Even it's some years later... But there are still plenty of players like me, who like to explore and test some new scripts or older ones anew...
I always wonderd why some sector are even smaller then a middle sized city. While we have ships with hundreds of meters crossing Argon Prime in a minute - sensless... The Aldrin sector is still the only one that makes sense, big - as space should be.
Now, I tested this script (knowing the orgiginal ones from Striker304 as well) now with X3 AP XRM LoCO (Lost colony Expansion).
As mention earlier its only working with TC. Now here's the workaround that should work for ALL Mods/Scripts and even LU!
First install it into the game you'll play - meaning TC or AP or EMC4AP or LU.
Move the Canvas.exe into the MAIN TC folder! That's there where the X3*.exe's are.
Now get hold to the Maps XML files. You must extract them from the cat/dat files.
So, for my setup I have 3 - x3_universe.xml, LoCo_map.xml & AlEx_map.xml from Lost Colony Exp.
Copy those map files INTO the map folder in your TC root directory. (Maybe you'll need to create the folder.)
See that in the <tc root>\director AND <TC root>\addon\director (for AP) folders contains NO 'Change_sector_canvas.xml' files.
Then use the InGame Script start (through the PlugIn manager as described on page one here).
So, for AP Player start AP, EMAC4AP start AP, ...
Let the scripts do their work and then let it write the log03613.txt file.
Do a save.
Now comes the tricky part. Let the game run; Minimize the Game into Background.
Run the canvas.exe as described. Select the x3_universe.xml file first. After its done, you'll see a 'Change_sector_canvas.xml' file now inside the <TC root>\director folder. This file contains the new sector sizes. Move it (!) to a separate folder elsewhere (eg. temp).
Now close the canvas.exe AND start it new! Delete the first used x3_universe.xml file. Rename the next map file to process as x3_universe.xml. Eg. in my case LoCo_map.xml.
Repeat the canvas.exe procedure again. Also, move it to the temp folder, but give it another name eg 'Change_sector_canvas_LoCo_map.xml
So do it with the third and maybe other map files.
When you have all maps processed, close the canvas.exe.
Now go to your Change_sector_canvas.xml files. Open the first one. Parallel open another beside. As you see, there are lines eg. '<alter_sector x="17" y="5" size="120km" />'
Those lines will change the sector canvas. So, to do it for your modded/chanceg X3 (AP/XRM/LU/EMAC4AP), combine all these lines into ONE 'Change_sector_canvas.xml' file.
Copy this new 'Change_sector_canvas.xml' file into the director folder of the game installation you'll play, eg. <tc root>\director if playing TC. <tc root>\addon\director if playing AP, or EMAC4AP etc. ...
Get back to the minimized X3 and reload ypur game. Now the 'Change_sector_canvas.xml' file will be run through te X3 director, and should change the canvas sizes of your sectors. If you'll still have some sectors wihtouth the correct canvas, you missed a map file. In this case, you'll have to dig into the mod's cat/dat structure to locate them. Extract them and proceed as described above.
With this trick you'll able now to resize the complete universe AND the sector canvases in your game!
Some advice regarding bigger sectors.
I am using 300% for resize - so - Space IS NOW REAL BIG!
Well, they are an tactical nightmare. So, to say, stations are now all over the sector. Also, when starting a new game, its hard to find all stations. Same goes for ships (the free ones, or mission ones).
You shoud combine stations/complexes in some area. Use Jumpbeacons (now they make real sense).
Same for mines/asteroids/gates - well there's always a tractor beam, whitch can be usefull...
Use patrol POINTS not the whole sector! Most patrol scripts allow to set points and ranges (eg SRD). Jump INSIDE a sector - set jumpdistance to zero.
Mines and Minefileds are your friends.
Speed is your friend...
Have passion while playing - traders now need more travel time. - Uni Traders are now loooog way's away.... - use faster ships or other scripts (eg. Lucike's trade scrips in combination with navigators.)
Sat's are your friends - and you'll need a lot of them.
I summary, it lead to a whole new playing style - more tactical and stratecic planning is needed. No fast-and-fury playing, fleets and convois makes sense, also guard ships for trades, ...and so on...
Could you please start a new game, jump to home of light and perform a few changes? And maybe check the coordinates with the list above?
Very well
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