FAQ Mobhack Save Problem

AxisWarlord · #1 February 19th, 2011, 05:43 PM

Hi all, I'm a newbie to this forum.

I've been playing SPWWII ever since SSI issued the game - have an original copy - but have only recently purchased the Shrapnel CD and had time to do some editing.
I'm an OOB purist (ie. I like it historical) and have tried some mods for the German OOB - which has numerous problems and missing units from 41/42.

The problem I have is that I do not seem able to save my Mods.
[I have looked in the threads and cannot seem to find anything remotely similar.]
Even though when I look in Windows explorer the spob file has the current date of save.
What am I missing??

For example, spob016.obf, I try correcting Formation #1077 - PzAufklZug(gep) - classed as #11 Armoured Car, but Should be Class #24 APC(Halftrack) as this is where all the other PzAufkl units reside.
I make the change, switch over to the Load/Save Tab, click on spob016.obf and Save and/or Save As, but the change does not seem to stick???
Even when I exit the program and re-load the spob016.obf, the change is not there.
What obvious step am I missing??
(I'm sure it's probably something obvious - ie. a blond moment.)

I'm really hoping someone can help me out today before I head out to dinner, wife and son are treating me to Birthday dinner.

Regards,
Mark

Mobhack · #2 February 19th, 2011, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxisWarlord

Hi all, I'm a newbie to this forum.

I've been playing SPWWII ever since SSI issued the game - have an original copy - but have only recently purchased the Shrapnel CD and had time to do some editing.
I'm an OOB purist (ie. I like it historical) and have tried some mods for the German OOB - which has numerous problems and missing units from 41/42.

The problem I have is that I do not seem able to save my Mods.
Even though when I look in Windows explorer the spob file has the current date of save.
What am I missing??

For example, spob016.obf, I try correcting Formation #1077 - PzAufklZug(gep) - classed as #11 Armoured Car, but Should be Class #24 APC(Halftrack) as this is where all the other PzAufkl units reside.
I make the change, switch over to the Load/Save Tab, click on spob016.obf and Save and/or Save As, but the change does not seem to stick???
Even when I exit the program and re-load the spob016.obf, the change is not there.
What obvious step am I missing??
(I'm sure it's probably something obvious - ie. a blond moment.)

I'm really hoping someone can help me out today before I head out to dinner, wife and son are treating me to Birthday dinner.

Regards,
Mark

1) If you have Windows Vista or higher, I hope you have remembered to install the game to a directory outside the default /program files/ hierarchy.

The new Windows does strange things with files, if you make the mistake. It sometimes squirrels the files in odd places (under your user folder usually) and/or simply refuses to let applications write data.

Install your game to say C:\Games\SPXXX, if you have Vista or Windows 7.

2) I'll assume that you have read the Mobhack Help -> Toolbar Buttons and Menu Items section. In particular, the section on the save button:

Quote:

Save Button - saves the current item's data to memory. Note that this is the ONLY way to save your changes to memory - moving off the current item has the same effect as a cancel (all changes not saved are lost). [F12] note that this will only save your changes to the OB data held in memory - you require to save to file to put your changes into effect!. (see Save button above, or the save file menu item below)

Mobhack is a database editor. Each item is treated as a record. None of your changes to a record are saved until you press the commit button - here the red tick save button or the F12 function key. That saves the changes to that record in the local RAM copy of the OOB file database.

If you do not commit your changes to a particular record - then they will be discarded on leaving that record. Nor would they be saved to the file on the load/save dialogue, since you have not committed your changes to the database.

Andy

AxisWarlord · #3 February 19th, 2011, 06:55 PM

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the assist.
Didn't realize you had to use the 'red tick save button or the F12 function key.'
I had kept switching to the Load/Save Tab - thus missing the intermediate 'commit' step.

I was right, even though I have extensively read through the Mobhack Help file, after printing it off and highlighting important info, somehow still missed the easy stuff.
As I figured a D'oh moment.

Yeah, I have installed the game in a dedicated games folder - as I never put it under program files.
I use Vista Basic - but what a POS it is. Still can't play any of my old PC games that are Win95/98 format or earlier.

Thanks again.

PS: Who do I point out errors/spelling mistakes in the Mobhack Help file to?

Mobhack · #4 February 19th, 2011, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxisWarlord

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the assist.
Didn't realize you had to use the 'red tick save button or the F12 function key.'
I had kept switching to the Load/Save Tab - thus missing the intermediate 'commit' step.

I was right, even though I have extensively read through the Mobhack Help file, after printing it off and highlighting important info, somehow still missed the easy stuff.
As I figured a D'oh moment.

Yeah, I have installed the game in a dedicated games folder - as I never put it under program files.
I use Vista Basic - but what a POS it is. Still can't play any of my old PC games that are Win95/98 format or earlier.

Thanks again.

PS: Who do I point out errors/spelling mistakes in the Mobhack Help file to?

Did you try moving these old games out of the /program files/ managed hierarchy?

(I had to do that with the Borland Builder C++ development system. Basically - any old game or programme that does not know about Vista or more installation, should be installed under c:\Old stuff\... it appears)

Also - if the windows compatibility tricks do not work for any 256 colour palette games - then try modifying the supplied CMD file for that game. The Aero desktop interface seems to think it owns the 256 colour palette post vista, so it has to be nuked.

Cheers
Andy

DRG · #5 February 20th, 2011, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxisWarlord

PS: Who do I point out errors/spelling mistakes in the Mobhack Help file to?

Well that depends on if they are real errors/spelling mistakes or color / colour differences in spelling between the US and the rest of the English speaking world.

If it's the later don't bother, if it's former go ahead and post them here.

Don

DRG · #6 February 20th, 2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxisWarlord

Hi all, I'm a newbie to this forum.

.........and obviously to MOBHack AND OOB editing.....

Quote:

For example, spob016.obf, I try correcting Formation #1077 - PzAufklZug(gep) - classed as #11 Armoured Car, but Should be Class #24 APC(Halftrack) as this is where all the other PzAufkl units reside.Regards,
Mark

First off FORMATIONS cannot be classed as a UNIT TYPE which is what #11 Armoured Car and #24 APC(Halftrack) are

Second the ONLY time PzAufklZug(gep)is seen as formation number 1077 is when it's used in Formation 219 PzAufklKp(gep). When it's a standalone formation it is simply #77.

The only two units in formation #77 classed as #11 Armoured Car are the templated 2cm cannon armed SdKfz 250/9 and that is the ONLY unitclass those units are in.

If you change the that unit to UC #24 APC(Halftrack) you put the cannon armed SdKfz 250/9 that have zero carry capacity in the same unitclass as the SdKfz 250/1 which carries 6 men which screws up the 8 formations that are using UC 24 and will cause all kinds of complaints from people who cannot load the scout units into what should be scout halftracks and if you are changing the SdKfz 250/9 found in that formation to one of the pre-existing SdKfz 250/1's then all your are doing is gutting the firepower from that formation and that is the whole reason the formation exists.

Don