How to Tell CWDB Entries from DB3000?

[serfCharlemagne]

I'm installing pictures for database entries that don't have them, but I'm not sure how to tell if an entry is from the CWDB directory or from DB3000. Is there an easy way to figure this out or do you just have to guess?

[LORDPrometheus]

Within the DB folder there are three folders one labeled DB3000 another CWDB and the final Pictures. Any pictures go in the pictures folder and the actual entries are in the other two folders. If an entry is in the CWDB folder it is a CWDB entry and vice versa

[serfCharlemagne]

Sorry, my original post wasn't very detailed.

In the DB folder for my computer's local game files, there's four sub-folders, titled 'Database Component ID Numbered List,' 'Descriptions,' 'Images,' and 'Templates' (there's also a bunch of DB3 files, whatever those are, all named something like 'Colonial_2.3.2.db3'). The 'Descriptions' and 'Images' sub-folders both have two sub-sub-folders named 'CWDB' and 'DB3000.' Within the sub-sub-folders are the actual image and text files for the database.

In the in-game database viewer, there's a number before every entry's name. For example, the full title entry for the American AC-130J is '#3173 - AC-130J Ghostrider (United States - 2015).' That entry doesn't have a picture or a description, so it doesn't show up in either the 'Descriptions' or 'Images' sub-folders. If I wanted to add my own picture to the database viewer, I would save an image file named 'Aircraft_3173' to the appropriate 'Images' sub-sub-folder, either 'CWDB' or 'DB3000,' but I don't know which sub-database the entry belongs to. For this one I can guess that it's DB3000 since it's a pretty new aircraft, but for other entries it can be a lot harder to guess.

My question is, is there a way to tell which sub-database an entry belongs to without guessing, preferably through the in-game database viewer (i.e. not having to dig through the local files)?

[kgambit]

Simply look in the upper left hand corner of the database viewer (red outlined text in the attached image). That will tell you which database that entry is for. If you want to make sure you are looking at the most recent database, simply open a blank scenario in the editor and chose the most recent version of either the CWDB or DB3K databases.

You might want to check to see if you have the latest set of images or that you have them installed in the right folder(s), because there is an image for the AC-130J Ghostrider in the DB3K database.

[serfCharlemagne]

Hi kgambit, thanks for the info! I completely missed that.

However, I clicked through a lot of entries and they all came up as DB3K, even for equipment that was only used during the Cold War. Is DB3K just way more extensive than CWDB?

Also, will the database update automatically through Steam? (not the images and descriptions, I know you have to do that manually). I seem to be on buld 475 and you're on 478.

[kgambit]

I think DB3K is a bit bigger (maybe 25% but that's just a guess) than CWDB but that isn't surprising since the CWDB is a closed time period while DB3K is open ended.

You're most likely seeing all DB3K entries because you have a scenario open that was set during the 1980-current time period. Remember that some platforms were in use during both the CWDB and DB3k time periods.

Try switching to a scenario set prior to 1979 and then reopen the DB Viewer. You should see the red text outlined in the pic from the prior post above change to CWDB. Also, you can check the very top line of the CMANO screen to check the build number. The most recent is 1009.31.2 If your version agrees with that, then you're simply viewing a scenario that was constructed using an earlier version of the appropriate DB.

If you want to double check for sure that you're up to date - download Gunner98's Med Fury 5 scenario and look at the DB viewer while that scenario is open. You should see DB3K 478 as the DB.

And yes, the databases (excluding the images et al) should update automatically via Steam.

[stilesw]

serfCharlemagne, kgambit,

Just a tidbit of DB information for inquiring minds who want to know.

Before conversion and compression into .db3 files the DB3K database is approximately 330K and the CWDB about 114K in size - about 2.9 times bigger. After conversion (as you can see in the DB folder) they are 40K and 23K respectively.

-Wayne Stiles

[LORDPrometheus]

I was briefly suprised at how small they were then I realized the files are essentially entirely text and it made sense