[HELP] Troubleshooting My First Mod

thombran · Oct 11, 2012

ATTENTION: MAJOR N00BERY FOLLOWS. PLEASE EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE.

The past few days I've been reading a bit into modding Civ 5, and decided to create my own mod. The idea is to create forts and citadels that can be used as bases for missiles and air units much like missile cruisers and carriers. To do this, I thought I would modify the xml files under Improvements and Builds. Early on I discovered the schema under Improvments.xml did not have any commands for <SpecialCargo> and <DomainCargo>. So naturally I thought what I needed to do was modify the schema to add these commands and then reference them under the Citadel Improvement Row under /Improvements. Sadly, something seems to be wrong as I've tested the following modifications and they haven't produced any change in the game

. I'd appreciate so much if one you guys could let me know what's failing here :

This is my attempt to modify the original schema for <Improvements>:

Spoiler :

And here are the changes I made to the XML for Improvements and Builds (I wanted citadels to be able to be built on atolls, because I wanted to also change the great admiral to be able to construct them):

Spoiler :

Lastly, I tried to create a SQL file to make a great admiral have the BUILD_CITADEL build like the great general. MY knowledge of SQL is horrible and so this is the only thing I could think of, and help would be greatly appreciated!:

Spoiler :

As you can see, I tried to add great admiral to the Unit_Builds table and have it be able to use the construct citadel option (on an atoll referenced earlier). But again, this was to no avail.

Anything that anyone can help is welcome. Even if its just pointing to a good guide, etc. I tried kael's guide but it mentioned little on unit/improvement modification.

Thanks again!

Gedemon · Oct 11, 2012

Moderator Action: Thread moved, only tutorials or finished files in the subforums please.

Horem · Oct 12, 2012

INSERT INTO "main"."Unit_Builds"

What is main? and as far as I am aware with SQL you can not insert into two(main & Unit_Builds) rows at once the way you are trying. Id remove the bit underlined and try again. Actualy you whole SQL part is a mess, [] instead of () and "" where there should be none or ' ' instead of " ", you only need to add one line of code, why are you attempting to add the same thing 3 times? And tbh if you cant use SQL stick to XML

or read SQL guide here on the forums.

INSERT INTO Unit_Builds ('UnitType', 'BuildType')
SELECT 'UNIT_GREAT_ADMIRAL', 'BUILD_CITADEL';

Edit:

Re reading this now, sounds like im been harsh, soz for that was first thing in the morning.

thombran · Nov 14, 2012

Spoiler :

Thanks for your reply Horem, sorry I got back so late. I've decided to give this another go. I don't have much modding skill at all, but I want to get better. There was no offense taken at all, I thank you so much for trying to help!

I tried re-writing the SQL based on the links you posted. Does this make more sense now?
I would also much rather stick to XML, but it seems that to add a new build type to a unit I think I might need to use SQL, right? Do I also need LUA to add in a new button for this build?

Thanks again, I'm trying to get this mod working.

Nutty · Nov 14, 2012

I personally prefer SQL, but you could use straight XML for what you're doing (i.e., as long as you're not trying to add new columns as described in this and your other recent thread). As explained by PawelS in the other thread, it's not going to actually do anything without some LUA or C++, but you can add a column with SQL like so:

Code:

ALTER TABLE Improvements ADD COLUMN 'SpecialCargo' TEXT DEFAULT NULL;

As far as the SQL you included in your last post, you're combining selects and inserts improperly. You just want:

Code:

INSERT INTO Unit_Builds(UnitType, BuildType)
    VALUES ('UNIT_GREAT_ADMIRAL', 'BUILD_CITADEL');

I guess you could do XML instead (you were updating "Builds" instead of "Unit_Builds"):

Code:

<GameData>
  <Unit_Builds>
    <Row>
      <UnitType>UNIT_GREAT_ADMIRAL</UnitType>
      <BuildType>BUILD_CITADEL</BuildType>
    </Row>
  </Unit_Builds>
</GameData>

I'm not sure if you'll need LUA or C++ to add the button.

EDIT:
Glancing through the Improvements table, you'll definitely need to make a copy of the citadel so you can set the 'Water' column to 1 in Improvements, but that means you need a new Build. You'll need to change the Atoll feature to NoImprovement = 0. I'm pretty sure you'll need an entry in BuildFeatures. That's only the stuff I could think of. Here's some SQL for that much, at least:

Code:

INSERT INTO Improvements ('Type', 'Description', 'Civilopedia', 'Help', 'ArtDefineTag', 'WorldSoundscapeAudioScript', 'ImprovementPillage', 'ImprovementUpgrade', 'SpecificCivRequired', 'CivilizationType', 'HillsMakeValid', 'FreshWaterMakesValid', 'RiverSideMakesValid', 'NoFreshWater', 'RequiresFlatlands', 'RequiresFlatlandsOrFreshWater', 'RequiresFeature', 'Coastal', 'Water', 'DestroyedWhenPillaged', 'BuildableOnResources', 'BarbarianCamp', 'Goody', 'Permanent', 'OutsideBorders', 'GraphicalOnly', 'CreatedByGreatPerson', 'Culture', 'CultureAdjacentSameType', 'TilesPerGoody', 'GoodyRange', 'FeatureGrowth', 'UpgradeTime', 'RiverSideUpgradeMod', 'CoastalLandUpgradeMod', 'HillsUpgradeMod', 'FreshWaterUpgradeMod', 'DefenseModifier', 'NearbyEnemyDamage', 'PillageGold', 'ResourceExtractionMod', 'GoldMaintenance', 'PortraitIndex', 'IconAtlas')
	SELECT	('IMPROVEMENT_CITADEL_SEA'), 'Description', 'Civilopedia', 'Help', 'ArtDefineTag', 'WorldSoundscapeAudioScript', 'ImprovementPillage', 'ImprovementUpgrade', 'SpecificCivRequired', 'CivilizationType', 'HillsMakeValid', 'FreshWaterMakesValid', 'RiverSideMakesValid', 'NoFreshWater', 'RequiresFlatlands', 'RequiresFlatlandsOrFreshWater', 'RequiresFeature', 'Coastal',
		(1), 'DestroyedWhenPillaged', 'BuildableOnResources', 'BarbarianCamp', 'Goody', 'Permanent', 'OutsideBorders', 'GraphicalOnly', 'CreatedByGreatPerson', 'Culture', 'CultureAdjacentSameType', 'TilesPerGoody', 'GoodyRange', 'FeatureGrowth', 'UpgradeTime', 'RiverSideUpgradeMod', 'CoastalLandUpgradeMod', 'HillsUpgradeMod', 'FreshWaterUpgradeMod', 'DefenseModifier', 'NearbyEnemyDamage', 'PillageGold', 'ResourceExtractionMod', 'GoldMaintenance', 'PortraitIndex', 'IconAtlas'
	FROM Improvements WHERE Type = 'IMPROVEMENT_CITADEL';
INSERT INTO Builds('Type', 'Description', 'Help', 'DisabledHelp', 'Recommendation', 'HotKey', 'HotKeyAlt', 'HotKeyPriority', 'HotKeyPriorityAlt', 'OrderPriority', 'AltDown', 'AltDownAlt', 'ShiftDown', 'ShiftDownAlt', 'CtrlDown', 'CtrlDownAlt', 'Time', 'Cost', 'CostIncreasePerImprovement', 'Kill', 'Repair', 'RemoveRoute', 'PrereqTech', 'ImprovementType', 'RouteType', 'EntityEvent', 'IconIndex', 'IconAtlas')
	SELECT	('BUILD_CITADEL_SEA'), 'Description', 'Help', 'DisabledHelp', 'Recommendation', 'HotKey', 'HotKeyAlt', 'HotKeyPriority', 'HotKeyPriorityAlt', 'OrderPriority', 'AltDown', 'AltDownAlt', 'ShiftDown', 'ShiftDownAlt', 'CtrlDown', 'CtrlDownAlt', 'Time', 'Cost', 'CostIncreasePerImprovement', 'Kill', 'Repair', 'RemoveRoute', 'PrereqTech',
		('IMPROVEMENT_CITADEL_SEA'), 'RouteType', 'EntityEvent', 'IconIndex', 'IconAtlas'
	FROM Builds WHERE Type = 'BUILD_CITADEL';

UPDATE Features SET NoImprovement = 0 WHERE Type = 'FEATURE_ATOLL';
INSERT INTO BuildFeatures VALUES('BUILD_CITADEL_SEA','FEATURE_ATOLL',NULL,NULL,0,0,0);

Good luck!

thombran · Nov 14, 2012

Nutty said:
I personally prefer SQL, but you could use straight XML for what you're doing (i.e., as long as you're not trying to add new columns as described in this and your other recent thread). As explained by PawelS in the other thread, it's not going to actually do anything without some LUA or C++, but you can add a column with SQL like so:

Code:

ALTER TABLE Improvements ADD COLUMN 'SpecialCargo' TEXT DEFAULT NULL;

As far as the SQL you included in your last post, you're combining selects and inserts improperly. You just want:

Code:

INSERT INTO Unit_Builds(UnitType, BuildType) VALUES ('UNIT_GREAT_ADMIRAL', 'BUILD_CITADEL');

I guess you could do XML instead (you were updating "Builds" instead of "Unit_Builds"):

Code:

<GameData> <Unit_Builds> <Row> <UnitType>UNIT_GREAT_ADMIRAL</UnitType> <BuildType>BUILD_CITADEL</BuildType> </Row> </Unit_Builds> </GameData>

I'm not sure if you'll need LUA or C++ to add the button or enable you to build citadels on water terrain.

Thanks Nutty! I made the changes that you kindly posted.

So if I understand correctly, I should only use that line of SQL you posted, which should give Great Admiral the ability to build a citadel?

With respect to the column entry, even if it's created by SQL, could I effectively reference it in the Improvements table? For example, could I then add SpecialCargo value to a new row?

Thanks so much!

Nutty · Nov 14, 2012

Note I added an edit to the end of my previous post.

I have no idea whether it will actually work [EDIT: I suspect not], but my suggestions would certainly be the bare minimum of what's required.

If you add a new column, it's really there, and you can add values to it [EDIT: through XML if you want], but the game will ignore it. You might as well create a new table instead.

thombran · Nov 14, 2012

Sorry to be dragging this on, but I edited my mod and again it provided no results.

I tried stepping back and making a new mod which is much simpler. It contains one xml file and the code is:

Spoiler :

I added production yield to citadel and made it 5 hammers. Yet when I load this mod, again there is no effect whatsoever. I checked the database log and it reports nothing. I know this must be an obvious mistake, but it seems to me that I am missing a very crucial step, because my mod seems to not even be modifying the game whatsoever.

Any insight on this Nutty?

(PS Thanks again for you help, I know it must be tiresome to answer these baby questions!)

Nutty · Nov 15, 2012

Have you set OnModActivated/UpdateDatabase for the .XML file?

thombran · Nov 15, 2012

Yes, still that doesn't seem to be the issue. I was able to modify the yields for the citadel and fort, but still no success in making citadels into air bases. Basically, I'm having issues trying to add new entries to existing rows. I can't update, because the entries aren't present in the default rows. So I want to add entirely new values to them. So far, this is what I could do:

Spoiler :

This xml doesn't provide what I had in mind though, I imagine the reason is that the engine isn't accepting the new entries. I also tried deleting Improvements_Citadels altogether, and then adding the new Improvements_Citadels, but in game the general was able to make a citadel that didn't have any graphics or text *SIGH*.

Any ideas as to how I can modify the existing /Improvement_Citadel entry with new values (DomainCargo, SpecialCargo, water, CityLoad) that will work?

P.S: I also tried your SQL line while also updating Citadel to the new columns, but to no avail either.

Nutty · Nov 15, 2012

OK, you have 2 different mods that affect citadels here, so let's separate them.

Let's not worry about whether your airbases work in-game (as stated, it won't without some LUA or C++ [EDIT: and I believe the airbase idea is quite a bit more ambitious]). What do your database.log and xml.log say? Look at your Civ5DebugDatabase and see if the new columns are there.

It may be that you have to change the order of your UpdateDatabase entries so the SQL column add goes before the XML.

Drawmeus · Nov 15, 2012

You can check if your logging is working at all - make an obvious XML mistake in a file and try to load it in game, then check the database log file - if it doesn't yell at you, logging is disabled or the file is not being loaded in the first place.

S3rgeus · Nov 15, 2012

Just from a quick glance a the XML, since you're editing existing improvements with the things like changing citadel production to 5 hammers, shouldn't you be using <Update></Update> tags instead of <Row></Row> tags? I seem to remember <Row> adds a new entry to the DB, whereas <Update> changes existing ones.

whoward69 · Nov 15, 2012

Drawmeus said:
You can check if your logging is working at all - make an obvious XML mistake in a file and try to load it in game, then check the database log file - if it doesn't yell at you, logging is disabled or the file is not being loaded in the first place.

The error will only be in database.log if the xml is well-formed but the table/column name(s) are invalid. If the xml is not well formed (eg you've not closed a tag) the error will be in xml.log

thombran · Nov 15, 2012

S3rgeus said:
Just from a quick glance a the XML, since you're editing existing improvements with the things like changing citadel production to 5 hammers, shouldn't you be using <Update></Update> tags instead of <Row></Row> tags? I seem to remember <Row> adds a new entry to the DB, whereas <Update> changes existing ones.

The problem is that Improvements_Citadel doesn't have a yields entry. I was able to add productions through Improvement_Yields Instead.

My database logs said this:

Spoiler :

Far as I can tell, DomainCargo is not being registered as a column, and three of my xml's are also having issues. The Improvements xml is completely flawed, logs tell me to insert queries for everything, but I thought I had already done so? "SPECIAL" seems to also be an issue, although I don't know what this is referring to.

These are my xml files so far:

Builds:

Spoiler :

Improvements:

Spoiler :

Improvements 2:

Spoiler :

Improvement_Yields seems to be working fine, and Unit_builds into which I added citadel build to great admiral is also not working either. It seems the tables are not being built by SQL...

