Tips and tricks for adjusting/making a OOB

[GMcClellan]

Is it perhaps possible to make a short manual with instructions how to find an error? Would be very useful. I know more people who gave up on editing after seeing many hours of hard work go up in smoke because of some error/corrupt file.

I haven't worked on PzC files, but one thing I've found enormously helpful over the years that should apply here as well. If a file is throwing an error at you, start segmenting the file. I add extra "End" statements to figure out which parts of the oob is working.

So, for instance, if I am working on a German Army, and it crashes, put enough extra end at the end of the first Corps to make the scenario editor stop reading. If that loads properly, then I know that section is clean. If it doesn't, I know that's where I need to look. Rinse, lather, repeat.

[Aragorn2002]

Thank you, sounds like good advise. I will certainly try that, but hopefully Strela can help me to get on the road again.

[Aragorn2002]

Is it perhaps possible to make a short manual with instructions how to find an error? Would be very useful. I know more people who gave up on editing after seeing many hours of hard work go up in smoke because of some error/corrupt file.

I haven't worked on PzC files, but one thing I've found enormously helpful over the years that should apply here as well. If a file is throwing an error at you, start segmenting the file. I add extra "End" statements to figure out which parts of the oob is working.

So, for instance, if I am working on a German Army, and it crashes, put enough extra end at the end of the first Corps to make the scenario editor stop reading. If that loads properly, then I know that section is clean. If it doesn't, I know that's where I need to look. Rinse, lather, repeat.

EDIT; I'm glad (and somewhat proud) to say that I solved the problem. It was more or less the same mistake I made last time when Strela helped me. I wanted to place a StuG battery in a infantry division, but removed it from the StuG Abteilung in the OOB. Shouldn't have done that. So I corrected the OOB file to the old situation and voila. Getting the hang of it bit by bit.

BTW I've changed the title of this thread into: Tips and Tricks for adjusting/making a OOB file.
The idea behind that changed title is a thread where we can concentrate all kind of problems with the OOB, editor etc. I couldn't find anything on that subject, so perhaps we can 'build' some sort of Manual for adjusting the OOB.

[Strela]

Well done.

This will help you though. If you are getting an error, open the file in the scenario editor and after the 'crash', from the top menu click on Scenario and then Description.

If the load has failed you will see something like the following:

Post 20231021_03.png (3.81 KiB) Viewed 673 times

If you copy the text in the Author field in your scenario file (.scn) you will see this line is in that file.

Importantly, it is the line before that, that has caused the error. the line shown in the Author field is the command AFTER the error.

Based upon what the earlier line is, you can usually zero in on what the issue is. Normally I find it is some change to the OOB that is causing the problem.

I can assist if you can't work out what the issue is, but this will help you determine exactly which line is causing the issue.

[Aragorn2002]

Another great advice, Strela. Thank you very much. And thank you for helping me to learn and understand how it works. Give a man a fish...

[Aragorn2002]

Good evening all,

I hope you can help me again with this. I've adjusted a OOB in Stalingrad 42 and added my name to it and saved it. In the scenarios map I've copied the scenario I want to edit and also added my name to it. But when I open this scenario in the editor, it doesn't show my adjusted OOB. Please advise.

[Aragorn2002]

Problem solved. I have another problem, but I will post a seperate thread for it, since it's an entirely different issue.

[Aragorn2002]

Well done.

This will help you though. If you are getting an error, open the file in the scenario editor and after the 'crash', from the top menu click on Scenario and then Description.

If the load has failed you will see something like the following:


Post 20231021_03.png


If you copy the text in the Author field in your scenario file (.scn) you will see this line is in that file.

Importantly, it is the line before that, that has caused the error. the line shown in the Author field is the command AFTER the error.

Based upon what the earlier line is, you can usually zero in on what the issue is. Normally I find it is some change to the OOB that is causing the problem.

I can assist if you can't work out what the issue is, but this will help you determine exactly which line is causing the issue.

Hi Strela and FilipSK,

I've used your above method and did get this error:

1 32 43 71020 2 2 276 0 0 256 0

I've searched for it in the scenario and found this line BEFORE the error above:

1 31 96 80203 1 1 12 0 0 16777280 0 80204 -1

Can you tell me how to proceed in zero-ing in on the problem?

[Strela]

Hi Strela and FilipSK,

I've used your above method and did get this error:

1 32 43 71020 2 2 276 0 0 256 0

I've searched for it in the scenario and found this line BEFORE the error above:

1 31 96 80203 1 1 12 0 0 16777280 0 80204 -1

Can you tell me how to proceed in zero-ing in on the problem?

So there are a few ways to proceed.

Looking at the entry you know the following:

1 31 96 80203 1 1 12 0 0 16777280 0 80204 -1

The 1 above means it is a unit setup on the map (not a reinforcement).

1 31 96 80203 1 1 12 0 0 16777280 0 80204 -1

31 96 is the hex location (X & Y coordiantes)

1 31 96 80203 1 1 12 0 0 16777280 0 80204 -1

80203 is the unit ID as shown in the Order of Battle (OOB). Of interest it is actually combined with a second unit 80204 .


With the knowledge of the above, back-up your scenario file and delete this line from the original file and see if it opens ok. If it does, that is indeed the offending line. If the original line 1 32 43 71020 2 2 276 0 0 256 0 appears again then something else is amiss. You may get further errors, that means there are issues elsewhere in the scenario.

Lets assume though that deleting the line allows the scenario to open. You can then do one of two things. Continue on, not changing anything further, or look into the actual unit that is causing the issue.

To look at which unit is causing the issue, open the OOB file you are using in a text editor and search for '80203'. If it doesn't exist, then it may have been deleted from the OOB and the scenario was not updated. Deleting the line in the scenario fixes the issue. If it does exist, is there anything unusual about it? Does it belong to the side you expect it to etc. From this point, we would need specific snippets to work out what the issue was.

See what you can determine from the above, and if it helps you to track down the issue or not.

[Aragorn2002]

Thank you very much, Strela, for your advice and time. Apologies for my late reaction, but I had some health problems.

I did try to track down the issue, only to realize I've made a right mess of it. I've replaced several units by the original and that did the trick.