Spyle's FFXI Parser: A GuideFollow

Today while maintenance was going on I decided to finally write up a guide on how to use Spyle's Parser. It is incomplete, but has much of the information required for the average user to figure out how to install, configure, and use the Parser.

More information will be added as I learn of it. Parsing can be very benefical if used correctly. With Parsings you can find out exactly how much dmg you are doing and can see if adding more Accuracy (just one example) is really benefical or not.

Please feel free to reply with any questions or send me a PM. If you have information that I have missed I would also appreciate if you'd let me know.

TazzyLynn has created a parser using Spyle's released source code and I have written a guide for it as well. I will no longer be updating this guide as Spyle's Parser no longer works (as of the Oct. 18th update) and is not being maintained by Spyle anymore.

-- Ikonic


Spyle's FFXI Parser: A Guide
(Based on Syple's FFXI Log Parser v6.7.1)

You can get Spyle's FFXI Log Parser from here:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~Spyle/FFXI/ffxi.html

Installation and Setup:

After installing the Parser you will need to restart your computer.

When you first open the Parser you will get the following notice. Depending on your answer the Parser will access the internet to see if there is a new update or not. Choose a preference.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/01checkforupdates.jpg

Each time you open the Parser you will get the following dialogue. It just has standard disclaimer. Click OK to open it or Cancel to exit.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/02openingwarningscreen.jpg

Once you have opened the Parser it will look like this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/03openedparser.jpg

The first step you will need to do to use the Parser is set up the log location. This will be where the Parser gets all of its information. Go to the Options menu and choose Set FFXI Log Location.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/04setffxiloglocationmenu.jpg

You will get a prompt telling you where the default log file location is. Click OK.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/05ffxiloglocationdialogue.jpg

The default location is C:\Program Files\PlayOnline\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\TEMP. Once at the equivalent location choose any of the log files (generally about 19 different ones) and click Open.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/06loglocation.jpg

We will next need to choose what we want reported. To do so go to the Options menu and choose Select Reporting Fields.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/07selectreportingfieldsmenu.jpg

By default only a few fields are selected (Melee, Spell, Skill, M. Hit %, and % of TTL DMG). You can select every field, but doing so will make the resulting exported table rather large. It is generally recommended to only choose those fields that you will directly influence (meaning if you are a melee you don't need to know how much mp a mage uses).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/08selectreportingfields.jpg

Following are the fields and what each one means:

Melee - total damage dealt from melee attacks
Ranged - total damage dealt from ranged attacks
Spell - total damage dealt from spells
Skill - total damage dealt from weapon skills (determined from weaponskills.txt)
Ability - total damage dealt from job abilities
Addt'l Effect - total damage dealt from additional effects
M. Hit % - percentage of melee attacks that actually hit the enemy
M. Hit/Miss - number of melee hits and misses
M. High/Low - High and Low hits of your melee attacks (excluding skills/abilities)
M. Average - average damage of each melee attack
R. Hit % - percentage of ranged attacks that actually hit the enemy
R. Hit/Miss - number of ranged hits and misses
R. High/Low - High and Low hits of your ranged attacks (excluding skills/abilities)
R. Average - average damage of each ranged attack
Sp. High/Low - High and Low hits of the spells that do damage
Sp. Average - average damage of the spells that do damage
Sp. MP Used - amount of MP used when casting the spells that do damage
Sk. High/Low - High and Low hits of your weapon skill attacks
Sk. Average - average damage of each weapon skill attack
Sk. Uses - number of times you did a weapon skill
Ab. High/Low - High and Low hits of the abilities that do damage
Ab. Average - average damage of the abilities that do damage
Critical Hit % - percentage of attacks that were critical hits
Critical Hits - total number of attacks that were critical hits
Avoid % - percentage of attacks you avoided
Take / Avoid - total number of attacks taken and avoided
Evades - number of attacks you evaded
Parries - number of attacks you parried
Blocks - number of attacks you blocked
Absorbs - number of attacks you absorbed
Avoids - number of attacks you avoided
Anticipates - number of attacks you anticipated
Counters - number of attacks you countered
DMG Taken - total amount of damage taken during that fight
HP Recovered - how much HP was recovered, by whatever means
HP Healed - how much HP that player healed another for
HP. MP Used - how much MP was used to heal HP
% of TTL DMG - that player's percentage of the total damage dealt

By default Read New Logs Only is not enabled. This means the Parser will read all logs instead of just the logs that were created when the Parser is running. If you do not wish it to work this way, check it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/09readnewlogsonlymenu.jpg

