Beta AF Campaign Editor

F4Browse, CATE, Tacedit, Terrainview & TheaterMaker etc utility related

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Luk
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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Luk » 2011-08-04 19:40:46

I have no idea, what you need...but just wild thoughts - there would be a name of TGA image I guess...


BTW default teams are:
Team# Korea Name
1 US
2 ROK
3 Japan
4 Russia
5 PRC
6 DPRK

?

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by WlodekG » 2011-08-04 19:43:01

OK. But how would for other theaters? Is it always the same names in the file idx?
How will for other Falcon's (FF, OF, etc.) ?

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Luk » 2011-08-04 19:47:19

http://pmc.editing.wiki/doku.php?id=falcon4:mapflag

http://pmc.editing.wiki/doku.php?id=falcon4:ui

L

P.S. i have tried to mod the flags in the past. It is better to let the names untouched and just change/substitute the graphic files.
I reported my problems here:
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=22349
There is some undiscovered linkeage in AF and the tutorial is obsolete for allied force. I failed when new names used. You can extract the default names using Malc's utility (posted over the forum) or Perl scripts.

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by WlodekG » 2011-08-08 16:59:37

The new version of the editor is ready. I'm just waiting for uploaded to SnakeMan repository.

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Snake Man » 2011-08-09 00:49:26

File is available for download, since there is no version number that I could see, I named the rar to this date. When the next version is ready, just send it to me and I'll put it up.

Download CampEditPreBeta_08-09-11.rar - 726kb.
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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Snake Man » 2011-08-09 18:53:49

New version has been sent, thanks WlodekG.

Download CampEdit_ver_0_003_PreBeta.rar - 725kb.
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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by WlodekG » 2011-08-09 21:14:32

No one has any comments ? Luk - where are you ? :lol:

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Sherlock » 2011-08-10 02:31:29

WlodekG wrote:No one has any comments ? Luk - where are you ? :lol:
Relax... they're coming. :mrgreen:

Just busy at work and with "life". Weekend is catch up time.
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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Luk » 2011-08-10 12:35:27

No one has any comments ? Luk - where are you ?
I was just few kilometers nearby the Poland border in last few days. Doing the house for my client there. It's quite complex building, irresponsible workers, ruthless gravity, time pressure, stress...

I like zoom in/out for 128 segment Wlodek. It looks, you have used some kind of low-res, low-colour image in final. But it works fine. Thanks!
The flags are sweet BTW.

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by WlodekG » 2011-08-10 19:25:50

Houston we have a problem :?

Watching the big theaters editor such as Iran and Europe I noticed that most of the terrain objects (bridges, EWR etc) do not have assigned names. The exceptions are probably only cities and towns. Although I came up with a rather simple idea of automatically generate names for other objects, but I noticed a very disturbing phenomenon. The length of the file for strings such as Iran goes back to 43 KB gives approximately 2/3 of the maximum permissible length. After the automatic creation of missing names of the sum of the lengths of all strings certainly exceeds the limit of 64K.

Question: skip the automatic name generation algorithm?

On the other hand, if no object name (eg a bridge) that we bomb does not cause problems during the game (briefing, etc.) ?

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Luk » 2011-08-11 06:13:05

On the other hand, if no object name (eg a bridge) that we bomb does not cause problems during the game (briefing, etc.) ?
I think all the objectives without name (not pointing to the dedicated string in the wch file) are named "nowhere". This text string is located in another wch file, if I can remember correctly.

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by WlodekG » 2011-08-11 10:32:51

So if I understand I should not worry about the algorithm for automatic generation of names and leave this issue to the person editing the map?

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Luk » 2011-08-11 11:55:12

So if I understand I should not worry about the algorithm for automatic generation of names and leave this issue to the person editing the map?
I dont have an exact idea, what you wanted to do. So I can not say "just leave it". Perhaps you wanted to do something very interesting..?
I can just guess.
For default (Balkan,Korea) theater modder, the mentioned "nameing feature" is probably nonessential. This kind of modder will probably place just few new objectives. The core of his work are units/squadron placement i guess.
I am personaly modding EU theater and there are a lot of names (comeing from e00 data sources). The same for all work-in-progress PMC theaters. There is also a limit for number of names, TacEdit can handle. I reached the limit for names before Xmas for example. Now I have to use Monster's terraineditor to add text strings into the wch file, and choose the proper string lately in Tacedit. It would be very nice if you just implement "unlimited" manual nameing feature in your program. Perhaps there is a limit for name quantity inside Falcon as well, but the Tacedit limit is much lower.
In the experimental 256 seg theater I want to use rather most important objectives only, and focus on campaign playbility and unit interactions. I have no plans for any other scenario where to place many objectives automaticaly. But it is just my personal approach. Perhaps you want to program something really cool and easy to use. Perhaps it will lead many your friends to develop new theaters. I dont want to brake your passion.

