Rocket Science 101

[_AH_Duff4r]

Hiyas,

I thought I'd shine a little light on something that will soon become obvious.  Namely, our friend the STD file currently residing in the MODS folder and how it tied into the P-38 Flaps disaster, and how we can use it as a "COOL TOOL".

In the hierarchy of IL-2 we have 2 folders and a file that pretty much run the show.  In descending order of importance we have the: MODS folder, Files folder, and the files.sfs.  With out a MODS or Files folder the files.sfs, found in your IL-2 Main directory, runs the show! With those two folders added we have 5 main controlling files: the air.ini, buttons file, plane_ru.properties, weapons_ru.properties, and again the files.sfs.  Remember, the files.sfs have been changed on every update by Oleg and are now being changed by Team Diadalos, UltraPack, SAS, C6, etc.

To begin with as we installed UP 2.0 we noticed the MODS folder was (-) minused out, like so: -MODS. Hidden away inside was the STD folder which contains another com folder, the GUI folder, and the i18n folder. UP 2.0 has a reason for having them there for a later use.  The ones in the STD folder were COPIES of the ones in the Files folder. Inadvertently, the update from UP 2.0 to UP 2.0m failed to update the STD folder. No big deal right?  WRONG!!  See, most of us were already using the -MODS folder in conjunction with the jsgmemods folder by removing the (-) minus from it, thus MODS.  We use it mostly for eye and ear candy.  Along comes a squad that just had to fly a specific P-38 that was one of the FEW planes that suffered from the STD update error.

But.....let's take a closer look at what we can do. With the MODS folder OR the STD folder (-) minused out the planes are controlled by 4 files that reside in the Files folder.  Yup, you guessed it! The air.ini file lives deep in the IL-2 Main\Files\com folder.  The dreaded "buttons" file lives in the IL-2 Main\Files\GUI folder. The plane_ru.properties and the weapons_ru.properties lives in the IL-2 Main\Files\i18n folder.  These are ALL componets necessary to install planes and vary ALL their parameters; FMs, WMs, EMDs, etc.

Get it?  All of the above also lives in duplicate in the -MODS sub folder STD.  That's why I could fix everyone's flap problems by simply (-) minusing out the STD folder.

So, what can we do that's cool? Fly online with every possible MOD in the world in our MODS folder complete with a different buttons file and all.  How?  Easy....

 When I install the _AH_Unapproved MODS I install them into the MODS\STD com, gui, and i18n folders instead of the com, gui, and i18n folders in the Files folder!!  So when I want to fly _AH all I do is (-) minus out the STD folder in my MODS folder and waaalaaah! A totally _AH compatible game.

REMEMBER!!! The STD folder can not be added to jsgmemods folder because it doesn't have the hierarchy that the MODS folder and the Files folder does, so it won't work!

So how does this drivel help?  Why do this?

The One Game Only guys can play _AH_Approved and the _AH_Unapproved, MODDED to the hilt, in the same game!

Folder Structure:

_AH_Approved ===> Uses the FILE folder

M IL-2 Main\Files\com (air.ini),
O IL-2 Main\Files\gui\game\buttons
D IL-2 Main\Files\i18n\plane_ru.properties & weapons_ru.properties
S

_AH_Unapproved ===> Uses STD folder in MODS folder

M IL-2 Main\MODS\STD\com (air.ini),
O IL-2 Main\MODS\STD\gui\game\buttons
D IL-2 Main\MODS\STD\i18n\plane_ru.properties & weapons_ru.properties
S

Ok, there will be a 25 question, Multiple Guess, exam on Monday Night!  :help-sos-sos-29402:

S~
Duff

[_AH_Jack]

Huh?

[Foxbat]

S~
I normally play without a negative in front of my mods folder. In other words, its activated.
I have not had any problems after BB helped me fix the mission builder part of my game.
Strange, but before we fixed it, I could not use the builder part or join a mission on the Korean map.
All good now. In the case of the night we noticed the P-38 bug, I had no (-) in front of my Mods folder.
The flaps worked up or down only, which later turned out to be correct for that particular 38.
I haven't noticed many problems starting games lately. Once in awhile someone can't get in.
It usually turns out they had the wrong version in the switcher and once changed, get right in.
The only flying I do is with AH so I keep my game setup for that. Other guys do more than that so its nice
to have this info so you can understand how it all works.

[_AH_Duff4r]

S~
The only flying I do is with AH so I keep my game setup for that. Other guys do more than that so its nice
to have this info so you can understand how it all works.

Right on Fox, but...have you driven the Willeys Jeep or the Kubelwagen?  How about flown the FM 1_GM and the new FM 2_GM? And of course there's more.  Lots a fun to be able to do that....just sayin'

S~
Duff

[_AH_Gonzo]

I almost understood everything Duff4r said! What little I did made sense to. Sort of scary!

What are the FM 1_GM and FM 2_GM's?

[_AH_DarkWolf]

The GM built Wildcats? They built the FM-1 and FM-2. Sounds like they made a new slot version of them. The FM-2 we have does'nt have the loadouts it should.

DW

[_AH_Duff4r]

DW,
Yes....New Slots,
     
FM1_GM

FM2_GM

Copied from the Flaps Bug post so I didn't have to type it twice:
There is another way to fix the flaps.....Copy the com, gui, and i18n folders from the Files folder to the STD folder and overwrite when asked.  That's what he did!

In future updates that's what will happen...that's what should have happened when we went from 2.0 to 2.0m. UltraPack..GOOFED.

See, I knew about the update error by UP and it was easy to fix. I fixed mine ASAP by doing the above, copying folders!  Then when I heard about the FLAP error it was obvious what happened.  Some had the MOD (-), some didn't.  Some had the STD (-), some didn't.  Some had been to the UP site and knew about copying the above folders and overwriting, some didn't. I knew that sooner or later we will update to version 2.0n, which....LOL! They forgot again!  To big a rush to get it out and simply forgot to fix the exe from the prior update to "m".  So the MODS\STD folder failed to update again!  HaDeS was hot!  Oops a pun?  :cool:

Regardless, I got thinking about file structure and how we install new planes in.  It dawned on me that the MODS folder could be accessed two ways now.  One via the Files folder structure and one via the MODS\STD folder structure.  A bit of tinkering proved my theory. I didn't say anything here as I hadn't considered those guys that only had room for 1 install.  I also, the professor in me, decided it would be a good idea to try to help everyone understand the IL-2 file structure. "Knowledge is Power" that diminishes fear.

enjoy,
Duff

[_AH_Duff4r]

I almost understood everything Duff4r said! What little I did made sense to. Sort of scary!

What are the FM 1_GM and FM 2_GM's?

Gonz,

I quote: FM-1 Wildcat  'Part of the soon-coming 'complete' edition of the General Motors Wildcats.

And yes, there was a FM-1 'before' there was a FM-2, despite what is shown inside the game.  Actually quite a few FM-1's were produced with well over a thousand plus going to the USA and several hundred going to the Britain.  Certainly making it a worthwhile plane to put into the game where we already have slots filled with aircraft that never actually made it into production (or the war) or only had tiny differences in make and model.

S~ She's a Beauty!
D

[_AH_Gonzo]

Lol, thanks for the clear up. The aircraft designation threw me off.

When I saw "FM" I started to panic thinking it meant "Flight Model".