Main Directory and Default Directory?

[tbontob]

I would like to install a Mod, but find the terminology confusing.

The SE4 Gold manual talks of the "Main Directory" on page 81 but gives table 1 of the "Default Directory".

Are they the same? Different? If so, how? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif

I've been a Mac user for 20 years and just "coverted" to the P4 platform. So I am in grade school in all this (maybe even kindergarden...). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

So, I need help from the ground up. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[Suicide Junkie]

That terminology is more SE4 than windows.

I would say:

Main Directory:
Always refers to the first directory/folder that holds SE4: IE, the one where you find the SE4.EXE and PATH.TXT files.

Default Directory:
Refers to one of the subfolders/subdirectories inside the Main Directory. Examples are "Data", "Pictures", "AI".

The default folder/directory to find "settings.txt" would be "c: \MM\se4\Data", or something similar, depending on where you installed the game.
Mods may cause SE4 to look for files in places other than the defaults.

[tbontob]

Thank you Suicide Junkie http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

The Path.txt file has this to say:
================================================== =====================================
PATH DATA FILE
================================================== =====================================

This file must be located with the executable to tell it which
directories to look in. If you make your own data sets or modifications,
you should install them in a new directory under the se4 directory, and
then modify this file to be that directory name.

Using Mod Directory:
This indicates the name of the directory under which to look for for the
game files. If this value is "None" or blank, then the standard SE4 files
will be used. If this is set to a directory name, then the game will attempt
to load its files from that directory first.

If a mod directory is present, then it must contain all of the files that are
in the original SE4 directory. The only exception to this rule is in the case
of bitmaps. If a bitmap can't be loaded from the mod directory, then the game
will still attempt to load it from the standard SE4 directories.

================================================== =====================================
*BEGIN*
================================================== =====================================

Using Mod Directory := None

================================================== =====================================
*END*
================================================== =====================================
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Question 1: The name of the mod is TGEmod10 and I assume that I would repace "None" with the TGEmod10 Y/N?

It is a simple mod, just changing the mineral/organic/radioactive production of facilities and the availability of the destroyer at game start.

Question 2: If I play a different game, do I have to change the path back to "None" In other words, does the computer "know" which mod is attached to which game or do I have to do it manually whenever I switch games.

[tbontob]

Needless to say, I am lost when it talks of "This file must be located with the executable to tell it which
directories to look in."

[ September 17, 2002, 20:36: Message edited by: tbontob ]

[dumbluck]

Try the mod picker utility on the gold CD (or do a forum search for "Matryx", you should be able to download it from his sig). It does all that work for you, and it even has an SE4ish interface! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

[tbontob]

Thanx guys http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

For the other newbies out there, the name of the program is ModLaunchingProgram.zip and its author is G.C. Sweetman (aka Matryx)

It seems like a great program to simplify handling all the different types of games I have running.

OK. I want to set up my tournament games. It asks for:
1) Player number
2) Password

The password is no problem. But what is my player number? Is it:
1) The name of my empire?
2) The position of my empire on the list at the tournament site. ie. Do I count down to get my player number?

[capnq]

what is my player number? Is it: [...]
2) The position of my empire on the list at the tournament site. ie. Do I count down to get my player number? <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is it. When you do your turns, they will be saved in the Savegame folder as a .plr file named after the game and your player number; you upload or e-mail that .plr file to PBW.

For example, I'm the eighth empire in a PBW game called "The Evil Within", and my turn file is named evilwithin_0008.plr

[ September 18, 2002, 22:30: Message edited by: capnq ]

[tbontob]

I was beginning to think that my question had stumped the experts. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

I always wondered what that number was!(well for 20 turns, anyway). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Now I know it is the identifying number of the player.

Thank-you capnq http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Suicide Junkie]

Question 1: The name of the mod is TGEmod10 and I assume that I would repace "None" with the TGEmod10 Y/N?

It is a simple mod, just changing the mineral/organic/radioactive production of facilities and the availability of the destroyer at game start.

Question 2: If I play a different game, do I have to change the path back to "None" In other words, does the computer "know" which mod is attached to which game or do I have to do it manually whenever I switch games. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">1) Probably. The path refers to where the mod is, and that is not nessesarily the mod's name.

2) Yes. If you try to load a savegame using the wrong mod, SE4 will may complain that the files are different, and that someone is probably trying to cheat.

[tbontob]

Originally posted by capnq:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> what is my player number? Is it: [...]
2) The position of my empire on the list at the tournament site. ie. Do I count down to get my player number? <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is it. When you do your turns, they will be saved in the Savegame folder as a .plr file named after the game and your player number; you upload or e-mail that .plr file to PBW.

For example, I'm the eighth empire in a PBW game called "The Evil Within", and my turn file is named evilwithin_0008.plr</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">capnq...would your player number be 0008 or 08 or just 8?

I can't enter any numbers unless I backspace 2 spaces. Then I can enter a 2 digit number.

[capnq]

capnq...would your player number be 0008 or 08 or just 8? <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Just 8. I have no idea why PBW uses four digits, when the player number can't be more than two digits.

I can't enter any numbers unless I backspace 2 spaces. Then I can enter a 2 digit number. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I had to ask on these Boards to figure that out myself, back when I started using the mod launcher. Drag & highlight works, too.

[tbontob]

capnq

Thanx. I didn't know if I was doing something dumb or what. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Glad to know it is the program and not me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif