[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

You are missing a "translation" file in your radar "hunt"... Firstly though, first things first - lol - The "ActiveUserPlayerUnits" part that you point to (the same thing as in NSS_SubName.upc) is the "Slot" something sits in. If it is "upgradeable", it will show "AcceptedType" as "NULL".

Otherwise, the gear is named at that slot entry, and it will not be found in an UpgradePackSlot in the section below. For radars, you will often find a "UserPlayerUnit 1.Compartment x.EquipmentSlot y" in the submarine's hull upc and a similar entry of "UnitPart x.Compartment y.EquipmentSlot z" in the UnitPartsXSubName.upc file that holds additional entries. After the equipment entries in the NSS_SubName.upc file is the UpgradePackSlots that list all of the possible upgrades for the slots listed above and in the matching UnitPartsXSubName.upc for the conning tower(s). Those entries point to the slots above for the mounting location(s), as well back to the UpgradePacks.upc file. Inside that UpgradePacks.upc file, you will find how it is "built" from pieces of the Equipment.upc file (or Weapons in the case of guns).

That file is where you will find the "ExternalLinkName3D=" line that puts you into the SensorsSub (or other) files. If that "ExternalLinkName3D=" is "NULL", then it is a "virtual" entry. The PPI and A-Scope cabinets are such. From the looks of things, going by the "builds" of the parts into UpgradePacks, it does look like the intention was to have at least some of the "virtual" entries be actual 3D pieces of gear. It is possible to do that, but would be a major undertaking... Anyway, look in the Equipment.upc file (based upon what is found in the UpgradePacks.upc "build") for the "link" to the sensors file... From that info, you might be able to edit the ActiveUser... and other associated files in the Save folder. Back-up all data there first, of course...

thanks for the explanation, PB.

armed with the above, i still couldn't figure out what was wrong.
so, i started a new Porpoise career with a starting date of mid-1943 in order to see how the game would build a Porpoise in the same time period assuming that the newer conning tower and equipment would be included. and it was.

i then compared ActiveUserPlayerUnits of the upgraded Porpoise to the same file in the mid-1943 Porpoise. the results showed that the upgraded Porpoise was missing an equipment entry:

[UserPlayerUnit 1.UnitPartSlot 1.UnitPart.Compartment 1.EquipmentSlot 1.Equipment]
ID=SJRadarAntennaEarlyPorpoise2
NameDisplayable=Radar Mast (SJ)
EquipmentInterval=1900-01-01, 1999-12-31
EquipmentSlotType=NULL
ExternalLinkName3D=NSS_EarlySJ_PClass_Mount
FunctionalType=EqFTypeRadarAntennaSJEarly

i guess you could say that this could be the root cause of the radar not working, eh?

so, i cut-paste the equipment definition from the Mid-1943 model to the upgraded model and shoved off. when i checked the radar function, eh voila, it worked. whew.

so, now, the question is: how could SH4 execute a programmed upgrade and forget to install a piece of equipment?