Setting up a Profile
Desert Paint Lab uses "profiles" to store reaction data for users. This way, you can maintain reaction data for more than one player. (For example, you could easily build a profile for a friend, using screenshots.) Each profile is roughly equivalent to a user directory in Practical Paint. However, you do not need Practical Paint to use Desert Paint Lab. If you create a new profile, Desert Paint Lab will create a new directory, with a default ingredients.txt file and an empty reaction table.Once you have installed Desert Paint Lab, you should run it for the first time. org.malkyne.desert.paintlab.jar is a java executable file. This means that you can run it like any other executable program. On Windows, for example, simply double-click on it.
The first time you run Desert Paint Lab, you will be greeted by a special new user dialog box that asks you if you would like to create a new profile, or load an existing one.
If you have a Practical Paint user directory set up, with a partial reactions file in it, and if you have installed Desert Paint Lab in your Practical Paint directory, you can select your user folder from the existing profile list. Desert Paint Lab will automatically detect your existing reactions.txt and ingredients.txt files, and import the whole thing.
In most other cases, you will want to create a new profile.
If you create a new profile, you can still import reactions from an existing reactions.txt file. Go to File > Import... and select the reactions.txt file you would like to import. It will automatically merge it with any reactons currently associated with your profile, and save it to disk.
Desert Paint Lab will automatically load the last profile you used, on start up. The profile name should appear at the bottom of the window. If you would like to load a different profile, select File > Open Profile..., or if you would like to create a new profile, select File > New....
Entering New Reactions
To enter a new reaction, first select your ingredients from the drop down boxes on the left.
The leftmost of the two color swatches (Unmodified) should display the expected color from the ingredient blend.
If you have never captured this reaction before, the rightmost swatch (Reaction) should display "Unknown." Combine the two materials in your Pigment Laboratory in ATITD (or open up a screenshot of the same), and while the Pigment Laboratory dialog box is clearly visible on the screen, select the Capture button on Desert Paint Lab. This should fill up the second paint swatch with the color from the real reaction.
Inspect the new color, to make sure it looks correct. If you're satisfied with the results, hit the Record button. This will save the reaction in your reaction file.
Special Reactions
It is possible to use Desert Paint Lab to record catalyst-catalyst reactions, as well. For example, potash and sulfur are known to react with one another. To test these, you should first find a base (non-catalyst) ingredient which has an inert reaction with both catalysts (that is, the catalysts do not change the color of the base ingredient). Select that ingredient in the first drop-down box (Ingredient 1). Then, you can select your two catalysts in the second and third boxes. Capture and Record as usual.
Exporting For Practical Paint
Before you can export for Practical Paint, you should make sure that all of your reactions have back-reactions. That is, for example, if you have measured Copper and Cabbage Juice, you should also measure Cabbage Juice and Copper. Once you are ready, select File > Export.... If your Desert Paint Lab is installed in the same directory as Practical Paint, you should save your reactions file as reactions.txt and put it in the appropriate user directory. Otherwise, you will probably be mailing your reaction file to a friend, so you can call it anything you want and put it anywhere you want, as long as you can find it again.
If you are using Practical Paint, you should review your ingredients file, to make sure you like the costs and availability there, and then you are ready to run Practical Paint. Done!