Just few thoughts:
There is a paren/child hierarchy in the objectives network. The children inherit the name of their parent + objective type. For example If the parent is "Prag" and you place and link noname Airbase there, you should get "Prag airbase" in final (you can see "Prag radar station", "Prag SAM site" etc.). This is a theory, sometimes it does not work - you can see "nowhere" instead. So it is not very practical to make an unique name for each objective IMHO. You can link noname objective to the named parent objective and safe place in the wch file.

There is a limit for name quantity, Tacedit can use. We need new, modern and bugfree interface for nameing (even manual).

I hope, you can understand me. :)
Luk
Last edited by Luk on 2011-08-11 19:37:44, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by WlodekG » 2011-08-11 13:30:17

Thank you Luk for a comprehensive response - for you can really rely on :D

First, may be able to describe precisely where the limitations are in the names. There are two:

1. Number of names can not exceed the number of 65,535 names
2. The sum of all letters of the names can not exceed the number of 65535th

From point 2 shows that the length of a Xxxxxx.wch can never be longer than 64 KB.
As you can see the real limitation is the point 2, because even if each name consisted only of one letter, and so this restriction is stronger than the point 1.

The reason is probably 12 years old. Programmer at Microprose was so frugal that he based indexes in the file Xxxxx.idx on a 16-bit numbers instead of 32 bits. What's worse then none of this did not improve (even LeadPursuit). Had he used 32 bits consumed by an additional 128 KB of RAM on array to handle the internal strings, but in today's computers, it would not be any problem. If the indexes in Xxxxx.idx file have not been offsets to file Xxxxx.wch a string length is meant the idx file would be much more flexible (BTW, could then use even numbers, an 8-bit encoding length).

Unfortunately, I have a condition as it is and nothing you can do without changing the code in the game itself (which of course is impossible).

We are left with a very economical use of the sum of the lengths of all the names. Therefore, instead of names such as "Berlin Bridge" would be better to use reasonable abbreviation like "Berlin Bdg " or "Berlin Brg" and perhaps "BerlinBdg." Generating a names based on hierarchy of parent/child is so natural that as many as obvious. However, some basic names of towns are unnecessarily long, eg in Poland is a town named: "Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski." Every Polish, however seeing the abbreviation "Ostrowiec Sw" immediately associated with that place it, and we gain 11/23 nearly two times shorter name. ("Prag radar station" > "Prag Rdr")

They are often needed to map objects of type Junction, even just to build the network of road connections. These objects are often completely invisible (no graphical representation in the form of buildings, trees, etc.). It is obvious that for such objects the existence of the name is probably unnecessary. On the contrary, any object of type bridge is basically a potential target for bombing (a very important strategic object, more important than the factory). Leaving him with no name is probably not a good idea.

Support for strings already done but I had to insert a MessageBox with the text "String table is full" - I do not like such texts, but I have no other choice. :(

Unfortunately, however remains a problem open.

I greet – Wlodek.

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Sherlock » 2011-08-13 17:49:24

WlodekG wrote:Thank you Luk for a comprehensive response - for you can really rely on :D
....
Support for strings already done but I had to insert a MessageBox with the text "String table is full" - I do not like such texts, but I have no other choice. :(
Unfortunately, however remains a problem open.
I greet – Wlodek.
Wlodek,
It is unfortunate but you have to obviously work within the "confines" of what the AF executable will handle. Hopefully, someday, we will get an updated Falcon that can exploit the capabilities of modern PCs in all areas including memory management. Until then we wait! :(

I have taken a look at your latest editor version 0003 pre-beta. It is coming along very, very nicely. Thank you again for all your work on this. I know I appreciate it as well as other AF modders.

The old TacEdit has a capability to select an area on the map (with the mouse cursor defining a "box" area) and set the attributes on objectives for team, destroyed, etc. I was wondering if you might be able to do this in your editor?

I pressed the middle button on my mouse (button #3?) and generated this error:
Image

I had to press abort and close the editor to get out of the error.

Then Once I tried to restart the editor it would no longer start at all. I haven't figure out yet how to get it to start up again.

I will add additional comments here as I get into examining the editor in greater detail. Thank you again for your efforts!

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by WlodekG » 2011-08-14 14:13:46

Hi Sherlock.

I'm sorry that I did not answer a long time but I made myself two days leave and I did not have access to a computer.

