Most of the issues with Blitzkrieg on Win 7 and Win 8 occur when you install in the default folders during the installation process.
C:\Program Files
or
C:\Program Files (x86)
Either of these Installs evokes the Windows Registry to maintain the Path to the executional file which starts the game: game.exe
When you try to run another version of Blitzkrieg from another Folder, the Win Reg takes over and forces the run from the Path it stores for game.exe. So you are routed back to the install it wants to run.
This is why I have been saying for years, (since the days of Vista), Install Bk to one of these Parent Folders:
C:\Anthology\
C:\Nival\
C:\Blitzkrieg\
You can use any external drive or a 2nd hard drive... just replace C with Letter of Drive.
I have multiple copies that I use for different purposes. The Root Folder (Parent Folder) Name is not that important... since all of the internal files only look for the Folders they need under
Data or
Run. That is as far as they will search. They don't care about the Root Directory or the which version of the game it is.
Mods should be placed directly in the Run Folder. This way, it creates it own Root Folder (Parent Folder), but still looks laterally at the Data folder (also in the Run Folder) for the additional data it requires.
The MOD looks at the (BK Version) Objects.xml in the Data Folder for the names and paths for the objects... to create the game Objects Table. Each object is give a Unique Key during the Table Build.
Then the MOD reads the Modobjects.xml in its own Data Folder to find any changes to Objects in the Original Table, before it registers any new objects. new Objects are simply appended to the original Object Table. If it finds changes within its own data that apply to one of the Original Objects, it updates the Data for that Object. (This can sometimes be defeated by the later date syndrome, but not always).
So it should not matter what the game version is... as long a Run and Data are where they are supposed to be, there should not be an issue. There can be issues on Add-ons that do not use the RUN Folder within their own file Structure. The Mod Folder is the Parent of the Data Folder, and there is no way to add another Mod to that version, based upon the given structure.
For several years there has been much discussion about Root Directories, Root Folders, etc...
I try to get people to think about this a little differently.
The C:\ Drive is the Root Directory - It is the Parent for all other Folders under it. All of the Folders under the C:\ Parent, are Children.
Think about Blitzkrieg as a Child of the C: Drive. When it is installed, the name of the Blitzkrieg Folder (the Child) does not matter.
All of the Folders under the Blitzkrieg Folder are then Children under the Blitzkrieg Folder.
Example:
C:\Blitzkrieg - C:\ is the Parent - Blitzkrieg is the Child
C:\Blitzkrieg\Run - Run is the Child of the Parent Blitzkrieg
C:\Blitzkrieg\Run\Data - Data is a Child of the Parent Run
C:\Blitzkrieg\Run\Mod - is a sibling (Brother/Sister) to C:\Blitzkrieg\Run\Data
Think about how your family generations work. You are the Child of your parents. You are the parent of your Child.
When we examine Blitzkrieg, it has many Children under the parent Data. Most of these also have Children and Grand-children within their lines.
You may have a sibling, brother, sister.... the game has that too.
Think about the Data Folder for just a second... Every piece of data the game needs is in one of these Children. The game already has its 'operational data' from the files in the Run Folder, but all of the game data files and some of the game code is all within the Data Children.
All of the data from these Children are collected to build the Objects Table, Code Table, Binary Table, Text Table, Menu Interface Table, and it goes on and on... There is a lot of information loaded... usually within a minute or two. But the game does not load all of this data until you select what type of game you wish to play.
In the beginning of the Game Run, the game only builds the Menu Interface Table, with the various SubRoutines or Functions it needs to route the Player where he wishes to navigate. Once you start a game option, the rest of the Tables are Populated.
---This was done to save on Stack Garbage, which was a huge issue on Computers of 12-15 years ago. Think about what you were using back then and how much you had to restart the system. Well BK was developed for those machines.... not todays systems. This is why the game runs much faster and usually more efficiently than a generation ago.
So each time you navigate through the Menu Interface, all of the garbage is dumped. Now fortunately, BK uses a lot of variables. By using variables, and not Strings, the there is less garbage to handle. Variables can be used over and over without any garbage left over... But when you use as String in place of a variable, then once it is no longer needed, the String contents is dumped... the so-called garbage. All of this garbage collects in the Stack... and when the Stack is full.... you must restart.
Today, the stacks are much different... and work a little differently. But if you have never experienced a STACK OVERFLOW Error or Message, then you have either been very lucky, or you are not a serious Computer Person. It is common for me to see this type of message in the course of what I do... When I use up all of the memory, and garbage is running over in my stack... my systems just do not function until I clean it out.... Restart.
