Disappearing Roster
 

I recently decided that I wanted my data directory to be named "Dark_Age" instead of "DA". When I changed the directory name it caused all of the rosters associated with one .dat files for the game system to not appear (i.e., no squads appear in the "Available Squads" display box). However, the roster associated with the other .dat file appears with no problem.

Note that I changed the directory name (to Dark_Age) in the "Folder" box on the Info screen.

Disappearing Roster
 

By default, AB uses the folder name as the prefix that it assigns to filenames when saving rosters, squads, and units. If you don't specify a specific prefix, and you change the folder name, those files with the old name will "disappear" from the lists shown by AB.

There are four ways you can fix this:

1. The user can manually rename all saved files to have the new prefix.
2. The user can turn off the prefix filtering within AB via the Settings menu.
3. The user can enter "*" (or "*.*" or "*.rst") within the File Open dialog to force Windows to show all the files, ignoring the prefix.
4. You can specify an explicit value for the prefix. However, if you do this, any rosters saved with the new folder name before (you specify the prefix) will stop appearing. So this approach will be ideal if you haven't released a new set of data files with the changed folder name yet, but it will be of no practical value if you have.

Hope this helps,
Rob


At 07:46 AM 4/8/2006, you wrote:

I do not think that I was clear in what is happening. Let me try again.

(1) Originally, all of my files (*.dat and *.def) were in a folder named "DA". When I run AB both both of the rosters (St. Mark and Dragyri) appear in the "Available Squads" screen when I select their faction from the "Create New Roster" screen.

(2) I made a copy of folder "DA" (with its contents) and renamed it "Dark_Age". Now when I run AB and choose the game system from the folder "DA" and select the St. Mark roster no units appear in the "Available Squads" screen. However, the Dragyri faction squads do appear when I select its faction.

(3) I make a copy of folder "Dark_Age" (with it contents) and rename it "DarkAge". Now when I run AB and choose the game system from the folder "DarkAge" the St. Mark roster displays its squads.

Disappearing Roster
 

I think part of the problem is terminology. I don't have ANY familiarity with the Dark Age data files. And you are using terms that are not the standard terms used in the documentation. So I'm having to try and figure out what you REALLY mean. Unfortunately, I'm failing in that regard.

So I need you to re-state the problem description below using the standard terminology from the documentation. I will then be able to understand exactly what's going on and diagnose what's going on. Remember, I'm flying blind here, while you take the DA terminology for granted and know all the details of the data files (that I've never seen).

For example, you refer to the "Available *Squads*" *screen*. There is *NO* "Available Squads" anything within AB, and the term "screen" is not used anywhere, so I don't know what you mean. Are you referring to the "Available Units" list that appears in the top portion of the main window? This is the one instance that I think I've been able to figure out, but I can't be sure.

Perhaps I'm just being thick, but my "translation" of the problem below didn't make sense, so that's why I'm asking for you to do the translation. :-)

-Rob

At 05:46 AM 4/19/2006, you wrote:

My appologies for not having the terminology down. Let me try again.

(1) Originally, all of my files (Forsaken.dat, Dragyri.dat, and Dark_Age.def) were in a folder named "DA". When I run AB everything works as expected.

(2) I made a copy of the folder "DA" (with its contents) and renamed it "Dark_Age". Now when I run AB, none of the units associated with the file Forsaken.dat appear under "Available Units" (in my case it is actually labeled "Available Squads") in the upper half of the main window when I select their faction from the "Create New Roster" form. However, the units associated with the file Dragyri.dat do appear in the "Available Units" in the upper half of the main window.

(3) I made a copy of the folder "Dark_Age" (with it contents) and rename it "DarkAge". Now when I run AB the units associated with the file Forsaken.dat do appear under "Available Units" in the upper half of the main window when I select their faction from the "Create New Roster" form.

I have put up a series of screen captures that walk through what I am seeing in AB when I run into my problem:
http://home.earthlink.net/~darkhost1...AB_problem.htm

Hopefully this will help.

This maybe a daft question, did you change the folder name in the def file on the info tab?

No, it is a good question. And the answer is yes and no. That is, I have done both, and it does not matter whether the folder name on the info tab of the .def file is the same or different from the folder name in which the files reside.

Disappearing Roster
 

Thanks for the clarification. There is only way that I can think of for this to be happening. Since you are copying the entire folder, and you don't specify that you're forced recompilation of any data files, it's possible that out-of-date information is being used due to date/time stamps on compiled files. Before you switch game systems, force a compile of the data files in the copied folder. Then verify that the problem is still occurring.

If it *IS* still occurring, you'll need to send us the data files to take a look at. There is no other reason that I can think of for what you are describing.

-Rob


At 06:08 PM 4/19/2006, you wrote: