Update v4.1.0.40

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
Did you change the folder it was directed to?

Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't, but either way no file was saved, or if one was I couldn't find it...

[Shadrach]

ORIGINAL: 76mm
Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't, but either way no file was saved, or if one was I couldn't find it...

Here's a tip to try if you can't find the file: In the Open dialog, type an asterisk '*' where the filename is. This will make it show ALL files in the directory. Maybe the file was saved with another extension and by default it just looks for *.unt files.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Shadrach
Here's a tip to try if you can't find the file: In the Open dialog, type an asterisk '*' where the filename is. This will make it show ALL files in the directory. Maybe the file was saved with another extension and by default it just looks for *.unt files.

Thanks, but I actually went looking in File Explorer, where I think it should have shown up whatever its extension?

[BigDuke66]

@Mark43 & Shadrach
Had the same problem with documents & background pics but I started a game and opened the scenario briefing from within the game and there I had access to documents & the background pic was also loaded, afterwards it also worked when I wanted to start a new game.

Seems to me this is a one time hiccup, maybe tied to the fixes in this patch or some paths get reset or whatever.
For now I see no problem that any folders get ignored, the folders in the game directory get used an the folders under the user path get used.

[Shadrach]

ORIGINAL: BigDuke66
@Mark43 & Shadrach
Had the same problem with documents & background pics but I started a game and opened the scenario briefing from within the game and there I had access to documents & the background pic was also loaded, afterwards it also worked when I wanted to start a new game.

Yes, I saw you wrote that earlier. For me it doesn't work, even after starting a game.

Maybe a Windows 10 thing again. Or Steam, but I can't figure out how having Steam installed (but not running) would in any way have an effect.

I patched directly from .21 to .40. Maybe if I did a complete uninstall, but not sure I'd bother with that for such a minor issue. The BMP has no practical effect, and the document I can just open manually...

I tested with the scenario "2ND Battle of Kharkov 1942" which has the following files:
2ND Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
2ND Battle of Kharkov 1942.doc
2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.SCE

These are located in the game install directory:
f:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\

In-game it looks like this:

[jmlima]

ORIGINAL: Shadrach

ORIGINAL: 76mm
Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't, but either way no file was saved, or if one was I couldn't find it...

Here's a tip to try if you can't find the file: In the Open dialog, type an asterisk '*' where the filename is. This will make it show ALL files in the directory. Maybe the file was saved with another extension and by default it just looks for *.unt files.

If he has the same issue I have, there is no file to find since the file is not saved.

[Shadrach]

OK, so I decided to do a full uninstall and reinstall using first the full v4.1.0.20 then the patch to v4.1.0.40. Now it works as expected. I have no idea why, but apparently patching an already installed v4.1.0.21 to .40 is likely to cause the issue I was seeing.

[Hellen_slith]

ORIGINAL: Shadrach

OK, so I decided to do a full uninstall and reinstall using first the full v4.1.0.20 then the patch to v4.1.0.40. Now it works as expected. I have no idea why, but apparently patching an already installed v4.1.0.21 to .40 is likely to cause the issue I was seeing.

Interesting. If you wouldn't mind, would you post a challenge for me on the Slitherine server? Use your favorite password

I want to see how that works now, what with you on the new patch and me still on the old patch.

Just a few moves or so, if you will ... in Normandy/Rommel? I am curious about how that will work w/ our two different versions. Esp. if you start as Allies.

Thanks!

[BigDuke66]

ORIGINAL: Shadrach

OK, so I decided to do a full uninstall and reinstall using first the full v4.1.0.20 then the patch to v4.1.0.40. Now it works as expected. I have no idea why, but apparently patching an already installed v4.1.0.21 to .40 is likely to cause the issue I was seeing.

Funny, my first try was just this way and I ended up with the documents & background pic missing.
My next try for a clean install was by installing 4.1.0.20 and patching it to 4.1.0.21 before applying .40. As I mentioned I had the troubles again but could somehow fix it by starting a game.

Maybe we should hope for a new installer based on 4.1.0.40.

[Hellen_slith]

I am SO glad you Marines are taking on the challenge of this new patch.

Standing pat here ... still on .2 plus, not uninstalling / reinstalling / reinstalling / etc. for this mess.

