Executive summary: Pieces in 1964 version of Gettysburg should have 8 facings. The .vmod file specifies some as having 6, and others as 12. Have tried to correct by using module editor, using both 3.2.11 and now 3.2.12, with no luck producing a working .vmod file (which I propose would be Gettysburg_64_0.4.vmod)
Complete explanaition:
Specifically, I loaded vassalengine.org/mediawiki/i … 4_0.3.vmod
with “File → Edit Module” and proceeded to change the number of directions the pieces can be rotated in.
I’m running openSuSE Linux, 13.1.
This problem as described below has had identical outcomes with both vasselengine 3.2.10 and 3.2.12
The original creator of the module apparently forgot to change the
“Can Rotate → Number of allowed facings” trait from 6 to 8, in the following locations:
Gettysburg’64[Module] → Game Piece Prototype Definitions → BasicInf [Definition]
Gettysburg’64[Module] → Game Piece Prototype Definitions → BasicSquare [Definition]
Gettysburg’64[Module] → Game Piece Prototype Definitions → BasicCavArty [Definition]
Gettysburg’64[Module] → Game Piece Prototype Definitions → BasicEntrench [Definition]
I have tried the following:
-
Change the traits and then do a File → Save
New Module fails to load the games image files
-
A. Create a new directory
B. copy the .vmod file into the new directory
C. unzip the .vmod file
D. then File → Edit Module
E. Perform the facing modifications described above
F. File → Save
In this case, the module loads, but the pieces still have 6 facings, not 8.
- A. unzip the .vmod file in a directory
B. Create a new directory
C. load the .vmod file
D. File → Edit Module
E. Perform facing modifications described above
F. File → Save As into the new directory
F. Copy the other files from a directory containing the newly saved file
G. Manually zip the files into a file ending in .vmod, in the same order as which they were unpacked
H. When I attempt to load the manually zipped .vmod file, vassel puts up an error window, saying that vassal failed to load the module properly.
What in the hell am I doing wrong?
Thus spake akulkis00:
I have tried the following:
-
Change the traits and then do a File → Save
New Module fails to load the games image files
Be more specific. Fails how? Are there error messages? If so, what are
they?
- A. Create a new directory
B. copy the .vmod file into the new directory
C. unzip the .vmod file
Why are you unzipping the module?
In this case, the module loads, but the pieces still have 6 facings,
not 8.
- A. unzip the .vmod file in a directory
Again, what are you intending to accomplish by this step?
You neither need to nor should unzip the module in order to edit it
using the Module Editor. If you’re expecting the Module Editor to
write to the unzipped module contents, your expectation will never
be met.
–
J.
akulkis00,
What you need to do change possible facings to 8 is simply to hit Edit Module and click on Can Rotate in each piece (for ones that start on map) and/or to click on can rotate under prototype definitions.
I have already done so under the Gettysburg module I downloaded.
If you want me to, I can upload the module to Vassal for you to check out. No reason for us to do more than once.
I believe with the updates I made, everything is correct. Tell me if you want me to upload “version .4”
iam2509. I tried doing that, but couldn’t produce a working .vmod file after doing so.
So yes, uploading your module would be good.
What I’m trying to figure out is why doing “Edit module”, making the changes, and then “save” isn’t producing a proper .vmod file.
For example, I’ve found that if I do ONLY what I described above, then the resulting .vmod file has NO images. So, before doing the “Edit module”, first I have to unzip the module, so that the entire internal filestructure is fully unpacked into the full directory structure and discrete files on the system.
I have had SOME .vmod files work… but they don’t reflect the 6->8 changes, which makes absolutely no sense at all… 
akulkis00
I have uploaded the updated Gettysburg vassal module to the vassal website. Check it out.
When editing modules, do not do it in zip mode. Just click on edit module in vmod mode, ie when you download the module from the website, it is ready for editing - just click on “Edit Module” instead of “Open Module”.
Sometimes changes don’t always show up. For example, in the current setup, to alter the Heth piece on the Gettysburg map would require several steps beyond just correcting the piece within the module. Since the pieces in the Gettysburg module are not displayed in Piece Inventory at the top of the screen (like in most modules - check out my modules at vassalengine.org/wiki/Module:Across_5_Aprils) it can make it difficult to adjust individual pieces.
Check out version.4 of Gettysburg and tell me if it needs further correction.
Stephen Oliver
That’s precisely what I tried to do originally, and this has always resulted in a rather smallish .vmod file which has no images (inspecting it by unzipping it reveals that the new .vmod file has an empty images directory).
When I unzip the .vmod file before editing it (non-destructive unzip), THEN “edit module” and save it, I do at least end up with a .vmod file that has the images. BUT, the problem is that the number of allowed facings weren’t changed.
Don’t ask me why, I don’t have the foggiest notion of where to even begin to look in the source code to figure out why this is happening this way.
I’m absolutely flumoxed by what is going on.
Thus spake akulkis00:
That’s precisely what I tried to do originally, and this has always
resulted in a rather smallish .vmod file which has no images (inspecting
it by unzipping it reveals that the new .vmod file has an empty images
directory).
When I unzip the .vmod file before editing it (non-destructive unzip),
THEN “edit module” and save it, I do at least end up with a .vmod file
that has the images. BUT, the problem is that the number of allowed
facings weren’t changed.
I think what you’re seeing here is that the module file isn’t being
written at all. Do you have the same problem with modifying other
modules?
–
J.
uckelman wrote:
Thus spake akulkis00:
That’s precisely what I tried to do originally, and this has always
resulted in a rather smallish .vmod file which has no images (inspecting
it by unzipping it reveals that the new .vmod file has an empty images
directory).
When I unzip the .vmod file before editing it (non-destructive unzip),
THEN “edit module” and save it, I do at least end up with a .vmod file
that has the images. BUT, the problem is that the number of allowed
facings weren’t changed.
I think what you’re seeing here is that the module file isn’t being
written at all. Do you have the same problem with modifying other
modules?
No, a new module file IS being created, but it’s totally deficient.
akulkis@linux-86ja:~> uname -a
Linux linux-86ja 3.11.10-11-desktop #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon May 12 13:37:06 UTC 2014 (3d22b5f) i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
openSuSE 13.1, 32-bit on a 32-bit i686 (dual-core Core Duo), with 4 GB of installed memory
Thus spake akulkis00:
I think what you’re seeing here is that the module file isn’t being
written at all. Do you have the same problem with modifying other
modules?
No, a new module file IS being created, but it’s totally deficient.
Please post the contents of the errorLog from a run where you’ve had
a bad save:
vassalengine.org/wiki/Error_Logs
–
J.