Any suggestions for creating a good codex?

Question

Ive been making a calculator that will take certain armies from warhammer 40k and let the user build an army. Currently i have been trying to use a text file for each army such as this.
Eldar                        CostMinMax
     Addons
          Warlock             25  3  10 ~ Conceal 15 Destructor 10 Embolden 5 Enhance 15 | # Spiritseer 6 Singing_Spear 3 Jetbike 20 |
          Dire_Avenger_Exarch 12  1  1  ~ Two_Shuriken_Catapults 5 Diresword_and_Shuriken_Pistol 10 Power_Weapon_and_Shimmershield 15 | # Defend 15 Bladestorm 15 |
          Warlock_Jetbike     45  1  1  ~ Conceal 15 Destructor 10 Embolden 5 Enhance 15 | # Spiritseer 6 Singing_Spear 3 |
     Troops
          Guardians          8   10 20 ~ Bright_Lance 30 Missile_Launcher 20 Scatter_Laser 15 Shuriken_Cannon 5 ~ Starcannon 25 | # Warlock 25 |
          Dire_Avengers          12  5  10 # Dire_Avenger_Exarch 12 |
          Rangers               19  5  10 | //Pathfinders 5 per model
          Storm_Guardians         8   10 20 ~ 1_Flamer,_1_Fusion_Gun 12 2_Flamers 12 1_Flamer 6 2_Fusion_Gun 12 1_Fusion_Gun 6 | # Warlock 25 | //0 - 2 Flamers and/or Fusion Guns
          Guardian_Jetbike    22  3  12 # Warlock_Jetbike 45 |// 0 to 1/3 of the Jetbikes can have shuriken cannons
     HQ
          Autarch              70  1  1  ~ Swooping_Hawk_Wings 20 Warp_Jump_Generator 25 Eldar_Jetbike 30 | ~ Banshee_Mask 3 MandiBlasters 10 | ~ Power_Weapon 10 Scorpion_Chainsword 5 Laser_Lance 20 | ~ Avenger_Shuriken_Catapult 2 Death_Spinner 5 Fusion_Gun 10 Lasblaster 1 Reaper_Launcher 25 |
          Farseer              55  1  1  |
     Fast_Attack
          Swooping_Hawks          21  5  10 |
          Shining_Spears         35  3  5  |
          Warp_Spiders        22  5  10 |
          Vypers              45  1  3  |
     Heavy_Support
          Dark_Reapers        35  3  5  |
          War_Walkers         30  1  3  |
          Fire_Prism         115 1  1  |
          Wave_Serpent         90  1  1  |
          Support_Weapons         90  1  3  |
          Wraithlord         90  1  1  |
          Falcon              115 1  1  |
     Elites
          Striking_Scorpions  16  5  10 |
          Fire_Dragons         16  5  10 |
          Howling_Banshees    16  5  10 |
          Wraithguard         16  3  10 # Warlock 25 |
          Harlequin           16  5  10 |
{code}In my program I take this txt file and use a scanner to create sorted map, sets and other things that i use to create radio buttons and check boxes for the different options/addons for a squad. Such as:
[http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad200/ShottySnipez/EldarOptions.jpg?t=1277930302]
In the text file the ~ ... | creates a radio button group and a #....| creates a checkbox group which all works fine. The problem I am having is with the more complicated options/addons such as having a choice between 0-n number of object 1 and/or object 2, having 0-4 powers out of a 7 checkbox power group, or having 0-n special units added to the squad that all are the same but all can have different powers/addons.
My question is, is there a better way to stroe this codex information instead of the textfile or any other way i should go about doing this to make it work. Any advice would be awesome thank you.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Answer 1

Celletti wrote:
In the text file the ~ ... | creates a radio button group and a #....| creates a checkbox group which all works fine. The problem I am having is with the more complicated options/addons such as having a choice between 0-n number of object 1 and/or object 2, having 0-4 powers out of a 7 checkbox power group, or having 0-n special units added to the squad that all are the same but all can have different powers/addons. I suspect you need to write a data model for the information you want to capture. Seems like you've made a pretty good start with your various types and capabilities, now you just need to extend that to your more esoteric stuff.
I'd also try to think about it a bit more generally, rather than applying it to a specific Swing component. For example:
A Radio button is a "one of many" choice (ie, a "Selector"), whereas a Checkbox is a "0 or many of many" (possibly with limits). If you think about it this way, you leave the decision of how to represent them until later on, which is usually good practise.
If you create a good model, you'll also be better prepared if you later decide to store these things in a database.
Winston