I forgot! how to stop CFS2 from crashing

[moonbutter2]

I was thinking there was a patch on something out there that keep the game from stopping. What do you think? I am running XP.

[Devildog73]

When does it CTD on you?

[PJMack]

DD,
I too am having CTD in MB. It only happens when I try to add a ship to a mission. Veh and aircraft are no problem. Any ideas?

Thanks.:jump:

[moonbutter2]

when I have a lot of actoin going on or just when I am finishing a game.

[Dirtman]

when I have a lot of action going on or just when I am finishing a game.

Yo MB;

This sounds like your video card or on-board GPU hitting overload and is unable to display all objects quickly enough. You mentioned AGP so I assume you have a video card.

Can you supply the make, model & memory capacity of this card?

If you are unsure; there is an easy way to check this: (which I would like you to do)

Click "start"
Click on "run"
In the box type in: dxdiag then hit "OK"

This will open the Direct X Diagnostic tool.
- This is a stock MS component & you cannot harm your PC by accessing it

Now POST a screenshot of YOUR "System" tab here so we can see what your system specs are.
It looks like this:

18283



Next click the "Display" tab. POST a screenshot so we can see your Video card specs.
It looks like this:

18285


I'd like to see if your video card is performing properly & that your drivers are the latest available.

From there we will either fix the card or eliminate it as the cause of the CTD's.

At the very least this will teach you (& everyone else who doesn't know) how to perform this very basic video diagnostic function.


.....18287

[Dirtman]

I too am having CTD in MB. It only happens when I try to add a ship to a mission.

Have these offending ships been added to your mdlnames.txt file?

If not, then this is most likely the problem.

[PJMack]

Have these offending ships been added to your mdlnames.txt file?

If not, then this is most likely the problem.


DM,


Yes I did that and it still fails. I even recreated a new install. I individually tried each ship to see if one was the problem but no joy.

Thabks,

[Dirtman]

Yo PJ;

Sounds like MB doesn't like some of your ships. :confused:

simonu has shown me that in some instances there can be entries or sections in the DP that could cause MB to crash.


Work-around?

Why not just save the mission with what ever ships work ... then either use Morton's Utility or hand-edit to put the preferred new ships into the mission?


Hand editing a mission file IS NOT black magic! You don't need to know how to write code.

I recommend to everyone to start opening them up (use MS Notepad or Wordpad) and have a look.

Start by making simple changes like: ship or wingman names. This is how I got started. (addicted??) Tons of fun ... then as you become more familiar with the mission file format, edit the planes & ships, dates, description text, altitudes etc... Soon you'll understand so much about them .... you'll look back & wonder why ya thought they were so complicated in the first place.



PLEASE NOTE:

You do not need to use MB to simply change a ship or plane in a mission. In fact, opening a mission in MB can do more harm than good as when it is re-saved ... ALL the hand-edited tweaks done by the original author WILL BE WIPED OUT.

I wonder if this could be part of your problem?


....... 18300

[PJMack]

Yo PJ;

Sounds like MB doesn't like some of your ships. :confused:

simonu has shown me that in some instances there can be entries or sections in the DP that could cause MB to crash.


Work-around?

Why not just save the mission with what ever ships work ... then either use Morton's Utility or hand-edit to put the preferred new ships into the mission?


Hand editing a mission file IS NOT black magic! You don't need to know how to write code.

I recommend to everyone to start opening them up (use MS Notepad or Wordpad) and have a look.

Start by making simple changes like: ship or wingman names. This is how I got started. (addicted??) Tons of fun ... then as you become more familiar with the mission file format, edit the planes & ships, dates, description text, altitudes etc... Soon you'll understand so much about them .... you'll look back & wonder why ya thought they were so complicated in the first place.



PLEASE NOTE:

You do not need to use MB to simply change a ship or plane in a mission. In fact, opening a mission in MB can do more harm than good as when it is re-saved ... ALL the hand-edited tweaks done by the original author WILL BE WIPED OUT.

I wonder if this could be part of your problem?


....... 18300



DM,

I have already opened the mission and have just taken out the offending entry all together. It's wierd. I tried all varieties of replacement ships but to no avail. Anyway, it now works but MB is still dumping me frequently. I'd love to know more about the dp entries because that is the one file that I have not changed. Any help is always appreciated.

Thank you.

[Devildog73]

Moonbutter and PJ,

You can open up your MIS file and select all and copy and paste the text in a post.
That will let Dirtman and the rest of us see the entries.
Sometimes it is a really small thing like a colon, period, coma, semicolon in the wrong place or missing. Sometimes it is a different name than the model has in some of the files. I have had ships and aircraft have one name in the model.cfg than the rest of the files in the folder. They show up in MB but then cause problems when trying to load the missions.

CFS2 is finnicky about the little stuff. It is a matter of attention to details.

I have also had lockups and CTD when I overloaded the mission with "stuff" while building. CFS2 MB does not like to accept too many objects too fast.

[PJMack]

Moonbutter and PJ,

You can open up your MIS file and select all and copy and paste the text in a post.
That will let Dirtman and the rest of us see the entries.
Sometimes it is a really small thing like a colon, period, coma, semicolon in the wrong place or missing. Sometimes it is a different name than the model has in some of the files. I have had ships and aircraft have one name in the model.cfg than the rest of the files in the folder. They show up in MB but then cause problems when trying to load the missions.

