PyGCEditor

PyGCEditor is a desktop editor for EAWX Galactic Conquest campaign sets. It loads planets, factions, trade routes, campaigns, and starting forces from an Empire at War mod data folder and can export edited campaign XML.

Requirements

• Windows, Linux, or macOS
• Python 3.10 or newer
• A mod data directory containing the expected EAWX XML files

Installation

From the repository directory, create and activate a virtual environment:

python -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

On Linux or macOS:

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate

Install the dependencies:

python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install -r requirements.txt

Configuration

Edit config.xml before starting the editor. The main settings are:

• ModPath: base mod directory. The editor loads its Data subdirectory.
• Submod: optional entries in ascending priority order. Each entry can be a submod folder name relative to ModPath, or an absolute submod path. The editor loads each entry's Data subdirectory.
• MaximumFleetMovementDistance: distance used for automatic map connections.
• StartingForcesLibraryURL: path to the starting-forces CSV library.

The Options dialog can update these values while the editor is running.

Running

Start using the configured ModPath:

python main.py

Alternatively, provide a mod directory as the first argument:

python main.py "C:\Path\To\Mod"

A loading dialog displays the active paths, progress, and Python log messages. It closes automatically when loading finishes. Closing it during loading exits the application. After startup, the log can be reopened from Options > Show Loading Log.

Controls

File menu

• Save: save the selected campaign to a chosen XML file.
• Import Default Forces: import the configured starting-forces library into the selected campaign without saving.
• Import Default Forces and Save: import forces, then save the selected campaign to a chosen XML file.
• Import Default Forces and Save (All GCs): import forces into all loaded campaigns and save campaigns configured to use default forces to their original locations.
• Set Data Folder: load another mod data directory.
• Quit: close the editor.

Edit menu

• Undo or Ctrl+Z: undo the most recent edit. Up to 20 edits are retained.

Add menu

• Galactic Conquest...: create or edit campaign properties.
• Trade Route...: create a trade route by entering its name and endpoint planets.

Options menu

• Auto connection settings: set the automatic planet-connection distance and hide or show those connections.
• Configuration options: edit the mod path, submods, starting-forces CSV, automatic connection distance, and map appearance.
• Show Loading Log: reopen the loading and Python log dialog after startup.

Layout tab

• Select or deselect planets using the checklist.
• Use Select All Planets or Deselect All Planets.
• Filter planets with the search field.
• Select or deselect trade routes using the checklist.
• Use Select All Trade Routes or Deselect All Trade Routes.
• Right-click a planet in the checklist and choose Change position to edit its galactic coordinates.

Forces tab

• Select a planet from the combo box to inspect its starting forces and stats.
• Import Default Forces replaces the selected campaign's starting forces with the configured library.

Factions tab

• Select or deselect playable factions using the checklist.
• Review total planet and income counts by faction.

Map controls

• Left-click a planet to select or deselect it.
• Right-click an active planet, then right-click another active planet to select an existing route or start creating a new one.
• Middle-click and drag to pan the map.
• Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom around the cursor.
• Hover over any planet to see its information and possible connected routes.

The Matplotlib navigation toolbar also provides its standard view-history, pan, zoom, and save-figure controls. Home resets the map view.

Tests

Run the test suite with:

python -m pytest -q