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