CtD on starting (an unfinished) mod

[Nikolai II]

Hi. What am I doing wrong?

When I start the scenario it does complain a couple of times about "lacking descriptions", but allows me to ignore that. Then it crashes.

Debug log has a lot of lines like this at the end:

mod_file.cpp:32 Checked for moddir file "mods\AberrationFTG\gfx\map\provinces\english\PROV_Nepal.bmp". Not found, searching for vanilla file.
mod_file.cpp:40 Checked for vanilla file "gfx\map\provinces\english\PROV_Nepal.bmp". Not found.
mod_file.cpp:32 Checked for moddir file "mods\AberrationFTG\gfx\empty.bmp". Not found, searching for vanilla file.
mod_file.cpp:43 Opened vanilla file "gfx\empty.bmp" with mode "rb".
mod_file.cpp:32 Checked for moddir file "mods\AberrationFTG\gfx\map\provinces\english\PROV_Gangdise.bmp". Not found, searching for vanilla file.
mod_file.cpp:40 Checked for vanilla file "gfx\map\provinces\english\PROV_Gangdise.bmp". Not found.
mod_file.cpp:32 Checked for moddir file "mods\AberrationFTG\gfx\empty.bmp". Not found, searching for vanilla file.
mod_file.cpp:43 Opened vanilla file "gfx\empty.bmp" with mode "rb".

Before that it complains a lot about "header not being taken into account" with regard to color..

(Of course, my next step is probably to start deleting files again to see if I can find a culprit, but I wanted to know if someone else had already seen and solved the problem )

 

[MichaelM]

Those .bmp files are province overlay images, which I don't think anyone has used yet. That should not cause the CTD.

What does the first "header not being taken into account" entry say?

 

[Nikolai II]

The very first one says:

frontsettings.cpp:1003 Header not taken in account: style = {
name = "Classic"
dir = "classic"
remark = "Original Paradox design"
}
mod_file.cpp:32 Checked for moddir file "mods\AberrationFTG\gfx\map\shields\style_enhanced.txt". Not found, searching for vanilla file.
mod_file.cpp:43 Opened vanilla file "gfx\map\shields\style_enhanced.txt" with mode "r".
frontsettings.cpp:1003 Header not taken in account: style = {
name = "Enhanced"
dir = "enhanced"
remark = "Based on EGUFSM templates by Birger"
}

The most common one is similar to this:

frontsettings.cpp:1495 Header not taken in account: plus = {
color = {
255
250
230
0
}
color = {
220
240
180
20
}
color = {
80
150
90
50
}
color = {
40
110
70
64
}
}

"plus" is then replaced with "minus", or "possible", or "default", or "water", or "border", or one of all the country colors available.

Edit: Also, the popup says "Assertion failed: ERROR: (Selectable nation: Unexpected field) 'scenariotactics = BAY_DESC' Line = 24 file = scenariofile" - So now I'm going to start comparing this old scenariofile with a FtG one to see if that causes it. (Without mentioning it in the log)

 

[MichaelM]

Those style files should be "shields = {..." instead of "style = {...".

The warnings about colors are because the format of the Db\Colorscales directory changed in 1.1 to allow swappable colorscales.

And the popup is likely showing the actual cause of the crash.

 

[Nikolai II]

Yea, seems like that. Sorry to have wasted your time, but the logfile was so big and the popup gave "ignore" as an option, so I guessed wrong at what was the important part. o

In my defense I'll give that it is a _lot_ of work to update a mod to FtG..

 

[Nikolai II]

Okay, now I get it to go through the entire startup sequence without one single popup of warning.

It gets to initializing scripts, and then it crashes..

I can't find anything in the moddebug other than a long list of graphics that it has found. (Or usually has not found, gone to vanilla.)

Hmm.. any suggestions? It went to fetch the old HugeEvents, and there is a ReligiousEvents with the old religious flags.. can that upset things this badly?

 

[Nikolai II]

Ok, removed the "old" religious events so it would refer to the FtG Vanilla ones. No dice.

