Tags in the XML that aren't in the Schema???

[Thunderbrd]

I didn't think that it was possible to have tags in the xml info files that were not in the schema files. How is THAT working?

The tags that brought this to my attention was:

		<ReplaceBuildings>
				<ReplaceBuilding>
					<BuildingClassType>BUILDINGCLASS_CITY_COUNCIL</BuildingClassType>
					<bReplace>1</bReplace>
				</ReplaceBuilding>
				<ReplaceBuilding>
					<BuildingClassType>BUILDINGCLASS_METROPOLITAN_ADMINISTRATION</BuildingClassType>
					<bReplace>1</bReplace>
				</ReplaceBuilding>
				<ReplaceBuilding>
					<BuildingClassType>BUILDINGCLASS_CAPITAL_ADMINISTRATION</BuildingClassType>
					<bReplace>1</bReplace>
				</ReplaceBuilding>
			</ReplaceBuildings>

I didn't find these tags mentioned in the schema at all... how does THAT work? How many other tags might I be missing in my spreadsheet since they aren't in the schema? Especially since we don't have a master tag list for buildings anywhere then.

What brought THIS to my attention was just as strange but I have a theory or two to explain it... still maybe one of you could help me understand.

We have two listings for the Town Hall in the main Civ4BuildingInfos.xml. The second listing does have the tag:

			<bForceOverwrite>1</bForceOverwrite>

at the end of it... I presume this means to the dll: anything you see here overwrites anything you read before this regarding this building. Is that correct?

Oddly, when using the scanning tool, this 1 on bForceOverwrite seems to have mysteriously been added to the bDCMNukesOK field (which has no entry in the actual xml file for either Town Hall entry.) I presume this is in part because I have the above noted discrepancy of having tags in the xml that aren't listed in the schema?


sigh... Not quite sure how to sort this out.

 

[Hydromancerx]

<bForceOverwrite>1</bForceOverwrite>

Are added to buildings so their stats are read instead of the core files. Without it the mod would just add info but not take away/alter info.

Please do not remove <bForceOverwrite>1</bForceOverwrite> from any of the files outside of the core files or weird thing will happen.

For example some buildings have been extremely changed from their original stats, while in the core files they still have more or less the same stats as what they had for RoM/AND.

 

[Thunderbrd]

Ok, so that is pretty much what I figured... and the force overwrite ONLY applies to the entries since the building was called by Type and then closed right?

I mean, this is happening INSIDE the ONE base Civ infos file too here so its creating two of one entry and I'm thinking this means that the overwrite section simply 'replaces' what was mentioned before but only on those listings that are mentioned inside the portion that contains the overwrite statement.

I get that... ok, but then I suppose that means the data in the primary listing only actually matters in the final result where the data hasn't been changed. Very frustrating that this can happen all in one file... the need for us to even maintain homage to the original is what I find irritating... its not even a modular adjustment in this case!

Why is this frustrating? Because I can't have one file giving me two of the same building type entry for what I'm trying to do... this means I'd have to manually seek out those and manually combine them in the spreadsheet... which means I have to figure out which one is the primary and which one is the overwrite... gets exhausting when trying to set up an easily updateable system... and there's been a lot of issues just to get to this point.

So what I'm asking for, in THIS case, is for the modders to agree that when I find these overwrites within the same file as the base building, to allow me to just update the core building entry so there is only one. Allow me to let go of the original entirely.

If we want to go back to it, we can always pull it from an afforess AND version again. But for now, this is one of the few things that will really mess up what I'm trying to accomplish here and I don't think its a very significant issue to resolve it in this manner.


And that's just to address that portion - what about the tags that don't exist in the schema? How does that even load without throwing up an XML load error when we attempt to load the mod?

 

[AIAndy]

And that's just to address that portion - what about the tags that don't exist in the schema? How does that even load without throwing up an XML load error when we attempt to load the mod?

It won't load so you probably looked in the wrong scheme. Unfortunately there are sometimes multiple schemes for the same thing in some folders (should probably be cleaned up at some time). What counts is the scheme referenced at the top of the XML file.

 

[Hydromancerx]

I mean, this is happening INSIDE the ONE base Civ infos file too here so its creating two of one entry and I'm thinking this means that the overwrite section simply 'replaces' what was mentioned before but only on those listings that are mentioned inside the portion that contains the overwrite statement.

Well the way that the mods stack in the MLF_CIV4ModularLoadingControls the bottom one will be the one that changed. Thus if 2 mods overrode the same building then the bottom one on the list would take effect.

