Jel

Moggy asked me to make a utility that loaded frontlines so that he could test a collection that he has for Dunkirk. In all forms of EAW the frontlines are stored in the "frntline.dat" file, and this file contains 20 individual ones numbered 0-19. Only four are used for single missions. In the default EAW ETO theatre 1940 uses #0 1943 uses #0 (no invasion yet) 1944 uses #8 1945 uses #12 Some time ago we got the 1.28 series of exes to read and use a "frontline.mpf" file, if one is present in the theatre or root folder. It has the four numbers in it, so the default is: 0 0 8 12 This opens up several possibilities. I have one which is: 0 0 8 19 In #19 much of eastern Europe is in allied hands, reflecting the effect of the Russians in 1945. You can make a static frontline using: 10 10 10 10 All years use frontline #10 To do the job I had done something similar when I wrote the FAWManager for Per's Finnish Air War, so I was able to produce just what Moggy needed This one is running in my FAW150 folder, and I can load any of Per's original frontline to use in single mission or multiplayer games However, the utility is really adaptable, and is not just limited to frontlines. In my "SPAW2019FinalCut" folder I have the option of using the default version, or two different multiplayer versions without the need for separate theatre folders.

Absolutely

The key to most of this is the file-manager. In the root folder there is a folder named "EAW Versions" which contains the various exes. When one is selected it is copied and pasted into the root folder as "eaw.exe" There is another folder named "LongDirSets" and when one is selected it is copied and pasted into the root folder as "Dir.set". This file has the paths where the exe needs to look for theatre related files, terrain, TMods, tile and height map files etc. It does not have any paths to aircraft skin or FM files. Finally there is a folder named "Planesets" with a number of sub-folders which are listed for selection. Each sub-folder contains a file named "PDir.set" which has the path-names to the folders containing the skin files for each of the 30 aircraft. It also contains a file named "FMDir.set" which has the path-names to the folders containing the FM data files for each of the 30 aircraft. When a sub-folder is selected the "PDir.set" and "FMDir.set" files are copied and pasted into the "GameData" folder. All the 160 exes are programmed to look for these two files in the "GameData" folder. So in all a maximum of five small files are copied and pasted, and it is fast. This is not related to the multiplayer scripts that we have been discussing, other than that when a script is loaded by the host the appropriate "Dir.set", "PDir.set" and "FMDir.set" files are automatically loaded on the host's PC, and he is able to post a description telling players which theatre and planeset they need to load using their file-managers. BTW UAW is short for "Universal Air Wars" because it is not just European

Just as a follow up here is an extract from my "eaw.ini" file after loading that script by pressing the "Load this script" button: ============================ [NETOPTION] Year=1 SkillLevel=0 MissionType=0 BattleSize=0 Day=29 Weather=3 NoAI=0 StartOnGround=0 AllowRespawn=1 AI_PlaneUpdateRate=350 PlayerPlaneUpdateRate=35 ClockSyncRate=140 Sleep=400 Target=102 FriendlyPrimaryHB=97 FriendlySecondaryHB=97 EnemyPrimaryHB=82 EnemySecondaryHB=82 FriendlySecondaryPL=28 EnemyPrimaryPL=4 EnemySecondaryPL=12 ============================ I hope that you can now see how this all works

This is the "lite" version that does not make scripts. I have chosen a folder, and an existing script. It automatically set up the theatre and planeset on my PC. The items at the top of the script (PlayerNation....EnemySecondaryPL) are copied and pasted into my "eaw.ini". The essential ones will be transmitted to the players. The theatre and planeset are listed in a textbox so the text can be copied by the host and pasted into the game description when he hosts a game at GameRanger. The players can then use their filemanager to set the same planeset and theatre. They have a choice re- the exe as some prefer the new map and others prefer the old map version. As the scripts have been tested there is no need to check them. Further adjustments can be made by the host on the parameters screen before launching. Players can still choose their side, the aircraft they fly, and their loadout, but nothing else

You still have the original Russ? I found the patch and installed in in a 1.26e folder to get those screenies ;)

I like the oranges and apples idea. However, I was far from happy with Mark's input What you have been able to do given the constraints in 1.2 is amazing. However, you are stuck with those hard coded data tables and the 30 plane files. All through the source code you can read TK's notes " must be moved into an external file", but those things were never moved into external files when the original EAW was released, and even when 1.2 was released. So you are stuck with 70 or so TMods which you have to juggle. Ray's new release has 382 different TMod types, and 22,628 TMod placements in "tardata.dat". Because we use external files there are many many things that we can do in the 1.28 series that you will never be able to do in EAWPro, and as you say, there is no comparison. Add to that the fact that we were able to split the 30 plane files and make planesets, and get the exe to read the various "Dir.set" files we have a very powerful product. Happily, there are some things that EAWPro can do, that the 1.28 series cannot, and it must remain that way. It is apples and oranges, or chalk and cheese. It always was since the first 1.28 release, and it always will be ;)

Superior? You must be joking ;) 1.2 and EAWPro can only manage one planeset and one theatre. They too need a frontend something like OAW in order to switch theatres and planesets, and that is probably more difficult to set-up and use than the 160 filemanager. It is particilarly difficult because they are stuck with the stupid 30 plane files ("planes.dat", "pnames.str", "loadout.dat" and "FSMPLANE.WSP") whilst having 30 individual FLT files. So you are making an unfair comparision between a boring setup with one planeset and theatre, and something that handles multiple theatres and planesets. The simple 160 release runs EAW without a frontend, and unlike 1.2 and EAWPro the flyable bombers are selectable, and the fighters with wing guns have gun-convergence.

