All Mods Load Map tiles as black except for top left

Technical Support & Bugs
1

I’ve been using vassal for a few months, and starting about a month ago I discovered that (regardless of which module I upload) the module will load everything except that the map is black except for the top left corner.

I’m using Linux (Debian 10 buster) through my Pixelbook and as I said, it’s worked for quite some time but stopped. Everything else seems fine (I can click through menus and pick up objects).

I am using java 8 open jdk amd64 (I believe).

I’ve been trying to troubleshoot this with the (incredibly patient) people in my Here I Stand game and they have put up with my limited Linux knowledge but we are all at a dead end.

So now I turn to you all. As I said, my Linux knowledge is rudimentary at best (I only use it for Vassal, Steam, and Dosbox) but I like to think I can follow directions well.

Will try to include a picture of what I’m describing if I can figure out how to do that.

2

Thus spake malayet2:

I’ve been using vassal for a few months, and starting about a month ago
I discovered that (regardless of which module I upload) the module will
load everything except that the map is black except for the top left
corner.

I wonder if you have a bad tile in your tile cache. Try clearing the
tile cache (which can be done from the menus in the Module Manager).

–
J.

3

I’ve done this for all the modules. Unfortunately still no luck.

4

Thus spake malayet2:

I’ve done this for all the modules. Unfortunately still no luck.

Does this happen for you with VASSAL 3.3.0-beta2?

–
J.

5

I haven’t downloaded that yet. Will have to try that and see.

6

Since malayet2 is on Linux, note that he’ll need to install a newer version of Java (9+) to use 3.3.0 beta 2.

7

Similar symptoms for me too. Picture attached. I tried cache clearing as well with no luck : /

I also attached the error log. The only thing that is reporting an ‘error’ is the bundle helper (line 67 & 68). But maybe the jar is having problems? Do not know anything in Java.

I think log covers most but just in case:
-VASSAL-3.3.0-svn9400 (same result with VASSAL 3.2.17 and attempts to manually download and install Java 8)
-Debian 10.2
-OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 11.0.7+10-post-Debian-3deb10u1, mixed mode, sharing)

Thank you for any time you spend this! Seriously.

8

I am finding “Can’t find matching Piece Slot” (row 31 in attached)

9

That’s not related to the black tile problems.

That occurs if you use the Tools → Refresh Counters option after there have been significant changes to the module since the game was created. The link between units in the game and the unit definitions in the module that created them has been broken and they can’t be automatically updated.

10

Experiencing the same problem, on a HP Chromebook with the same Debian 10. Changing the zoom to 100 % tends to display the map correctly (for me), but most counters are black. I’ve changed Java to Oracle JDK 14.0.1 with almost identical results, got some counters that previously were black to become semi-transparent.

Modules I’ve tried are Combat Commander:Europe and Up Front.

It is interesting that you actually had it working a few months back. Seems there is something updated in Chrome OS or maybe the LInux container implementation that breaks Java’s graphic rendering.

I’m a total noob at Chromebooks, having owned mine less than three days, but have been using Vassal on Windows and Ubuntu for some years.

Just a litte bit more input.

11

My guess is that both of these reports are a due to a memory contention problem—either VASSAL’s image cache is too small and keeps clearing or what’s being drawn on the screen is getting kicked out of VRAM before it can be drawn. You can solve the former problem by increasing VASSAL’s max heap.