Introduction / my efforts

[isomage]

So you must be running your cgi script as a full exe not a perl/PHP thing then unless there is some nice interface to Ghostscript from a script.

I did it in Python, but the basic idea would be the same in PERL: open a pipe to the system's GhostScript converter and write your generated PostScript code to it like a file.

[Redrobes]

I did it in Python, but the basic idea would be the same in PERL: open a pipe to the system's GhostScript converter and write your generated PostScript code to it like a file.

Very good. I don't think I am able to do that tho. I use an external web space provider which gives certain access rights. I don't think I can run GhostScript on their server in the cgi-bin area. Still, if your able, then thats a really excellent thing to do.

I am gonna go and see if I can Perl up your python Elite code.

[ravells]

This is superb stuff. I love the way that the images produced by Iso's maps are perfect to be run on RobA's script.

Welcome to the Guild, Iso - the traveller maps really rock!

[RobA]

OK - I want to play too..

Here it is in php:

#!/usr/bin/php -q
<?php
  $elite = TRUE;

  if ($elite)
    $seed = array(0x5A4A, 0x0248, 0xB753);
  else
    $seed = array(rand(0, 0xffff), rand(0, 0xffff), rand(0, 0xffff));

  function tweakseed() {
    global $seed;
    $seed[] = ($seed[0] + $seed[1] + $seed[2]) % 0x10000;
    array_shift($seed);
  }

  function name()  {
    global $seed;
    $digraphs = "..lexegezacebisousesarmaindirea.eratenberalavetiedorquanteisrion";
    $longnameflag = $seed[0] & 0x40;
    $name = "";

    for ($n=0; $n<4; $n++) {
      $d = (($seed[2] >> 8) & 0x1f) << 1;
      tweakseed();

      if( $n < 3 || $longnameflag )
        $name = $name . substr($digraphs, $d, 2);
    }

    $name = ucwords(str_replace(".", "", $name))."\n";

    return $name;
  }

  if (isset($argv[1]))
    for ($n=0; $n<$argv[1]; $n++)
      echo name();
  else
      echo name();
?>

and the results with elite set as true:

Tibedied
Qube
Leleer
Biarge
Xequerin
Tiraor
Rabedira
Lave


-Rob A>

[The Good Doctor]

I take it you are looking for a name generator that will interface with your program? Or just a name generator?

[NeonKnight]

WOW!

Welcome to the Guild!

[RPMiller]

Great stuff!

[Sagenlicht]

I took isomage's code and did wrap a GUI around.

Enjoy.

I will make a binary for windows, so you easily can use it without having python and PyGTK installed.

#!/usr/bin/env python

# SNG (Star Name Generator) is based on the ELITE game
# Name Generator code written by isomage
# http://http://axiscity.hexamon.net/users/isomage/
# or http://cartographersguild.com

# GUI by Sagenlicht for easier use
# http://cartographersguild.com

# Version 0.5

# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
# (at your option) any later version.

# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
# GNU General Public License for more details.

# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

import pygtk
pygtk.require('2.0')
import gtk
import random


class SNG:
	def __init__(self, useRandom):
		if useRandom:
			self.seed = [random.randint(0, 0xffff), random.randint(0, 0xffff), random.randint(0, 0xffff)]
		else:
			self.seed = [0x5A4A, 0x0248, 0xB753]

	def tweakseed(self):
		temp = (self.seed[0] + self.seed[1] + self.seed[2]) % 0x10000
		self.seed[0] = self.seed[1]
		self.seed[1] = self.seed[2]
		self.seed[2] = temp

	def generate_name(self):
		self.digraphs = "..lexegezacebisousesarmaindirea.eratenberalavetiedorquanteisrion"
		longnameflag = self.seed[0] & 0x40
	
		name = ""

		for n in range(4):
			d = ((self.seed[2] >> 8) & 0x1f) << 1
	
			self.tweakseed()
	
			if n < 3 or longnameflag:
				name += self.digraphs[d:d+2]

		return name.replace(".", "").title()
		
	def generate_list(self, namesToGenerate):
		nameList = []
		for i in xrange(namesToGenerate):
			nameList.append(self.generate_name())
		return nameList
		
class GUI:
	def __init__(self):			
		self.window = gtk.Window(gtk.WINDOW_TOPLEVEL)
		self.window.connect( "destroy", self.destroy )
		self.window.set_title( "ELITE based Name Generator" )
		self.window.set_border_width(5)
		self.window.set_size_request(250, 400)
		self.window.show()
			
		self.mainBox = gtk.VBox()
		self.mainBox.set_border_width(5)
		self.mainBox.set_size_request(250, 400)
		self.window.add(self.mainBox)
		self.mainBox.show()
		