I too would like an installer that doesn't require me to pull out computery gloves.

what a fiasco

[Shadrach]

Well, you know what. I loaded up the game again, and now I can't see documents or BMPs any more... this is a weird one isn't it [&:]

I'll try to load the game while using Process Monitor to see what the game actually tries to do and where it looks for these files.

EDIT: I had a look at what the game does using Process Monitor, and found that when the game looks for BMP/PNG files to show in the scenario description it looks at the following. Example is 2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942 simply because it's the first in the list with both a BMP and a DOC. "F:\games" is where I have the game installed, it shouldn't matter, unless the game has the default install path hard-coded.

None of these exist:

Code: Select all

 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 F:\Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 F:\Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics Override\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 F:\Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 F:\Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Graphics\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
 F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
 

It does not actually look at the CORRECT path which should be:
f:\Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2ND Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
This file exists.

It does look in Scenarios but tries to find it in a sub-directory with the same name instead. It even looks in a sub-dir of this one again for some reason.

For the documents, it doesn't even try to find it in the Install directory, it just looks in the Documents path and none of these exist either.

Code: Select all

 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.doc
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.htm
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.pdf
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.ppt
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.rtf
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.txt
 C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.xls
 

[rhinobones]

ORIGINAL: Shadrach
Well, you know what. I loaded up the game again, and now I can't see documents or BMPs any more...

I’m seeing the same problem with absence of BMP splash screens and documentation, but the problem only seems to impact scenarios provided with patch .40. Patch .40 is building the scenario folders and populating the respective scenarios. As we’ve seen the .40 scenario links to the splash screens and documentation are broken.

However, while using the earlier patch .23 I added/deleted scenario folders and moved scenarios to folders that made sense to me. For example, I made separate folders for WWI East Front, West Front and Mediterranean scenarios. The original WWI and Custom Graphics folders were deleted. Everything worked fine and the scenarios were organized to my liking.

Now patch .40 comes along and I now have both the stock .40 scenario folders plus my custom folders. Went thru the re-organization process and deleted the .40 folders no longer needed. Exited TOAW, re-opened TOAW and surprise, .40 had rebuilt the deleted folders and populated them with stock scenarios. Patch .23 didn’t do this, and I see no reason to have .40 re-organize and populate my scenario files without being asked to do so.

Odd thing is that after .40 the scenario splash screens and documentation in the folders built under patch .23 still function perfectly. Patch .40 needs to be corrected to .23 functionality.

Regards

Edit: Here’s an additional problem. The picture below is from a folder I made in .23 and named “Modern – NATO vs Warsaw Pact”. It was organized with NATO specific scenarios. Patch .40 populated this folder with doublets of the original scenario names; however, the .40 listing is non-functional.

[Silvanski]

I moved -not copied- all the scenarios stored under program files to my documents/my games. No double entries.
All this mess because they did not want to keep everything under one folder, like it used to be in TOAWIII. I also noted that scenarios under program files cannot be overwritten. I made a few minor changes to one of my own scenarios and was only able to save it in the scenario folder under my documents

[76mm]

Just FYI, I don't seem to be having any problems with the BMPs and scenario info after updating to .40, unless I'm misunderstanding what you all are talking about...

[BigDuke66]

Thanks for the test Shadrach.

To make things more complex I think your results can not generally be applied and that this is a sporadic showing bug.

I think so because I changed the folder to select a different scenario and the missing background & documents problem was back although it worked for some time.
I shifted the content of the scenario folder in the game directory to the scenario folder under documents and background & documents worked again.
But here the surprise, I shifted the content back to the game directory again and now it works again, background pics and documents get loaded fine for all scenarios.
So it seems that sometimes the game loads the scenario folder in the game directory completely and sometimes not.


I got the bad feeling that this is still some leftover from the silly early phase where half the game was installed under documents, and at this point I wouldn't mind to get rid using the documents path at all. Everything that is there is also in the game directory except for some config files and the save files. You already see how nuts the game goes by looking for files multiple levels deep. That this crazy behavior needs to be mirrored by doing the same under the documents path is just way overkill. We got this silly problem of folder getting ignored now since the last patch at the end of 2018 and I wouldn't wonder if this accompanies us into the grave if there isn't some clear cut done. Everyone with a bit of brain can place the files were they belong, it's not rocket science but rather a good test because if you can't do that you surely aren't able to play the game.

