Matrix Games Forums

Hi,

Have been exporting weapons edits and for the most part works great. However ran across one instance where the .Sem file seem to start generating entries and then stopped midway through.Almost as if it hit an entry that it could not read. Any idea what the potential blocks could be? Number of characters in an ammo dump name have something to do with it? Maybe a second dump in the same base/installation?

Anyways no big deal as you can manually add the weapons in the old school way but just wondering if anybody has seen this yet and if there is a fix or maybe something to avoid?

Thanks

Okay another sem file thing..

Okay dropped in a 3.6 file and generated a .sem file. Not all entries were there but seemed to write.

Then rebuilt the scenario in 3.8 ANW release (units and mags). Generated another .sem file using the export function and this one had no entries and was listed at 0kb.

Played around a bit. The file names looked okay (aka the sem file had the same name as the scenario file with the exception of the extension) so no oops there.

Thats what I got.

So thinking maybe a character string somewhere that can't be read (DB or scenario).

Any ideas? Thanks.

Sorry I'm not much help here Mik.

I've been using the old skool method and hand editing the required magazines. I'll take a look at a couple of small scens as soon as I get a chance and see how she goes using the SEM file system. Sorry for any inconvenience this is causing you.

Darren

Thanks for the time Darren. Hasn't happened with any new builds but rebuilds from 3.6 files after rebuilding (mags and units) and then exporting to file.

How'd it go?

No worries though..when you get to it[;)]

Okay had another instance. Fired some files off to agsi people.

This time completely rebuilt the scenario in ANW (including populating some mags), saved and then tried exporting to generate a .sem. It came out 0kb with not a character written to it.  Still unable to come up with some common variables to help isolate would could be causing it. Sorry guys.

Instructions will work as good as a fix.

Ok Mik,

Without looking at how you do this, I've tried out the system and it seems to work ok for me. Here's the way I seem to be able to make it work.

1.> Open the scenario you wish to rebuild using Scenedit.

2.> Then, Edit -> Scenario Rebuild -> Export All Unit Weapon Edits. (this generates the *.SEM file containing the currently existing weapon records).

3.> After the first two stages are complete, it's now the time to rebuild the scenario and the scen's unit magazines. Edit -> Rebuild All Units/ -> Rebuild All Unit Magazines.

4.> At this point I then use the Import All Unit Weapon Edits. The weapons come back to their prior state ok and I've had no issues so far. Now I can modify the magazines and mounts to how I want them based on the original weapon loads.

It is possible that the SEM files that contain no data are simply files generated where there are no changes between the DB version used and the currently used version you are rebuilding with. Don't quote me on that but so far while following the above guidelines I haven't run into any issues. Of course my testing was limited to ODB scens, although I've used the HUD3 to do the rebuilding, so there's a DB change involved and all of the land based facilities with magazines seemed to work just fine.

Thanks for the query Mik as it seems like a real time saver where multiple scenario rebuilds are required. The ODB scens I've used still contain the air logistics capability as they are original H2AE copies of these scenarios.

Cheers

Darren

Okay thanks Darren,

The instructions in the wiki were excellent and been my procedure but stepped through your posted walk through to make sure I wasn't missing anything and got the same result. This is even after manually adding the weapons in and trying to export (the export is where the problem seems to be).There is something in there that stops the initial write.

Do you have any idea (or rather does Darrel or Rusty) about the kinds of things that would block the write?(Long file names, long unit names in the db etc. etc.}

Anyways...bout done with this as I've run out of time this weekend. I've sent files off to tier 2 and posted a good bit so hopefully this help you guys resolve the issue. Instructions work as well as fixes.

Thanks

Okay guys.. our rebuilds on our hold for awhile as some issue with guns has now come up.

So thats three issues:

AI driven specific strikes: We know you guys are on it but it is a block for some scenarios. I was skipping over those experiencing it.

.sem files: You guys are on it and there really is a work around but slows down the process.

Guns: Appears some are not firing at targets. Haven't looked into this yet enough to give enough detail to be helpful but its a block. Could be anything but will sort out our end to make sure there's nothing there.

Were there any changes that could impact them firing?

Thanks for all your help and we're really trying to get there guys...Just need a little help.

MJM

Darren...guns are a DB issue.. Guns worked fine in ODB..

You have any idea on this one offhand? Not looking for you to do work just if you know something off the top of your head.

