An SF2 Series Experiment........

[Fubar512 1,350]

Yes it was. Please do us a favor, and edit the code box data in that post. Otherwise, we moderators will have to put up with non-stop whining from those who aren't so observant.

[Maj_Jedi 0]

Yes it was. Please do us a favor, and edit the code box data in that post. Otherwise, we moderators will have to put up with non-stop whining from those who aren't so observant.

 

huh? the code box isn't all run together. I must be missing something.

 

does it strip out CRLF's?

Edited August 17, 2009 by Maj_Jedi

[Fubar512 1,350]

Another thing, this WILL DAMAGE EXISTING UNICODE files. Good thing that I backed my stuff up.

[Maj_Jedi 0]

Another thing, this WILL DAMAGE EXISTING UNICODE files. Good thing that I backed my stuff up.

 

oh really, I did it on a fresh install and had no problems. can you delete the post then?

[FastCargo 412]

I may have found a few small utilities that will let you:

 

A) Convert the ANSI files to Unicode and

B) Convert the names of the files to ALL CAPS

 

Best of all, both utilities can do this in batch mode.

 

I'm using the utilities now on my own install to make sure there aren't any unintended side effects before I recommend them.

 

I'm also checking to make sure there isn't any malware in the code.

 

FC

[+ST0RM 145]

I'm going through on fresh installs of all 3 games and changing over everything to CAPS and Unicode. If FC's utility works, that would save a butt-ton of time.

 

One question I did have for KB though. Did you copy all of the aircraft's ini files and other stuff to each of the folders (like in SFP1 format)?

 

Thanks!

 

Jeff

[+331Killerbee 840]

I'm going through on fresh installs of all 3 games and changing over everything to CAPS and Unicode. If FC's utility works, that would save a butt-ton of time.

 

One question I did have for KB though. Did you copy all of the aircraft's ini files and other stuff to each of the folders (like in SFP1 format)?

 

Thanks!

 

Jeff

 

Yep Jeff,

 

I did all of them. Even some .CATs that came from ThirdWire still in ANSI Format.

 

 

331KillerBee

[FastCargo 412]

Okay, so far I've been using a small utility called...Useful File Utilities (UFU). It's shareware, but has a 15 time use rule. The nice thing is that it can not only rename files to all caps in batch mode, but can do it in subdirectories. So I've been simply doing an *.ini search (within UFU) in each mod directory (including those in progress, the whole mod at once), sending the list to the basket (a queue), then running the renamer. Works like a champ, doesn't mess with files already in caps. Fast...just a bit difficult to use at first (UI is not intuitive).

 

The other program is a little utility called ANSI2Uni, and unlike UFU that you have to install, ANSI2Uni is a standalone, and is freeware. Will do multiple files at once...and most importantly will NOT screw up files already in Unicode. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a 'subdirectory' option yet, so it takes a little longer because you have to go through directories one by one.

 

Eval still in progress...

 

Obviously, before using either one of these...BACKUP your crap first!!!! I won't take responsibility if you tube up your install....

 

FC

[+malibu43 142]

Any updates on this? I haven't tried it yet, as I was waiting to see if more people saw the same benefit and also waiting to see if these utilities work.

[FastCargo 412]

UFU has been working great...and I don't think there is a 15 use limit after all...cause I could swear I've used it a lot more than that.

 

ANSI2Uni I haven't had time to use much more than my initial testing. Once the F-15s are done, I'm going to convert all the inis (and maybe the LST files) to Unicode.

 

FC

[+331Killerbee 840]

UFU has been working great...and I don't think there is a 15 use limit after all...cause I could swear I've used it a lot more than that.

 

ANSI2Uni I haven't had time to use much more than my initial testing. Once the F-15s are done, I'm going to convert all the inis (and maybe the LST files) to Unicode.

 

FC

 

FC,

 

You'll want to consider doing the .LST Files also. My reasoning is this, .LST Files control a certian action by the Game. For example, Numbers.LST is the Numbers List in the Skins Files that control Numbers being displayed by the Decal System. There are other Lists Files that control Actions and random Actions like the Names.LST in the Flight Folder. .LST are just like .INIs but act and do Actions in another fashion, They are normally opened and editted by Windows Notepad. So Encoding for them is just as important as an .INI.

 

 

If anyone has unpacked a SF2 Install, like I have. They'd noticed that not all .CATs have been converted by ThirdWire. The ones that have been done are the .CATs that involve Objects. If one looks at the sheer number of .CATs involving just Objects for all three Titles for SF2, One can understand the work involved by ThirdWire in doing such Conversions. The other .CATs which are the MissionData.Cat and MissionText.Cat, FlightData.Cat and FlightText.Cat, Also the Terrain.Cats have not been converted by Thirdwire. With the resent Comments by TK and ThirdWire, with the Announcment of SF3 in the Future, One can only conclude that the other .CATs will be converted as Time and Project Funding permit. More than likley done via a Patch.

 

I've been running My Installs after doing such Encoding Conversions with these Benifits:

 

1) Uniformity. It makes for a cleaner Install.

 

2) Game Engine runs smoother with less Bugs by the Game Engine. The Game Engine doesn't have to switch from one Encoding to another to read various .INIs.

 

3) A minimum FPS Gain. (Depending on System and Hardware)

 

4) It make me ahead of the "Ball Game" as far as the Path that ThirdWire is heading with this line of Titles.

 

 

Again, This Conversion doesn't inprove Loading Times. Loading Times are so dependent on the Terrain Files. Heavly Modded Terrains will Load slow. The more the .TOD files are Modded and the addition of more Objects added to the Terrain will slow down Loading Times. It takes Time for the Game Engine to render out all of these things.