CFS2 is finnicky about the little stuff. It is a matter of attention to details.

I have also had lockups and CTD when I overloaded the mission with "stuff" while building. CFS2 MB does not like to accept too many objects too fast.


DD,

It was caused by the fact that I changed the aircraft and ships in the mission to my personal likenesses. That said, I thank you for replying and just know that Rami does know how to create excellent missions.:running:

[simonu]

Briefly discussed this with Dirt last night,
There are many little things that can cause CTDs,
If the CTD happens as a flight is exiting I believe it is a sign that there is a mismatch between the mission file and country.cfg. CFS2 crashes because it cant decide which uries screen to display. Pay carefull attention to the much overlooked country.cfg,

For ships that give mission builder problems check the dp [MISC_DATA] section for mismatch between unit_family= and category=

for example all carriers must be


unit_family=7
category=13regardless of what the model actually is
i.e. I have afleet auxillery I want to land my chopper on, it must be a carrier to have a working flight deck even though it looks like an auxillery. It would be a mistake to try

unit_family=7
category=19or

unit_family=5
category=13here's some reference data for dp files
DPs All

Unit_Family
1=fighter
2=bomber
3=vehicle
4=Ground Unit or object
5=boat or ship
7=carrier

Category
1 - aircraft fighter
2 - aircraft level bomber (B-24, Sally)
3 - aircraft dive bomber (Stuka, Dauntless, Val)
4 - aircraft torpedo bomber (Avenger, TBD)
5 - aircraft tactical bomber (B-25, Betty, I also have Kate in this Cat.)
6 - aircraft strike (I need to do some serious testing with this one)
7 - aircraft civil
8 - aircraft recon
9 - aircraft transport (C-47)
10 - aircraft fighter-bomber (any fighter equipped with Bombs or Torps)

Category codes for non-aircraft objects:
13 - ship aircraft carrier
14 - ship cruiser
15 - ship destroyer
16 - ship submarine
17 - ship battleship
18 - ship patrol
19 - ship auxiliary
21 - tracked vehicle
22 - wheeled vehicle
23 - train car
24 - amphibious vehicle
29 - artillery static
30 - mechanical equipment
31 - structure static
32 - factory
33 - non-target object
34 – runway
37 - payload object defined by weapon_type

Weapon_type=1 (small bomb) - 30lb, 100lb, 250lb, 30kg, 60kg all uses the small FX.

Weapon_type=2 (medium bomb) - 500lb, 250kg uses the medium FX.

Weapon_type=3 (large bomb) - 1000lbm 2000lb, 800kg uses the large FX.

Weapon_type=4 (large bomb, same as above)

Weapon_type=5 (rocket)

Weapon_type=6 (rocket)

Weapon_type=7 (rocket)

Weapon_type=8 (timed rocket) - 8 seconds

Weapon_type=9 (torpedo) - MK13, seems to be for lighter torps.

Weapon_type=10 (torpedo) - Type91, seems to be for heavier torps.

Weapon_type=11 (???)

Weapon_type=12 (???)

Weapon_type=13 (???)

Weapon_type=14 (???)

Weapon_type=15 (Tank) - Jap 330litre, Jap 200litre, corsair/hellcat/lightning tanks, most picked.

Weapon_type=16 (Tank) - US 200 gallon.

Weapon_type=17 (Tank) - US 150 gallon.

Weapon_type=18 (???)

Weapon_type=19 (???)

Weapon_type=20 (Pylons, Pods, Parts) Used for rocket pods, various pylons and SID pilot.

Weapon_type=??? Not sure how far it goes.
==========================================
All weapons are....
unit_family=4
category=37

They also use...
max_weight=
========================================





[MISC_DATA]

min_speed= kph
cruise_speed= kph
max_speed= kph
min_alt= meters
cruise_alt= meters
max_alt= meters

NOTE: [MISC_DATA] entries ARE IN METRIC:

[moonbutter2]

1879918800


Did I show too much?

Does it look loke it is working?

[moonbutter2]

1880118802

How about now?

[Dirtman]

Yo MB;

Excellent work! ... now have 2 beers & call yer Mom!!!


I've noticed three "display oriented" things:

18808

#1 Video card Drivers: MAJOR PROBLEM

This might be your problem. The installed Vid Drivers are WAY out of date. They are probably the original ones. Go directly to NVIDIA, d/l & install the newest ones.

In the event that you (or anyone else) is unsure how to update your vid drivers; this is how you do it:

Go to the NVIDIA site; look for "Download drivers"
(for ATI cards go to the AMD-ATI site - the procedure is the same)

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us


Once there; you'll see a form ... fill it out (all multiple choice):

MAKE SURE ALL THE INFO IS CORRECT!!!

18810


Then hit "search". This will take you to the download page:

18811

Download the driver package. (it will be a single .exe file)

Double-click the .exe to begin the installation; FOLLOW ALL "ON-SCREEN" INSTRUCTIONS; then reboot the PC to complete it.
- in order for the new drivers to be used; they must be loaded during WinXP boot cycle.

Now you're done .... not too difficult eh?


#2 Change the 16bit to 32bit .... your display will look MUCH better.

#3 Display Frequency .... if you are using a flat panel LCD monitor 60hz is fine. If you have a CRT, change this to 85Hz.



Make these changes then retest - is the problem still occurring?