How to use Trade Dangerous and TD Helper GUI
Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 12:51 pm
Trade Dangerous is a Python based script that uses Crowd sourced data on Stations, Prices, Navigation data, Ships and calculates trade routes based on specific requirements that you set.
Most traders that use Trading tools are used to updating their favourite tool with EliteOCR and importing the data files. If you have used EliteOCR or simular tool, you know that there is an option to send your data to EDDN - Elite Dangerous Data Network. Trade Dangerous leverages that data that is gathered by thousands of people. This data is correlated by Maddavo at http://www.davek.com.au/td and as I write this, it contains 41,402 stations in 19,011 systems, 14,297 Commodities Markets in 9,190 Systems, and 765,382 prices.
Trade Dangerous uses this information to plot and plan routes. It does this by looking at not only the prices, but where you are, how far you can go loaded or empty, and how many systems you have to jump to get there.
The problem with Trade Dangerous is, it is all command line Based. But there is a Windows Based GUI that can help you tame the power of Trade Dangerous.
I am using it with TDHelper GUI front end. This is how I am going to explain how to use it, so if You don not want the gui then you have to learn Trade Dangerous from the Download site and the Frontier Discussion.
Discussion thread about Trade Dangerous: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=34986
Discussion thread about TD Helper GUI for Trade Dangerous: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=115936
Requirements:
1. The scripts require Python 3.4.2 or higher installed. Python is available in Windows, Linux, & Mac OSX versions Here.
2. Trade Dangerous is an Open Source project on BitBucket and is available Here. The Wiki link provides instructions on how to use, how to install, and all sorts of other stuff that you don't really need to get into unless you are a saddist
3. TD Helper GUI front end for Trade Dangerous available Here. In the Wiki Section there you will find a FAQ and the Download section provides Zip files of the Windows Program. NOTE: To use TD Helper, you will need .NET Framework 4.5 and there is a link in the FAQ to the download if you don't already have it.
Installation:
1. Install Python 3.4.2 or higher, X64 if you are running 64Bit windows. When asked, Install for all users. UPDATE: Something I forgot to put in here, when you get to the Customize Python screen, select All Features as in the Image Below:
2. Download and unzip the Trade Dangerous Script into a directory that you want to use it from.
3. Install .NET Framework 4.5 if you don't have it.
4. Unzip the TD Helper app in a directory that you want to use it from. This does not have to be the same directory as you used for Trade Dangerous, and it is recommended that you put it in a separate directory.
Testing Setup:
NOTE: I suggest you reboot at this point to ensure that the Python installation is completed before testing as shown below.
1. Open a Command Prompt and type the following command and you should get the response as shown:
If you get an error message about command not found, you have not installed Python for All Users. Re-Run the setup and select All Users. Then reboot.
If that works then we change to the directory where you unzipped the Trade Dangerous scripts and test it as follows:
If you get an error message, make sure that you are in the right directory and have unzipped all the files with the folders and not all into one directory. If your unsure, delete the directory and unzip again with Full Paths.
Good, now we are installed properly and ready to use. Lets move on to the next part.
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Most traders that use Trading tools are used to updating their favourite tool with EliteOCR and importing the data files. If you have used EliteOCR or simular tool, you know that there is an option to send your data to EDDN - Elite Dangerous Data Network. Trade Dangerous leverages that data that is gathered by thousands of people. This data is correlated by Maddavo at http://www.davek.com.au/td and as I write this, it contains 41,402 stations in 19,011 systems, 14,297 Commodities Markets in 9,190 Systems, and 765,382 prices.
Trade Dangerous uses this information to plot and plan routes. It does this by looking at not only the prices, but where you are, how far you can go loaded or empty, and how many systems you have to jump to get there.
The problem with Trade Dangerous is, it is all command line Based. But there is a Windows Based GUI that can help you tame the power of Trade Dangerous.
I am using it with TDHelper GUI front end. This is how I am going to explain how to use it, so if You don not want the gui then you have to learn Trade Dangerous from the Download site and the Frontier Discussion.
Discussion thread about Trade Dangerous: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=34986
Discussion thread about TD Helper GUI for Trade Dangerous: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=115936
Requirements:
1. The scripts require Python 3.4.2 or higher installed. Python is available in Windows, Linux, & Mac OSX versions Here.
2. Trade Dangerous is an Open Source project on BitBucket and is available Here. The Wiki link provides instructions on how to use, how to install, and all sorts of other stuff that you don't really need to get into unless you are a saddist
3. TD Helper GUI front end for Trade Dangerous available Here. In the Wiki Section there you will find a FAQ and the Download section provides Zip files of the Windows Program. NOTE: To use TD Helper, you will need .NET Framework 4.5 and there is a link in the FAQ to the download if you don't already have it.
Installation:
1. Install Python 3.4.2 or higher, X64 if you are running 64Bit windows. When asked, Install for all users. UPDATE: Something I forgot to put in here, when you get to the Customize Python screen, select All Features as in the Image Below:
2. Download and unzip the Trade Dangerous Script into a directory that you want to use it from.
3. Install .NET Framework 4.5 if you don't have it.
4. Unzip the TD Helper app in a directory that you want to use it from. This does not have to be the same directory as you used for Trade Dangerous, and it is recommended that you put it in a separate directory.
Testing Setup:
NOTE: I suggest you reboot at this point to ensure that the Python installation is completed before testing as shown below.
1. Open a Command Prompt and type the following command and you should get the response as shown:
Code: Select all
C:\>python --version
Python 3.4.2
C:\>
If you get an error message about command not found, you have not installed Python for All Users. Re-Run the setup and select All Users. Then reboot.
If that works then we change to the directory where you unzipped the Trade Dangerous scripts and test it as follows:
Code: Select all
C:\> cd\trade
C:\trade> trade.py
trade.py: TradeDangerous provides a set of trade database facilities for Elite:Dangerous.
Usage: trade.py <command>
C:\trade>
If you get an error message, make sure that you are in the right directory and have unzipped all the files with the folders and not all into one directory. If your unsure, delete the directory and unzip again with Full Paths.
Good, now we are installed properly and ready to use. Lets move on to the next part.
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