A final cut is not a brand name or somebody's trade-mark. It is meant to be the finished product, and mainly refers to movies, and this was used by Ray for what he believed was his final product as far as theatres go. In discussion at the Gen he was blissfully unaware that you had used the term, as he does not read your posts. He asked me to assemble the release package, and I used the term that he used. The all-flyable bombers issue was a farce. It should have been called "All-selectable and flyable bombers" because the bombers could actually be selected from the game screen, unlike anything in previous versions of the eaw.exe. AFAIK you still have to resort to using MSN files to fly a bomber in EAWPro. If you had bothered to test the 1.28 beta release that I posted for code group members to test the whole problem would have been resolved before it even happened. You were a member of the code-group at the time, you did not try it, and as a result of all the fuss that this caused you left. The EAWPro theatre is your theatre. It has your tile-set, "targets.dat", "tardata.dat", "griddata.dat" and" airfield.dat". It uses the TMod table extracted from the exe, but it does not use your sprites, and a few TMods have been replaced. It was made to enable pilots who had both EAWPro and 160 and liked your theatre the chance to use it with the planeset of their choice, and take advantage of the capabilities that 160 has. There could even be some 160 users who downloaded it and as a result of flying it downloaded your release to check out the full version. We are not jealous of EAWPro. Your exe is a slightly improved 1.2 with fancy sprites, and it may well be good for players with legacy machines. In terms of the capabilities of 160 it will never be in the same league because you are stuck with the constraints of 1.2, especially the hard coded data tables. I would never use EAWPro for multiplayer games when I can have games like this, as posted at SimHQ: *********************************************************************************** We had a lot of fun today because being SPAW there is a lot of sea, so there is a lot of ships. What has never been done before, at least to this extent, is the stacking of targetable objects on the decks of ships. This makes the fun, and the screenies are from an online session this arvo with the multiplayer version at GameRanger. The mission was a ground-started intercept from the Vic, but Shogun and I both took bombs, for a good reason The mission is under way, but being bombers the Betties are starting from a land base near the coast. Their escorts are flying from a carrier, but they need to fly away from us in order to join their bombers. This left their carrier unprotected, and in our path to the bombers. That's why we took bombs Shogun destroyed their carrier, and did a lot more damage too. This is one of my pics, after several passes to strafe deck objects. You can see the terminally damaged carrier, and the fire from destroyed deck objects The debriefing screens give you an idea of the things that can be destroyed on the deck This one is mine Here is Shogun's, and he had enough time and ammo left to go after the bombers The key to this enjoyment is the targetable deck objects. There are many more on the other ships, and Ray is to be congratulated on providing this for the community. He has added an enormous amount of dimension to EAW Jel

... because that's what UAW160 is all about

I had a PM from OldGrognard at SHQ who tried to install UAW160, and things went from bad to worse. From what he wrote he got the PC Accelerator "virus" from the MediaFire download, which caused a multitude of problems. I did not think that this was possible, and it is certainly not bundled with the downloadable 7-zips. What are your thoughts?

Any progress???

Here's a link to the real thing Video I saw it several times when it was in the shed at Dinting, and the last time I saw it was when it visited Adelaide. I remember standing in front of one of the big driving wheels for a photograph, and those wheels dwarfed me

That is a strange question because there is no "eaw.ini" folder, just an "eaw.ini" file. As Russ writes you can re-name the current one. When there is no "eaw.ini" file the exe writes a new one with the default settings.

Have you tried with no "eaw.ini" at all?

Thanks, and it was good to read the thanks from "Schming56" who needed a bit of help to get going, but is now a happy long time EAW user

Unashamedly promoting 160

From the instructions It is suggested that you use your own "eaw.ini" file. You must have one from your Win7installation, but did you try it?

A statement made without any supporting evidence

I run 160 in Win10, and so do many other people. Did you put your own "eaw.ini" file from your Win7 installation into your Win10 UAW160 folder? When you tried to fly 160 did you get the main selection screen? If you did, did you select a single mission or an instant mission? Instant missions use data stored from single missions, and if no single missions have been flown then there can be problems.

The link is here: PSExe_for_Dummies The file that you will download is named "PlaneSetExeTheatreSwitchV4.ex_" so it needs to be renamed as "PlaneSetExeTheatreSwitchV4.exe" before you put it in your UAW160 folder.

Hi Claudio I did not realise that you were still around, so it is good to see your post. I just checked your page at Sandbaggers, and there is a lot of great stuff still available

As posted elsewhere I will release it after a few more tests Opening screen: A planeset was selected:

Which posts, apart from yours and RIBobs?

Nobody apart from Mark is hosting any of your programs, and why would they want to?