Just an update here, but some of the essential files from the SWAP pack aren't being datpacked because it says they're superseeded. I was wondering why my game kept crashing whenever I plopped one of those pieces...
-- John
When it says it was "superseed" that has nothign to do with functionality in 99% of the cases. This simply means that you have 2 or more versions of a dat file in your plugins. Assuming they are the same, you will have no problems (Datpacker isolates them anyways.. just as SC4 would do if you did not pack them). If on the other hand they are an old or obsolete version it simply means you will have the wrong elements loaded.. btw those air packs are known dups.. you can just leave them alone or remove them if that message really bothers you.. it will make no difference to the game...
You'll have to look elsewhere for any problems you have.
Well, I know that in this case, the superseeded message does actually mean something. If I don't datpack the folder with SWAP or the props in it, it's fine. But when I datpack them the program says they're superseed (when I know they aren't duplicates or obsolete files) and when I play the game the props and such don't show up.
-- John
If it says it is superseed, it means that DatPAcker find all entries of that file in other files and thoses files are loaded after the superseed one resulting in a 'no need to load' the first file
Okay, so I tried datpacking my two props folders by themselves with nothing else in the folder, and it worked fine. There were some duplicate files that I didn't see before, but there are no duplications of the mega packs I listed earlier. But like I said before, when I have datpack all of my folders together it lists those mega packs as superseed, but datpacking them individually doesn't have the same effect.
-- John
sorry, I don't follow you, but to apologize, I'm sick &ops
Maybe you can post a shot or list of files yuo have datpacked when it works and when it does not
Wouanagaine, I don't follow and I am not sick $%Grinno$%
:D Let me try this again...
When I run the DatPacker with everything in my plugins, when it gets to the "Props 2" folder, it says that various files are superseeded. The ks_jpn mega packs (all of them) are listed as superseeded (as well as other mega packs), when I know there are no duplicates of those packs in my plugins. And then when I run SC4 the props that are in those packs don't show up.
However, when I run the DatPacker with the individual folder (I run DatPacker on the Props 1 folder, move the file, then run it on Props 2, move the file, etc.), everything is fine, and when I run SC4 the above props show up.
-- John
Maybe it would help if you listed all the files you have in Props 1 and Props 2. Without know what is in each folder it is hard to find a reason for the problem.
What are the size of your Props1.dat and Props2.dat ?
Can you open thoses 2 files in Reader and tell us how many entries there are in ?
It looks like you're hitting some kind of upper limits, and I have to test for such limits as I don't know how DatPacker will behave when such limits are reached
Props 1.dat is 700 MB, and has 207457 entries. Props 2.dat is 786 MB, and has 231083 entries.
-- John
That seems excessively huge for a file to work. I try to stick to no more than 200MB per dat. But I do agree with Wou, that further testing to find DatPacker's ceiling actually is, is in order. Since I'll be playing with DatPacker this week anyway, I can do some testing.
I have done some testing this morning. Normally I have my folders with individual files for lotting and a Plugins_Compressed for playing. This morning I packed together three folders into one - BSCProps, Model Packs and Models. The latter two contain the model packs made for non BSC members for the CAM and the individual models that we did not get permission to pack. I normally have these folders packed separately as 900MB, 624MB and 435MB respectively. In LE all the models for all the buildings and props show.
I packed all three folders into one dat of 1.85GB and had a lot of "superceded" files show including the ones shown in the following:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi5.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy171%2Fbarbyw%2Fsamplefromadatpack.jpg&hash=a2b954d74ed0d5441ecf1a01c7541fe84d2a68a9)
This was odd as I only have one set of Colyn's prop packs. Once I had packed the three folders into one I opened LE with the CAM buildings in plugins and there were no buildings showing at all. LE didn't report problems but no buildings showed and a lot of props were missing.
For future developments a way of copying the Warning/Info box to a text file would be useful as this might help pinpoint problems.
Also, if possible, adding in what exactly the file was superceeded by, either in the main window, or at least the generated text file. This would help us figure out any problematic files or user errors.
Of course, ONLY after you've completed the XTool. ;D
The first part is already on the list (write window) .. may as well fill it out with the rest..(what was "superseed") ;)
I will fix that ASAP
In fact I'm pretty sure that when I exceed some upper limit, some files are not packed, which wrongly displayed as 'superseed'
Perhaps putting back in the Use Less RAM option could be a fix for this?
Oh good, I knew I wasn't going crazy. :P
The reason why I split my props folder into two was that in the readme for the DatPacker you stated that it would give problems with files over 1 GB.
Although I still wonder why it showed that the files were superseeded when I ran the DatPacker on all my folders, but didn't when I ran the DatPacker on each folder individually.
-- John
Quote
Although I still wonder why it showed that the files were superseeded when I ran the DatPacker on all my folders, but didn't when I ran the DatPacker on each folder individually.
How you did that ?
Oh, I just took out all the folders out of my plugins folder instead of one, then ran the DatPacker. I then removed that folder, put another one in, ran the DatPacker, and repeated the whole thing until I was done.
-- John
A folder selection would be nice to add to the list too. Is somebody writing down the list? $%Grinno$%
Edit : sorry to removed your comments ~Wouanagaine~
Barby, can you check that an examplar from Colyn's mega pack is present or not in the 1.8gb dat file please ?
Wouanagaine, I am not sure exactly what you mean as I was missing lots of props and models from the big file.
I packed all my BSCProps, plus the model packs for non BSC and the single models I have for CAM. All Colyn's props should have been in there. I can't find the original dat now ::) but can do the test againif you like.
Never mind, I have not read your post correctly
Too bad that even a 800Mb BSC folder does not produce any errors on my PC :(
My normal compressed BSCProps is 900MB and produces no errors.
I think I found something weird in my code
I locked the LEX file until further investigation
I have a suggestion for improvement... make it so the files NetworkAddonMod (and maybe the CAM ones) dont get packed... Unless there is a reason for keeping this as it is now...Its just with the whole thing
And also, maybe keep the un-packagable folders listed in the/a settings file or is that not possible?
btw.. like i said last time, Its a fantastic tool
Joe
Bug fix available on the LEX ( v08c )
It may still appears that there is a 'minor' bug due to some memory leaks I'm unable to get to the root. As I said it classified as "minor", it appears that on some systems, some folders can't be packed when running on your full plugins folder, however if you remove all folders but the offending one, it will be able to be packed
@Joe, it is possible, but not for the moment.
After habving played for a long time I finally decided to Datpack my pluginsfolder.
The subfolders are not too large. Everything together is 1,3Gb, the largest subfolders probably don't reach 300MB (can't see, because at the office now, having lunch).
I ran some filecomparison program to see if I have double files (Easy Clean; free and useful). So no double dats and models etc. Of course I could have some old dependencies together with new megapacks. Surely enough I tried to Cleanitol everything, but if it's 100% OK? Never sure.
Anyway: while datpacking I found out some files were Superceed.
I wrote down some names. It included some models, eg cranes by Somy.
After having started the game with this packed pluginsfolder I was able to place the superceed lots and the buildings/props/models (?) showed up. Meaning: everything looked as it should be. I expected a brown box or an almost empty lot. Especially Somy's lots are almost only a building with some base texture...
What did Datpacker do with my models? They seem to be superceed, but are still in the plugins. And no, I do not have SOMY's cranes doubled in my folder.
Help? ()what()
If DatPacker says Superceeded, then only one instance will be put into the packed dat. So if you do have duplicates, it will only allow one in the file. It's possible that SOMY had duplicate props in his files.
Ahm, so it might be a problem in the files that SOMY made himself?
And does this mean that the file size difference between unpacked and packed consists of leaving out all the double data?
Wow! So Datpacker is the best way of throwing out all double files and data? Great.
Wouanagaine, your work is spectacular. &apls
That's a possibility. But should there be a conflicting file, e.g. 2 textures using the same IID, DatPacker will only keep one of the two, just as the game does. So it can be important to look at exactly what is being superceeded, and by what. To find out which file is conflicting, rename the file reported as superceeded with an a_ in front of it, then try datpacking again (after deleting the previously packed dat). Then, once you find out which file is conflicting, you can go into Reader and actually figure out what the problem is (if you're so inclined). Could be as simple as a duplicated prop, or as bad as conflicting textures.
Ok, thanks.
I'll see if there is something that seriously wrong.
Most likely it means that certain props /textures were easier to repeat in seperate lots than to have to make a dependency file a seperate download..
It may be hard to find which files superseed a file
say
fileA contains TGI1 TGI2 and TGI3
fileB contains TGI1 TGI4
fileC contains TGI2 TGI5
fileD contains TGI3 TGI6
the files will be loaded in the following order => A B C then D
Datpacker will tell you that fileA has been superseed
if you rename fileA to fileE, the loading order will be B C D than E and no file will be reported as superseed
Quote from: SC4BOY on May 22, 2008, 10:33:50 AM
Most likely it means that certain props /textures were easier to repeat in seperate lots than to have to make a dependency file a seperate download..
Which is a very bad practice as the game will load each file and override the previous one, resulting in longer loading time
And if the overriden entries are not exactly the same then you'll likely screw your game ( ie maybe the entry refer to a building examplar which has changed a little between the 2 files ). If it is texture it certainly won't screw the game, but certainly add to loading time
But well, no need to start a dependencies debat
OK, thanks a lot.
I see I do not really need to worry about losing files, lots or props.