInfo.txt file which contains all information about MODPacks in the format of MODManager, there are two ways to create a MODInfo.txt file:

1)Using MODManager (highly recommended)

You have to install your MODPack on your MODManager and then to fill the "Edit Info file" screen, when you press Save Info a MODInfo.txt file is added to your MODPack.
Now you've only to zip directory containing the MODPack (zipping so also the MODInfo.txt)

2)Create it by hand (using a text editor):

you can see the MODInfo.txt file structure below

NOME=<Name of MOD>
SECTION=<number of game overrided by MOD>
DIRECTORY=<Standard Directory>
AUTHOR=<Name of author>
TYPE=<Description of type>
DESCRIPTION=
@BEGIN
<Description of MODPack>
@END

It's quite simple, <Standard directory> is the name of the directory in which your MOD should be installed, for example in Classic MODPack the directory in which it's unzipped is .\MODS\Classic so <Standard directory> is equal to Classic.
<number of game overrided by MOD> is one of the following:
0 (if the MOD changes Original files)
1 (if the MOD changes ExtendedOriginal files)
2 (if the MOD changes Fantasy files)
3 (if the MOD changes SciFi files)

DISCLAIMERS
------------
MODManager Copyright @ 2000 Angelo Scotto
 All Rights Reserved. 

THIS PACKAGE IS COPYRIGHT FREEWARE. NO RESPONSIBILITY IS TAKEN FOR ANY DAMAGE OR LOSSES CAUSED BY THIS PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM AND ASSOCIATED FILES ARE DISTRIBUTED AS IS. 

THIS PROGRAM MAY NOT BE SOLD, OR DISTRIBUTED FOR ANY COMMERCIAL PURPOSES, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN APPROVAL FROM THE AUTHOR. 

PROGRAM DETAILS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. 

All trademarks belong to their respective owners. 