I mention this so the reader will appreciate what is going on behind the screen. many of your crashes and freezes could be from many reasons, but usually they are caused by conflicts within the system. Sound or Video Cards are your first suspects. They have to be set up properly. Sometimes the Bios might be outdated for your MotherBoard. The Operating System might have an issue working with the BIOS, Sound Card or even your Video Card. It might look right on the internet, but games are resource dependant, and much more demanding than surfing.
Back to the Windows Registry. Almost everything you run on your Computer defers to the WinReg for the path data. Most of the time, this works as designed and works perfectly.
But on many games, it can be the kiss of death. On games that are supported by Sub Folders (Children), the WINREG does not allow the game engine to navigate independently where it needs to go. So while the game might load the stuff in the DATA Folder, it cannot navigate to the MODs Folder or other even the Multiplayer Map Folder. These are two different issues... one is having the game look at another Child lineage... the MOD Folder... and then looking at a 3rd Cousin for a map. Since the WinReg does not store these as a matter of its design, they tell the game engine they do not exist. Rather than creating code to work around this... it is better to just avoid the WinReg. It will still know about your Bk games... at least the first version, but it Stores this as a 2nd Generation Program without asserting control paths. This is why your additional BK game.exe will run from their own paths when you select them. The Win Reg does not take over on the path direction.
Now a curious thing happens when using the Map Editor and Resource Editor. These two programs store their own Directory paths. It does not matter where you might select a map editor (by game version folder)... if it is not the one for the game version it has a path for... then it will not run as expected. It will only use the path that it has been assigned; The Directory Path.
So if you are running a Blitzkrieg Rolling Thunder map editor, but working on a Blitzkrieg-Panzerkrieg map, it is likely to crash. The map has unexpected objects on it compared to what it has loaded into the Objects Table. So the path must be set before you load other versions of the game. If you have to navigate to a find a map... another BK Version for example... this may be a clue where it is getting its data. You need to look closely where the program is looking...
The same thing happens in the Resource Editor. The easiest example I can offer is the lack of aircraft or weapons in the objects table. It is looking at files in one place, but you expect files from somewhere else. So you must change the Working Directory path in order to see the stuff you need.
One final thing I wish to quickly throw out...
Most of you might believe that the Bk File System is finite. Meaning you cannot do anything outside of the box they gave you. You must stay within the file structure they gave us.
But this is simply not true.
Example:
What if you get tired of looking through all of the Allied Units under tanks just to find the one you want. Think about it... the UK and US are both there which throws in a lot of units.
Do you think it is possible to separate these into their own Folders?
//
Units -|-
Humans |
|-
Allies |-
Germany |-
Italy |-
Japan |-
Other |-
UK |-
USA |-
USSR -|-
Technics |
|-
Allies |-
Germany |-
Italy |-
Japan |-
Other |-
UK |-
USA |-
USSR//
Yes you can and this works perfectly.
You just have to make sure that the Path is Correct in the Objects.xml or ModObjects.xml:
<!-- ***************************************************************************** -->
<!-- Israel Defense Force ******************************************************** -->
<!-- ***************************************************************************** -->
<item>
<name>IDF_M3_MkA_MG</name>
<type>mesh</type>
<game_type>unit</game_type>
<path>units\Technics\
Israel\Auto\IDF_M3_MkA_MG</path>
</item>
<item>
<name>IDF_M3_Supply</name>
<type>mesh</type>
<game_type>unit</game_type>
<path>units\Technics\
Israel\Auto\IDF_M3_Supply</path>
</item>
<item>
<name>IDF_M32B2_ARV</name>
<type>mesh</type>
<game_type>unit</game_type>
<path>units\Technics\
Israel\Auto\IDF_M32B2_ARV</path>
</item>
<item>
<name>IDF_M51_Ambutank</name>
<type>mesh</type>
<game_type>unit</game_type>
<path>units\Technics\
Israel\Auto\IDF_M51_Ambutank</path>
</item>
////
This is an example of how I handle IDF units in my system.
Perhaps we need to start talking about separating each nation into it's own Parent Folder? This would certainly make searching much faster. The only issue you will need to remedy is creating new Filters in the Map Editor. The Filter might be all US Vehicles.. for example. This is easily accomplished.
Did you know you can also separate Squads by Nation or alliance?
|-
Squads |
|-
Allies |-
Germany |-
Italy |-
Japan |-
Other |-
UK |-
USA |-
USSRThe path must be correct in the objects.xml.
There are a lot of options in
file system, and power we have yet to take advantage of.
I hope this helps explain a little of what is going on inside your system. Sorry it is somewhat off-topic, but many times I think of all of the associated stuff we never discuss and have to find a place to insert it. So if this expands the discussion, then great.
This is a good time for our veteran members to talk about their installs and experiences in the game programs and data. Perhaps some of you have work-arounds that we need to explore... or shortcuts you have discovered.
The floor is open...
