Matrix Games Forums

Hi dogfish, Mike

am just back in the net.

Well,..I tried with 162870, that´s the address that SPILE initially found in my V7 mech.exe!
I´ll try tonight using the address Mike mentioned above with SPILC and let you know tomorrow if it works.

__________
Harry

Hey Harry:

If you still have a problem try what I mentioned above.... use spile to extract the table and use spilc to rewrite it back to the mech.exe, but don't change anything. You could do this with anything you find at any address and it will have no effect on anything. Like saving a file again with no new changes. If this causes a problem then you may want to start fresh with a new spilc/spile download.

Harry:

Just thought of something else while rereading your post. If your new icon does not have a turret associated with it then you must enter "-1" for the turrect icon and "-1" for the turret icon number. The value before you edited was probably 0,0... if it were than that would not cause it to bomb. If anything else were ther that essentially points to either a file number, or icon number that doesn't exist then you will bomb.

Remember that the table as it is written in the mech.exe starts at location 0 and not 1. So if you look at an icon file with shp edit and using the collage display you see 5 icons, what you are really seeing is 5 icons labeled 0,1,2,3,4.... if you want to add a 6th icon, you would edit in a 5, for the next one inline. If you edit in 6, that's a location that doesn't exist and you will bomb.

Hope this helps,... but we'll get it eventually.

Hi dogfish, Mike

I finally solved my problem. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
Excel somehow corrupts the CSV file while saving, although SPILC had no problem using it for importing into the mech.exe. Darn M****s**t products <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

Doing exactly the same edits with windows notepad worked fine. <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> Now I see my new "Dugout/Cellar" unit which I put into the norway OOB and has its shape graphic located at (pointer) 1113! Actually it´s an unarmed "cave" class unit with infantry carry capacity of 16 and has a "stolen" <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> shape graphic of the "other" Steel Panthers. Now testing the playabilty of this new "bunker" class...


Once again the procedure I followed to do the edits:

----------------------------
official download V7.0 mech.exe (file date: 11.28.01 / 21:39:54) english language
----------------------------
SPILE (version 0.11 (11.25.00))

SPILE: mech.exe (on win98 desktop) ---> 00000300060009 (SP2) ---> "Search" ---> 162870 (shown in box) ---> Entries:1231 ---> "Load" ---> Correct icon table shown. (1113-1230 empty : 0/1/0/1))
Save: (to desktop) as sp2il.csv
--------------------------
sp2il.csv opened in Excel (on second try with Windows Notepad)
Edited address 1113 ("A" column) to 17 ("B"), 75 ("C"), -1 ("D") and -1 ("E").

17 = icon0017.shp file (shape file that contains various gun graphics, parachute, bunkers ect.)

75 = "Body" shape number 75 in icon0017.shp file (actually Nr.76 in Freds shape editor, as an offset of 1 is used) Note: original icon0017.shp file only has 75 entries, but I added a new bunker graphic at the end of the file.(=No. 76)

-1, -1 = No turret (in SPILE shown as NONE)
-------------------------
Excel: "Save" edited file back to desktop in original CSV format.
(Same with Notepad on second try. Always use "Save" and NOT "Save as..." to preserve the internal data structure/format!!)
-------------------------
SPILC (version 0.11 (11.26.00))

Open DOS window ---> change directory (cd) to desktop (where spilc, mech.exe and sp2il.csv is located) ---> Enter command string: spilc 4 sp2il.csv mech.exe 162870 ---> "You are to overwrite the image list table in mech.exe located at 162870 with the data in sp2il.csv
Is this Ok?" ---> typing "Y" for Yes ---> "changing mech.exe. Done" ---> Leaving DOS window

-------------------------

With SPILE now open the changed mech.exe from windows desktop, repeat search procedure as mentioned above ---> Messed up icon table shown at weird address with the EXCEL csv file edited mech.exe. Also no icons in SPWAW shown anymore and the window scroll rate slowed down considerably! (The notepad csv file edited mech.exe worked as intended. SPILE shows original table AND the edits at correct address! SPWAW works as usual and the new unit is shown with the correct new icon!)

BTW: The V7.1 version I´m testing now, has its icon table shown with SPILE at address 162C70!

_____________
Harry

Hey Harry:

I'm glad you got it. You brought up another great point... the workings of excell. I totally forgot about any detail on that, and yes you must maintain the comma seperated integrity of the file and not switch to excell format.

If I remember, even doing a save and not a save as, excell will give you another opportunity to screw things up when you exit.

Since it looks like 7.1 is in the works, I think there will be a need to work on that version, when it is released, and to look at the alternate language exe files as well. Maybe I'll do a more comprehensive in depth tutorial then if one is needed.

In the mean time if you add a lot of new icons, keep a backup oob somewhere and a listing of the icon locations, so that it will be fairly painless to modify the new mech.exe v7.1

Harry:

I somehow missed yor reference to 7.1 until I reread everything. How close is this to what will be released? When is time frame for release?

As I mentioned earlier I think we have the icon space established. It is the oob space that is limited. Alot of units from other countries use the same icon number. This makes the icon space go even further, the 118 slots can translate to more than 118 units.

Since it appears that Matrix doesn't want to do major work on SPWAW anymore, like boost the oob slots to 500 or more, then an alternate method has to be found and agreed on. I suggested somewhere in this post that the oob's be split in two, at a date where unit production was on a major upswing.

If you are testing 7.1 then you have someone's ear already. Also probably have some input with those people working on the oob's. Maybe you can inspire them.

