BATCH file blues

[Chris 62]

This exchange is from another thread, Curt sugested I place it here in the hopes of maybe solving the problem.

You have to run a batch file (2194days.bat) which has an icon like two cogs. This will load the relevant rules, graphics and events files into the scenario folder automatically. When you start the game then you should see the correct names.

If you are running Vista or XP the batch file (which I believe is an MS DOS application) will not run unless you have the CHOICE application (or whatever its technical title is) in the scenario folder too. Here is the CHOICE thingy:

It does not seem to work for me, when I click the Choice thing, it is jusy a y/n.

When i try either of them, then click the red front batch file, everything shuts down, no selection is made.

Does something else have to be done to make it work?

You don't need to click the Choice file at all, just put it into the same folder as the batch file (IE the 2194 Days scenario folder) and then double click the batch file. If you have the choice file in the same folder then a MS DOS window should open and ask you to press 1,2,3 etc... to select a rules set. When you pick an option the relevant files will automatically be re-named and you can then begin the scenario.

If you don't have the Choice file in the folder then the small black MS Dos window will appear for a split second but disappear before you can read or select any of the options. I think there is a location on your hard-drive where you can put the Choice file so it will allow MS Dos to work anywhere on your computer, but I can't remember where that is so I just put it in each scenario folder.

The Choice file just allows windows XP and Vista to run the MS Dos batch file. This scenario was probably created on a Windows 98 OS which I guess could run MS Dos files automatically and hence there was no need to include the Choice file in the scenario folder. The Choice file is like a patch to allow MS Dos to work on XP. Don't quote me on this as I am no expert, but it seems logical.

Just out of interest you can take a look at how the batch file works by right clicking on the icon and selecting edit. This will open the batch file as a notepad document. You can then see how the commands actually work. Of course this is not necessary to get the thing to work, but it might be interesting if your are the inquisitive type

Not working for me.

I also tried it with 'red front' and got the same thing, the entire thing shuts down.

Thats no good. Lots of the best CivII scenarios use batch files.

One work around would be to manually rename all the files. I would suggest you create a backup folder to keep all the variable files in (IE In Red Front there is: Units 1-9, Events 1-9, Rules 1-9, wterrain 1&2, sterrain 1&2, sCities and wCities). Whenever a change over is due just delete the Units, Rules, Events, Terrain 1&2 and Cities files, copy the needed files from the backup folder and paste them into the main scenario folder and rename them to: Units, Rules, Events, Terrain 1, Terrain 2 and Cities. You would also need to drag your save game and drop it onto the DELEVENT application to reset the events memory.

This method would work but is a little long winded. The batch file is designed to do all the moving, renaming and resetting automatically.

So are you still getting the MS Dos window pop up for a split second?

Have you put the Choice.com application into the folder along with the batch file in the main scenario folder (IE Into the Red Front scenario folder)?

I cannot see why it is not working I would definitely keep experimenting as Red Front is a classic

Nothing appears, it shuts the scenario folder down, the entire screen goes blank (even my desk top short cuts vanish for a moment) and slowly they return.

I'm convinced it has to be some setting on my PC that is causing this, but I don't know enough about XP to even begin to guess what it could be.

I have been manually renaming files for years to play certain scenarios, red front is a bit much for that however with so many changes to be made, but it could be done just not without a lot of trouble. Plus I'm not sure the delevent will work either.

I think that dragging and dropping onto the Delevent should work as long as you re-load the save file afterwards. The CivII engine will read the new events file and start from there. You're right about the number of changes required for Red Front being a bit much to ask for a manual changeover of files. I have not had the same experience as you when I try to run batch files so I am afraid I have given all the assistance I can. Anybody else have an idea what might be causing this problem?

[AGRICOLA]

Whenever I run into a snag, I first post the problem on this forum and, if that fails to provide an answer, google the net. Accordingly, I googled "XP RUNNING DOS FILES" and got multi hits. The most relevant and simplest of the first dozen seems to be

http://www.longhighway.com/sandbox/xp.html

This provides a link to Microsoft Help and Support

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q301911

which leads to the Program Compatibility Wizard


To start the Program Compatibility Wizard, click Start, click Run, type

hcp://system/compatctr/compatmode.htm

and click OK.


The Wizard seems to run ok but, as I have no problems running batch files, I did not pursue it to the end in accordance with the old wisdom that "if it ain't broke, don't touch it".

What did surprise me was the variety of reasons, both hardware and software, that can prevent the execution of DOS files.


Hope this helps a bit.

[Chris 62]

Thanks, but that didn't help at all.

Same thing happened after running the compatibility wizard, clicking on the batch file blanks out the entire screen and closes the scenrios folder, and it took a few seconds for the desktop icons to return.

[Chris 62]

Something is definetly wrong with my system, i tried some .bat fixes from the net, and teh same thing happens, blank screen followed by everything closing down except web browser pages.

[Chris 62]

I guess nobody can help with this.

Thanks for trying, though.

[McMonkey]

Sorry we could not fix this for you mate. Have you tried asking on the Civ Fanatics site? Might be worth a go. If you do work it out please let us now how so we can pass the knowledge onto others facing the same problem.

[AGRICOLA]

I'm sorry that none of the suggested fixes have worked. I'm assuming that dragging a saved file over DELEVENT does remove the events section of the file. If not, then what I'm about to say is academic.

Anyway, I have been thinking about the way I would most efficiently work around the problem. For example, for Red Front, before starting to play, I would set up 10 appropriately named folders ( 1941 summer, 1941-42 winter, 1942 summer, 1942-43 winter, 1943 summer, 1943-44 winter, 1944 summer, 1944-45 winter, 1945 summer, 1945-46 winter, etc). Each folder would contain the appropriate RULES, EVENTS, UNITS, TERRAIN 1 and TERRAIN 2 files.

When the popup says to change seasons, I would simply save at the start of the next Soviet turn, drag the save over DELEVENT, open the correct folder, copy all the files and paste them into the game folder, reload the save and continue the game. This is not significantly more cumbersome than the current procedure.

I consider that 10 minutes spent setting up the seasonal folders is a small price to pay for playing Red Front.

If DELEVENT doesn't work, hexediting can be used to remove the events section but that is an exercise in deleting precisely the right number of cells.

P.S. You can determine whether or not DELEVENT works by checking the size of a saved file containing a significant number of events, dragging the file over DELEVENT, and then checking the size of the file once more. If DELEVENT has worked, the size of the file will have decreased.

[Chris 62]

I never did make it work, eventually I just made a file for each year of Red Front.

Alas, yet another PC has bit the dust since then, and once again all my scenarios, units, mods, fixes and materials have gone to that big PC in the sky.