Watch out for commas...

[tjhkkr]

I was looking at IGard's Character files and saw how absolutely forgiving Elliot made the game to our files...
It takes numbers out of sequence, multiple numbers in the timing scheme... kudos to Elliot...

I found two commas missing and that is why my game blews.
That qualifies me as a DEU Dumb End User... [:'(][:D]

Testing of the Star Wars mods is now back at full speed...

[Shark7]

Hmm, so basically it was a OIE (Operator Interface Error)? [;)]

[tjhkkr]

I would have never found it had I not had IGard's excellent example...
OIE... yeah, that firs... [:'(][:)][:D]

[Shark7]

Seems I am the latest victim of the dreaded 'syntax error'. Tried adding some races to my game... well here I go on an error hunt.

Luckily, the game will start without the character files, so tracking down the exact file will be easier...add each one, one at a time and when the game goes boom, start looking.

Does anyone have some Tylenol? I'm gonna have a migraine by the time this is done, lol.

[ehsumrell1]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

Does anyone have some Tylenol? I'm gonna have a migraine by the time this is done, lol.

Here you are Shark....JUST FOR YOU!!!! [:D]

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: ehsumrell1

ORIGINAL: Shark7

Does anyone have some Tylenol? I'm gonna have a migraine by the time this is done, lol.

Here you are Shark....JUST FOR YOU!!!! [:D]

Galaxy Strength...I sure hope its enough...cause I think my migraine is gonna be universe size by the time I'm done.

Just remember DON'T PANIC!. Wonder how many of yall know what I'm referring to with that? [;)]

So far every error I have found (and there have been a ton of them) has been either a comma in the wrong place, or a period instead of a comma. On a side note, even if you get the name of the image wrong, the game will still work.

I've had to resort to opening the character file, deleting all but a section then saving and trying. If that section is good, I redo the whole thing, leaving the good section and adding another. You can look at the file all day long and not see it without doing something to try and isolate the portion the error is in.

It would be really nice if the debugging (that error reports when the theme won't load) which tells you that you have an error in line X was usable in this situation.

[feelotraveller]

I lost the better part of a day looking... looking... looking.  I checked and checked and swore ten times over that there was no typo and it should work. 
 
Late in the day I found it... a missing comma.   
 
Stupid machine, and I don't mean the computer.
 
Hope you find it sooner.  [:)]
 

[tjhkkr]

Yes, I found them all.

The best way I have found is to use a cheap text editor with a tab feature... wordpad works real well.
AND I do this now...

000, -50, 005, 010

You get the idea... it helps to keep nice straight columns and it makes locating the errors MUCH easier.
The files that blew up were all ones not well columned...

Back on course and on target... [:'(][:)][8D]

[ehsumrell1]

Also, one trick I use in my modding of the character files I use, I separate the character
entries by type as well. For Example:

'# of Characters: 10

' Leaders

0, Tralassi, 1, Tralassi_Lipid_Leader.png, Lipid, 1, 5, 2, 8, 6, 10, 7, 12, 5, 8, 19
1, Maanaga, 1, Maanaga_Lipid_Leader.png, Lipid, 2, 11, 3, 16, 6, 12, 10, 17, 11, 18, 21

' Ambassadors

1, Tralmor, 2, Tralmor_Lipid_Ambassador.png, Lipid, 1, 12, 3, 11, 4, 18, 18, 9, 2, 7, 17
1, Gorthrit, 2, Gorthrit_Lipid_Ambassador.png, Lipid, 1, 16, 3, 22, 4, 8, 17, 7, 7, 9, 23

' Governors

1, Onesh, 3, Onesh_Lipid_Governor.png, Lipid, 2, 13, 3, 9, 6, 18, 8, 17, 11, 15, 21
1, Tuzbar, 3, Tuzbar_Lipid_Governor.png, Lipid, 2, 11, 4, 16, 7, 18, 9, 11, 23, 26, 0

' Admirals

0, Nema, 4, Nema_Lipid_Admiral.png, Lipid, 23, -5, 29, 4, 30, 26, 31, 23, 49, 51, 59
1, Ucknar, 4, Ucknar_Lipid_Admiral.png, Lipid, 24, -6, 32, 20, 34, 15, 38, 11, 50, 53, 60

' Troop Generals

0, Retfan, 5, Retfan_Lipid_General.png, Lipid, 9, 18, 24, -5, 27, -9, 41, 22, 65, 67, 72
1, Ralassi, 5, Ralassi_Lipid_General.png, Lipid, 27, -4, 28, -3, 40, 12, 41, 27, 59, 66, 67

This way, by keeping count per type I have no problem matching the correct number of characters with
their image files. In addition, keeping the columns neat makes it easy to verify the correct placement
of commas for each row as well. Hope this helps! [:)]

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: ehsumrell1

Also, one trick I use in my modding of the character files I use, I separate the character
entries by type as well. For Example:

'# of Characters: 10

' Leaders

0, Tralassi, 1, Tralassi_Lipid_Leader.png, Lipid, 1, 5, 2, 8, 6, 10, 7, 12, 5, 8, 19
1, Maanaga, 1, Maanaga_Lipid_Leader.png, Lipid, 2, 11, 3, 16, 6, 12, 10, 17, 11, 18, 21

