SfMap, Run-Time error '5'

[FrankD]

Hello modders,

 

trying to generate a 3rd party terrain's planning maps with SfMap, I'm continuously facing an error named "Run-Time error '5'".

 

To make it work, I'm using a WOI installation folder, in which I pasted the 3rd party terrain folder I'm using in SF2.

 

The error show up whenever I select the "Show Cities" or the "Show Airfields" and there ain't much of either to display, otherwise, the process is all fine.

 

Would anyone know how to make it work?

 

TIA

Edited March 2, 2011 by FrankD

[+PureBlue]

I do the same, except instead of WOI, I use WOV. Works without problems here.

It could be the ANSI/UNICODE format of the data files deal.

Edited March 2, 2011 by PureBlue

[FrankD]

Thanks for your input PureBlue.

 

Does it extract the informations about the build up places from the target.ini or is it from the cities.ini file?

 

PS: Nevermind, the original terrain is working all right, I may have messed up with my mods.

Edited March 2, 2011 by FrankD

[+Wrench]

"Show Cities" has never worked.

 

and it will crash/runtime error in all SF2 series; another reason why to keep at least ONE 08 level 1stGen series on your hard drive -- it's how I make all my planning maps (of course, with a billion layer templates built OFF the original, with new dots and better text lables...)

 

Put SFmapexe at the root folder (C:/Wings over Europe, for example) of the install, put the terrain in the /terrain folder and go from there

 

wrench

kevin stein

Edited March 2, 2011 by Wrench

[FrankD]

That's how I made it work Wrench, after reading you, probably, mentioning the process in an old post.

 

What happened here is that while modifying the files, I deleted some targets but the kept the [TargetArea###], now without any Target. Same with the cities.ini file, and that's what arouzed issues with the Pfmap as it perfectly works with the original terrain, unmoded.

[+Wrench]

if I have an 'empty' target area, I alway put somthing thing there; usual a watertower1, as it 'holds the reallity of the position', and has a 0 value, as an 'attackable' target. (you'll see that on the Iran/Iraq map)

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+PureBlue]

SFMap uses the terrain_targets.ini to populate the map.

Show Cities works for me :) But it doesnt really mean `the cities`, it merely adds every target area on the map, creating a mess. But it could be very usefull when designing your own map.

 

I learned this trick from Wrench:

First generate a map with only "Relief" and grid, no airfield or cities. SAVE. This will be your bare map.

Then unclick Relief , include only airfields. And Generate your second map.

For third map, use no relief and only cities.

 

Then add these 3 layers in Gimp/Photoshop.. Use each other to make reference points and add the target areas you wish...

Edited March 2, 2011 by PureBlue

[FrankD]

if I have an 'empty' target area, I alway put somthing thing there; usual a watertower1, as it 'holds the reallity of the position', and has a 0 value, as an 'attackable' target. (you'll see that on the Iran/Iraq map)

 

wrench

kevin stein

 

Good to know, thank you. I noticed it on the Lybian (^^) map but didn't realized that it were placeholder.

It seems that it was the "_cities.INI" that was the troublemaker since, now, I'm experimenting with "ActiveYear" and "InActiveYear" parameters to have an "evolving" theater (with major changes, otherwise I would only use the parameters on specific targets), rather than erasing whole areas, and it's only the _cities.INI that were still empty blocs.

PS: very nice PureBlue, I didn't thought about going step by step, that's sound!

Edited March 2, 2011 by FrankD

[+PureBlue]

Frank, the _cities.ini is a file only used by Terrain Editor (TE).

 

The in-game terrain engine doesn't use it (you probably know this!). What it's good for is, you create your cities/airfields in TE, and use the flattenning function..

After creating airfields/cities and target areas in TE, you do a "save all" which will update the _cities.ini.... Then you copy over the target area coordinates to your terrain_targets.ini.

 

I only used it at the beginning of my terrain project. After a year of development, major airfields and cities were put in place, I switched over to manually placing target areas with the HUD DEBUG option (a PITA, but the outcome is, you get much more realistic target areas.. I don't like flatting a hole 4x4km tile space for a city and have it look fake..

 

The maps are pretty important, and with Wrench's ideas, I spent 2 weeks tweaking the 3 different sized maps.. Now before a mission, you can plan out your approach much better.. I might even add SAM radius stuff, I don't know.. I wish TK had an option to turn on/off overlays in the Mission Menus..

Edited March 2, 2011 by PureBlue

[FrankD]

Thanks for the details PureBlue, Terrain creation looks awfully tempting.

 

About the SAM radius circles, I thought about adding it on the maps but I decided that it would be better to give the max range of each system to keep things flexible. Then up to the pilots to check his notes to figure the danger zone in regards of his RWR's display.

[+PureBlue]

Plus, it can't be done reliably, since the game engine will populate the sites with any of the available SAMs..

Of course the game could calculate and display the overlays optionally and dynamically...

There are so many possible improvements to the Mission Editor, and the Mission Plan menus... I hope TK with his programming skills will throw in some of these features in the future

Edited March 2, 2011 by PureBlue

[+Wrench]

SAM radius stuff

oh, gods ... you have NO idea how much I miss that feature from the old Fighter's Anthology map/mission builder screens.

 

Like PB said, you use ONE with the airfield showing, ONE with NOTHING showing, and build new layers from there.

Here's a shot of how I do planning maps ....(this is the Indo/Pak planningmap3 template - I do one for each level, triples the work, the but result is nicer)

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+PureBlue]

Wrench, what fonts are you using there?

[+Wrench]

I had to go look...din't remember!

 

just plane-jane Arial

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+PureBlue]

Thanks Wrench. Seems like Photoshop gives better results with Arial then Gimp does..

Edited March 3, 2011 by PureBlue