We are now ready to start parsing. There are several options for how you would like the data displayed or saved.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/10filemenu.jpg

Start Parsing - Reads the logs, calculates the data, and spits it out in the report.
Parse Gathered Log - After you have parsed data and saved it to a file using one of the gather methods you can use this to parse that log file.
Gather Logs to File - Instead of reading the log files and calculating the data immediately, it reads them and dumps them into a single file of your choice that you can parse later.
Gather Logs to Date - Instead of reading the log files and calculating the data immediately, it reads them and dumps them into a file named after the current date. Example: 10-10-2004.prs. It is important to note, that if you play over midnight, it will start a new file for the new date.
Parse/Gather Logs to File - This is a combination of parsing immediately and gathering. Useful if you always want to save the logs, but see immediate results at the same time.
Parse/Gather Logs to Date - This is a combination of parsing immediately and gathering. Useful if you always want to save the logs, but see immediate results at the same time.

If you are running the Parser on the same system that you run FFXI on you will need to start the Parser before starting the game.

Additional Parser Features

With the Parser it is possible to set sounds that correspond to specific key presses. For instance whenever you hit Ctrl+2 (if you have your Provoke macro set for it) you will hear a sound 30 seconds later (or however long before you want it) telling you that provoke is ready.

To set these up you will need to go to the Options menu and choose Setup Key Activated Timers.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/11setupkeyactivatedtimersmenu.jpg

You can have up to 10 different sound notices. It is possible to set each one for a different sound or to have the windows default sound play for them.

Type - Alt, Ctrl, or Shift. Whichever you want to use in combination with a key.
Key - Any letter or number.
Duration - How long before the sound plays.
Sound - Which sound it will play.
Description - Describe the key combination. (Example: Provoke)

Example:
Type: Ctrl
Key: 2
Duration: 00:00:30
Sound: 1
Description: Provoke
When you press Ctrl+2 in the game sound 1 will play 30 seconds later letting you know Provoke is ready.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/12keyactivatedtimers.jpg

You can also customize which sounds the Parser will play. To do so you can either click on the Sound link in the Key Activated Timers section or go to to Options menu and choose Select Timer Sounds.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/13selecttimersoundsmenu.jpg

The Parser will only play *.wav files. If you don't want to use *.wav files you can have it play a system beep instead. Click the "..." to browse for a *.wav. Click the ">" to listen to it.

If you do not specify a *.wav you will need to put a number as to how many times you would like the system beep to sound. Do note that if you want to specify your own sounds that you will need to uncheck "Just use system beep and let me specify the # of beeps instead.".

The “Rdy” option is the sound played when a mob dies.

Once you have set up the Key Activated Timers and Sounds you will need to Enable them. To do so go to the Options menu and choose Enable Key Activated Timers.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/14enablekeyactivatedtimersmenu.jpg

Additional Parser Tools (found under the Tools menu).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/15toolsmenu.jpg

Recalculate - Use with Edit (drop down box) to filter out players and/or mobs.
Export HTML - Generates an HTML page for you with all the details.
Export XML - Generates an XML file with all the details.
Export CSV (Crafting) - Generates a CSV file that you can copy into any spreadsheet or database.
Clear Data - Clears all currently parsed data.

Here's a sample report exported to HTML.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/23ExportedHTML.jpg

You can also view various party details using the View menu or the scroll box at the bottom left corner of the Parser.

The Report section shows details for each mob and each player.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/16Report.jpg

The Summary section (Averages) shows total basic details for each player as well as total experience, and number of experience chains.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/17Summary-Averages.jpg

The Summary section (Report Summary) shows total details for each player. This is what will be exported to the HTML and XML files.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/18Summary-ReportSummary.jpg

The Details section will give very specific information about dmg and healing per player per mob.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/19Details.jpg

With the Chat section you can see all chat and can be filtered by Say, Shout, Tell, Party, Linkshell, Emotes, and All. This is useful if you would like to copy a conversation that you have had.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/20Chat.jpg

The Loot section shows the total loot that the party has accumulated as well as a breakdown by player.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/21Loot.jpg

Using the Edit section (and then the Recalculate command) you can filter out results of specific mobs and/or players.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/icinoki/Parser%20How-To/22Edit.jpg

Additonal Notes:

Alt-Home
In the game, press ALT-HOME after you initiate text typing and it will paste the dmg results of the last fight. This only works if the Parser is running on the same machine as the game.

