Any Ideas

Johnfb · 04-01-24, 02:29 PM

Anyone any idea why the opening script cuts off at the end and adds my save input instead ... ???

Thanks

Kapt Z · 04-02-24, 09:22 AM

I have seen the same for years on my saves. Always figured it was some kind of glitch. Does not seem to affect successful reloading of saves for me so I ignore it.

Johnfb · 04-02-24, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kapt Z

I have seen the same for years on my saves. Always figured it was some kind of glitch. Does not seem to affect successful reloading of saves for me so I ignore it.

More of an annoyance...just thought it was something I did .
Thanks for responding

propbeanie · 04-02-24, 01:27 PM

Looks like too much text for the box to display in the given area...

Captain Drastic · 04-02-24, 09:21 PM

... I edited the Menu variable_en file in Commander so that there were fewer words of script. I guess it only can handle so much...

Johnfb · 04-03-24, 12:55 AM

Thanks all
Script is in the mod.... May well be too many letters as suggested when written by designer.

Although I have seen longer script in the load screen so not 100% sure it's length of script. But what do I know lol.

Any idea why my save data is added at end?

Cheers

Hooston · 04-03-24, 03:37 AM

See this on GWX but not on NYGM, which has shorter messages.
Never delved into SH3 code, but it looks like a buffer overflow.
At some point the game reads in the mission startup text from a file and sticks it in an area of memory. It saves the address of the start of this to use later. This "buffer" is not big enough for GWX, so either the program keeps writing over the next chunk of memory or it correctly stops reading when the buffer end is reached but the coder has forgotten to add a "null" character to signal the end of the string.
There's a slight chance it is caused by a consistent typo in the GWX campaign file, like missing quotation marks, in which case it would be an easy fix. I have no idea where these messages are loaded from, so I can't check them or compare with NYGM. Any ideas?
At some point the game saves the latest save game filename, which happens to be after the mission startup text in memory. This ends with a null character to show the end of the string.
When the game wants to display the startup text it says "output text starting at this address and ending in a null character" so you get the startup text and then whatever is after it until a zero byte is reached - which just happens to be the latest save game fileneme.
It's just luck that this does not cause a crash, but then if it caused a crash it would have been caught during testing. This is the sort of horrible hidden bug that leaps out and bites you on the bum years later.

Unless of course the Allied situation really was un220424...

Johnfb · 04-03-24, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hooston

See this on GWX but not on NYGM, which has shorter messages.
Never delved into SH3 code, but it looks like a buffer overflow.
At some point the game reads in the mission startup text from a file and sticks it in an area of memory. It saves the address of the start of this to use later. This "buffer" is not big enough for GWX, so either the program keeps writing over the next chunk of memory or it correctly stops reading when the buffer end is reached but the coder has forgotten to add a "null" character to signal the end of the string.
There's a slight chance it is caused by a consistent typo in the GWX campaign file, like missing quotation marks, in which case it would be an easy fix.

At some point the game saves the latest save game filename, which happens to be after the mission startup text in memory. This ends with a null character to show the end of the string.

When the game wants to display the startup text it says "output text starting at this address and ending in a null character" so you get the startup text and then whatever is after it until a zero byte is reached - which just happens to be the latest save game fileneme.
It's just luck that this does not cause a crash, but then if it caused a crash it would have been caught during testing. This is the sort of horrible hidden bug that leaps out and bites you on the bum years later.

Unless of course the Allied situation really was un220424...

Amazing post...really well explained thanks 😊 👍

Last line ...lol .. 😆

Hooston · 04-03-24, 11:18 AM

I've read some of the posts above and realised that the meddling with the mission briefing text is done by SH3 commander, so it's just as likely the problem lies there. I have looked at the "Menu variable_en.txt" file that comes with SH3 commander and I can't see anything obviously wrong with it.

Whilst the text is waaay longer than the vanilla game expects I assume that it all worked at some point and something has changed to break it. Is the bug linked to a particular edition of SH3 Commander? Or maybe a SH3 mod?