Horem · Nov 15, 2012

<FeatureType>FEATURE_ATOLL/</FeatureType>

Should be: <FeatureType>FEATURE_ATOLL</FeatureType>

Code:

<GameData>
<Improvements>
<Update>
<Set SpecialCargo="SPECIALUNIT_FIGHTER"/>
<Set DomainCargo="DOMAIN_AIR"/>
<Set YieldType="YIELD_PRODUCTION"/>
<Set CityLoad="true"/>
<Set Yield="2"/>
<Set BuildableOnResources="false"/>
<Set Water="true"/>
<Where Type="IMPROVEMENT_CITADEL"/>
</Update>
<Update>
<Set SpecialCargo="SPECIALUNIT_FIGHTER"/>
<Set DomainCargo="DOMAIN_AIR"/>
<Set YieldType="YIELD_PRODUCTION"/>
<Set CityLoad="true"/>
<Set Yield="1"/>
<Where Type="IMPROVEMENT_FORT"/>
</Update>
</Improvements>
</GameData>

You can not have multiple Set's in one update like this, you have to do it like so:-

Code:

<GameData>	
	<Improvements>
		<Update>
			<Set SpecialCargo="SPECIALUNIT_FIGHTER" DomainCargo="DOMAIN_AIR" YieldType="YIELD_PRODUCTION" CityLoad="true" Yield="2" BuildableOnResources="false" Water="true"/>
			<Where Type="IMPROVEMENT_CITADEL"/>
		</Update>
		<Update>
			<Set SpecialCargo="SPECIALUNIT_FIGHTER" DomainCargo="DOMAIN_AIR" YieldType="YIELD_PRODUCTION" CityLoad="true" Yield="1"/>
			<Where Type="IMPROVEMENT_FORT"/>
		</Update>
	</Improvements>
</GameData>

Can not see anything wrong with improvements 2, unless you have both improvements and improvements 2 code in the same xml, that would cause an issue with 2 <GameData>

thombran · Nov 15, 2012

Thank you, yes I spotted that error too. I tried lastly to forget xml and do everything by sql.
These are the files I have thus far:

Spoiler :

However, in game the general is not able to construct the citadel at all! The civopedia shows correct yields for citadel, though it does not remark atolls or coasts as build friendly. Neither could I yet make the admiral build the citadel.

Logs display this:

Spoiler :

It seems that the SQL tables of Improvements_validterrains and Improvements_validfeatures are not being recognized. DomainCargo is neither being added to the Improvements table.

Any clues guys?

Nutty · Nov 15, 2012

The log is telling you the very first statement is invalid. Did you mean to put "TEXT DEFAULT '0'" OR MAYBE "INTEGER DEFAULT 0"?

You can only add one column per statement:

Code:

ALTER TABLE Improvements ADD COLUMN SpecialCargo INTEGER DEFAULT 0;
ALTER TABLE Improvements ADD COLUMN DomainCargo INTEGER DEFAULT 0;

The biggie, though, is the missing semicolon terminators everywhere. I liked the GO terminator you picked up somewhere. That's not used by SQLite.

I assume your comments were added after the fact. You can include them with "--".

EDIT:

Spoiler :

EDIT #2: I just noticed... because you decided not to add a new kind of citadel, you're trying to make it so the citadel can ONLY be built on water [or is that just for testing purposes?]

EDIT #3: There's no Water column in Builds [so I commented out that bit].

EDIT #4: Oh, also, you don't want to quote your integers [it'll work, but it's bad form].
Note that I'm teaching myself (better) SQLite as I go in helping you. This is great!

EDIT #5: It's Improvement_ValidTerrains (no S).
You really need to actually look at the database (%userprofile%\Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 5\cache\Civ5DebugDatabase.db) with a SQLite browser (SQLite Manager for Firefox or SQLite Administrator or SQLite Browser or SQLiteSpy) while the mod is running. You can compare it to the pre-mod database (%userprofile%\Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 5\cache\Civ5CoreDatabase.db).

thombran · Nov 15, 2012

Thanks Nutty, how absolutely silly of me. Updating the codes now.

Also, I want to make the citadel buildable on water AND land as usual.

And there is a water column on Builds I can see in SQLite?

Will switching from TEXT to INTEGER have a significant difference? Would it still validate the columns?

Nutty · Nov 15, 2012

thombran said:
Also, I want to make the citadel buildable on water AND land as usual.

As far as I'm aware, the water field is all-or-nothing, which is why I suggested adding a separate Sea Citadel.

thombran said:
And there is a water column on Builds I can see in SQLite?

The PC I'm using at the moment doesn't have G+K. Maybe it was added?

thombran said:
Will switching from TEXT to INTEGER have a significant difference? Would it still validate the columns?

Won't make a whit of difference, since those columns will be completely ignored either way. EDIT: SQLite uses dynamic typing, so the column's type is an "affinity" (more of a suggestion).

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