 

 

I've have been running this Conversion now for a Couple of Months on all three of My SF2 Titles. I have not run into any adverse Effects to doing this Conversion. Actually, I've had smoother and Improved Gameplay of all My Titles with Bugs kept to a minimum......

 

 

331KillerBee

[FastCargo 412]

Alright!

 

Found out that ANSI2UNI does have a subdirectory function.

 

So, using both UFU and ANSI2UNI, you can convert your whole mod folder ini's and lst files to all CAPS and to Unicode in literally a minute.

 

If you do this, backup your mod folder first!

 

FC

[+Sundowner 4,582]

Alright!

 

Found out that ANSI2UNI does have a subdirectory function.

 

So, using both UFU and ANSI2UNI, you can convert your whole mod folder ini's and lst files to all CAPS and to Unicode in literally a minute.

 

If you do this, backup your mod folder first!

 

FC

 

 

I used UFU to convert my stuff to Unicode & found that any files that were already Unicode ended up corrupt........as usual I must be doing summat wrong.

[FastCargo 412]

Woah...I didn't use UFU for Unicode conversion...only for CAPS conversions.

 

I used ANSI2UNI for the Unicode conversions. I'll post my specific settings in a few minutes.

 

FC

[FastCargo 412]

Okay, since there is some question of the stability of a conversion, I decided to run a test to make sure that this was safe.

 

First, some specifications:

 

OS - Vista 32-bit SP2, Home Premium

UFU - Version 3.3 Unregistered - http://www.replsoft.com/index.html

ANSI2UNI - Freeware - http://www.robinland.com/

 

SF2 Merged install fully patched.

 

I used a version of the F-16XL for my test as I had not converted it over to SF2. I went through and verified all the ini files were still in ANSI using Notepad. I then resaved 2 of the files in Unicode using Notepad. I verified again that those files were now in Unicode and all the others were in ANSI.

 

I then used UFU's Finder function to find and mark all the ini files in the F-16XL directory, sending them to the 'Basket' (a queue in UFU).

 

Next, I used UFU's Renamer function to take all the files in the 'Basket' and rename them to all CAPITAL letters. I verified that all files had been renamed using Windows Explorer. I then also verified that all the files were still their specific format (ANSI or Unicode)...UFU had not messed with that at all.

 

I closed UFU and started up ANSI2UNI. I selected 1252 in the codepage window, used *.ini in the File mask, selected the F-16XL directory using the 'Select Dir(s)' button, selected 'Unicode (little-endian)' in the unicode window, and checked Recursive (this enables subdirectory searches). I did NOT check Overwrite Old Files. Hit the convert button, whereupon the program asked me which directory again (selected F-16XL again). Duplicates of the files then showed up in the directories...all with '_uniLE' added to the name (ie F-16XL.ini had F-16XL_uniLE.ini as a duplicate).

 

The 'uni_LE' duplicates were each in Unicode, undistorted from the previous version, no matter if it was in ANSI or Unicode originally. I used WinMerge to check the originals and duplicates and it found the files were identical in every way other than the actual coding.

 

Having this success...I deleted the _uniLE files, reset ANSI2UNI to Overwrite, and proceeded to overwrite the files with Unicode versions.

 

After it asking me if I was sure, ANSI2UNI proceeded to overwrite the inis. Again, checking the results, no distortions were noted.

 

Final test, I put the newly changed F-16XL into my Test folder to check. The model immediatedly showed up and was flyable. This was done with NO other changes to make it work in SF2.

 

My opinion, both programs used in tandem are perfectly safe and efficient in converting your ini and lst files to CAPS, then Unicode. I would STRONGLY recommend backing up your stuff first, then using the settings I used in the order I used them for the best results.

 

FC

Edited September 12, 2009 by FastCargo

[+Sundowner 4,582]

Ahh, where I went wrong was that I didnt now what settings to ues in ANSI2UNI so I downloaded the UFU pluggin for converting ANSI to Unicode, ran this in pretty much the same way as the renamer function, everything looked good until I went to create a mission using KMD [which apparently cant use both formats together] I got some "blank" boxes in the KMD which points to an ini issue, so I checked the offending ini's & bingo ! all manner of differnt stuff going on there. I then make the mistake of trying to reconvert everything back to ansi [dont laugh] during which it overwrote the backups it had made origionally....well as you can imagine that was one of my biggest mistakes of my life....LOL

 

The moral to be learned here is that if I had'nt of backed up my stuff before attempting this [which I nearly did'nt bother] is that you should ALWAYS backup your stuff no matter how smart you think you are.

 

Thank FC for the detailed post, I'll leave it a while for my nerves to settle down before having another go..

[Mike Dora 171]

This message is for FastCargo,

 

I'm harking back to your advice from September 2009 on using the UFU & ANSI2Uni utilities to batch convert all SF2 .ini files from Ansi to Unicode. The aim is to rewrite the masses of old ANSI files in my FE1->FE2 conversions, because while these run OK once they get going, they all suffer major stuttering (FR down to 4-5) when the sim begins. I suspect this is due to the system having to cope with multiple simultaneous translations of .ini's from ANSI to Unicode. Once things get going the FR remains fairly high, only checking briefly again if I "look" towards relatively dense new objects or activity.

 

I recently downloaded both utilities, and quickly figured out how to use UFU. But I'm beat on how to work out how to use ANSI2Uni as you described back in '09. In particular, I can't see how to use *.ini in the File Mask, how to check Recursive to enable sub-directory searches, or how to select Overwrite. What am I missing here please?

 

Thanks

 

Mike