Smitty

Hi Mel and Tony, Sorry about not replying sooner. I've been offline for a week. As a starter, I do have Mel's first recommendation... an old XP machine as a backup to deal with the Platform Editor and the Scenario Editor ( necessary with GE version 2009.050 ). This solution is not really convenient, involving making room for the XP machine, powering it up and then transferring files back and forth. I also considered getting rid of OFFICE entirely and using Google DOCS and Google SHEETS ( in lieu of WORD and EXCEL), but found them awkward; so went with OFFICE 365 in a subscription. I could then have used ACCESS 97 runtime. Tony: Thanks for the offer to convert data bases, but I do have the old XP machine. I was hoping there might be so straight forward way to allow me to look at the data base for info that doesn't show up in the game displays (RCS, acoustic data, installation defenses, etc. ). My version of OFFICE 365 is the subscription version, so it has ACCESS 2019 (or 2020). The problem is Microsoft has decided if you want any of the OFFICE APPs, you have take them all; and that precludes running ACCESS 97 runtime. My ACCESS 2019 will convert the data base to the latest file format, but I assume that won't work with the Scenario Editor and GE ( version 2009.050 ) Thanks again for taking the trouble to reply, Gene

Hi, I've been using ACCESS-97 data base. However, when I upgraded to Win10, it would not support my ancient version of OFFICE. I have now installed the latest version of OFFICE 365. I don't need ACCESS 365. Microsoft, in their wisdom. only installs in total ( can't take only some components of OFFICE 365). The new version won't use the ACCESS-97 format. The run time software that comes with HCE won't run if a version of ACCESS is already installed. I do use WORD and EXCEL; or I would just uninstall OFFICE 365 Does anyone have any suggestions to get around this conundrum? TIA, Gene Smith

Hi Tony, With the 32-bit comment in mind, I got things working ... sort of I uninstalled OFFICE and then installed ACCESS run time 32-bit. It turns out I have 2 versions of Harpoon on my HD. The version I have been using is ID'ed as HCE and uses the 16-bit SE. The other version is from Matrix and is ID'ed as HUCE and has been upgraded to HC2017.009. I decided not to start using that because it had an expiration date that I was worried about. The ACCESS runtime seemed to work with the HUCE version of the data base, but not the HCE version. If I copy the HUCE database over to HCE the GE and SE work fine ,but the ACCESS runtime will only edit them in the HUCE folder ( not when I try to open them in the HCE folder. At this point I think I will install another version from the MATRIX disk and update to HC2018,002 + .011 and see how everything goes. Thanks for your help Gene

Hi Tony, Thanks for your help. First, the REST_PE.bat file didn't copy the file... some issue about paths. I copied the files over myself. When I ran the PE, I was given a choice of OPEN THE DATABASE or CONVERT THE DATABASE. I tried both, and got the following message in both cases... " There were compilation errors during the conversion or enabling of this database. " When I hit the OK button, I got the same VISUAL BASIC error as originally. I tried uninstalling OFFICE and reinstalling... no joy. I uninstalled OFFIVE; reinstalled without ACCESS; and installed ACCESS runtime 2013 (64 bit)... no joy. I very much suspect that my VBA libraries have been corrupted or un-attached. I have done some research on this, but so far no luck. I think I will try and uninstall OFFICE and install ACCESS runtime 2013 without OFFICE. For my OFFICE needs, I can switch over to GOOGLE DOCS and SHEETS. Again, thanks for your help Gene

Hi Tony, Thanks for looking into this. Some thoughts... 1. I uploaded the files as you requested. 2. It occurred to me last night that maybe I had corrupted the data base files in some manner. I went back and grabbed the original data base files ( I think ) and tried again. Same error problem. 3. The error appears to be in Visual Basic. Because my OFFICE is so old, I haven't upgraded it. However, OFFICE uses VBA and Microsoft may have upgraded VBA during some Windows upgrade. I assume ACCESS uses VBA to build forms for the HARPOON database. 4. I tried downloading and using ACCESS run time. However, it would not allow me, since I already had ACCESS installed. I can't uninstall ACCESS by itself. I have to uninstall OFFICE in total, and I hesitate to do this, as I use other OFFICE components. I could uninstall OFFICE and then try and reinstall OFFICE with only the other components that I use ( assuming the install procedure allows me that option ). I could then, presumably, use ACCESS run time. If you think this might be productive, I'll give it a try. Thanks again. Gene Smith

Hi Tony, Thanks for responding. When I click in the desktop icon, I get the attached visual basic screen shot. What doesn't show is a blank ACCESS screen under this one. I am using ACCESS 2000. Thanks, Gene

Hi, I haven't used the HCE PE in several months. Always before it has come up directly into the editor. This time it seems to be coming up into some sort of debugger. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thx, Gene Smith

Hi, I am leaving for California tomorrow for 2 to 3 weeks. I'll have a computer, but my schedule may not allow me to do much. Can I just run the installer for HC 2017.009 GESEDU.zip on top of what I have in there (see first -email in thread ) or do I have to back and install the HC 2015.027 ? Thanks for replying so quickly. Smitty

Hi, I have been using HUCE ( HC 2015.027 ) and things were working fine. I updated by downloading HC 2017.009 GESEDU. zip and executing the installer I downloaded HC 2016,003GEa. zip and executed the installer. If I use a battleset scenario everything is still fine. However, if I bring a battleset scenario into the editor ( Winscenedt32 ) and then save it ( with no changes ) it will not execute and I get the following message: " The requested scenario file requires a newer version of the game. This scenario is version 4 . This game supports through version 3. Exiting..." I am wondering if someone can tell me what I am doing wrong. Thanks, Smitty

Hi Tony, Thanks for looking into this. Actually I am more concerned for the future. At this point I am still using Virtual Windows XP and the old code. Smitty

Hi Tony, Thx for the fast response. I regard to item 4.... I am using SE build 2015.004 which came with HUCE build 2015.027 If you edit a group and highlight a ship or aircraft then click on the "display" button and then the "weapons" button, the box has headers with columns of data underneath. The data is written to the right of the headers so that the last data column is written in the imaginary space outside the box and is invisible. The same thing occurs if you highlight aircraft at a base of group and press F5 ( Ready Aircraft ). the result is you can't see the damage various munitions cause unless you go to the game and look at them or go to the platform editor, a rather cumbersome process. It doesn't matter if the data doesn't show up under the header but it would be nice if the box could be little bigger so the data could be seen. An interesting feature is that the box for an aircraft on a ship is different than the ship. The aircraft display gives the first character of the last column. Also if you press F5 the box that you see has a different display area than that after you select an aircraft and press the "ready' button. Smitty

Hi, I just upgraded from HCCE (2009.50) to HUCE ( 2015.27 ) and had a few questions: 1. Is there any way to invoke the GE directly using a desktop icon rather than going through the feature selection box ? Attaching a shortcut directly to the game executable doesn't seem to work. 2. There is some sort of window at the bottom of the screen in HUCE, that gives credits for harpoon and where to get digital art. It is no biggie, but is there some way to delete that window? 3. I now have both HCCE and HUCE on my machine. They seem to co-exist with no problem. I was wondering if there was something in this regard that I am unaware of ? Is it possible to use saved games back and forth assuming they are using the same data base? 4. There was some issue in the new SE about column headings not lining up with loadout info in the platform display box, that resulted in data in the right most columns being cutoff. Is there any change in regard to this problem? Thanks for all your work. One thing I don't think current player appreciate is the stability of the game. Back in the 1989-1990 era you had to continuously save games because it was likely the game would crash sometime in the next few minutes. Smitty

The column data is not matching up with the headers, so I guess that is the issue. Thanks for your efforts Gene

Hi Tony, I downloaded and ran the registry program from the web page pointed to in your link. When I ran it, it appeared to be a setup program that installed something else. I have looked quite a bit and have not been able to find something that might Have been in installed. I assume the program that has been installed ( by running the downloaded setup program ) is the actual registry cleaner program. Whatever, I saw no change in the behavior of the SE. I did not the web page that you pointed to has a notation that it clears two items that look like directories. If that is the case my installation is not to a standard directory. Again thanks for your time. Gene Smith

I recently downloaded HC2015.028SE to get access to the Scenario Editor in Windows & (64 bit). I would like to stop using the old editor in virtual XP. The editor that I downloaded seems to work fine with a couple of exceptions. 1. When I select ships or planes and use "DISPLAY" in the selection window, a box with a picture and text comes up. However, when I select "Weapons" the resulting box has internal windows which are too narrow. The damage is outside the right edge of the lower box and the ranges of some aircraft are truncated. 2. I can create bases from the pull down menu, but when I use CTRL+B, I get a position box. I was wondering if their is a later version or if there is a work around. TIA, Gene Smith