		self.generateFrame = gtk.Frame(label="Names to generate")
		self.mainBox.pack_start(self.generateFrame, False, False, 1)
		self.generateFrame.set_label_align(0.5, 0.5)
		self.generateFrame.show()
		
		self.comboList = gtk.combo_box_new_text()
		self.comboList.append_text ("5")
		self.comboList.append_text ("10")
		self.comboList.append_text ("25")
		self.comboList.append_text ("50")
		self.comboList.set_active (1)
		self.generateFrame.add(self.comboList)
		self.comboList.show()
		
		self.modeFrame = gtk.Frame(label="Choose Mode")
		self.mainBox.pack_start(self.modeFrame, False, False, 1)
		self.modeFrame.set_label_align(0.5, 0.5)
		self.modeFrame.show()
		
		self.modeBox = gtk.VBox()
		self.modeBox.set_border_width(5)
		self.modeBox.set_size_request(200, 60)
		self.modeFrame.add(self.modeBox)
		self.modeBox.show()
		
		self.randomButton = gtk.RadioButton(None, "Random Star Names")
		self.modeBox.pack_start(self.randomButton, False, False, 1)
		self.randomButton.show()
		self.randomButton.set_active(True)
		self.eliteButton = gtk.RadioButton(self.randomButton, "ELITE Game Names")
		self.modeBox.pack_start(self.eliteButton, False, False, 1)
		self.eliteButton.show()
		
		self.nameFrame = gtk.Frame(label="Generated Names")
		self.mainBox.pack_start(self.nameFrame, True, True, 1)
		self.nameFrame.set_label_align(0.5, 0.5)
		self.nameFrame.show()
		
		self.tmpBox = gtk.VBox()
		self.tmpBox.set_border_width(0)
		self.tmpBox.set_size_request(180, 200)
		self.nameFrame.add(self.tmpBox)
		self.tmpBox.show()
		
		scroll_box = gtk.ScrolledWindow()
		scroll_box.set_border_width(5)
		scroll_box.set_policy( gtk.POLICY_AUTOMATIC, gtk.POLICY_AUTOMATIC )
		self.tmpBox.pack_start( scroll_box, True, True, 0 )
		scroll_box.show()		
		
		self.namesBox = gtk.TextView(buffer=None)
		self.namesBoxBuffer = self.namesBox.get_buffer()
		self.namesBox.set_editable(False)
		self.namesBox.set_cursor_visible(False)
		self.namesBox.set_wrap_mode(gtk.WRAP_WORD)
		self.namesBox.set_justification(gtk.JUSTIFY_LEFT)
		self.namesBox.show()
		scroll_box.add_with_viewport(self.namesBox)		
		
		self.buttonBox = gtk.HButtonBox()
		self.buttonBox.set_layout(gtk.BUTTONBOX_END)
		self.buttonBox.set_spacing(5)
		self.buttonBox.set_border_width(1)
		self.buttonBox.set_size_request(250, 50)
		self.mainBox.pack_start(self.buttonBox, True, True, 1)
		self.buttonBox.show()	
		
		cancelButton = gtk.Button( stock=gtk.STOCK_CLOSE )
		cancelButton.connect_object( "clicked", gtk.Widget.destroy, self.window)
		self.buttonBox.add(cancelButton)
		cancelButton.show()
		
		okButton = gtk.Button(stock=gtk.STOCK_OK)
		okButton.connect("clicked", self.ok_clicked)
		self.buttonBox.add(okButton)
		okButton.show()
		
	def ok_clicked( self, widget, data = None):
		if self.randomButton.get_active():
			useRandom = True
		if self.eliteButton.get_active():
			useRandom = False
		generateNames = SNG(useRandom).generate_list(int(self.comboList.get_active_text()))
		tmpString = ""
		heightRequest = 0
		for name in generateNames:
			tmpString = (tmpString + "%s" % name + "\n")
			self.namesBoxBuffer.set_text(tmpString)
			heightRequest = heightRequest + 14
		self.namesBox.set_size_request(180, heightRequest)
		
	def destroy( self, widget, data=None ):
		gtk.main_quit()
	
	def gtkCall(self):
		gtk.main()
		
if __name__ == "__main__":
	callSNG = GUI()
	callSNG.gtkCall()

EDIT: Added a screenshot of the GUI. Dont get irritated by the german button, thats language depend so no worries

[isomage]

Cool. I've given the name generator its own page on my site too.

[Sagenlicht]

Hmm just did the windows binary but I cant upload it here, as it is 13 MB compressed as a zip or 7.5 MB as a 7z file.

Anyone knows a place where I can upload it?