Update v4.1.0.40

[Shadrach]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
Try deleting the scenarios in the Programs path and see if that ends the duplicates.

Yes it does - kind of obvious isn't it? [;)]

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: 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.

But why complicate things? Simply put it all in the Documents folder. The program has to look in one place only and the search time is much reduced. If I recall some people were confused because the scenario folders were in the Documents folder. So all in all nothing has been resolved by splitting things between two folders because there is still confusion. Just keep it simple and use one folder for existing scenarios and editing scenarios and everything associated with them. Keeping things simple is always the best way to go when addressing a large and diverse group with vastly different levels of computer experience.

[Curtis Lemay]

It's complicated by the requirements for Steam - which requires everything to be in the Program Files path.

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

It's complicated by the requirements for Steam - which requires everything to be in the Program Files path.

And simple branch would handle that.

[BigDuke66]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

It's complicated by the requirements for Steam - which requires everything to be in the Program Files path.

Yea but that isn't the documents path, so why is that one used or better still used?
Furthermore why does the program recreate files there?
I deleted music & fonts under documents and on next start they where back although all of them are also in the game directory.

[Shadrach]

ORIGINAL: BigDuke66
Furthermore why does the program recreate files there?
I deleted music & fonts under documents and on next start they where back although all of them are also in the game directory.

Yeah, I've noticed that too.
My guess it's some code inherited from ancient times and probably there was a reason for it back then [:D]

[demyansk]

I don't play much but thanks for keeping the game relevant.

[Shadrach]

Just noticed the "duplicate scenario" issue also applies to some of the default shipped scenarios. For instance a couple in WWII - Mediterranean is affected:

Crete - Operation Merkur 1941.sce
Crete - Operation Merkur 1941 v.4.0.sce
Malta - Operazione C3 1942.sce
Malta - Operazione C3 1942 v.2.0.sce

Can select the first one but not the second. However if you have a scroll-wheel mouse you can move to the second. Not sure how to tell what scenario is actually loaded when doing so though.

I'd say this is probably related to the changes in fix #20:
"20. “New Game” button will find the latest scenario version to run from multiple directories."
I assume the game is supposed to find the latest version based on the file name but this fails somehow and instead it just lists both files.

Bob: Would there be any point in reporting these issues to Matrix Support, or are you taking note of them for a future patch/hotfix? I'm not interested in the usual endless back-and-forth with support which usually happens [8|]

Specifically these issues:
1. Game does not display DOCs/BMPs for scenarios located in the Program Files directory.
2. Scenarios located in both Program Files and in Documents will be listed twice and second cannot be selected.
3. Scenarios with different versions are displayed twice (probably related to above issue).

[BigDuke66]

Just wonder how the game wants to know which is the latest version. Simply by looking at the file dates?

[bru888]

So, I gather the following is an accurate summary:

Note: At some point during the patch process, the focus for Documents was shifted from the program directory to My Documents. The problem is, the documents remain in the program directory along with the scenario files.

To fix this, MOVE (not copy) all folders in C:\Program Files (x86)\Matrix Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios to C:\Users\[name]\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios.

[Shadrach]

bru888: Yeah, that's pretty much it.

Note that this only applies to the DOC (doc, pdf, txt etc) and BMP files, not the actual SCE files. The BMPs are just cosmetic, and for the DOCs one can always open the document manually. But for simplicity it's best to just move the entire folder.

[george420]

Really nice, thanks!

[BigDuke66]

Still, I'm currently in a state where I mistrust the game to load the files that are needed to work like intended.
These problems started at least a year ago and are still not solved.
A pity that it has come so far but it is as it is.

[rhinobones]

ORIGINAL: BigDuke66

Still, I'm currently in a state where I mistrust the game to load the files that are needed to work like intended.
These problems started at least a year ago and are still not solved.
A pity that it has come so far but it is as it is.

I’ve re-organized the active files into the My Games folder as mentioned in posts #69 and #70. De-activated the TOAW program file by renaming it. Docs work, BMPs work and duplicates are gone. We may not be in as bad of shape as we thought. Suggest you give it a try.

Regards, RhinoBones

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: bru888

So, I gather the following is an accurate summary:

Note: At some point during the patch process, the focus for Documents was shifted from the program directory to My Documents. The problem is, the documents remain in the program directory along with the scenario files.

To fix this, MOVE (not copy) all folders in C:\Program Files (x86)\Matrix Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios to C:\Users\[name]\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios.

That's assuming you are one of the people who don't have the original 4.0.0.11 installation file.

[Shadrach]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
That's assuming you are one of the people who don't have the original 4.0.0.11 installation file.

Well, if you DO have it, and you install from scratch using it, then patch all the way to 4.1.0.40 without deleting the scenarios in Documents (as we were told to do when 4.1.0.20 came out), you will be stuck with the following:

1. Duplicate scenarios in the list, where every second is not selectable.

2. Possible loading of older and unpatched scenarios instead of the updated ones that have come since.

Actually I will test #2 now by seeing what scenario is actually loaded when you have duplicates.
EDIT: Tested, and it does look like the file with the newest timestamp is loaded if duplicates are found. So #2 is out I guess - as long as they are updated. But I still would have expected any scenario in Documents should override any in Program Files.

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: Shadrach

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
That's assuming you are one of the people who don't have the original 4.0.0.11 installation file.

Well, if you DO have it, and you install from scratch using it, then patch all the way to 4.1.0.40 without deleting the scenarios in Documents (as we were told to do when 4.1.0.20 came out), you will be stuck with the following:

1. Duplicate scenarios in the list, where every second is not selectable. [

No. Duplicates only if there are two with the same dates, evidently.

2. Possible loading of older and unpatched scenarios instead of the updated ones that have come since.

Actually I will test #2 now by seeing what scenario is actually loaded when you have duplicates.

No. Older ones are ignored.

[Shadrach]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
No. Older ones are ignored.

Doesn't look like it to me.

Code: Select all

  Directory of f:\Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - West Front
 
 18.12.2019  23:19           264 678 Remagen.bmp
 18.12.2019  23:19           874 359 Remagen.sce
                2 File(s)      1 139 037 bytes
 
  Directory of C:\Users\Stian\Documents\My Games\The Operational Art of War IV\Scenarios\WW II - West Front
 
 04.08.2010  03:03           264 678 Remagen.bmp
 20.11.2017  01:29           874 359 Remagen.sce
                2 File(s)      1 139 037 bytes
 

Still the list shows both:



But YES - the newer one is what will be LOADED.

[Curtis Lemay]

Well, I've got the 4.0.0.11 installed in the Documents path and the 4.1.0.40 installed in the Steam path and no duplicates:

[BigDuke66]

I guess it can't be the solution to install 2 different version under different paths to get rid of whatever causes these problems.