I just downloaded the latest (2005b09c) version and installed it, and I'm having a problem with the platform Editor. I created a new surface platform and saved it. When I open any scenario in any of the EC2003 Battlesets, the platform appears under Platform Display/All Platforms.

 

When I use the Scenario Editor in any of these Battlesets (or any Battleset for that matter), my unit doesn't appear under available units. Since I can see it under all units in any regular scenario, I know it's in there somewhere. What am I missing here?

 

Thanx:

 

Tom

I just downloaded the latest (2005b09c) version and installed it, and I'm having a problem with the platform Editor. I created a new surface platform and saved it. When I open any scenario in any of the EC2003 Battlesets, the platform appears under Platform Display/All Platforms.

 

When I use the Scenario Editor in any of these Battlesets (or any Battleset for that matter), my unit doesn't appear under available units. Since I can see it under all units in any regular scenario, I know it's in there somewhere. What am I missing here?

 

Thanx:

 

Tom

When you open the Scenario Editor, please click the Battlesets button. Is it showing the location of HCCE? If it isn't, change to that location, open up a scenario. For good measure, then close the SE, go back in and see if your platform is there.

Seldom wrong and right again. Thanx, Tony, this thing was really starting to drive me nuts. While we're on the subject of the PE, what do the DB-Start_Edit and DB-End_edit shortcuts do? What I've been doing is using the start shortcut, doing my editing, exporting the DB, closing the PE, and lastly using the end shortcut. Is this correct?

 

Also, the installer didn't create a shortcut to the PE. I created one myself that points to the file pfBuild2000.mdb, and it seems to work. If the tech types agree, you might want to post it somewhere for the other users.

 

Thanx again:

 

Tom

My pleasure

 

Before your first export in the PE for each version of the game you should run DB-Start_Edit (aka start_edit.bat in your HCCE directory). The batch file takes the encoded DB files commondb.res and commondb.rsr and breaks out the individual pieces into a format that we can easily edit with, say, the PE. It stores the files in HCCEDir\commondb\

 

(running start_edit before every version is to be safe, in reality, you only need do this when a new database format is introduced and I doubt that will be happening before the release version)

 

Running start_edit does not overwrite any custom changes you have in the PE itself.

 

DB-End_Edit (aka end_edit.bat) should not need to be explicitly run. It takes any entries exported by the DB, any pictures you edited/added, and globs them all up into the commondb.res and commondb.rsr, the database files that the game actually uses in the GE and SE for EC2003 and WestPac.

 

Now here's the neat part, when you do an Import in the PE, start_edit.bat is automatically run (hence you only need do a DB-Start_Edit before your first export, the rest are handled by the PE). So if you pick apart my logic, that original DB-Start_Edit isn't even needed but in this case I'd rather run it one too many times.

 

Likewise, when you run an Export from the PE, the final step is that the PE triggers DB-End_Edit to make the game useable commondb files and places them into the game directory.

 

So in your current situation you need only use the PE to Export and it will take care of the DB-End_Edit (naturally this assumes things are working right...). Check that it is working right by looking for your changes in game and/or looking at the date/time stamp on commondb.res in your game directory after you export.

 

Good job on the shortcut, I'll leave it to you to suggest getting that into the installer. I also do not have a PE shortcut.