I decided to try something a bit different with the way I set up zones on the main maps. (World in Flames module). Basically so that I can use the report action trait not the Map auto report function.
PieceName - Module Design - Vassal (vassalengine.org)
The changes I made work with new ‘games’, as in start a free-form game with a ‘brand new’ map. Result being - * CH ARM VII moved from WEURO Map hex 1839 to WEURO Map hex 1737
I then load an existing game and I get this - * CHCOMHW T GAR 5 moved from ntempaWEland to ntempaWEland. The ntempaWEland is the now deleted old zone name I used.
Does all this mean that existing games do not adopt the new zones? That would appear to be the case from what I have observed to date. That would also be horrible, unless there is way to get the maps in existing games to update.
The Refresh Predefined Setups feature and the game piece refresher are capable of doing pieces and decks only. If you are doing map-level edits–changing the size of and/or renaming zones, modifying grids, etc–the only recourse I’m aware of has always been creating new predefined setups from scratch.
EDIT: Ignore all of the above, correction below. Preserving the wrongness for transparency.
Thank you for confirming that. Basically a structural flaw with Vassal. This and couple of other things that Vassal cannot change - at start stacks, inter alia.
At the least I save myself a bunch of hours of work as I was doing the configuration changes on 1 map for testing purposes. Drats though.
I knew that refresh would not do maps, but I was sort of hoping that map changes, like zones, etc, would just happen. They are map changes, something that any game would automatically adopt as the base driver, the game module, has changed how the maps should work. Sort of an intrinsic base level thing. So sad really.
No, that is definitely NOT the case. Grid and Zone information is not recorded in save games in any way, it is always taken from the current version of the module you are playing. Adding/removing Maps or boards from the module is a problem for pre-defined setups and existing save games, but not changes to zones.
I then load an existing game and I get this - * CHCOMHW T GAR 5 moved from ntempaWEland to ntempaWEland. The ntempaWEland is the now deleted old zone name I used.
This is likely because the name of the oldZone is saved as oldLocationName in the properties of the pieces currently on the board.and this IS saved in a setup. You should find these will be cleared out once you have moved the pieces.
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Thanks for the correction, have edited my post to reflect it. I have very definitely experienced problems in this area before, but let it be a lesson in relying on (likely very old) memories and/or inferring the wrong conclusion possibly based on the property-based reporting side effects you noted.
Thank you both for your feedback. Brent, you inspire hope. I’ll examine the matter further and report back.
All works as advertised. Really great. Thank you all for your help.
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