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Changing the Civ2 starting directory
A Slicker Starting Interface for scenarios: The Advantages of Changing the Starting Directory of Civ2.exe for Scenarios (PCs only)
This does not mean changing the location of the civ2.exe file, but merely altering the directory the program defaults to for file locations. If we select the scenario directory then we find that selecting “Begin Scenario” automatically defaults to the scenario directory, rather than the Civ2 root directory. This will also apply for saving games, maps, and civ2 support files. Custom files in the scenario directory are now able to be utilised: citypref.txt, menuloop.wav, city.gif. Plus, the colour scheme in the icons.gif is used for the initial civ2 options menus, because we are telling civ2 to use the scenario’s files instead of those in the civ2 root directory. We can also alter the initial options in the game.txt to good effect.
Using a batch file
Those familiar with MS-DOS command lines might remember the old way to do this. If you were in the scenario directory, e.g. “C:\MPS\CIV2\SCENARIO\EXAMPLE” and typed in the full command line for the executable file: “C:\MPS\CIV2\CIV2.EXE”, then civ2 would use the scenario directory as the starting directory in the same way as we’re trying to duplicate here. However 32-bit operating systems like Windows 95/98 won’t let you execute 16 or 32-bit applications in this way. You can’t create a batch file with the command line “C:\MPS\CIV2\CIV2.EXE”, but you can if you preface the command line with the “Start” command. So the command line looks like this: “START /W C:\MPS\CIV2\CIV2.EXE” (the /W flag merely tells windows to keep the batch file open while the application is active). Therefore if you know the location of the civ2.exe you can create batch files using that command line and located in the scenario directory to load civ2.exe and use the scenario directory as the starting directory.
However for someone creating a batch file that others can use is more problematic as many will not have their civ2 directory under MPS, or on the C: drive, or even retain the original civ2.exe filename.
Using a Windows link file
This is much more straight-forward, but just as impossible for a scenario designer to include because of the variations in the civ2 locations. Find the short-cut icon for civ2 in your start menu, right-click and select “properties”. You’ll see two command line boxes which we can manipulate. The top one is the target of the civ2.exe and should not be changed, but the second “Start in” line can be changed to that of the scenario directory for this effect. All you need to do is copy the file into your scenario directory, altering the “Start in” line to that of your scenario and you’re away. You can then double-click this link file from Windows explorer, or create short-cuts elsewhere. You might even want to think about creating a special directory to store short-cuts to your favourite scenarios.
Disadvantages
Civ2 will still use the root directory for many file locations, like the .DLL files (thank Sid Meier) and the wav files in the CIV2\SOUND sub-directory. However you will need copies of the menu.txt and debug.txt files in your scenario directory or Civ2 will be very unhappy.
Advantages
You get to edit these files to your taste and civ2 will use them in preference to those files in the root directory. In the debug.txt file the section “@TOOMANYCITIES” can be removed without causing problems, which means the pop-up does not appear when trying to found city number 256. Civ2 will also create new copies of the Civ2.dat and Hallfame.dat files. While the latter is not a problem, the former does contain all the user options, like autosave, throne room, etc., so we might also think about including our own file so scenario users all operate the same initial configuration.
So....questions, comments, commendations?
This does not mean changing the location of the civ2.exe file, but merely altering the directory the program defaults to for file locations. If we select the scenario directory then we find that selecting “Begin Scenario” automatically defaults to the scenario directory, rather than the Civ2 root directory. This will also apply for saving games, maps, and civ2 support files. Custom files in the scenario directory are now able to be utilised: citypref.txt, menuloop.wav, city.gif. Plus, the colour scheme in the icons.gif is used for the initial civ2 options menus, because we are telling civ2 to use the scenario’s files instead of those in the civ2 root directory. We can also alter the initial options in the game.txt to good effect.
Using a batch file
Those familiar with MS-DOS command lines might remember the old way to do this. If you were in the scenario directory, e.g. “C:\MPS\CIV2\SCENARIO\EXAMPLE” and typed in the full command line for the executable file: “C:\MPS\CIV2\CIV2.EXE”, then civ2 would use the scenario directory as the starting directory in the same way as we’re trying to duplicate here. However 32-bit operating systems like Windows 95/98 won’t let you execute 16 or 32-bit applications in this way. You can’t create a batch file with the command line “C:\MPS\CIV2\CIV2.EXE”, but you can if you preface the command line with the “Start” command. So the command line looks like this: “START /W C:\MPS\CIV2\CIV2.EXE” (the /W flag merely tells windows to keep the batch file open while the application is active). Therefore if you know the location of the civ2.exe you can create batch files using that command line and located in the scenario directory to load civ2.exe and use the scenario directory as the starting directory.
However for someone creating a batch file that others can use is more problematic as many will not have their civ2 directory under MPS, or on the C: drive, or even retain the original civ2.exe filename.
Using a Windows link file
This is much more straight-forward, but just as impossible for a scenario designer to include because of the variations in the civ2 locations. Find the short-cut icon for civ2 in your start menu, right-click and select “properties”. You’ll see two command line boxes which we can manipulate. The top one is the target of the civ2.exe and should not be changed, but the second “Start in” line can be changed to that of the scenario directory for this effect. All you need to do is copy the file into your scenario directory, altering the “Start in” line to that of your scenario and you’re away. You can then double-click this link file from Windows explorer, or create short-cuts elsewhere. You might even want to think about creating a special directory to store short-cuts to your favourite scenarios.
Disadvantages
Civ2 will still use the root directory for many file locations, like the .DLL files (thank Sid Meier) and the wav files in the CIV2\SOUND sub-directory. However you will need copies of the menu.txt and debug.txt files in your scenario directory or Civ2 will be very unhappy.
Advantages
You get to edit these files to your taste and civ2 will use them in preference to those files in the root directory. In the debug.txt file the section “@TOOMANYCITIES” can be removed without causing problems, which means the pop-up does not appear when trying to found city number 256. Civ2 will also create new copies of the Civ2.dat and Hallfame.dat files. While the latter is not a problem, the former does contain all the user options, like autosave, throne room, etc., so we might also think about including our own file so scenario users all operate the same initial configuration.
So....questions, comments, commendations?
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