Ok, so that is pretty much what I figured... and the force overwrite ONLY applies to the entries since the building was called by Type and then closed right?

And yes only to that type. However since we have no more Unique Buildings it should not matter since class and type are all the same now.

So what I'm asking for, in THIS case, is for the modders to agree that when I find these overwrites within the same file as the base building, to allow me to just update the core building entry so there is only one. Allow me to let go of the original entirely.

Well see that defeats the whole purpose of being modular. Some people may not want the changes made in the override and would want to take out that mod to have the default buildings.

I personally would not mind all my buildings getting merged into the core, however I don't think others would like that. Which is why my stuff is modular in the first place.

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

I personally would not mind all my buildings getting merged into the core, however I don't think others would like that. Which is why my stuff is modular in the first place.

When did your stuff become modular? I thought removing your stuff would cause C2C to fall over because units in the core files referenced buildings in your mod.

 

[Hydromancerx]

When did your stuff become modular? I thought removing your stuff would cause C2C to fall over because units in the core files referenced buildings in your mod.

It modular in the sense that if you disable the "Hydro" folder the mod would probably still work. However within the Hydro folder all the mods are so interwoven now they are like a 2nd core.

Note that I think the new civics like anarchy might freak out if you disabled the Hydro folder. So its almost true.

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

On another note. there are many tags that Afforess wrote that may not be in our schemas. Check against his Modders documentation thread.

 

[Thunderbrd]

RE: the schema and the unlisted tags: Oddly though, these tags seem to have an effect! As you see in the example that starts the thread, these are somehow being considered in showing the game what buildings replace the Town Hall! ???

I would've thought maybe they just wouldn't load too but they seem to be critical to the correct function of the building the way they are currently set up - or are they an old remnant of an old method and they no longer work? Is that function being taken care of elsewhere and these are just leftovers like a tailbone or appendix? I'll have to take a look with that in mind.

RE Modular: Hydro... I'm not talking about what's in separate files such as your modular files. I'm talking about two entries for the one Town Hall building in the same one core Civ4BuildingInfos.xml file found in the Assets/XML/Buildings file! Take a look and see what I mean... Search for <Type>BUILDING_TOWN_HALL</Type> You'll get two entries in the one file. I'm sure the overrite rules are applying as you stated but I can't see the purpose of having them split like this within the one source.

And there was a problem with the National Mint in there too where two such entries in the same file were conflicting on the population prerequisite - that I fixed already I believe.)

I can adapt to a building being listed in many different files with later overrides in OTHER files but in the same file I cannot. (Well, not without a lot of manual fiddling to merge the two before uploading from the automated spreadsheet into a database.)

 

[AIAndy]

The schema without prefix is not used at all I think (or at least not for buildings info). Check the Afforess_ version.

 

[Thunderbrd]

I'm not sure what you mean... the Afforess version is the core schema. I checked and only that one has all tags so that's the one I'm comparing to. I found that nowhere within it was a defined <replacebuildings> tag or tag set. Maybe I'm looking at only a part of the schema... my understanding is there's a first half and a second half and that what's mentioned in the first half of the schema must be mentioned in the second half and that the order in which tags are introduced and called matters as it must match the order in the dll.

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

RE: the schema and the unlisted tags: Oddly though, these tags seem to have an effect! As you see in the example that starts the thread, these are somehow being considered in showing the game what buildings replace the Town Hall! ???

I would've thought maybe they just wouldn't load too but they seem to be critical to the correct function of the building the way they are currently set up - or are they an old remnant of an old method and they no longer work? Is that function being taken care of elsewhere and these are just leftovers like a tailbone or appendix? I'll have to take a look with that in mind.

RE Modular: Hydro... I'm not talking about what's in separate files such as your modular files. I'm talking about two entries for the one Town Hall building in the same one core Civ4BuildingInfos.xml file found in the Assets/XML/Buildings file! Take a look and see what I mean... Search for <Type>BUILDING_TOWN_HALL</Type> You'll get two entries in the one file. I'm sure the overrite rules are applying as you stated but I can't see the purpose of having them split like this within the one source.

And there was a problem with the National Mint in there too where two such entries in the same file were conflicting on the population prerequisite - that I fixed already I believe.)

I can adapt to a building being listed in many different files with later overrides in OTHER files but in the same file I cannot. (Well, not without a lot of manual fiddling to merge the two before uploading from the automated spreadsheet into a database.)