Thanks

I'm assuming you're using the latest DB2K? Fire a couple of problem platforms at me so I can take a quick look for you. I've made a major change in the HUD3 just as a start of a model I'm working on to hopefully make them a little more realistic.

Do you have a brief description of the tactical situation when they refuse to fire?

Cheers

Darren

Mik,

From quickly looking at the DB2000, try removing the minimum range values for guns. I just noticed you have them set and I'm digging into the memory banks but I think you need to set them to 0 zero. I've seen a Phalanx that should work, it's mount ID# 17 - Mk15 Block 0 CIWS|1980 it has it's minimum range set to zero so check the AA-logs if you have them handy and see if the Phalanx brought anything down. I vaguely remember discussing this with Dale a while back. I'll check the my IRC logs and see what I can find, and seek confirmation for you from DD.

Cheers

Darren

Yeah its DB2k and its any situation. My test was Iowa BB vs. a ground target and a sea target. Targets well in range of guns. Tried assigning them via mission and manual. Seems to be a legal target in the assign weapons dialog as you can add the rounds to the target but alas they are never fired. Unit dialog of the target unit never gets a count in the incl misls field and mag/mount counts remain the same so.....

Anyways this one seems like our problem so I'll work with it.

ORIGINAL: Bucks

Mik,

From quickly looking at the DB2000, try removing the minimum range values for guns. I just noticed you have them set and I'm digging into the memory banks but I think you need to set them to 0 zero. I've seen a Phalanx that should work, it's mount ID# 17 - Mk15 Block 0 CIWS|1980 it has it's minimum range set to zero so check the AA-logs if you have them handy and see if the Phalanx brought anything down. I vaguely remember discussing this with Dale a while back. I'll check the my IRC logs and see what I can find, and seek confirmation for you from DD.

Cheers

Darren

Thank you for looking at it and I'm guessing you're on it.

Are these compliance issues posted somewhere off hand?

I've seen the great job you guys did here:

http://mediawiki.advancedgaming.biz/ind ... Compliance

However there is no mention of gun related stuff. Is there somewhere else stuff may have been posted that I may have missed. If not, could you add when you've got time? I'd rather fix stuff myself than bug you guys as it seems you've got your hands pretty full.

Mik,

I spoke to Darrel and Russell at last night's meeting; both had no idea about this. Thing is I've set all my guns to zero minimum range values and I can only vaguely remember doing it. I think I undertook this, solely due to the same issue you guys have run up against, they just wouldn't fire. I remember looking at it and some guns were firing and others weren't, the only thing I could see that was different between the firing and non-firing weapons was the minimum range values. I've taken a look at the ODB and Dale's ANWDB. The ODB has approximately 60 guns with a minimum value set and Dale seems to have reduced this to just 15 gun weapons in his database.

Russell asked me to confirm it, so I'll set up a test scen and see what it shows. Once it's verified we'll write it up so everyone knows what's happening. Again Mik, thanks for giving up your time on these it's much appreciated and contributes to our overall progress greatly.

Cheers

Darren

His name is Mike, Darren. You know it.

Duly noted, although I was assuming he was big and old enough to speak for himself. Apologies to you Dimitris for incorrectly addressing a third person... I'll be happy to address Mike anyway HE wishes me to.

Thanks in advance

DJB [:)]

Mike and Dimitris,

I've looked into this with a little testing and the minimum range value is a factor in allowing guns to fire. This issue also aplies to ASW Contact weapons such as the RBU series and Bofors multi-tube ASW rocket launchers.

It can be overcome by setting the minimum range values of these systems to zero (0). May I ask for your opinion on this issue on behalf of HHQ? Is the database correction a suitable alternative or would you like this issue to become official and attempt to have min. range values reinstated?

Thanks in advance

Darren

I can't speak for Mike or anyone else at the HHQ but personally I think that the min. ranges should be re-instated somehow, if not now then at least in the future. This is particularly true if the problem affects weapons such as ASW mortars and howitzers, which are much more sensitive (in RL) to minimum range considerations than direct-fire artillery.

ORIGINAL: mikmyk

.sem files: You guys are on it and there really is a work around but slows down the process.

Just a short update on the original issue. Darrel has found an issue with the Export Weapon Edits function which would cause the function to use the wrong unit as the "first entry" although it was in the middle of the unit list. Basically this means that the first half of the list doesn't get processed. I am not sure if there is a workaround for this issue or if it affects all scenarios.

Cheers,
JP