Bug Thread

[PsiCorps]

The indentation of XML files does not actually matter, it is purely cosmetic for purposes of making it easier to read. (It matters in Python.)

Checking the schema file in FFP 1.73 and I don't see any difference in the indentation, but I do see an empty line above it - well, empty except a tab character. Whatever you are looking at it with might be showing it differently, or you have removed the empty line but not the extra tab, but it shouldn't matter.

Where are you adding them in the file? That should be last unless the unit also gets UnitCombatDefenseMods (which is really last). The tags need to be in the order they appear in the ElementType definition for the UnitInfo.

Ah, I had tried to enter the modifiers I wanted in the wrong place, thank you for pointing me to the right place to look.

 

[PsiCorps]

Hi all, I think I've come across a bug that inolves the 'Lead From the Front' ModComp.

Basically I've had a stack of 4 Defending units, all the same type, that have been fighting off the Barbs. They have all been taking it in turns to defend the solar system until they ran out of promotions they could take. Now the one with the most experience is continually defending even when other units with less experience and more Health are available to defend.

I deleted the unit with the most experience leaving me with 3 units equally experienced but as soon as a defender gained 1 experience it became the only defender that would take on attacking Barbs.

Is there any way to resolve this without making more promotions available?

 

[God-Emperor]

Is there any way we can change the defender withdrawal to the one where the unit retreats a tile?

It turns out that the defender can withdraw using the "move out of the plot entirely" method, but only if it is actually faster than the attacker and there are no other defenders to take over for it on the plot it starts on.

So a speed 1 defender will never withdraw off the plot since any attacker is also at least speed 1. A speed 2 defender can withdraw off the plot if the attacker is only speed 1, and so on.

I noticed this in the code a few days ago, and it just happened to me in a game. My speed 1 battleship attacked a speed 2 omega invasion ship (that was trying to kill some construction ships I have in the area) and the omega invasion ship withdrew and moved off the plot it was on and the battleship moved onto that plot.

Since (almost?) every ship in B5 has a movement rate of 1, I don't expect you'll see this until someone researches a late game tech that gives +1 movement and is attacked by someone who doesn't have that.

 

[PsiCorps]

It turns out that the defender can withdraw using the "move out of the plot entirely" method, but only if it is actually faster than the attacker and there are no other defenders to take over for it on the plot it starts on.

So a speed 1 defender will never withdraw off the plot since any attacker is also at least speed 1. A speed 2 defender can withdraw off the plot if the attacker is only speed 1, and so on.

I noticed this in the code a few days ago, and it just happened to me in a game. My speed 1 battleship attacked a speed 2 omega invasion ship (that was trying to kill some construction ships I have in the area) and the omega invasion ship withdrew and moved off the plot it was on and the battleship moved onto that plot.

Since (almost?) every ship in B5 has a movement rate of 1, I don't expect you'll see this until someone researches a late game tech that gives +1 movement and is attacked by someone who doesn't have that.

Thanks for the response God-Emperor. I've put back in a couple of movement increases due to techs researched (Fusion Power and Ion Particle Engines) so unit's should now be able to withdraw. However this doesn't really resolve the issue I noted in the post prior to yours, although I recall you mentioning this in another post.

 

[Gerrit8500]

Hello, I liked to install the final frontier plus mod but after following the installation instructions (which basically said i just had to launch the laucher) it installed 'successfully', but I cannot seem to launch final frontier plus in any way. The shortcut also doesn't show the typical civilization 4 icon.

I've searched here and there about this but haven't found anyone with my problem.
Any help with this?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Nekkerbee]

When I play FF plus, it operates fine but the top of the screen gets the following error message, over and over:

BugOptions - failed writing INI file 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Beyond the Sword\Mods\Final Frontier Plus\Autolog.ini'

I've tried to disable autologging within BUG, to no avail. Not sure what to do.

 

[God-Emperor]

Hello, I liked to install the final frontier plus mod but after following the installation instructions (which basically said i just had to launch the laucher) it installed 'successfully', but I cannot seem to launch final frontier plus in any way. The shortcut also doesn't show the typical civilization 4 icon.