The only reason to have two entries in the same file is if one of them has one of option setting tags such as AndDependencyTypes. The WoC XML loading will then update the main definition with what is in the second definition.

If there is not such a tag then someone needs to get in there and figure out which should stay and which go.

 

[AIAndy]

I'm not sure what you mean... the Afforess version is the core schema. I checked and only that one has all tags so that's the one I'm comparing to. I found that nowhere within it was a defined <replacebuildings> tag or tag set. Maybe I'm looking at only a part of the schema... my understanding is there's a first half and a second half and that what's mentioned in the first half of the schema must be mentioned in the second half and that the order in which tags are introduced and called matters as it must match the order in the dll.

It really seems to be weird. The ReplaceBuilding tag is defined but never added as a subtag to the building info if I see it correctly.
Still the schema check seems to pass. And that check is the only purpose of the schema. It has nothing to do with the actual loading code of the file.

 

[Thunderbrd]

The only reason to have two entries in the same file is if one of them has one of option setting tags such as AndDependencyTypes. The WoC XML loading will then update the main definition with what is in the second definition.

If there is not such a tag then someone needs to get in there and figure out which should stay and which go.

Ok, vindication then... that's exactly what I had thought too. And Koshling's spreadsheeting tool seems to take that into consideration so it will be fairly apparent when I'm compiling the database info when there's a problem in a file like this.

So HELP! How should I sort this out in the Civ4BuildingInfos.xml file?

1st occurrence of the Town Hall:

Spoiler :