Originally posted by RockinHarry:
Hi dogfish, Mike

I finally solved my problem. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
Excel somehow corrupts the CSV file while saving, although SPILC had no problem using it for importing into the mech.exe. Darn M****s**t products <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

Doing exactly the same edits with windows notepad worked fine. <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> Now I see my new "Dugout/Cellar" unit which I put into the norway OOB and has its shape graphic located at (pointer) 1113! Actually it´s an unarmed "cave" class unit with infantry carry capacity of 16 and has a "stolen" <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> shape graphic of the "other" Steel Panthers. Now testing the playabilty of this new "bunker" class...


Once again the procedure I followed to do the edits:

----------------------------
official download V7.0 mech.exe (file date: 11.28.01 / 21:39:54) english language
----------------------------
SPILE (version 0.11 (11.25.00))

SPILE: mech.exe (on win98 desktop) ---> 00000300060009 (SP2) ---> "Search" ---> 162870 (shown in box) ---> Entries:1231 ---> "Load" ---> Correct icon table shown. (1113-1230 empty : 0/1/0/1))
Save: (to desktop) as sp2il.csv
--------------------------
sp2il.csv opened in Excel (on second try with Windows Notepad)
Edited address 1113 ("A" column) to 17 ("B"), 75 ("C"), -1 ("D") and -1 ("E").

17 = icon0017.shp file (shape file that contains various gun graphics, parachute, bunkers ect.)

75 = "Body" shape number 75 in icon0017.shp file (actually Nr.76 in Freds shape editor, as an offset of 1 is used) Note: original icon0017.shp file only has 75 entries, but I added a new bunker graphic at the end of the file.(=No. 76)

-1, -1 = No turret (in SPILE shown as NONE)
-------------------------
Excel: "Save" edited file back to desktop in original CSV format.
(Same with Notepad on second try. Always use "Save" and NOT "Save as..." to preserve the internal data structure/format!!)
-------------------------
SPILC (version 0.11 (11.26.00))

Open DOS window ---> change directory (cd) to desktop (where spilc, mech.exe and sp2il.csv is located) ---> Enter command string: spilc 4 sp2il.csv mech.exe 162870 ---> "You are to overwrite the image list table in mech.exe located at 162870 with the data in sp2il.csv
Is this Ok?" ---> typing "Y" for Yes ---> "changing mech.exe. Done" ---> Leaving DOS window

-------------------------

With SPILE now open the changed mech.exe from windows desktop, repeat search procedure as mentioned above ---> Messed up icon table shown at weird address with the EXCEL csv file edited mech.exe. Also no icons in SPWAW shown anymore and the window scroll rate slowed down considerably! (The notepad csv file edited mech.exe worked as intended. SPILE shows original table AND the edits at correct address! SPWAW works as usual and the new unit is shown with the correct new icon!)

BTW: The V7.1 version I´m testing now, has its icon table shown with SPILE at address 162C70!

_____________
Harry

---

By using the above I have mine working. I tried it by copying a 76mm sherman and maus and both show up in the encyclopedia twice.
Then tried playing some scen. I have in process and no problems. Any icons you all would like to have tested. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

Hey Velovich:

Bumped this for you, and if you have read this from the beginning and followed along you should be able to add icons.

If you have more questions re: icons, post them here. Maybe they will help someone else. Without the search feature it's probably best to keep this stuff together here.

Dogfish how about we move this thread over to the Hall of Fame. Hint Hint Hint[PV.G.WB]
<img src="wink.gif" border="0"> <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

Hey Mike:

I found the old post and thought I'd bring it up to date for people to add new test info to. I had found two slots initially that you can't use. I haven't tried the ones you mention, if they are different. You should add the info here if you like, there might actually be others crazy enough to try this, and any info will help.

WTF!! 19 views on this thread, and 49 replies!!

Art of wargaming forum - eat your heart out.

Heh, heh, icons rock!!:D

Warhorse,Dogfish,Rockinharry.
Does anyone know how to center a turent on a blockhouse turent ring? I have three icons, one made two inprocess of block houses that have turents on them. I have added one to the list but the turrent does not line up. help!

Dude, zip it up and send it to me, I'll see what the deal is!:) Is it not centering EXACTLY, or just not centering at all? Could be the 'ring' is not exactly centered pixel-wise, and then you must offset the turret accordingly...Or it could be that's it's just being a bugger:D

So then I should also center the turrent. Ok then I will make a seperate turrent icon and center it. I did not think of that and was using those in the shp file. Thanks

Warhorse, here is one I started back in feb, based on a model I saw in pictures.

Don, are you going to put this in the standard shp files, or in the terrain shp's? Also, would you mind if I took the liberty to finish this bunker, very intrigueing?! I would be done in a day or so, then I'll send it back, this bunker rocks!!

Morning Warhorse.
I was going to add it to the end of the shp file with the other bunkers so I could use the pzk III L/M turrent. I could also add it to ter86 or ter90 file.
If you have the time go right ahead.
I wrote to a german bunker web site that I use and he replyed

"this PZK III turret was in 1944-45 mountet an Ringsupport, conkret or Timber made but not fixt in real Bunkers.
(Sorry for my english)."

Don,Here you go, you will most likely need to put it in a regular shp file, like a turret tank destroyer class, so it will rotate. I tested it out, and it works well, but I tested it in my custom build, which no way resembles the icon slots in the official, so I can't let you have the shp file with it installed, as you would need to change your mech.exe, and everything else!! So, here are the 2 BMP's, I redid them, hope they are acceptable?!:D

Had nothing else to do today. he he
Thanks again.

ps. which III turrent did you try?