Can you launch it from inside the BtS main menu? (Advanced, Load a Mod)

The icon should look like an in-game black hole. But only if the installer properly set it up. If you right click on it, the specified Target should point to the BtS .exe file at the location where it really is and also specify "mod=\Final Frontier Plus".

It (both the icon and the mod) may not have installed properly, possibly due to access restrictions (like User Account Control, which I think Nekkerbee is having issues with). It may help to run the installer as Administrator (should be an option accessible via the right click menu for the installer .exe file).

Also, you must have BtS patched to version 3.19 to use this mod. Do not rely on the in-game patching function to do this.

When I play FF plus, it operates fine but the top of the screen gets the following error message, over and over:

BugOptions - failed writing INI file 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Beyond the Sword\Mods\Final Frontier Plus\Autolog.ini'

I've tried to disable autologging within BUG, to no avail. Not sure what to do.

You are most likely running up against the User Account Control (UAC, present in Windows Vista and later) which prevents you from directly writing to any file in the "Program Files (x86)" folder or its sub-folders. You should be able to set yourself tot be the owner of (if not already) and give yourself full access to the Beyond the Sword folder, all sub-folders and all files in them. The best way to avoid this sort of thing is to never install games and such into the "Program Files (x86)" folder. It is also possible to entirely disable the UAC (but perhaps not a great idea). You may also be able to avoid the issue by running BtS as Administrator (right click -> Run As...) - a shortcut can be set to always run that way.

Disabling something via the BUG options wouldn't work because the BUG options files are also under this folder so it won't be able to save the change in options...

 

[hammerforhire]

Howdy there! Great work with the mod, been having a blast with it in single player. Have noticed that it seems to have fatal OOS errors that can't be corrected with saves and reloads in multiplayer. I've noticed that the errors seem to be linked to scout activity and discovering researches, for the most part. Hope you can take a look at this for the 1.8 patch, and thanks for all the work!

 

[icheben]

lunar bases food adjustments

not really a bug - just a hint:

you have food adjustment hardcoded (-1 pop)
-> why not get both (additional pop AND food adjustment) from xml's "<iPlanetPopCapIncrease>" ?

 

[God-Emperor]

lunar bases food adjustments

not really a bug - just a hint:

you have food adjustment hardcoded (-1 pop)
-> why not get both (additional pop AND food adjustment) from xml's "<iPlanetPopCapIncrease>" ?

The moonbase is +1 population. The food adjustment is not a fixed amount or a fixed amount per population, it depends on the output of the planet.

The PlanetPopCapIncrease tag just increases the population limit. It is also used by the habitation system, extended habitation system, and the farm, ranch, and harbor buildings as well as the botanical gardens wonder. Having it also adjust anything else would not be appropriate since all the other population limit increasing buildings do let the extra population produce food.

The PlanetYieldChanges flag also can't be used for the moonbase because that changes the yield per population point rather than just affecting the last population point.

The moonbase increases the population limit but that one extra population point does not produce any food (it does give you the production and commerce the same as any other population point for that planet, which may not make very much sense but seems to be fine anyway). If you build a moonbase but the population assigned to the planet is under the limit then the food output is normal and all the population produces the standard amount of food. It is only the last population point that can be assigned to the planet that does anything unusual to the food output.

It is, therefore, hardcoded in the updatePlotYield to account for this behavior. In theory a tag could be added, something like "bExtraPopulationNoFoodYield" or something even more complex like a tag that takes sub-tags for each yield type to flag them so a building can provide none of any type for the extra population if provides. The code in updatePlotYield would then need to be changed to check all buildings on the planet for the value(s) of new tag(s) instead of just checking for one specific building. But that seems unnecessary since it is not very likely to be used for anything else (the existing code would give UB versions of the moonbase the same effect, should one be added).