The last lines in the debug are

mod_file.cpp:32 Checked for moddir file "mods\AberrationFTG\gfx\map\terrains\crb\unitbg_mountain.bmp". Not found, searching for vanilla file.
mod_file.cpp:43 Opened vanilla file "gfx\map\terrains\crb\unitbg_mountain.bmp" with mode "rb".
mod_file.cpp:32 Checked for moddir file "mods\AberrationFTG\gfx\interface\glory\crb\unitbg_frame.bmp". Not found, searching for vanilla file.
mod_file.cpp:43 Opened vanilla file "gfx\interface\glory\crb\unitbg_frame.bmp" with mode "rb".

if knowing that matters any..

 

[Basileios II]

This is a bit OT but wouldn`t it be better to wait for a new map (like WatK4) before you convert Aberration (btw, my favourite mod)?

Back in EU2 I helped some Polish guys to convert the original Abe to WatK3 and we even expanded the mod a bit.......somwhere in the depths of the forum even a thread exists.

 

[Nikolai II]

Oh, but this is the original Aberration, and that used the old map.

Interregnum was what Aberration 2 ended up being called, and it still has its own unified forum. Your thread might be in there, too.

But I never worked on that version, and if I would want to work on anything it would be 1) The Aberration I Know and 2) Now.

 

[Basileios II]

1) The Aberration I Know

That!

But there is always room for improvment.

 

[Nikolai II]

Indeed, and that was my intent. First release something as close to the old version as I can stand, and after that start remolding it in my image. (Assisted by anyone wanting to help, as usual )

But for that, I need to get it to work first..

 

[Nikolai II]

Right.

Looks like FtG isn't actively supporting mods (or at least modders with strange problems ). Ah well, it was worth a try. Maybe 1.2 will have a better debug-log which actually explains why the game crashes..

Only clue I seem to have right now is that the next action (which is not performed at all) is to open \gfx\interface\glory\options\bg_options.bmp
Or the one that seems to fail is gfx\interface\glory\crb\unitbg_frame.bmp

But this fails even if I remove the unit directory from Map. And as I said, it fails at the very end, somewhere in the "initializing script" phase..

I'm wondering, can it have anything to do with any possible error in the "controlled provinces" part of the inc files? Two countries owning the same province, or defining the same province.. or will the debugger spot that?

 

[Basileios II]

Two countries owning the same province, or defining the same province.. or will the debugger spot that?

This will only freeze the game after you played a while and and try to load a saved game.

 

[Third Angel]

Nikolai II, if you would upload your mod, I may have a look at it.

Also, this might interest you:

Firstly I began by using a duplicate of the FtG-Timur mod as a base to copy over. Not much of the Timur mod is useful but it just sets up all the folders for you. Then I just copied over the relevant directories from the EU2 version: the map folder, the scenario folder, the db folder and overwrote the old versions. Next step is to convert the province.csv and country.csv into the new .txt formats, which thanks to cool-toxic's converter is a breeze. Then make sure you rename your .eug scenario file into .eeg. And ensure that you have a mod_modname.txt in the Mods directory which has your mod's correct directory.

Once that's done you might be able to run the game by editing your settings file to include the line with your mod's directory name. Although you'll probably get several errors like unknown cultures/religions or unknown tags (FtG doesn't reckonise UXX tags as numbers aren't allowed so nations from U01-U39 will need to be retagged, anything with three letters will work, just add an entry to db/country.txt and localisation/english/country.csv and change the scenario/event/monarch/leader references. From memory I had to delete a few lines from my scenario .inc file as well, like 'discoveries ='. You can use the moddebug.txt to see the last file the game loaded before failing and at what line (it's actually the previous line) in that file the error occured, which is handy.

If you are using a new map, you will need to convert the adj-def.csv and sprites.csv files into the new .txt formats yourself and place them in the map folder.

There are several small changes that will need to be adjusted for. "torthodox" tech group is now 'orthodox', and a few cultures have changed names which means you can either change them back using the cultures.csv or rename them in your province.txt and scenario files. Although if you do want to edit cultures or religions make sure you copy a file from the vanilla version and put it in your mod folder so you're not overwriting the original.

In order to get your mod to start before 1419 you'll need to add the line "absolutestartyear = xxxx" to your scenario eeg.

Here's the general breakdown of a mod folder:

A typical mod folder:

- AI = as per EU2, except EU2 AI files will need the 'counterreform = yes/no' line changed to 'sreligion = yes/no'.

