ModMan Bug Reporting Thread

[#endgame]

ModMan is an automated mod swapper for SMAC and SMAX. So no-one should be copying their SMAC dir 500 times just to play different mods!

http://apolyton.net/upload/view.php?file=46515_ModMan-1.07.rar

+-----------------------------+
|ModMan - The SMAC Mod Manager|
+-------------+---------------++
|Version: 1.07|Author: #endgame|
+-------------+----------------+

I thought that I'd have a go at fixing the current
problem with SMAC mods, and that is the difficulty
in managing multiple SMAC installs or swapping mod
files by hand.

So, dump the ModMan directory as a subdirectory in
your SMAC directory. Mine is

D:\SMAC\ModMan

And put the replacement files for your mod in

D:\SMAC\

Since I wrote this with Aldebaran2 in mind, I'll put
those files in

D:\SMAC\Aldeb2

Now fire up ModMan by clicking on the ModMan.bat file.

The next step is to add your mod so that ModMan can launch it.

Choose the Add option and fill in the dialog. From Smacksim's
Aldebaran2 Mod, the following would be appropriate:

Title: Aldebaran
Author: Smacksim
Version: 2.0.5
Mod Directory: Aldeb205
Filename: Aldeb205
Expansion Mod: Yes
Nothing else is replaced... yet.
The description is optional, and is displayed before the mod is run.

Now, you can run the mod from the Run mod option.


The edit and delete mod options only alter the .SM files created with
the add option.

That's about it.

-- #endgame

-- EOF --

ModMan can also handle replacement files in other directories such as the pcx files for facilities and techs or the voices for techs and facilities, even the secret project movies, if you can make your own.

That's the theory, but I need bug reports to see if I stuffed up.

I see possibilities for gamebalances in things like DGs.

[#endgame]

Run.bat can take one argument, the name of a mod to launch.

example:

Run Aldeb205

or

Run Aldeb205 -S

Will disable the splashscreen.

Just for making it compatible with shortcuts.

Also note the 8.3 limit on mod directory names and the 8 char limit on .SM file names.

As always, back up the smac dir before testing.

Okay, 3 major bugs with run.bat and the above feature :
These will only apply if running it in the method outlined in the previous post:

1. It will spam like crazy, since ModMan.bat turns echo off, and run.bat would be run independently from ModMan.bat.

2. I am 99.9% sure that it will run out of environment space in its current state on machines < WinNT.

3. ModMan.bat modifies the path environment variable and run.bat does not. This will cause major problems if run in the above method.

I therefore put forward that you DO NOT try the above method of using run.bat until ModMan 1.01 is released (a day or so). The ModMan.bat method should still work.

[#endgame]

ModMan 1.01 is fixed and will be uploaded along with changelog in about 8-10 hours from now.

[smacksim]

Edit: No, I was wrong in my complaint below. It works perfectly. I just didn't get the checkbox system correctly in my first attempt to get it going. Brilliant.

It worked perfectly. But it ran Smac, not Smax Good thing the mod works with both. I couldn't find the .exe variable to change it to terranx.exe. Maybe I'll go find that now. Very impressive stuff. I found a whole load of DOS commands I didn't even know about from my cursury study to get Fileswatter working. Too big a list to publish.

Now to try just running it without modman, and after setting it to Smax instead of Smac. Great stuff #endgame

[smacksim]

yeah, like you suspected, just running it produced a dead end. It looks like it finished clearing the environment variables and then just sat there. Looking forward to 1.01 and the chance to idiot proof mods for all time.

-S

One thing I did notice was that it swapped 500+ files. I suppose this is taking into account the possibility for project movies, voices, etc. being in the mod? Can I get that behaviour to shut off? It wasn't obvious how to say yes/no in the ModMan main menu. I'll give another try.

Further clarification: It swapped initially 84 files, then launched. On close it claimed to move around (copy) 500+ files. What's the deal? It's hell-a fast though.

[#endgame]

To get it to run SMAX, use the Expansion mod variable (it's about halfway down the add/edit screen).

The enormous amout of copying is due to me having to use xcopy *.*, since standard copy will clobber long filenames under command.com, as will using a for construct. So xcopy *.* it is.

Movies, voices etc aren't swapped unless swapping them is enabled in the .SM file.

ModMan 1.01 is attached.

[smacksim]

Getting what appears to be 5 'out of environment space' errors when I try to run 'run.bat aldeb206' from a shortcut, even after properly creating the .sm file with Modman. Any ideas? I'm running ME, as you remember.

Yes, I've got the shortcut in the ModMan directory....hm. What could it be?

a Dos-graphics box pops up as the errors come tumbling down. It says Aldebaran and has a little [x] demarking it as a Smax mod (I guess that's what it's for). Clicking the box produces the 5th and final out of environement space error. No other keys produce any effects.

Bedtime for bonzo. I hope my feedback helps. Let me know if I should try something else. All I need is one running shortcut and I'm gold, provided it works on all Winblows versions. Oh crusty DOS, why are you so strange?

[#endgame]

That's actually a list box, with Aldebaran being the only mod that you have a .SM file for. It shouldn't be bringing it up if you provide an argument. hm. will look into it.

[smacksim]

keep in mind that the box comes up after 4 'out of environment space' errors.

[#endgame]

Run.bat is being completely rewritten to be abolutely minimal on the environment space usage. Your problem sounds like it is failing to call itself correctly, since if it found the mod you specified, it shouldn't build the list, but I'm fixing it all up now anyway.

Expect ModMan 1.02 sometime late this evening if I get a chance.

[smacksim]

No matter what happens, you are imparting knowledge on a Dos newbie. I'm forever grateful for the experience I just made a whole bunch of new graphics for the game. Maybe we can start a Smac revival!

[GeoModder]

Why not allowing multiple seafaction in the game?

[smacksim]

?

[GeoModder]

Well, simply put more then one seafaction in the alphax.txt #CUSTOMFACTIONS section...

Then the player can choose or has a random chance to have more then one seafaction in a given game.

[smacksim]

I just don't see where we were talking about sea factions This is the ModMan thread for the installer. What is going on? It's already possible to play with pirates and nauticon. Is this what you mean?