Parser Commands
You can interact with the Parser in game using the /echo command. The program has help for this built in. (Help menu, Parser Commands)

FFXI only creates a log file after 50 lines of text have passed through your chat window, because of this, there will always be a delay. The more filters you have on the less text and more delay before new information becomes available. From the Parser's point of view the less filters you have turned on the better.

The Parser can ONLY read what YOU can read! For example if you have other misses off, it won't see them and therefore cannot calculate them into the results.

The Parser is very dependent on the filters that you have set up. I plan to eventually also write a guide about filter, but that may have to wait until another update.

Edited, Nov 16th 2006 at 2:34pm PST by Icinoki

thank you big time, been waiting for something like this, that program really does seem complicated for someone who has never used it before, and the step by step pics help biiiiiig time

d(^-^)b

{Thank you}

How do I use the /echo commands ingame. I know you type
/echo parser

however I'm confused whether to type

/echo parser "exp start"

or
/echo parser exp start



Thanks ~

You are correct. You can just fill the logs with drivel to get past the 50 lines. Generally I just leave the parser running a bit until I think 50 lines has passed and then stop it.



You'd type:
/echo parser exp start
/clock

You must follow any /echo command with /clock for the parser to correctly read and use them.



As long as you haven't changed the default values you can do a search for something like "SquareEnix" to find the path. Otherwise you can always reinstall it, but it's pretty simple to find the path.

Nice

One thing I would like to add, you can have player level and job information appear on your HTML data if you tell it to the parser, otherwise all that will appear is a name.

Example:

/echo parser player Trey thf nin 69

will tell the parser that I am a lvl 69 THF/NIN, and this will appear on your HTML. You can do this for every player in your party and it will appear for them as well.

Edit: I don't agree with the 50 lines of text before the parser reads it. There is some lag, but I don't think it is a function of the number of lines. Example: Last night after parsing my xp session, I hit /echo parser stop exp, /clock. My xp stop time was correctly displayed on my parser in no more than a couple of minutes, and there were maybe just a few lines of text after that final command.

Edited, Tue Nov 8 12:57:38 2005 by FraggleTrey

It should always state "Errors: False - Waiting for new log...", this means that it is set up and ready to run.

How many fights did you parse? When did you start the parsing? The parser takes time to read the files. If not enough lines have been written it will not have all the data to properly report. Try starting the parser and killing a few mobs before reading the results. The first mob or 2 may not be completely accurate. On the same note the last mob you kill may not show up since the parser needs 50 lines to pass before it can read the file.

I ran my parser for about 3 hours straight... Errors:False Waiting for text. the entire time... not one thing was parsed.. no /say, no /shout, no nothing... it seems like my logs on FFXI.logs never refreshes... what do I do to fix that?
my 0-19 still have information on them from 2-3 days ago. Worked perfectly fine until yesterday.. now I can't parse anything >.< It's frustrating.

oh, I have a little problem. I can't get it to parse my xp/hr. When I get on, and I get a pt, I hit a macro that is as follows:

/echo start exp
/clock on

(note, I use clock on cause I like to fish, and can't standing not knowing the time or day)
and when we break, I use the a different macro, basically the same but with /echo start exp replaced with /echo stop exp.

Is there something wrong? Can I not zone when I start exp, cause I will often hit it when I am still in Jeuno before I head out.

You left out parser in your commands. Try using:

/echo parser start exp
/clock on

As taken from the Help, Parser Commands menu:




Edited, Sun Dec 4 23:38:37 2005 by Icinoki

As long as the 2 computers are networked you don't need any specific cables otherwise.

To set it up to parse on one computer and show on another have the directory that the parsing files are saved in (generally C:\Program Files\PlayOnline\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\TEMP) shared so that you can access it from the computer that is running the parser.

For example:

I have my FFXI computer (Ikonic) with a share for C:\Program Files\PlayOnline\SquareEnix\ assigned to drive S:.

Then on my Parsing computer (Phil) I have the FFXI Log Location set to S:\FINAL FANTASY XI\TEMP\ and it works just fine.

You should only need read access for the directory and you probably could just share the TEMP directory and have it work fine.

Do I have to specifically assign the "Temp" file to a new drive (ie: S in your example")? Or can I just move the FFxi Temp file into the "My network area" where the other computer can see it?

When/IF I get this set up correctly do I still use the "/echo" commands on the system playing the game to start the parser?

Thanks again.

Edited, Sun Dec 18 20:03:34 2005 by Trantzzz