SH3Cmdr 2.6: Ivalid Argument to Date Encode

[Rose]

I loaded up SH3 NYGM TW 2.01 with SH3Cmdr 2.6 successfully, loaded a career. I then deleted some saves from that career. When I went to launch SH3Cmdr again, my career was "gone" and it said "Invalid Argument to Date Encode." My career works if I just load it w/o Cmdr, but if I try to load thru Commander, that message comes up. What does it mean? Thanks :D.

[bigboywooly]

I have had it with 2.4 too
I think you are supposed to rollback before deleting but not 100% sure - seems to be the answer for most problems

[irish1958]

That's computer speak for "I can't find the damn file I'm looking for".
irish1958

[Rose]

I have had it with 2.4 too
I think you are supposed to rollback before deleting but not 100% sure - seems to be the answer for most problems

K, but how do I fix the problem now that the damage is done? We're talkin' my WaW career here!

[JScones]

I loaded up SH3 NYGM TW 2.01 with SH3Cmdr 2.6 successfully, loaded a career. I then deleted some saves from that career. When I went to launch SH3Cmdr again, my career was "gone" and it said "Invalid Argument to Date Encode." My career works if I just load it w/o Cmdr, but if I try to load thru Commander, that message comes up. What does it mean? Thanks :D.
Did you delete the saves from the end, or from the start or middle of your career? I mean, you do know that when you delete a save, EVERY save AFTER that point is deleted too? So if you thought you were deleting a save point from say your first patrol, you've actually deleted everything after that point too.

Anyway, you may like to email me all your career files (under C:\Documents and Settings\<UserName>\My Documents\SH3\data\cfg\Careers\<Career Name>) and I'll have a look. Email address is in JoneSoft.txt.

The error is usually caused by a common SH3 bug which sees it write 0's to some key fields. It also occurs when, well, careers are not established (ie because saves have been deleted rolling the career back to the first patrol).

[bigboywooly]

:hmm: Didnt realise that JS thank you for the information
So basically its not safe to delete any saves further back in a patrol\career ?

[JScones]

Yeah. A feature somewhat "unique" to SH3!

At least it warns you though - you'll get a message saying that all subsequent saves will be deleted too.

No cleaning out old saves with SH3, unfortunately. :(

[Rose]

I know the whole deal with properly deleting files. I know my career's still there, SH3 cmdr just isnt reading it. I'll email it to ya, JScones.

[JScones]

I've responded ;)

For the benefit of others, it is an SH3 data integrity issue, caused by the deletion of save games.

The easiest solution is to, after you have deleted the saves, reopen the career and go to the barracks screen. I *think* that then corrects the data integrity problem. You should be able to then exit SH3 and resume using SH3Cmdr.

If this still fails, then the solution that *will* work will be to play the next patrol sans SH3Cmdr. After you've finished the patrol, you'll be able to resume again using SH3Cmdr.

Rose, or others with this problem, can you pls try my first solution and let me know whether it works?

[Rose]

The barracks solution works! I have another question though -- is there any way to make days spent in base more than 100 for Wolves at War reasons?

[JScones]

Yep. Open up SH3Cmdr.ini (in the root SH3 Commander installation folder) and change the "DaysInBaseValue" setting to 150 (or whatever). Save and close.

[JScones]

The barracks solution works!
Great. Thanks for confirming this for me. :up:

So the best thing I can recommend to SH3Cmdr users is that if you delete save games from a career, then after doing so just load the career in SH3 (only needs to be to the barracks screen) and exit again. This then forces SH3 to correct a potential number sequencing problem plus write/update correct next patrol details, which SH3Cmdr looks for when loading up the career.