Is there a limit to nesting folders for decals?

[+HomeFries 29]

I've been reorganizing my decals for the A-6 Superpack because I have way too many to keep in one folder, and I would like the ability to add more for different periods in the future. Unfortunately, when I tested my skins with the new structure, most of the decals in the nested folders did not show.

 

I did a path character count against an old decal.ini that did work, and the highest path length I saw was 25 characters. Some of the nested paths for the new decals.ini come in at 24 characters and still don't display.

 

Examples follow:

 

Here is a sample for the Buno decal from the old superpack. It is nested 3 deep (including the "D" folder which I had at the time for backward compatibility):

[Decal021]
MeshName=vertical_stablizer
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=A-6E\USNGrey1\d\USNA6BUNO
Position=-9.15,1.14
Scale=1.2
DecalMaxLOD=4

 

Here is the same Buno with the new folder structure (everything is stored in the A6SP folder to keep it together):

[Decal021]
MeshName=vertical_stablizer
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=A6SP\Buno\A-6E\USNA6BUNO
Position=-9.15,1.14
Scale=1.2
DecalMaxLOD=4

 

You can see that this is also nested 3 deep and is one character shorter, but does not display.

 

Another data point: if I put period graphics in a folder, they work when nested two deep. Here is the new folder for the A-6E tail graphics:

[Decal011]
MeshName=vertical_stablizer
DecalLevel=1
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=A6SP\1976\A6TailL
Position=-9.76,1.90
Scale=4.4
DecalMaxLOD=4

 

This displays fine, but when I add another folder for low visibility graphics, it defaults back to the original tail graphic in the CAT file.

[Decal011]
MeshName=vertical_stablizer
DecalLevel=1
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=A6SP\1981\LVB\A6TailL
Position=-9.76,1.90
Scale=4.4
DecalMaxLOD=4

You'll also note that this path is also shorter than the original Buno path that actually worked. This is also only nested 3 deep, as was the original Buno as well.

 

I double checked paths and filenames. All are OK.

 

Any Ideas?

[Wrench 9,875]

i think 3 is the max; that's what its always been

 

Aircraft name (main folder)

skin name (1st level)

Decals (2nd level)

decal name (3rd level)

 

i think that's as far as it'll go.

 

the shorter the patch, is always better.

 

ferinstance, my 'squadron decal cheat', for level 1s, either painted on or just to have the squadron display name to show, is very short. I just place my "sqtail.tga' in the root of the /Decals folder (as you've no doubt seen)

 

[Decal023]

MeshName=Rudder

DecalLevel=1

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=Decals/SqTail

Position=0,0

Rotation=0.0

Scale=0.00001

DecalMaxLOD=1

 

so, you may have to create other sub-folders for whichever marking you want to appear within main A-6's /Decals folder to stay within the max 3 steps

[+HomeFries 29]

Thanks, Wrench.

 

Not the answer I had hoped for, but certainly one that I expected. I was hoping I was missing something fundamental.

 

I take that the "Decals" folder isn't represented as a nested level by the game engine, which in fact restricts me to two levels.

 

I'll do something like this:

\A6SP
  \1976
  \1981
  \1981_LVB
  \1981_LVG
  \1981_CAG
  \Buno_A6A
  \Buno_A6B
  \Buno_A6E
  \Buno_EXCAP
  \Buno_ICAP

This also means keeping all of my custom decals (e.g. fuselage and drop tanks) in with my tails, and keep all of the CAG files together (I changed the bunos to level 1 on CAG birds so a Buno corresponds to the squadron rather than the modex).

Edited July 9, 2012 by HomeFries

[Wrench 9,875]

afaik, the main decals folder, Objects/Decals would be the top level

 

Objects

...Decals

...*aircraftname* -1st

....-skin name -2nd

.....-D (subfooler) -3rd

 

like that you mean?

 

I've used level-2 for 'squadron leader' markings, in particular on the Scorpion where/when the USAF used a colored stripe. Think of it as a nose art kinda thing.

 

you can put the various BuNum subfolder under the main aircraft Objects/Decals/A-6E_79 (example)

 

Decals

../A-6E_79

.../BuNums

 

i don't there it matters exactly where the folder is, other than with the aircraft (name), so you write the pathway the shortest that works

 

example only (as I just grabbed a statement for to show)

 

[Decal0**]

MeshName=fuselage_rear

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=A-6E_79/VA128/BuNum

Position=-7.83,0.68

Scale=1.0

DecalMaxLOD=2

 

CAG marking would be the same (assuming oh! that word!), a "squadron named" CAG tag decal

 

[Decal0**]

MeshName=nose

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=A-6E_79/VA128/CAGVA128

Position=2.83,0.68

Scale=1.0

DecalMaxLOD=2

 

summat like that, maybe?

[+HomeFries 29]

Actually, I'm taking another tack at this.

 

Rather than having one master A6SP folder with subfolders for dates, I'll do my dates off the main (e.g. A6SP, A6SP1976, A6SP1981, A6SPBuno), then just do my existing folder structure from there. I won't have to throw everything into the same folders so I can keep things organized, and reducing the nesting tree by one is all I need.

 

Examples:

[Decal011]
MeshName=vertical_stablizer
DecalLevel=1
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=A6SP1981\LVG\A6TailL
Position=-9.76,1.90
Scale=4.4
DecalMaxLOD=4

 

[Decal021]
MeshName=vertical_stablizer
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=A6SPBuno\A-6E_LVG\USNA6BUNO
Position=-9.15,1.14
Scale=1.2
DecalMaxLOD=4

The applicable folders will still be identifiable for removal during manual uninstall (they all start with A6SP). Not quite as neatly bound, but equally functional.

Edited July 9, 2012 by HomeFries

[+HomeFries 29]

Thanks for the assist, Wrench. Got everything working using the architecture similar to my previous post.