Regarding SH3 Commander

raymond6751 · 11-13-14, 06:42 AM

Hi guys

Anybody been able to use SH3 commander with a Steam version of SH3. I have not, and there is nothing in commander manual regarding steam.

It is a shame, if we can't get it going, because commander adds a lot to the experience.

I've tried using admin to load commander, but the problem is commander wants to run sh3.exe and steam doesn't allow it.
Thoughts?

BigWalleye · 11-13-14, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymond6751

Hi guys

Anybody been able to use SH3 commander with a Steam version of SH3. I have not, and there is nothing in commander manual regarding steam.

It is a shame, if we can't get it going, because commander adds a lot to the experience.

I've tried using admin to load commander, but the problem is commander wants to run sh3.exe and steam doesn't allow it.
Thoughts?

Easy solution: Spend an extra $10 and get the publisher's version of SH3. Then you can be sure that everything you want to use will work just fine with it.

raymond6751 · 11-13-14, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigWalleye

Easy solution: Spend an extra $10 and get the publisher's version of SH3. Then you can be sure that everything you want to use will work just fine with it.

I do own publisher copies, 2 each of every version from SH1 through SH5. The extras were backups. When Ubisoft upgraded itself last year, it lost my account records and I could no longer play SH5, even with disk - could not reinstall either.

Anyway...I discovered that you can still use Commander, but not to launch. You tell Commander to roll back each time you shut down, so it will remove Command files from the SH data.

You run Commander, let it fail to launch. Run the Steam version from its own shortcut -- play, shut down. Close down Commander. Next time you launch it, it indicates correctly the last time you ran your game/mission/career.

I haven't played this way long enough to finish in port, but I think Commander is able to read and use the saved games. It just can't launch.

ChaosDuck7 · 11-13-14, 01:12 PM

Thanks guys, I will run it via the SH3 launcher from now on

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymond6751

Hi guys

Anybody been able to use SH3 commander with a Steam version of SH3. I have not, and there is nothing in commander manual regarding steam.

It is a shame, if we can't get it going, because commander adds a lot to the experience.

I've tried using admin to load commander, but the problem is commander wants to run sh3.exe and steam doesn't allow it.
Thoughts?

I use a steam version and it seems to be working fine.

At least, it skips the intro movie like I told it to do and it says "Loaded with silent hunter 3 commander" in the main menu. No crashes or anything.

Hopefully its actually working 100 percent.

edit: I just remembered my steam install is NOT in program files. I manually changed its directory to be in C:/Games/Steam. Maybe that has something to do with why it works on my end? That could be something for you to try.

Pisces · 11-13-14, 01:38 PM

There is a way to get around Steam install issues. I never needed to try this myself. But others did this by changing the file and folder properties to remove a read-only setting somehow. Details are in some installation instruction thread. And are probable stickied. I'm sorry I can't provide a direct link at the moment. Searching for "Steam install read only" should bring it up.

The fact that it is not mentioned in Sh3 Commander's documentation is that development of SH3 Commander ceased well before Steam installs of SH3 became popular. Or before the majority of people using Steam got Vista, 7 or 8 as OS where this becomes an issue. Windows Xp didn't have this limitation.

raymond6751 · 11-13-14, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pisces

There is a way to get around Steam install issues. I never needed to try this myself. But others did this by changing the file and folder properties to remove a read-only setting somehow. Details are in some installation instruction thread. And are probable stickied. I'm sorry I can't provide a direct link at the moment. Searching for "Steam install read only" should bring it up.

The fact that it is not mentioned in Sh3 Commander's documentation is that development of SH3 Commander ceased well before Steam installs of SH3 became popular. Or before the majority of people using Steam got Vista, 7 or 8 as OS where this becomes an issue. Windows Xp didn't have this limitation.

Changing the properties from read-only was the answer. Thank you.

Now I can go to the club when in port !!!

Ahnenerbe · 11-13-14, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pisces

There is a way to get around Steam install issues. I never needed to try this myself. But others did this by changing the file and folder properties to remove a read-only setting somehow. Details are in some installation instruction thread. And are probable stickied. I'm sorry I can't provide a direct link at the moment. Searching for "Steam install read only" should bring it up.

The fact that it is not mentioned in Sh3 Commander's documentation is that development of SH3 Commander ceased well before Steam installs of SH3 became popular. Or before the majority of people using Steam got Vista, 7 or 8 as OS where this becomes an issue. Windows Xp didn't have this limitation.

Pisces, is not this topic? http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=166283
++ Ahnenerbe ++

Pisces · 11-13-14, 03:22 PM

Its not the one i have in mind. But it may well contain the solution. The one I vaguely remember is older than that. Like I said, never tried it myself, so I don't know what is required to fix it. I would have remembered more details. There are atleast 2 ways in windows to asign a file and folder as read-only. The checkmark in the properties screen, which is a leftover of the DOS days. And by more fine-controlled user and group based "Access Control Lists" in the (NTFS) security tab in properties. I don't know which method is the one that works in any condition.

