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[WxTech]

Finally upgraded from 4.08 to 4.09 today, and have begun copying over a few mods at a time. One being the 6DOF MOD I obtained years ago from AAA (if memory serves.) For both FreeTrack and later TrackIR 5 with 4.08, I enjoyed 6DOF.

But after copying over this mod to the 4.09 install, I find that only the rotations are working, not the translations (L-R, up-down and fore-aft). I didn't think there was any meaningful difference--if any at all--with head tracking implementation between 4.08 and 4.09.

Anyone with any ideas, or has anyone encountered a similar problem?

[SAS~Storebror]

This is for 4.10 but IIRC there's no change between 4.09 and 4.10 code in terms of 6DOF either:
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,38525.msg432295.html#msg432295

Additionally you will need to set "trackIRUse=1" in your conf.ini file (section [rts]).


Mike

[WxTech]

Thanks, Mike!

I've been looking about and have discovered numerous bleatings in years past where others making the same transition have had the same problem. I found here a thread about .exe's designed to increase memory usage (up to 4GB), some specifically supporting trackers.

This intrigues me. Because I've not been able to open some huge maps (including The Slot) in the Unlocked FMB.

Do you recommend such an exe? My OS is Win 10, 64 bit.

[SAS~Storebror]

Not at all, just placebo. Nothing else to say about these infamous exe's. Even TD fell victim for that crap.
Use the Selector, that's the only tool that really optimizes IL-2's memory usage.


Mike

[WxTech]

Mike,
That set of 5 classfiles for 6DOF did the trick; thanks!

Before reading your last post I did pop in a 4GB exe (for 6DOF) and it's working. But if it's merely a placebo, I guess I should go back to the one included with the Mod Activator.

Just what exactly is the Selector? By the way, thus far I've restricted to a totally basic MOD install, manually controlling everything (no use of JSGME).

[WxTech]

Mike,
Well... I dunno about a placebo.

I just dropped the same 4GB client exe into my 4.08-based unlocked FMB installation. (Haven't yet got round to preparing a 4.09-based unlocked FMB version; might not need to bother, either.) Whereas before I could NEVER get a big map like The Slot to open...

...Now I can!

Seems to be doing something tangibly good, from where I sit.

[SAS~Storebror]

what exactly is the Selector?

Didn't think I'd meet someone in 2019 who doesn't know
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,16403.0.html

I dunno about a placebo.

Okay, time to elaborate a bit further.

The il2fb.exe 4GB version is a binary edited il2fb.exe which the Java VM's maximum heap size ("xmx" parameter) set to 1GB and with the "LAA" (large address aware) flag set in the executable.
The latter is simply placebo because we're talking about a 32 Bit executable. Setting the "LAA" flag doesn't make it magically use a maximum of 4GB instead of 2, it just makes the OS create a virtual 4GB slot for that process, of which it could only use the first 2GB, just as before.
The internet is flooded with "tools" to set that LAA flag on 32 bit executables. They popped up back in 2007 with Windows Vista and the 64 Bit hype. None of them does any good. It's all pure genuine placebo.

So... in the end, with the "4GB version" of il2fb.exe, you effectively have an IL-2 executable which limits the maximum heap size to 1GB (instead of default 96MB). Just that. Nothing less, nothing more.
That maximum heap size is particularly important for the FMB.
In the normal game, you notice little to no effect.
Add to that, the fact that only the maximum size has been set can have negative impact: In Stock IL-2, both the initial and the maximum heap size are set to the same value (96MB).
The reason is that by doing so, you avoid excessive heap size adjustments by the JVM when lots of objects get created and destroyed dynamically.
And it's only the heap that gets increased - not the stack, not the permanent objects memory, only the heap. Good for FMB, bad for normal gameplay.

Now let's see what the IL-2 Selector does in contrast:
The Selector always sets initial and maximum memory sizes to the same values. No dynamic forth and back = optimal performance.
In the default "balanced" mode it will distribute the available memory in a way that suits IL-2 best, e.g. when you select 768MB (which is a good balance for most systems), you will get 666MB heap, 6MB stack and 96MB permanent objects size.
Even if you are a map maker and need as much heap as possible for unlocked FMB operation, the Selector will work best:
In "conservative" mode it will give all memory to the heap, in a similar way like the binary hacked il2fb.exe files, but with both initial and maximum size set accordingly.

The latter is also important when you build a really huge map:
The binary hacked il2fb.exe versions, as mentioned earlier, only set the maximum heap size.
What can and will happen when you have 1, 1.5 or 2GB versions that way is that the game will seem to work initially, but once you really need the heap - which is when you are just about to have put the most work into your map - the game will suddenly crash to desktop without prior warning.
Why? Because your system might not be able to actually use 1, 1.5 or 2GB in the il2fb.exe slot.
You just won't notice, because initially everything's fine, but only as long as you don't need it.

Not so with the Selector.
If you set a value that is too high for your system to deal with, you will notice immediately because the initial size is set to that value, so the game won't start at all.
Therefore you can adjust the size to what your system can deal with by try&error - anything starting at 1GB can become tricky and the Selector will clearly tell you so.


Mike

[WxTech]

Mike,
Well, that's quite the tutorial! I better understand the issues now; thanks very much. (Although I nonetheless feel like a babe in the woods. )

I'm grabbing the latest Selector, and will install it.

First question. I'm using the 4.09 ModAct mod enabler. But the Selector manual seems to suggest that my installation would be treated as a "classic" mod (due to having a "files" and "MODS" folder), not ModAct. Is this the case?

Last Q. Having 32MB of RAM in my box, might it be safe to try for, say, 512MB (in a balanced configuration) out of the gate? Or should I be more cautious initially?

Thanks again.

[SAS~Storebror]

Yes, 4.09 Modact is "Classic". SAS Modact is 4.12 and onwards.
With 32GB you are safe to select 512MB or even 768MB.


Mike

[WxTech]

With my 4.08 setup I was able to edit the HookPilot classfile so as to increase the MaxAzimuth from 155 to 180 degrees. This means that one can look straight aft.

But now when I decompile that same class which is supplied with the 4.10 6dof mod (which works fine in 4.09),  make my couple of changes, and then try to compile using Jode, there are fully 100 errors thrown up. Starting with the not recognizing of the classes to import; it's *that* fundamental a disconnect.

Is this the result of some difference in Java between game versions?

[WxTech]

OK, I found the cause of the problem outlined in my previous post... Operator error!

I had renamed the folder containing all the 4.09 classes (to clearly differentiate from the 4.08 folder), but overlooked editing accordingly the path in the .bat file that starts the compiling of  .java to .class!

Sometimes I marvel at my inner idiot.