- DB
-- events = works as per EU2
-- interface = new feature, not sure about yet
-- leaders = now in txt format instead of those hideous tag endings. Unfortunately that means renaming each one to 'leaders_tag.txt'
-- map = home to colorscales (more types than before); the province.txt; strait files; province_special.txt which accounts for ToT, HRE and a few other special things; and the new files geography.txt and terrain.txt.
-- monarchs = now in txt format instead of those hideous tag endings. Unfortunately that means renaming each one to 'monarchs_tag.txt'
-- religions = home of religions.txt where you edit the religions; global_flags.txt where you edit flags like Council of Trent and religious tolerances; and a religions_special file for pope and HRE issues.
-- technologies = where you can edit technology costs, EU2 tech files will need conversion from .csv to .txt.
-- country.txt = equivalent to country.csv but needs conversion
-- revolt.txt = works as per EU2 but with more features
-- other files are similar to EU2 db files but new files include cultures.txt, combat.txt, defines.txt and natives.txt which I'm yet to mess with.

- Gfx = similar to EU2. Except shields will need to put into either a 'classic' or 'enhanced' folder along with a style txt. Refer to vanilla for example.

- Localisation = home to names of countries, provinces, cultures and religions, the sort of things you needed to edit the text.csv for in EU2. You can actually copy some of the data from your text.csv into these files but make sure the format is correct. Consult moddebug if having problems.

- Map = as per EU2

- Scenarios = as per EU2, although '.eug' files are now called 'eeg'

 

[Nikolai II]

Well.. it is a horrible mess, but hey, volunteers should always be appreciated. Especially volunteers which might have more time or patience for slogging through the annoying parts of trying to make things work at all

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QMD509SS

That link should work..

 

[MichaelM]

Right.

Looks like FtG isn't actively supporting mods (or at least modders with strange problems ). Ah well, it was worth a try. Maybe 1.2 will have a better debug-log which actually explains why the game crashes..

Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you. It just got lost in the shuffle (not of this forum, of everything else I have to do).

Only clue I seem to have right now is that the next action (which is not performed at all) is to open \gfx\interface\glory\options\bg_options.bmp
Or the one that seems to fail is gfx\interface\glory\crb\unitbg_frame.bmp

But this fails even if I remove the unit directory from Map. And as I said, it fails at the very end, somewhere in the "initializing script" phase..

Hmm... I just tried the alpha version you uploaded, and I have to click through a zillion errors to even get to "initializing script". And then, yeah, it does crash. It seems to be that Milan has ships defined as being in a province that doesn't have a port (Modena, id 402); now that I'm thinking about it, I'll add a warning for this to the next patch.

I'm wondering, can it have anything to do with any possible error in the "controlled provinces" part of the inc files? Two countries owning the same province, or defining the same province.. or will the debugger spot that?

There should be an error message if this happens.

 

[Basileios II]

Hmm... I just tried the alpha version you uploaded, and I have to click through a zillion errors to even get to "initializing script".

Hmm, strangely enough I don´t get even one of those....the game crashes right out to the desktop.

 

[Third Angel]

A zillion might indeed be a slight overestimation, I only got four or five ebout errors in event scripting in the fin, gen and ste files where "which" or "date" are being used with the control or owned triggers instead of "data".

Anyway, removing the Milanese fleet is enough for the game to fully load.

 

[MichaelM]

It could be that I get more messages because I'm running a debug build. I'll check and see if any of those errors are debug-only and add them to the production build if I can.

 

[Nikolai II]

It could be that I get more messages because I'm running a debug build. I'll check and see if any of those errors are debug-only and add them to the production build if I can.

Please do, because I was quite happy with having managed to reach zero error messages and now I get to hear that I could have gotten more information which would have solved my problems with a lot less whining. o

Oh, and thank you for your help. I am much calmer now

A zillion might indeed be a slight overestimation, I only got four or five ebout errors in event scripting in the fin, gen and ste files where "which" or "date" are being used with the control or owned triggers instead of "data".

As I said, I didn't get those errors - how did you do to get them to appear? (Although having things narrowed down to four files is basically enough help in itself, but getting to see the error code to get which line it is would help even more )