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[benitomuso]

Wow Slink,
                    what a very specific problem!

  First of all, and this is something I don't know clearly neither from my own work with the Total MODder nor from my previous knowledge of MODs. But from my understanding the next happens:

  -background.tga files at the root of Missions are referred as a code component, and normally referenced from a background.mat file. So they come all the way through the process of the wrapper checking if they reside in any of the MODded contents (in this case they will) and if not trying to gather the file from a .SFS file.

  -The files of the eventual missions (single or campaigns) from my knowledge of having dealed a long way with MissionPro, I think that are accessed directly by Java file system. I mean: any of the Selectors for non-QMB missions really scan a physical directory in [Root]/Missions/ Single, Campaign or Net. But they really create the list of the actual file contents. It would not be possible with wrapper operated files, you cannot list anything through the wrapper, it only pick ups for you some file you alreay know the name.

  So as far as I know, you can have everything what you put in that structure as you pointed to me, except the missions/campaings itself. Because that content will never be loaded as a MOD. That must be loaded native from physical Missions folder.

  I don't know how have you created the working version with JSGME, but something makes me believe that exactly the way you explain to me wouldn't have worked. Wasn't the Missions/Campaigns/... content placed in the base level !DCG_CoE_BoB_Campaign_Mod of your JSJME MOD? Because in that case JSGME would have copied it physically to the real Missions\Campaigns folder and then it would have worked.

  Regards,
                      Pablo

[Slink]

Pablo, thanks for your time, the directory with the source files for the DCG campaign can be anywhere, as this is only referenced by DCG itself, but are in the original game missions directory anyway. DCG reads these and, pretending to be DGEN, creates the IL2 campaign directory and files as usual in the standard IL2/Missions/campaigns/GB/CampaignName directory, just like DGEN, so there should be no difference, which is why I can't understand what's going on. The backgrounds in the mod missions directory work fine, I just wanted to show that there was nothing else in there, everything works except this one thing, which doesn't seem to make sense, why should it be any different? The entire process works without error using TotalMODer & DCG, it's only when I enable the "overlay" mod that something seems to get lost, but there is really very little in there, just alternate files to the standard ones.

[Slink]

Pablo, I'll start again, thanks for the pointer and sorry for wasting your time, been distracted. You're right of course, the directory structure in the old version was indeed different (had to unpack it from the archives...). The tricky bit is working out what will be seen by the game in the mod structure, and what needs to be directly available in the game structure, also for an external app, skins are obvious but... Should have seen this before, think I must be going soft in my middle-age... still have to play around but it will be a nice demonstration of TotalMODder's capabilities, beta is coming along nicely.
A couple of questions though, could the profile tabs be made movable so they can be arranged in any desired sequence? Is there a way to tag the ModAct folder so it's always automatically last in the mods order? Thanks for the fantastic application.

[benitomuso]

OK Slink.

   Another thing I omitted considering that "obvious" but I realize that it isn't so obvious, is the fact that Total MODder works with the last "Snapshot" of the contents of your MODding profile. If you add or remove files from any of the directories referrenced in the profile it will not notice it until you perform another "Activation", or the equivalent process of going to Tools / Profile Shortcut to Desktop, which doesn't activate the profile as default, but creates an Alternative available profile and a Desktop Icon to launch the game with it.

  Regarding the tags, at the beginning I thought about keeping a "custom sort order" but I really got to the conclusion it was not necessary. The problem regarding the implementation in code of it is that we have the tags in the right pane and the combobox, and both of them should be synchronized all the time if the order is set. So, keeping the alphabetical order makes it fail safe.

  You should consider that it's very easy to "overcome" this last limitation, just call your profiles like this:

  1-ZZKorea
  2-UP3
  3-DBW
  4-1916DBW

  And you always get your wanted order. Just use the Rename button and you will be happy with minimum effort.

  Regarding the "Fixed last" folder for the MOD Activator, it could be implemented, but rquires too many verifications in code, to set a specific concept of "Last in the list" or whatever. This is only a problem when you click on the checkboxes of the left pane, that the Folders are added at the bottom. Perhaps changing it is easier: instead of adding at the bottom, adding by default at the top. Let me think about it.

  Cheers,
                     Pablo

[benitomuso]

Pablo, I'll start again, thanks for the pointer and sorry for wasting your time, been distracted. You're right of course, the directory structure in the old version was indeed different (had to unpack it from the archives...). The tricky bit is working out what will be seen by the game in the mod structure, and what needs to be directly available in the game structure, also for an external app, skins are obvious but... Should have seen this before, think I must be going soft in my middle-age... still have to play around but it will be a nice demonstration of TotalMODder's capabilities, beta is coming along nicely.
A couple of questions though, could the profile tabs be made movable so they can be arranged in any desired sequence? Is there a way to tag the ModAct folder so it's always automatically last in the mods order? Thanks for the fantastic application.

Slink,
             I made a couple of corrections to the program because I saw abnormal behaviour with the order of the profiles. Now it sorts everything after any change and is completely valid what I told you above.

  Regards,
                         Pablo

[Slink]

Thanks Pablo, works like a charm, everything in the right order!

I knew about the snapshot, already made that mistake once, but here the cache is automatically updated by clicking Activate Profile, right above Launch IL2, so it's under your nose and much harder to screw up, excellent.

Everything works, Roster is there, my mistake but something I didn't expect. I'll be posting a beta soon(ish), you know, in 2 weeks, still a bit rough in the details but coming along very nicely, and now also using the same GUI mod by Barracca, thanks!

[benitomuso]

Good to hear that.

  I love Baracca's GUI, is the best.

  Regards,
                      Pablo

[SAS~Malone]

hi Pablo
i have been tentatively checking this app out recently, and must admit i'm still a bit cautious of it, and trying to get my head around how it all works.
it seems that this could be a really awesome application - as i have come to expect from your work - just that i haven't used it enough to be entirely comfortable with it yet, but as time goes, i will, and surely have a few questions. 
meanwhile, i think this app is deserving of the little attachment to my post - you may claim it if you like it.   

[benitomuso]

Wow Malone!

  It looks very nice. I never thought about having a specific icon for it, but the idea is good. My only concer is that in 16x16 pixels it would be too condensed. I still have to check it, I only saw the files in your .rar in the standard resolution.

  Regarding the TotalModder itself, it even works pefectly with Mike's (Storebror's) dinput.dll, just copying Mike's file to game root and adding the corresponding .ini for it.

  Ragards,
                       Pablo

[SAS~Malone]

cool - i can always edit the 16x size a bit - you are right, in fact most of my icons are a bit 'too much information'for 16x size..
i use the png files for my editing, then make the ico file when i'm done, but i think the png's can also be used as icons?
i'll try to do an alternate style or two later today, and will send them to you then. 

[benitomuso]

cool - i can always edit the 16x size a bit - you are right, in fact most of my icons are a bit 'too much information'for 16x size..
i use the png files for my editing, then make the ico file when i'm done, but i think the png's can also be used as icons?
i'll try to do an alternate style or two later today, and will send them to you then. 

Thanks Malone. If it has the 16x16 in good visibility we can clearly adopt it for TotalMODder.

Regards,
                    Pablo

[SAS~Le0ne]

Does this work with DBW 1.7. I think I want to learn how to use it