' Ambassadors

1, Tralmor, 2, Tralmor_Lipid_Ambassador.png, Lipid, 1, 12, 3, 11, 4, 18, 18, 9, 2, 7, 17
1, Gorthrit, 2, Gorthrit_Lipid_Ambassador.png, Lipid, 1, 16, 3, 22, 4, 8, 17, 7, 7, 9, 23

' Governors

1, Onesh, 3, Onesh_Lipid_Governor.png, Lipid, 2, 13, 3, 9, 6, 18, 8, 17, 11, 15, 21
1, Tuzbar, 3, Tuzbar_Lipid_Governor.png, Lipid, 2, 11, 4, 16, 7, 18, 9, 11, 23, 26, 0

' Admirals

0, Nema, 4, Nema_Lipid_Admiral.png, Lipid, 23, -5, 29, 4, 30, 26, 31, 23, 49, 51, 59
1, Ucknar, 4, Ucknar_Lipid_Admiral.png, Lipid, 24, -6, 32, 20, 34, 15, 38, 11, 50, 53, 60

' Troop Generals

0, Retfan, 5, Retfan_Lipid_General.png, Lipid, 9, 18, 24, -5, 27, -9, 41, 22, 65, 67, 72
1, Ralassi, 5, Ralassi_Lipid_General.png, Lipid, 27, -4, 28, -3, 40, 12, 41, 27, 59, 66, 67

This way, by keeping count per type I have no problem matching the correct number of characters with
their image files. In addition, keeping the columns neat makes it easy to verify the correct placement
of commas for each row as well. Hope this helps! [:)]

That was the system I was using. Still it all runs together (not helped by my poor eyesight).

[ehsumrell1]

Actually Shark, the trick is to have some separation between the grouping (When trying to demonstrate here
it doesn't work). By that I mean to separate the skill sets and the traits. Take the Troop Generals for instance (Using the symbol "|" as a separating space):

0, Retfan, 5, Retfan_Lipid_General.png, Lipid, 9, 18, | 24, 5, | 27, 9, | 41, 22, | 65, 67, 72

This way one can look straight down the columns at the commas (and periods before "png") to make
certain none are missed. It helps Igard and myself this way since we use hundreds of characters in
the Star Trek mod character files. It takes a bit of work initially, but if you create one 'template'
file, it makes the alignments easier to do IMO. [:)]

[Shark7]

I had all my columns lined up by tabbing

IE

0, Name, 1, picture.png, race, tab skills, tab traits,

it ended up all nicely lined up in columns. But like I said, I don't have good eyesight, so it tends to blur together anyway. Good news is that I tracked it all down at last though.

[tjhkkr]

0, Tralassi, 1, Tralassi_Lipid_Leader.png, 000, -50, 005, 010

That is why I do something like that...

[ehsumrell1]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

But like I said, I don't have good eyesight, so it tends to blur together anyway.

Sorry to hear that Shark....

But now that its out, you'd better put extra security around your Cargo Bays!

Don't know what's going to happen, but a certain Android we know gets VERY ACTIVE as we near
the holidays! [:D]

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: ehsumrell1

ORIGINAL: Shark7

But like I said, I don't have good eyesight, so it tends to blur together anyway.

Sorry to hear that Shark....

But now that its out, you'd better put extra security around your Cargo Bays!

Don't know what's going to happen, but a certain Android we know gets VERY ACTIVE as we near
the holidays! [:D]

The good news is that it is impossible to steal from an empty cargo bay...the bad news is that all my cargo bays are empty.... [8|]

[tjhkkr]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

ORIGINAL: ehsumrell1

ORIGINAL: Shark7
But like I said, I don't have good eyesight, so it tends to blur together anyway.

Sorry to hear that Shark....
But now that its out, you'd better put extra security around your Cargo Bays!
Don't know what's going to happen, but a certain Android we know gets VERY ACTIVE as we near
the holidays! [:D]

The good news is that it is impossible to steal from an empty cargo bay...the bad news is that all my cargo bays are empty.... [8|]

Data might try hiding his ale stash in your empty cargo bays.
I have not seen the Data-meister around lately though. Maybe our ale is safe then...

[ehsumrell1]

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr

I have not seen the Data-meister around lately though. Maybe our ale is safe then...[/color]

HA!!!!!
Don't bet your most elite Star Destroyer on that one TJ! [:D]

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr

ORIGINAL: Shark7

ORIGINAL: ehsumrell1

Sorry to hear that Shark....
But now that its out, you'd better put extra security around your Cargo Bays!
Don't know what's going to happen, but a certain Android we know gets VERY ACTIVE as we near
the holidays! [:D]

The good news is that it is impossible to steal from an empty cargo bay...the bad news is that all my cargo bays are empty.... [8|]

Data might try hiding his ale stash in your empty cargo bays.
I have not seen the Data-meister around lately though. Maybe our ale is safe then...

Hmmm...I shall conduct a search of the 'empty' cargo bays at once....of course if I find anything the report will be some time in coming, as I will likely be quite incapacitated for the rest of the evening. [:D]

[LiquidSky]

Ummm....

Can't you write the values in a spreadsheet, then export the values as a csv (comma separated values) file? Then you can just copy and paste.

[Shark7]

One would assume so, however, that would be doing things the easy way and none of us ever does things the easy way, LOL. [;)]