Tutorial for Creating ABattleMap Modules v1.0

[Imperious Leader]

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[ksmckay]

So I am trying to create a 1914 module and have gotten far enough that I want to actually open it up and see what it looks like and look at sektors.  However, whenever I open the module it doesnt show anything, map tool pieces, - completely blank. 

I even tried just completely copying another folders contents into mine (with nothing else in it) and just changing the name of the map in MapInfo.txt and it opened up the same way.

Any thoughts?

For starters all I need are three files right? Map.bmp, MapInfo.txt, and ToolPieces.bmp?

[Stoney229]

Ok the previous problem was that the name of the folder wasnt 1-3 characters.

Now it opens and loads the toolpieces and map file but crashes after you try to do anything.  I tried to simplify things by trying to get it to work with only the three necessary files MapInfo.txt, Map.bmp, ToolPieces.bmp but that didnt help either.

MapInfo.txt contains 1 line to be simple - just the name
Map.bmp is a flattened bmp file created from paint.net.  Tried 8 bit and 24 bit and neither options helped.
ToolPieces.bmp is 150x90 pixels - 10x9 markers

Is there something that has to be reset?  Kind of like a new install or something?  Does it matter what size the map is?  Currently its smaller than some other maps.

Map size isn't supposed to matter, but it has mattered for me in the past (we never figured out why - other maps have been same size as what didn't work for me).  In my case, my map was too big.  Idk if you can solve your problem by changing the map size.

In this case, I don't think "resetting" or reinstalling anything will be of any help, so long as you already have all the files you are supposed to have in your abattlemap directory.

have you tried opening another module with only the 3 essential files?

You said your mapinfo.txt file is only one line.  I do not know if that is allowable or not.  do other working modules have only one in that file?  Also am I correct in assuming you have not created your start.aam file yet?

Can you send me a screenshot of your file explorer window with your module directory (.gim folder) open?  Also, can you send your mapinfo.txt and toolpieces.bmp files?

[ksmckay]

If you try to create your own module using existing files it wont work until you include the SektorInfo files.  If you dont have SektorInfo.sek and SektorInfo.map the program instantly crashes (unless you have a working start.aam file but in order to make that you need a working module first). 

I will try to create a very simple map with a few sektors and see if I can get that to work before I keep messing with the real map file.  But I would be very surprised if someone can open up a module with just the three essential files - maybe that was a previous version and a bug with the new version? 

[ksmckay]

Ok so yeah I created a very simple map and used tool piece and such files from another module and it didnt work.

Then I made the necessary SektorInfo files and added them and the program worked fine. 

So it seems pretty clear that the SektorInfo files are mandatory and not optional.  Perhaps in a different version they were optional but not in the 0.8 alpha 1 version. 

I guess the best way to make my own Sektor files is to make the map, color it up and save it as SektorInfo.bmp and take note of how many Sektors there are.  Then create the sektorInfo.txt file, leave it blank, then use csek.exe to create the SektorInfo.sek file.

Then the program works fine and you can edit the Sektor files either using the txt file or the Sektor Editor and be on your way.

But I think you should update the tutorial to reflect this as the Sektor Files are not optional as stated.

Let me know if you see differently but it seems conclusive to me that this is the case.

[Stoney229]

Ok so yeah I created a very simple map and used tool piece and such files from another module and it didnt work.

Then I made the necessary SektorInfo files and added them and the program worked fine. 

So it seems pretty clear that the SektorInfo files are mandatory and not optional.  Perhaps in a different version they were optional but not in the 0.8 alpha 1 version. 

I guess the best way to make my own Sektor files is to make the map, color it up and save it as SektorInfo.bmp and take note of how many Sektors there are.  Then create the sektorInfo.txt file, leave it blank, then use csek.exe to create the SektorInfo.sek file.

Then the program works fine and you can edit the Sektor files either using the txt file or the Sektor Editor and be on your way.

But I think you should update the tutorial to reflect this as the Sektor Files are not optional as stated.

Let me know if you see differently but it seems conclusive to me that this is the case.

Without going into unnecessary detail here as to why, what you suggest is very possibly the case.

Have you tried creating just a blank all-black sektorinfo.map and blank sektorinfo.txt?