Johnfb · 04-03-24, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hooston

I've read some of the posts above and realised that the meddling with the mission briefing text is done by SH3 commander, so it's just as likely the problem lies there. I have looked at the "Menu variable_en.txt" file that comes with SH3 commander and I can't see anything obviously wrong with it.

Whilst the text is waaay longer than the vanilla game expects I assume that it all worked at some point and something has changed to break it. Is the bug linked to a particular edition of SH3 Commander? Or maybe a SH3 mod?

No idea... wish I knew
Not the end of the world I know, but just annoying and annoying I don't know the resolution .
Thanks everyone.

04-01-24, 02:29 PM	#1
Johnfb Commodore Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ireland Posts: 639 Downloads: 292 Uploads: 64	Any Ideas Anyone any idea why the opening script cuts off at the end and adds my save input instead ... ??? Thanks

04-02-24, 09:22 AM	#2
Kapt Z Grey Wolf Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: ...somewhere in the swamps of Jersey. Posts: 906 Downloads: 153 Uploads: 0	I have seen the same for years on my saves. Always figured it was some kind of glitch. Does not seem to affect successful reloading of saves for me so I ignore it. __________________ ...I fought in many guises, many names, but always me. Patton

04-02-24, 01:27 PM	#4
propbeanie CTD - it's not just a job Join Date: May 2016 Location: One hour from Music City USA! Posts: 9,760 Downloads: 440 Uploads: 2	Looks like too much text for the box to display in the given area... __________________ "...and bollocks to the naysayer/s" - Jimbuna

04-02-24, 09:21 PM	#5
Captain Drastic Sailor man Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 50 Downloads: 618 Uploads: 0	Edited Script... ... I edited the Menu variable_en file in Commander so that there were fewer words of script. I guess it only can handle so much...

04-03-24, 12:55 AM	#6
Johnfb Commodore Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ireland Posts: 639 Downloads: 292 Uploads: 64	Any ideas Thanks all Script is in the mod.... May well be too many letters as suggested when written by designer. Although I have seen longer script in the load screen so not 100% sure it's length of script. But what do I know lol. Any idea why my save data is added at end? Cheers Last edited by Johnfb; 04-03-24 at 02:14 AM.

04-03-24, 03:37 AM	#7
Hooston Soundman Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 149 Downloads: 15 Uploads: 0	wild guesses See this on GWX but not on NYGM, which has shorter messages. Never delved into SH3 code, but it looks like a buffer overflow. At some point the game reads in the mission startup text from a file and sticks it in an area of memory. It saves the address of the start of this to use later. This "buffer" is not big enough for GWX, so either the program keeps writing over the next chunk of memory or it correctly stops reading when the buffer end is reached but the coder has forgotten to add a "null" character to signal the end of the string. There's a slight chance it is caused by a consistent typo in the GWX campaign file, like missing quotation marks, in which case it would be an easy fix. I have no idea where these messages are loaded from, so I can't check them or compare with NYGM. Any ideas? At some point the game saves the latest save game filename, which happens to be after the mission startup text in memory. This ends with a null character to show the end of the string. When the game wants to display the startup text it says "output text starting at this address and ending in a null character" so you get the startup text and then whatever is after it until a zero byte is reached - which just happens to be the latest save game fileneme. It's just luck that this does not cause a crash, but then if it caused a crash it would have been caught during testing. This is the sort of horrible hidden bug that leaps out and bites you on the bum years later. Unless of course the Allied situation really was un220424... Last edited by Hooston; 04-03-24 at 04:22 AM.

04-03-24, 11:18 AM	#9
Hooston Soundman Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 149 Downloads: 15 Uploads: 0	Not so amazing post I've read some of the posts above and realised that the meddling with the mission briefing text is done by SH3 commander, so it's just as likely the problem lies there. I have looked at the "Menu variable_en.txt" file that comes with SH3 commander and I can't see anything obviously wrong with it. Whilst the text is waaay longer than the vanilla game expects I assume that it all worked at some point and something has changed to break it. Is the bug linked to a particular edition of SH3 Commander? Or maybe a SH3 mod?