FH Flathack Projects
Back to Home

Project Progress

FL Atlas Visual Editor

Active Development
43% Overall
3D Model Viewer50%
Main Code Refactoring70%
INI Editor40%
Help and Documentation5%
Polish and Stability50%

Current focus: refactoring the main codebase, expanding the 3D model viewer, and building out the INI editor and documentation.

User Documentation

FL Atlas Visual Editor

This page is the complete user documentation for FL Atlas. It covers all confirmed feature areas: welcome flow, mod manager, universe/system editor (2D/3D), flight mode, trade routes, name and infocard editor, INI editor, NPC/rumor/news editor, and global settings.

v0.7.0 Source Visual Modding Workflow DE/EN UI

Overview

FL Atlas combines several editor areas in one interface. The core rule is simple: define your edit context in Mod Manager first, then work in Universe, System, Trade, Name/Info, or INI.

Quickstart

  1. Start FL Atlas and set language and theme in the Welcome screen.
  2. Register an installation or mod in Mod Manager.
  3. Use Open for Editing to set the active editing context.
  4. Edit in Universe/System and save with Apply plus Write to file.
  5. Use Trade Routes, Name/Info, and INI Editor for deeper work.

Layout and Navigation

  • Left panel: context actions and side tools.
  • Center: tab host (Universe, Mod Manager, Trade, Name, INI).
  • Right panel: object and file details for the current view.
  • Menu: File, Edit, View, System Browser, Settings, Language, Help.
  • Status bar: active mod, operation status, and loading hints.

Welcome Screen

  • Select language (de/en) and apply immediately.
  • Switch theme instantly.
  • Enable or disable startup update checks.
  • Open Help and IDS toolchain installer.
  • Use Continue to Mod Manager for guided onboarding.

Mod Manager

  • Create profiles: New Mod (repository) and Add Direct (existing folder).
  • Manage profiles: delete, open folder, open savegames, refresh.
  • Set target installation and active edit context.
  • Enable OpenSP per profile and edit SP starter ship.
  • Activate/deactivate mods, run repair, review conflict/state indicators.
  • Launch FL with optional resolution, aspect ratio, and 32-bit color depth.
  • Control savegame backup policy per profile.

Global Settings

  • General: language, theme, auto-name language, updates, splash screen.
  • System Editor tab: external XML editor path.
  • Mod Manager tab: repo root, additional repos, FLMM path and detection.
  • Editors tab: external Savegame Editor with update/install actions.
  • BINI conversion: choose target path and run conversion from settings.
  • Linux: IDS toolchain path with help dialog.
  • DEV Status tab: maturity matrix and detail table.

Universe and System Browser

  • Universe map as central view of systems and links.
  • System selection via browser tree or direct map click.
  • Universe Entry editor for per-system universe data.
  • System infocard preview in the side panel.
  • New System action for creating additional systems.

System Editor 2D - full feature set

The System Editor has dedicated Create and Edit areas in menus and context actions. Typical flow: create object, adjust values, Apply, then Write to file.

Creation Tools

  • Create Object
  • Create Asteroid/Nebula
  • Create Zone
  • Create Patrol Zone
  • Create Jump Connection
  • Create Sun
  • Create Planet
  • Create Light Source
  • Create Wreck
  • Create Buoy
  • Create Weapon Platform
  • Create Depot
  • Create Trade Lane
  • Create Base
  • Attach Docking Ring

Editing Actions

  • Apply Changes
  • Edit Object
  • Delete Object
  • Edit Trade Lane
  • Edit Zone Population
  • Add Exclusion Zone
  • Edit Base

2D View Toggles

  • Toggle zones
  • Toggle viewer labels
  • Toggle label overlap avoidance
  • Object group filtering
  • System name mode
  • IDS name resolution
  • Fit view

3D View

  • Per-system 3D view when Qt3D is available.
  • 3D object selection linked to editor state.
  • Height and axis adjustments through 3D interaction.
  • Dedicated 3D preview for selected objects from the sidebar.

Flight Mode

  • Toggle via toolbar or view menu.
  • HUD dock with Free, Approach, and Dock modes.
  • Camera distance slider (0.5x to 8.0x ship lengths).
  • Live HUD with controls and status values.
  • Requirements: Qt3D, loaded system, selected object.

Trade Routes

  • Filters: commodity, minimum profit, same-system-only, free text search.
  • Apply action and result counter.
  • Tabular route list with sortable columns.
  • Dedicated preview canvas for route visualization.
  • Context menu and selection-based actions.

Trade Sidebar Actions

  • Create Route
  • Edit Selected Route
  • Delete Selected Route
  • Visualize Selected Route

Name Editor (ids_name)

  • Names/Info subnavigation with two dedicated work modes.
  • Live search, clear filters, reload, and conflict check.
  • IDS table with ID, text, DLL source, and editable flag.
  • Create and update entries directly from the page.
  • Usage table and missing-ID assignment workflow.
  • Jump action for navigation to usage locations.

Info Editor (ids_info / Infocards)

  • Dedicated search and reload for info entries.
  • Formatting controls: bold, italic, underline, alignment.
  • Color picker plus reset-to-default action.
  • Rich text editor and XML editor in split layout.
  • Validate XML, create, update, and jump actions.
  • Support notes and guidance area for editing and validation.

INI Editor

  • INI root display with current root path.
  • File tree with click activation and context menu.
  • Code editor with syntax highlighting and dirty tracking.
  • Section list for quick navigation in large files.
  • Explicit Reload Tree and Save actions.

NPC, Rumor, and News Editor

  • NPC editor with create/edit tabs and structured fields.
  • Guided line editors for mission, rumor, and rumor type2 entries.
  • Rumor editor with system/base scope, filters, and line operations.
  • News editor with rank range, icon/logo, IDs, and base assignment.
  • IDS text integration for writing and reusing user DLL text.

Safety and Write Behavior

  • Write to file is the central persistence action in system workflows.
  • Most editors only write after explicit save/update operations.
  • Status bar and internal changelog track key operations.
  • Editing is bound to an explicit active mod context.

Known Limits

  • 3D and flight workflows require Qt3D support.
  • Some actions require valid game/mod paths and writable targets.
  • IDS text workflows are best with a correctly configured toolchain.
  • Complex bulk INI refactoring remains an expert-level workflow.