		<BuildingInfo>
			<BuildingClass>BUILDINGCLASS_TOWN_HALL</BuildingClass>
			<Type>BUILDING_TOWN_HALL</Type>
			<SpecialBuildingType>NONE</SpecialBuildingType>
			<Description>TXT_KEY_BUILDING_TOWN_HALL</Description>
			<Civilopedia>TXT_KEY_BUILDING_TOWN_HALL_PEDIA</Civilopedia>
			<Strategy>TXT_KEY_BUILDING_TOWN_HALL_STRATEGY</Strategy>
			<Help><!--TXT_KEY_BUILDING_TOWN_HALL_HELP--></Help>
			<Advisor>ADVISOR_ECONOMY</Advisor>
			<ArtDefineTag>ART_DEF_BUILDING_TOWN_HALL</ArtDefineTag>
			<MovieDefineTag>NONE</MovieDefineTag>
			<HolyCity>NONE</HolyCity>
			<ReligionType>NONE</ReligionType>
			<StateReligion>NONE</StateReligion>
			<bStateReligion>0</bStateReligion>
			<PrereqReligion>NONE</PrereqReligion>
			<PrereqCorporation>NONE</PrereqCorporation>
			<FoundsCorporation>NONE</FoundsCorporation>
			<GlobalReligionCommerce>NONE</GlobalReligionCommerce>
			<GlobalCorporationCommerce>NONE</GlobalCorporationCommerce>
			<VictoryPrereq>NONE</VictoryPrereq>
			<FreeStartEra>NONE</FreeStartEra>
			<MaxStartEra>NONE</MaxStartEra>
			<ObsoleteTech>TECH_COMMUNICATION_NETWORKS</ObsoleteTech>
			<PrereqTech>TECH_SOCIAL_CONTRACT</PrereqTech>
			<TechTypes/>
			<Bonus>NONE</Bonus>
			<PrereqBonuses/>
			<ProductionTraits/>
			<HappinessTraits/>
			<NoBonus>NONE</NoBonus>
			<PowerBonus>NONE</PowerBonus>
			<FreeBonus>NONE</FreeBonus>
			<iNumFreeBonuses>0</iNumFreeBonuses>
			<FreeBuilding>NONE</FreeBuilding>
			<FreePromotion>NONE</FreePromotion>
			<CivicOption>NONE</CivicOption>
			<GreatPeopleUnitClass>NONE</GreatPeopleUnitClass>
			<iGreatPeopleRateChange>0</iGreatPeopleRateChange>
			<iHurryAngerModifier>0</iHurryAngerModifier>
			<bBorderObstacle>0</bBorderObstacle>
			<bTeamShare>0</bTeamShare>
			<bWater>0</bWater>
			<bRiver>0</bRiver>
			<bPower>0</bPower>
			<bDirtyPower>0</bDirtyPower>
			<bAreaCleanPower>0</bAreaCleanPower>
			<DiploVoteType>NONE</DiploVoteType>
			<bForceTeamVoteEligible>0</bForceTeamVoteEligible>
			<bCapital>0</bCapital>
			<bGovernmentCenter>0</bGovernmentCenter>
			<bGoldenAge>0</bGoldenAge>
			<bAllowsNukes>0</bAllowsNukes>
			<bMapCentering>0</bMapCentering>
			<bNoUnhappiness>0</bNoUnhappiness>
			<bNoUnhealthyPopulation>0</bNoUnhealthyPopulation>
			<bBuildingOnlyHealthy>0</bBuildingOnlyHealthy>
			<bNeverCapture>0</bNeverCapture>
			<bNukeImmune>0</bNukeImmune>
			<bPrereqReligion>0</bPrereqReligion>
			<bCenterInCity>0</bCenterInCity>
			<iAIWeight>0</iAIWeight>
			<iCost>160</iCost>
			<iHurryCostModifier>0</iHurryCostModifier>
			<iAdvancedStartCost>100</iAdvancedStartCost>
			<iAdvancedStartCostIncrease>0</iAdvancedStartCostIncrease>
			<iMinAreaSize>-1</iMinAreaSize>
			<iConquestProb>0</iConquestProb>
			<iCitiesPrereq>0</iCitiesPrereq>
			<iTeamsPrereq>0</iTeamsPrereq>
			<iLevelPrereq>0</iLevelPrereq>
			<iMinLatitude>0</iMinLatitude>
			<iMaxLatitude>90</iMaxLatitude>
			<iGreatPeopleRateModifier>0</iGreatPeopleRateModifier>
			<iGreatGeneralRateModifier>0</iGreatGeneralRateModifier>
			<iDomesticGreatGeneralRateModifier>0</iDomesticGreatGeneralRateModifier>
			<iGlobalGreatPeopleRateModifier>0</iGlobalGreatPeopleRateModifier>
			<iAnarchyModifier>0</iAnarchyModifier>
			<iGoldenAgeModifier>0</iGoldenAgeModifier>
			<iGlobalHurryModifier>0</iGlobalHurryModifier>
			<iExperience>0</iExperience>
			<iGlobalExperience>0</iGlobalExperience>
			<iFoodKept>0</iFoodKept>
			<iAirlift>0</iAirlift>
			<iAirModifier>0</iAirModifier>
			<iAirUnitCapacity>0</iAirUnitCapacity>
			<iNukeModifier>0</iNukeModifier>
			<iNukeExplosionRand>0</iNukeExplosionRand>
			<iFreeSpecialist>0</iFreeSpecialist>
			<iAreaFreeSpecialist>0</iAreaFreeSpecialist>
			<iGlobalFreeSpecialist>0</iGlobalFreeSpecialist>
			<iMaintenanceModifier>-20</iMaintenanceModifier>
			<iWarWearinessModifier>0</iWarWearinessModifier>
			<iGlobalWarWearinessModifier>0</iGlobalWarWearinessModifier>
			<iEnemyWarWearinessModifier>0</iEnemyWarWearinessModifier>
			<iHealRateChange>0</iHealRateChange>
			<iHealth>0</iHealth>
			<iAreaHealth>0</iAreaHealth>
			<iGlobalHealth>0</iGlobalHealth>
			<iHappiness>1</iHappiness>
			<iAreaHappiness>0</iAreaHappiness>
			<iGlobalHappiness>0</iGlobalHappiness>
			<iStateReligionHappiness>0</iStateReligionHappiness>
			<iWorkerSpeedModifier>0</iWorkerSpeedModifier>
			<iMilitaryProductionModifier>0</iMilitaryProductionModifier>
			<iSpaceProductionModifier>0</iSpaceProductionModifier>
			<iGlobalSpaceProductionModifier>0</iGlobalSpaceProductionModifier>
			<iTradeRoutes>0</iTradeRoutes>
			<iCoastalTradeRoutes>0</iCoastalTradeRoutes>
			<iGlobalTradeRoutes>0</iGlobalTradeRoutes>
			<iTradeRouteModifier>0</iTradeRouteModifier>
			<iForeignTradeRouteModifier>0</iForeignTradeRouteModifier>
			<iGlobalPopulationChange>0</iGlobalPopulationChange>
			<iFreeTechs>0</iFreeTechs>
			<iDefense>0</iDefense>
			<iBombardDefense>0</iBombardDefense>
			<iAllCityDefense>0</iAllCityDefense>
			<iEspionageDefense>0</iEspionageDefense>
			<iAsset>3</iAsset>
			<iPower>0</iPower>
			<fVisibilityPriority>1.0</fVisibilityPriority>
			<SeaPlotYieldChanges/>
			<RiverPlotYieldChanges/>
			<GlobalSeaPlotYieldChanges/>
			<YieldChanges/>
			<YieldModifiers/>
			<CommerceChanges/>
			<ObsoleteSafeCommerceChanges/>
			<CommerceChangeDoubleTimes/>
			<CommerceModifiers/>
			<GlobalCommerceModifiers/>
			<SpecialistExtraCommerces/>
			<StateReligionCommerces/>
			<CommerceHappinesses/>
			<ReligionChanges/>
			<SpecialistCounts/>
			<FreeSpecialistCounts/>
			<CommerceFlexibles/>
			<CommerceChangeOriginalOwners/>
			<ConstructSound>AS2D_BUILD_COURTHOUSE</ConstructSound>
			<BonusHealthChanges/>
			<BonusHappinessChanges/>
			<BonusProductionModifiers/>
			<UnitCombatFreeExperiences/>
			<DomainFreeExperiences/>
			<DomainProductionModifiers/>
			<BuildingHappinessChanges/>
			<PrereqBuildingClasses/>
			<bRequiresActiveCivics>1</bRequiresActiveCivics>
			<PrereqAndCivics>
				<PrereqCivic>
					<CivicOption>CIVIC_FEDERAL</CivicOption>
					<bPrereqCivic>1</bPrereqCivic>
				</PrereqCivic>
			</PrereqAndCivics>
			<BuildingClassNeededs/>
			<SpecialistYieldChanges/>
			<BonusYieldModifiers/>
			<ImprovementFreeSpecialists/>
			