[ksmckay]

Yep, with blank files - meaning
SektorInfo.bmp is the same size map and all black
made SektorInfo.map from that file
Blank SektorInfo.txt file
Made SektorInfo.sek from the txt file

It works.

[ksmckay]

Ok question about Sektors -

So I have my file that contains all of the borders and/or bounding boxes and I need to go in and add the different Sektor colors (1-whatever). 

1.  If I have territories with mutliple areas can I just pain them all the same Sektor color?  When I go to edit that Sektor will I need to edit both (or more) or just one of the areas?

2.  Does every space on the map need to be either black border or a Sektor Color?  Can there be any blank space?  When I draw the borders sometimes there are some shades of black with different transparency levels - Do I need to go and make sure every such box is completely black/transparency = 255?  If there are some random pixels left over that dont have a color do I have to fill them in?

Just want to confirm before I do more than necessary for the first round.

[Stoney229]

Yep, with blank files - meaning
SektorInfo.bmp is the same size map and all black
made SektorInfo.map from that file
Blank SektorInfo.txt file
Made SektorInfo.sek from the txt file

It works.

good to know

[Stoney229]

Ok question about Sektors -

So I have my file that contains all of the borders and/or bounding boxes and I need to go in and add the different Sektor colors (1-whatever). 

1.  If I have territories with mutliple areas can I just pain them all the same Sektor color?  When I go to edit that Sektor will I need to edit both (or more) or just one of the areas?

2.  Does every space on the map need to be either black border or a Sektor Color?  Can there be any blank space?  When I draw the borders sometimes there are some shades of black with different transparency levels - Do I need to go and make sure every such box is completely black/transparency = 255?  If there are some random pixels left over that dont have a color do I have to fill them in?

Just want to confirm before I do more than necessary for the first round.

1) yes, any area that has the exact same color will be considered the same sektor.  It does not have to be contiguous.  on the map it will work just like the two non-contiguous areas are a normal, contiguous, sector/territory.  If you click on one of the areas, edit it in sektor editor and save, then click on the other area, you will see the same info that you saved.

2) yes, every single pixel needs to be either black or corresponding to an entry in sektorinfo.sek.  I don't know how you're getting colors that you don't intend, unless you're using some kind of effects or you have anti-aliasing on.  best to stick with just the pencil and fill tools for adding color to your sektorinfo.bmp, and make sure antialiasing is off.

If you have a color that does not correspond to any sector (other than black), your module should open, but if somebody hovers the cursor over that pixel I think it would crash the program.

[ksmckay]

Ok, running out of ideas again.

Using blank Sektor files the module works fine. 

Using Sektor files with something in them it crashes.

Test 1
Made a 4 quadrant SektorInfo.bmp file with black borders and then paint in each of the 4 quadrants with color 1, 2, 3, 4.

converted the map file with b242map.exe  the text and Sek files are still empty.

When I open the map and try to look at Sektor stuff the sektors are randomly distributed and have nothing to do with the SektorInfo.bmp or SektorInfo.map file.  And then it crashes eventually.  Can edit stuff using SektorEditor and it seems to save it but like I said the Sektors are random. 

Can you copy some files into a new folder and try to make a Simple sektor file and see if it works for you?

Same as with the previous problem, maybe something in the software isnt working right and there is some missing step that isnt included anywhere.  Without going into the program I dont know how to solve this. 

[Stoney229]

Ok, running out of ideas again.

Using blank Sektor files the module works fine. 

Using Sektor files with something in them it crashes.

Test 1
Made a 4 quadrant SektorInfo.bmp file with black borders and then paint in each of the 4 quadrants with color 1, 2, 3, 4.

converted the map file with b242map.exe  the text and Sek files are still empty.

When I open the map and try to look at Sektor stuff the sektors are randomly distributed and have nothing to do with the SektorInfo.bmp or SektorInfo.map file.  And then it crashes eventually.  Can edit stuff using SektorEditor and it seems to save it but like I said the Sektors are random. 

Can you copy some files into a new folder and try to make a Simple sektor file and see if it works for you?

Same as with the previous problem, maybe something in the software isnt working right and there is some missing step that isnt included anywhere.  Without going into the program I dont know how to solve this. 

send me a screenshot of the windows explorer window with all the relavent files in it, as well as the actual files and I'll see if I notice anything, but I can't spend too much time on it.