I have over the selection rectangle, and probably will implement it fairly quickly. For now, the selection should work with the Shift (Add to selection list) but can not see properly sign the list of selected objects.

The error that you described is no support for the middle mouse button, and in principle it should not cause lasting problems (with the exception of a single CTD). Permanent CTD that occurs on your computer must be due to another reason.
At the moment (it is not yet a beta) you have to deal with manually. If only the editor does not start, and the Falcon itself works OK., Then simply have to do manually "uninstall editor". For this run the Regedit.exe, find the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Ebitech" and remove everything with a key Ebitech (don't worry - after restarting the program will build it automatically).

In the case of a problem with the game FalconAF find the file “X:\FALCON_40\TheaterBase.lst” and simply delete it (it will rebuild automatically after a reboot too).

If you still have problems using notepad open the file "X:\FALCON_40\theater.lst" and remove lines the theaters have been added by the editor.

If someone is interested I can do a brief description of that directories can be manually removed from the game to clean up after this Campaign Editor.

Am sorry for these inconveniences.

I'm going now to SimHQ, because I've got some arrears.

I greet – Wlodek.

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Sherlock » 2011-08-14 22:45:01

Hi WlodekG,
Thanks for answering my post above.

I can't figure out the area selection process you describe above. I've tried holding the shift key down and pressing the left mouse button to select an area but it just drags the map around. I also tried with the right mouse and the shift key. That just seems to pop up the "Map Options" menu. What I want to be able to do is select an area and set the owner to one of the existing countries. Are you saying that you have NOT implemented it into the editor yet for the 003 pre-beta version?

I did find the problem with the campaign editor not starting. It was the theater.lst file. It had the following entries in it:

terrdata\theaterdefinition\Korea.tdf
terrdata\theaterdefinition\Korea2005.tdf
terrdata\theaterdefinition\Korea2010.tdf
terrdata\theaterdefinition\Balkans.tdf
terrdata\theaterdefinition\Balkans2005.tdf
terrdata\theaterdefinition\Balkans2010.tdf
Theaters\Iran\Iran.tdf
Theaters\DesertStorm\DesertStorm1.tdf
Theaters\DesertStorm\DesertStorm2.tdf
Theaters\DesertStorm\DesertStorm3.tdf
Theaters\Skunkworks2\SW2Korea.tdf
Theaters\Skunkworks2\SW2Balkans.tdf

When I reduced it down to just the default 6 for Korea and Balkans then the editor started with no problems. I then went back to the original amount (above) and backed down one at a time. My number of allowed theaters turned out to be 10. I sometimes have a similar problem with AF and I have to remove theaters because it won't start with over a certain number of theaters installed but I've never been able to "nail down" that exact number because it seems to vary from one persons PC to another persons PC.

Also, I am running a Windows 7 64-bit (Intel i7-930) PC. The music plays really really fast on my system. Much faster than normal speed when in the AF GUI interface. Just FYI.
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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by WlodekG » 2011-08-14 23:08:18

Hi. As for the music that we have a problem. Gaming to use standard Windows features (virtually without parameters).
I do not have any parameter adjusting the speed of sound playback. In his spare time, read something about this feature in Microsoft's documentation - may have some way or may need a patch for Windows?

Current editor limits:
Max theaters < 16
Max Battlefields < 256 (number of tdf's)
In your example : NumTheater = 5, NumBattlefields=12

All quantities far below the limits ! :shock:

Maybe try to delete a file TheaterBase.lst - this file is generated by the editor and not required by FalconAF.

PS. The multiple (rectangle) selection is available in version 0004.

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Sherlock » 2011-08-15 22:59:18

WlodekG,
I saw at SIMHQ you said that version 0004 was ready. But I couldn't find a download link for it. Do you have one? Thanks.
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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by WlodekG » 2011-08-16 15:19:46

Sherlock - forgive me - just forgot to share :oops:

Under the agreement with Snake trying to send a new version to him, but still rejects the mail as spam.
So here I am giving a temporary link: http://www.mediafire.com/file/qrh7h2w09 ... reBeta.zip

New features:
1. Handling strings (object names)
2. Multiple object selection/edition

Fixed some bugs.

Note: Multiple selection - Press Ctrl + LMB and then a selection rectangle. Now you can edit some common features/value for all selected objects. Press the RMB over an empty area to deselect.


Snake - if you want to take this version and redistribute it as you wish. :D

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Re: Beta AF Campaign Editor

Post by Snake Man » 2011-08-16 17:44:25

Its now uploaded to our server too.

Download CampEdit_ver_0_004_PreBeta.rar - 727kb.
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