[BigDuke66]

@Silvanski
Your problem may come from the fact that you need special allowance to do anything there, this is from the UAC. You find a zillion results when searching the web.
It is NEVER EVER a good idea to install anything under the stand Windows folder like Program Files, Program Files (x86) etc., 99% of the time this is the cause of problem when people have trouble with their games.


@76mm
Well for me it worked to for a time, the problem seem to come and go for whatever reasons.

[Shadrach]

@BigDuke66:
I think part of the issue is that the folks who have updated the game from the old base will STILL have most of the scenarios already in the Documents folder and this could explain why they are able to see the BMPs and DOCs.

On the other hand, as my testing in the other thread shows as well as Rhinobones' above, this should also lead to scenes being duplicated in the list with every second one inaccessible.

I shifted the content of the scenario folder in the game directory to the scenario folder under documents and background & documents worked again.

I think if you move the scenarios to the Documents folder, it will work, as the game DOES look there.

But here the surprise, I shifted the content back to the game directory again and now it works again, background pics and documents get loaded fine for all scenarios.
So it seems that sometimes the game loads the scenario folder in the game directory completely and sometimes not.

I have no explanation for that. For me it seems pretty much consistent, the games DOES NOT look in the game install (Program) directory.

and at this point I wouldn't mind to get rid using the documents path at all. Everything that is there is also in the game directory except for some config files and the save files.

Thing is, a default install path of "C:\Program Files (x86)" means a regular user won't have write permission to this folder. That's why the Documents folder is there, for graphics mod overrides, config files and user/custom scenarios.

Looking at the absurd list of what files the game tries to find, it could easily be trimmed to a lot less complex. There's NO need for the game to look for these files in the "Graphics Override" and "Graphics" directories. And there's no need to look in a sub+sub-directory named the same as the scenario, as that's not how they are stored.

So look at these (bold added):
[font="Times New Roman"]
C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.bmp
F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.png
[/font]
The game should first check if the files are found in the Documents folder, and if not look for them in the Program directory.

For DOC files, same thing:

[font="Times New Roman"]C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.doc
C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.htm
C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.pdf
C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.ppt
C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.rtf
C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.txt
C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.xls
F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.doc
F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.htm
F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.pdf
F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.ppt
F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.rtf
F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.txt
F:\games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - East Front\2nd Battle of Kharkov 1942.xls

[/font]

[Lobster]

I can only get a handful of bmp files to show for scenarios that have them. They are all there but when going through the scenario selection process only a few of their bmp files show. Others show the generic bmp file.

However, this was also present in v.21 at least for me. With the exception that no bmp files at all showed up, not even the handful that show up in .40. So in my TOAW executables it isn't anything new. It's also present in .03. All I see is the generic bmp.

Anther however...if you copy the bmp files from the TOAW install to the Documents folder all of the bmp files appear as they should. [:D]

Edit:
Remember back when .20 was released and we did all of this: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4564492

That is probably when the problem first appeared because the Documents folder for TOAW was populated with empty scenario folders. I'm just guessing here but it makes sense.

[Shadrach]

ORIGINAL: Lobster
Anther however...if you copy the bmp files from the TOAW install to the Documents folder all of the bmp files appear as they should. [:D]

Yes - the game looks in the Documents folder, but NOT the Programs folder as it also should.

ORIGINAL: Lobster
Remember back when .20 was released and we did all of this: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4564492

That is probably when the problem first appeared because the Documents folder for TOAW was populated with empty scenario folders. I'm just guessing here but it makes sense.

That's exactly what we did. The full .20 installer does NOT place any scenarios in the Documents folder. Which is correct.

After the .40 patch the game does NOT look in the Programs folder as it should. That's the bug we're looking at here. COPYING the BMP/DOC files to the Documents folder will be a workaround. However, also copying the SCE files will cause the game to show scenarios twice in the list - which it should not. Any SCE files in the Documents folder should override and present in Programs.

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: Shadrach

However, also copying the SCE files will cause the game to show scenarios twice in the list - which it should not. Any SCE files in the Documents folder should override and present in Programs.

Try deleting the scenarios in the Programs path and see if that ends the duplicates.