This document is a tutorial of the use of Free Hero Mesh.
(NOTE: This tutorial is incomplete.)
=== Installation ===
1. Compile it (if it is not already compiled). See README file for details
about compilation. I will assume it called "heromesh" and is in the PATH.
2. Copy "default.heromeshrc" into a file in the home directory called
".heromeshrc" (if in portable mode, instead put it in the same directory
as the executable file and call it "current.heromeshrc".
3. (Optional) Customize the configuration file. (This document assumes
the default key/mouse bindings, but you may customize them if desired.)
This file is a plain text file and can be edited in any text editor; see
config.doc and bindings.doc for details about the configuration file.
4. Make up puzzle set (using the instructions below).
5. You can edit and test levels, classes, etc.
6. You can publish the composite puzzle set file if desired.
=== Making the puzzle set ===
1. Decide the base name of the puzzle set, which should not include a dot,
nor should spaces be included (underscores and hyphens are OK, if it does
not start with a hyphen). The names of the four files of this puzzle set
will then be that base name followed by ".xclass", ".class", ".level",
and ".solution".
2. Make the picture file and class definition file, in either order.
a. Write the class definition file in any text editor (e.g. vi or emacs).
See class.doc for details of this format, or see sokoban.class for a
simple example.
b. Make the pictures; use "heromesh -p" and then the base name of the
puzzle set. This brings up the picture editor.
3. Run "heromesh -n" and the base name, to create an empty level file and
empty solution file.
4. Run "heromesh -e" and the base name, to load the level editor, to make
up a level. You can then save by CTRL+S and test by CTRL+P to play this
level; if you solve it, push CTRL+S to record the solution. This only
saves the puzzles in the user cache database and not to the puzzle set
files (unless the .autoSave option is set).
5. (You can skip this step if the .autoSave option is set.) Run "heromesh
-f" and the base name, to write the changes to the puzzle set files.
6. (Optional) Once you have finished, you may wish to make a composite
puzzle set file. Use "har c" and then the names of the files that make up
the puzzle set and then ">" and the file name for the composite puzzle set,
to make up the composite puzzle set file. You can then use "heromesh -z"
and the full file name of the composite puzzle set, to load it. Note that
a composite puzzle set is read-only; to edit it, you must split them into
separate files again.
=== Picture editing ===
(TODO)
=== Class editing ===
(TODO)
=== Level editing ===
(TODO)