			<Flavors>
				<Flavor>
					<FlavorType>FLAVOR_GOLD</FlavorType>
					<iFlavor>10</iFlavor>
				</Flavor>
				<Flavor>
					<FlavorType>FLAVOR_GROWTH</FlavorType>
					<iFlavor>3</iFlavor>
				</Flavor>
			</Flavors>
			<HotKey/>
			<bAltDown>0</bAltDown>
			<bShiftDown>0</bShiftDown>
			<bCtrlDown>0</bCtrlDown>
			<iHotKeyPriority>0</iHotKeyPriority>
			<iPrereqPopulation>6</iPrereqPopulation>
		</BuildingInfo>

2nd occurrence:

Spoiler :

		<BuildingInfo>
			<BuildingClass>BUILDINGCLASS_TOWN_HALL</BuildingClass>
			<Type>BUILDING_TOWN_HALL</Type>
			<Description>TXT_KEY_BUILDING_TOWN_HALL</Description>
			<Civilopedia>TXT_KEY_BUILDING_TOWN_HALL_PEDIA</Civilopedia>
			<Strategy>TXT_KEY_BUILDING_CITYBUILDINGS_STRATEGY</Strategy>
			<Advisor>ADVISOR_SCIENCE</Advisor>
			<ArtDefineTag>ART_DEF_BUILDING_HOLY_ROMAN_RATHAUS</ArtDefineTag>
			<ObsoleteTech>NONE</ObsoleteTech>
			<PrereqTech>TECH_BRONZE_WORKING</PrereqTech>
			<iPrereqPopulation>6</iPrereqPopulation>
			<PrereqCultureLevel>CULTURELEVEL_DEVELOPING</PrereqCultureLevel>
			<ProductionTraits>
				<ProductionTrait>
					<ProductionTraitType>TRAIT_ORGANIZED</ProductionTraitType>
					<iProductionTrait>50</iProductionTrait>
				</ProductionTrait>
			</ProductionTraits>
			<bNeverCapture>0</bNeverCapture>
			<bCenterInCity>1</bCenterInCity>
			<iCost>120</iCost>
			<iAdvancedStartCost>100</iAdvancedStartCost>
			<iMinAreaSize>-1</iMinAreaSize>
			<iConquestProb>85</iConquestProb>
			<iMaxLatitude>90</iMaxLatitude>
			<iFreeSpecialist>2</iFreeSpecialist>
			<iMaintenanceModifier>25</iMaintenanceModifier>
			<iAsset>4</iAsset>
			<iPower>5</iPower>
			<fVisibilityPriority>1.0</fVisibilityPriority>
			<CommerceChanges>
				<iCommerce>0</iCommerce>
				<iCommerce>0</iCommerce>
				<iCommerce>2</iCommerce>
			</CommerceChanges>
			<ConstructSound>AS2D_BUILD_COURTHOUSE</ConstructSound>
			<BuildingClassProductionModifiers>
				<BuildingClassProductionModifier>
					<BuildingClassType>BUILDINGCLASS_CITY_COUNCIL</BuildingClassType>
					<iProductionModifier>15</iProductionModifier>
				</BuildingClassProductionModifier>
			</BuildingClassProductionModifiers>
			<ReplaceBuildings>
				<ReplaceBuilding>
					<BuildingClassType>BUILDINGCLASS_CITY_COUNCIL</BuildingClassType>
					<bReplace>1</bReplace>
				</ReplaceBuilding>
				<ReplaceBuilding>
					<BuildingClassType>BUILDINGCLASS_METROPOLITAN_ADMINISTRATION</BuildingClassType>
					<bReplace>1</bReplace>
				</ReplaceBuilding>
				<ReplaceBuilding>
					<BuildingClassType>BUILDINGCLASS_CAPITAL_ADMINISTRATION</BuildingClassType>
					<bReplace>1</bReplace>
				</ReplaceBuilding>
			</ReplaceBuildings>
			<Flavors>
				<Flavor>
					<FlavorType>FLAVOR_PRODUCTION</FlavorType>
					<iFlavor>6</iFlavor>
				</Flavor>
				<Flavor>
					<FlavorType>FLAVOR_SCIENCE</FlavorType>
					<iFlavor>4</iFlavor>
				</Flavor>
			</Flavors>
			<HotKey/>
			<bAltDown>0</bAltDown>
			<bShiftDown>0</bShiftDown>
			<bCtrlDown>0</bCtrlDown>
			<iHotKeyPriority>0</iHotKeyPriority>
			<iDCMAirbombMission>2</iDCMAirbombMission>
			<bForceOverwrite>1</bForceOverwrite>
		</BuildingInfo>

