COMPLICATED/long question: need card image titles and plugin help!

[takeshertime]

1. General plugin question, image files:
How are there more cards per set (with images) in the deck editor/plugin then there are images in the plugin file (from that set)?
Are they just uploaded to a server somewhere? Because looking at the plugin file, using Magic as an example, it just has the card title
as the image name. Which makes sense if each is unique and the plugin is directed to find the images at the
site location. But then why even include image files in the plugin (with files that have numbers for their name)?
What is the purpose of the numbered image files?

2. Naruto plugin question, duplicity:
I'm considering updating/possibly maintaining the Naruto plugin. I don't have any experience with plugin making, so I don't want to mess it up, but I've hit a snag or two.

There are numerous cards in the Naruto CCG that have the same name.

For example, there are about 67 "Naruto Uzumaki" ninja cards in the ccg, if I counted correctly. I figured that if the named cards were in different sets that the deck builder would read it fine. I also thought that even if there were multiple cards with the same name in the same set (the above images are all from "set 1") then Lackey would just realize they all have different image titles and pull different images... But herein lays my problem. If I add a "Naruto Uzumaki" card to my deck, I can add one or infinity of one type of card. But if I try to add two different types of cards, it just adds more cards to the card I first added. I mean that it only increases the count of the first card I added and not an entirely new card.
]
I thought I had figured out the issue if I simply include the subtext for each ninja card in the title... But not all ninja cards have this however (primary example, the Naruto card on the left).

There are, for another example, two (+more) Jutsu type cards named "Byakugan".

They don't have any subtext or identifying characteristics beside the image names (j042 and j108), cost, and effect text. The person who made the plugin before me added in the image names (j042 and j108) with the title of each card that had a duplicate. So it would look like "Byakugan J042" for the title. I don't like that.

What are you guys' opinions on that?

Thus, my question is: is there any other way to differentiate between the cards and just put the subtext information in another column in the plugin file (in excel)? Especially since not all ninja/jutsu etc. cards have subtext to differentiate them?

I think that the way Magic has it set up would work, even though there are sometimes 20+ copies of a card in Naruto ccg. You can just figure it out from the image and text information, right? But how do I set that up?

*For the record, the creator of the plugin didn't get to the J108 card so this is a hypothetical example

[mathman1550]

The way LackeyCCG is set up right now it does not completely support two images for the same name card. Trevor has ststed before that in a future version of LackeyCCG he is planning on implementing support for it, but for right now each unique card image needs a unique card name. If you do not set it up this way, LackeyCCG will still let you use each image, but there will be bugs when you play against another person; for example you are using Naruto Uzumaki card #3 and they see Naruto Uzumaki card #1.

[takeshertime]

Aw, really? Alright that's fine. It was basically an aesthetic issue. I guess I'll just include the card number with the title so that each card's name is unique.

I'm still curious about why the image files in the plugins aren't the images the plugin calls upon for it's card images... Hmm, it still works if you put them all in the file right? Or is that "taboo" or something?

[mathman1550]

I'm still curious about why the image files in the plugins aren't the images the plugin calls upon for it's card images... Hmm, it still works if you put them all in the file right? Or is that "taboo" or something?

I'm really not sure what you are saying here. Could you please use complete sentences and tell exactly which plugin and which files you are talking about?

[takeshertime]

I've noticed this in most of the plugins I've looked at, but I'll use Magic as an example.

In LackeyCCG for set 2010 there are 234 cards available in the deck editor. All of them function correctly.

When I look in the plugin itself, however, in LackeyCCG\plugins\magic\sets\setimages\2010 there are only 33 cards.

The rest of the 2010 set are not in the "general" image folder, either.

Basically I'm confused as to what this means for a plugin creator. I thought that when a user downloads a plugin or downloads an update for a plugin, that means that all of the images downloaded from a host/server to your plugin file. What it seems to appear as, however, is that the host/server is where Lackey calls the images from. This would mean I would have to host the images and watch my monthly bandwidth limit, right? Because I don't see where the images are downloaded to in this plugin. Is that a correct assumption?

And is this simply a preference of the creator of the Magic plugin, or universal for what all plugin creators are supposed to do?

I just want to know what my options are, because for me I prefer having all of the images in the plugin itself. So when you download the Naruto plugin/update, the cards get downloaded to your computer and there isn't a constant toll on my bandwidth.

[mathman1550]

You only have 33 cards in the 2010 folder because you have only looked at those 33 cards of all the 2010 cards. When you first look at a card in LackeyCCG it will automatically download that card and save it in the plugin. So each card only has to download once and if you never use a card it never has to download. This way is preferable because some plugins are way too large to download as one file. There have been some people out there who have put the entire contents of their plugin in one zip file, but Lackey's AutoUpdate  and Pluginfinder do not support this format and people will have to find the plugin and install it by hand.

[takeshertime]

I get what you're saying. I finally understand now, thank you so much!

Sorry for my convoluted questions...