The O.P. seems he is not very sure of which of the 2 solutions (or some part of it) fixes his crashes. Infact, nowhere in his message did he say it was related to Steam. So I wouldn't consider this to fix the problem in this thread. It may be completely unrelated and be caused by another quirk. It can crash due to many reasons, and we have no clear way to find out why it did. It doesn't leave an easy to read crashlog.

raymond6751 · 11-14-14, 07:21 AM

Pisces, thank you. Your suggestion DOES fit and DOES fix the issue I brought up, that is, using SH3 Commander with a Steam version of SH3. Changing the read-only property of the SH3 folder in Steam did it. SH3 Command was able to operate but the game needs to be launched seperately using the Steam provided shortcut.

You load Commander first. It copies its specific files to the SH3 folders, which are now changed from read-only. You leave Commander running. You double click the Steam SH3 shortcut to load the game.

After play save game and exit. Return to Commander and exit. The Commander files are rolled back out of SH3 folders when it quits.

Thank you.

BigWalleye · 11-14-14, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymond6751

Pisces, thank you. Your suggestion DOES fit and DOES fix the issue I brought up, that is, using SH3 Commander with a Steam version of SH3. Changing the read-only property of the SH3 folder in Steam did it. SH3 Command was able to operate but the game needs to be launched seperately using the Steam provided shortcut.

You load Commander first. It copies its specific files to the SH3 folders, which are now changed from read-only. You leave Commander running. You double click the Steam SH3 shortcut to load the game.

After play save game and exit. Return to Commander and exit. The Commander files are rolled back out of SH3 folders when it quits.

Thank you.

Once again, Steam users have an awkward workaround so they can do what everyone else does easily.

Anyone care to explain the upside?

11-13-14, 06:42 AM	#1
raymond6751 Admirable Mike Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,338 Downloads: 421 Uploads: 0	Commander & Steam Hi guys Anybody been able to use SH3 commander with a Steam version of SH3. I have not, and there is nothing in commander manual regarding steam. It is a shame, if we can't get it going, because commander adds a lot to the experience. I've tried using admin to load commander, but the problem is commander wants to run sh3.exe and steam doesn't allow it. Thoughts? __________________ Game Designer: Close The Atlantic - World War Three https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/...orld-war-three

11-14-14, 07:21 AM	#9
raymond6751 Admirable Mike Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,338 Downloads: 421 Uploads: 0	Clarification Pisces, thank you. Your suggestion DOES fit and DOES fix the issue I brought up, that is, using SH3 Commander with a Steam version of SH3. Changing the read-only property of the SH3 folder in Steam did it. SH3 Command was able to operate but the game needs to be launched seperately using the Steam provided shortcut. You load Commander first. It copies its specific files to the SH3 folders, which are now changed from read-only. You leave Commander running. You double click the Steam SH3 shortcut to load the game. After play save game and exit. Return to Commander and exit. The Commander files are rolled back out of SH3 folders when it quits. Thank you. __________________ Game Designer: Close The Atlantic - World War Three https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/...orld-war-three

11-13-14, 01:38 PM	#5
Pisces Silent Hunter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: AN9771 Posts: 4,904 Downloads: 304 Uploads: 0	There is a way to get around Steam install issues. I never needed to try this myself. But others did this by changing the file and folder properties to remove a read-only setting somehow. Details are in some installation instruction thread. And are probable stickied. I'm sorry I can't provide a direct link at the moment. Searching for "Steam install read only" should bring it up. The fact that it is not mentioned in Sh3 Commander's documentation is that development of SH3 Commander ceased well before Steam installs of SH3 became popular. Or before the majority of people using Steam got Vista, 7 or 8 as OS where this becomes an issue. Windows Xp didn't have this limitation.

11-13-14, 03:22 PM	#8
Pisces Silent Hunter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: AN9771 Posts: 4,904 Downloads: 304 Uploads: 0	Its not the one i have in mind. But it may well contain the solution. The one I vaguely remember is older than that. Like I said, never tried it myself, so I don't know what is required to fix it. I would have remembered more details. There are atleast 2 ways in windows to asign a file and folder as read-only. The checkmark in the properties screen, which is a leftover of the DOS days. And by more fine-controlled user and group based "Access Control Lists" in the (NTFS) security tab in properties. I don't know which method is the one that works in any condition. The O.P. seems he is not very sure of which of the 2 solutions (or some part of it) fixes his crashes. Infact, nowhere in his message did he say it was related to Steam. So I wouldn't consider this to fix the problem in this thread. It may be completely unrelated and be caused by another quirk. It can crash due to many reasons, and we have no clear way to find out why it did. It doesn't leave an easy to read crashlog.