Any assistance in sorting out what SHOULD be would be good.

It really seems to be weird. The ReplaceBuilding tag is defined but never added as a subtag to the building info if I see it correctly.
Still the schema check seems to pass. And that check is the only purpose of the schema. It has nothing to do with the actual loading code of the file.

I KNOW right!?! So would it create any problems right now to add the ReplaceBuilding tags to the schema? Shouldn't that be done then? But of course if we do it should be reflected in the dll right? Is it already IN the dll? (haven't looked up the source yet on this matter...)

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

I just noticed the ForceOverwrite tag in the bottom one. Which makes everything simple. Delete the first and remove the force overwrite from the second. That should have been done when the second was merged into the first but was missed.

Do you have a list of the duplicates? It may require someone to individually check each one.

 

[Thunderbrd]

I can probably pull up a list of duplicates... I will certainly incidentally find them and be told I have an error when I try to import to the database because I'm telling the db to not allow two of the same building type.

So that seems simple enough but there seems to be a lot of tags missing from the second entry that I wasn't sure if that was on purpose or not. the force override... does that cause the game to completely ignore the first entry? Or is it possible I may leave gaps if I delete the first entirely?

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

I can probably pull up a list of duplicates... I will certainly incidentally find them and be told I have an error when I try to import to the database because I'm telling the db to not allow two of the same building type.

So that seems simple enough but there seems to be a lot of tags missing from the second entry that I wasn't sure if that was on purpose or not. the force override... does that cause the game to completely ignore the first entry? Or is it possible I may leave gaps if I delete the first entirely?

It is better to have a full entry. Not having tags there means that the WoC XML loader has to put the default values in which may take a very small amount of time but adds up over a large number of objects.

Force override means completely ignore any previously loaded version of this object. It is the only way to reset values to their default value with WoC.

 

[AIAndy]

I KNOW right!?! So would it create any problems right now to add the ReplaceBuilding tags to the schema? Shouldn't that be done then? But of course if we do it should be reflected in the dll right? Is it already IN the dll? (haven't looked up the source yet on this matter...)

The DLL only really cares about what actually is in the XML files and those do contain ReplaceBuildings entries. The DLL also contains code to read them so if you add the tag to the schema and it passes the check on game load, then fine.

 

[AIAndy]

It is better to have a full entry. Not having tags there means that the WoC XML loader has to put the default values in which may take a very small amount of time but adds up over a large number of objects.

That is probably incorrect. While it does not make that much difference I would assume that not having to parse another tag is cheaper.

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

That is probably incorrect. While it does not make that much difference I would assume that not having to parse another tag is cheaper.

Unfortunately antidotil evidence from other mods suggests otherwise. They report noticable improvement in game loading when using the standard format with all tags than the WoC format where most tags are optional.