 

[icheben]

You are right - i stumbled over it myself a few minutes after posting. The background is i tried to create some artificial object (artificial planet, starbase habitation extension, something like that) which can house whatever pop the base planets can feed. I think of reducing the yields for this additional pop to a plain 0 food, 1 hammer and 1 commerce. Even i should be able to code this - i hope . Dont know actually how to define the tags you mentioned. Have to change the ...info.xml, ...shema.xml and the related python i guess. Will try that...

 

[God-Emperor]

Or you could just hard code it into the Python, pretty much the way the moonbase is.

Also, don't forget that if you add a tag to the XML you also need to modify the DLL to have some place to store the data (one or more new fields for the CvCity object, for example), make it load that data from the XML, and then make the data available to the Python via a "getFoo" type function that is exposed via the Python interface code, in addition to updating the schema and data file XML and making the Python use it. Fun with C++ (such as it is), once you get everything set up to compile the DLL.

It sounds like you are, in essence, just trying to add in a Citizen specialist replacement. At some point I'd like to get specialists added in to FFP, but it won't be in 1.8.

 

[icheben]

You have guessed right about the specialist replacement. The moon base is naer to perfect for this. I had in fact in mind to hard code all that first. Concerning the dll i have already set up all for compilation. Just have to add the code and still have to dig a little bit deeper in C++ for that. But this is'nt bug thread stuff anymore, so sorry for being off-topic now.

 

[MaverickKnight]

I seem to have encountered a bug relating to the Not Just Another Game Clock mod. I haven't read through this entire thread, but I searched for "game clock" and came up with nothing, so I assume this is just me.

I'm patched for everything (Civ4 at 1.74, Warlords at 2.13, BtS at 3.19, FF+ at 1.73). This is my first time running Final Frontier Plus as well as BUG and all its features. I used the installation option where I needed the original Final Frontier mod, since it was still installed. I'm running Vista. I haven't run either the vanilla game or any other mods since installing FF+ an hour ago.

Per the OP instructions, I looked for the _Civ4Config.ini file and was unable to find it in the Beyond the Sword directory. There is a shortcut in the Sid Meier's Civilization 4 directory named _Civ4Config, but it leads nowhere.

I'm not experienced with mods. When it comes to computer experience I'm considerably past the "magic smoke powers the arcane device" stage, but if you say "python" I'm more likely to think of a big snake than a programming language. I won't get insulted if you treat me as a newb.

The bug: if I change any settings in the BUG Clock tab, I get BugOptions - failed writing INI file 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Beyond the Sword\Mods\Final Frontier Plus\User Settings\Not Just Another Game Clock Mod Config.ini'

This error message repeats endlessly, blocking the game itself. The endless errors come up even if I disable NJAGC entirely. If I save and reload, the errors persist. If I save and exit, then reload the saved game, I don't have the errors but NJAGC is reset to default.

 

[MaverickKnight]

I get a similar message when using the slider to change view size (not when using the keyboard shortcuts). Once again, the error messages never stop.

 

[God-Emperor]

These messages about BUG options files not being saved are caused by the Windows UAC feature. Staring with Vista they added this and made various other adjustments to security. What it does is, in effect, prevent most attempts to change files that exist under the Program Files type folder(s). If you edit a file in there with Notepad, for example, it seems to save the file but the changes disappear. Programs trying to overwrite an existing file can't. Things like that.

There are multiple threads about this issue all over CFC. As far as I know there are essentially 4 things you can do about it:
1) Turn off UAC. Good for letting it change these files, but it does reduce the security level of the computer a bit since none of the files in this folder are protected anymore.
2) It should be possible to change the security settings of the folders and files. Apparently if you assign ownership of the Final Frontier Plus folder, all sub folders, and all files in them to the user name you are using and then also assign full control of them to that user name then it might fix this problem. (Or you could just do it to the Mods folder and everything under it - with a little luck this might prevent the problem for other mods installed after the change is done since new folders could inherit the security settings of the Mods folder).
3) Run as Administrator. It is possible to cause BtS to run under the Administrator account, which is allowed to modify files in this location. It is not good enough to use an account that is a member of the Administrator group and has full administrator privileges - it has to actually be the account named Administrator. It is possible to set up a shortcut to have it run this way.
4) Reinstall the game someplace else that is not in the Program Files (x86) folder.

Generally speaking, option 4 is probably the best. Once it is done it is done: no security setting has been changed, any other mods that use BUG that are installed in the future will work too, no messing with what account any program is run with, just the one-time pain of uninstalling and then reinstalling to a different folder.

If you want more details, you can hunt down one of the threads where this is discussed. Here is a guide by kiwitt about Installing Civ 4, it mentions the UAC issue and lists what needs to be done to install the game in some other folder.

Oh, by the way, the .ini file is pointed to by a shortcut called "_Civ4Config" in the BtS folder - there is no ".ini" (or anything else) on the end of that and it has a Type of "Shortcut".

 

[MaverickKnight]

I changed the settings on my \Mods folder, giving my non-Admin account writing access. Problem solved.

I do love it when things get solved with a simple fix. Thanks for the help!

 

[God-Emperor]

Bugs for 1.8, all very minor:

Doesn't prevent anything from working since it is just graphical: the image of the galaxy that FFP has been using for the load screen, advisor backgrounds, and 'pedia background is not there - it is using the default FFP background. This is with the small download version from CFC, I don't know if these would also be changed in the full download version. I have not downloaded the full version to check. The files that did not get overwritten, leaving the original FF versions: Art\Interface\Screens\Loading\LoadingScreenBGBeyondtheSword.dds, and both Art\Interface\Screens\Civilopedia\CivilopediaBG2.dds and CivilopediaBG2-OPAQUE.dds.

Also has no real effect on anything: didn't update the version number in the 2 places it is stored in the mod. One is in Config\Final Frontier Plus.xml and the other is in Python\Contrib\CvModName.py. Off hand, the only place I can think of that the version number currently shows up is on one of the last pages of the BUG options screen. (This would also be the case in the full download version.)

A slight oversight (also would be in both downloads): I forgot to update the AstroTech trait pedia text, so it still says missiles don't get the part upgrade while the properties clearly (and correctly) show that it does.


And an older issue, also existing in earlier versions, that could be confusing to people (also would be in both downloads): the info for which ships get reduced cost from the Light Ship and Squadron Doctrines is still incorrect. Light Ship applies the discount to all ships with the Light Ship unitcombat type, which does not include cruisers and does include things not listed. The discount for Squadron Doctrine applies to all units with unitcombat types of Squadron and Carrier, which does include the cruiser. The incorrect info is in the text for the Help tags for these two civics and the pedia text for at least the Light Ship Doctrine.

There are also still a variety of other, minor, old issues still present - reuse of buttons and quotes for techs, most of the world wonders using the same button, and things like that. There are a few fewer of these in this version (value shrines now each have their own button, and the two neural interface promotions don't use the Upgraded Weapons button anymore), but still too many.

 

[TC01]

Bugs for 1.8, all very minor:

Doesn't prevent anything from working since it is just graphical: the image of the galaxy that FFP has been using for the load screen, advisor backgrounds, and 'pedia background is not there - it is using the default FFP background. This is with the small download version from CFC, I don't know if these would also be changed in the full download version. I have not downloaded the full version to check. The files that did not get overwritten, leaving the original FF versions: Art\Interface\Screens\Loading\LoadingScreenBGBeyondtheSword.dds, and both Art\Interface\Screens\Civilopedia\CivilopediaBG2.dds and CivilopediaBG2-OPAQUE.dds.

This is strange. These files are supposed to be in the *.fpk (the correct, new ones, that is). But other art in the fpk is being loaded, so the Art folder is overriding what's in the fpk, I guess.

But we didn't package those files separately from the *.fpk before, at least... I don't think we did. Maybe we did and I just don't remember.

 

[God-Emperor]

I'm pretty sure the contents of the Art folder do override the FPK. I think BtS overrides a few of the files in the vanilla FPKs this way, although I can't remember what.

The previous version of FFP has those files in the Art folder. Overwriting them is probably easier than removing the ones copied from FF.