PFM 3.5.2 - Updated string handling

**Genreless** · July 10, 2018, 08:54 PM

Version 5.0.1 of PFM is now online. The only thing that has changed since version 5.0 is a temporary fix has been made to allow the auto-update to work again. I believe the fix may require .NET Framework version 4.5 or newer to be installed as opposed to the prior minimum requirement of the .NET Framework version 4.0.

In making the fix to the auto-updater it also became clear that in order to cleanly fix the auto-updater so it can use TLS 1.2 to communicate with SourceForge, PFM will have to move from .NET Framework 4.0 to one of three alternatives: A newer version of the .NET Framework, Mono, or Xamarin. I know that moving to a newer version of .NET or Xamarin would break support for PFM in Windows XP and I don't know for sure about whether Mono supports XP. The advantages of switching to Mono or Xamarin as far as I can tell is that the .NET Framework wouldn't work if we tried to get PFM working on Mac or Linux while Mono and Xamarin do (and with some Total War games working on Mac and Linux, it makes sense to have the mod tools work also). This leads me to wonder, how many people use which operating systems among the PFM userbase so I know which systems I still need to guarantee support for? Regardless of the response, changing the framework PFM runs on will still be a relatively low priority as I learn more about how it works and ensure what is already there doesn't have any bugs hiding in it.

**Genreless** · July 11, 2018, 08:34 PM

And we're here already... version 5.0.2, because I uploaded the wrong binary in version 5.0.1 so it didn't open pack files. The new version works properly, but it looks like I missed something while fixing the auto-updater so it won't automatically download the fixed version.

**Chevalier1982** · August 12, 2018, 07:18 AM

5.0.2 + schema_112 - have a crash when trying to open db tables (land unit and main unit).

**Genreless** · August 13, 2018, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by Chevalier1982

5.0.2 + schema_112 - have a crash when trying to open db tables (land unit and main unit).

Odd, it is working fine for me. What game's files are you trying to open and does it do anything in particular when you try opening the files or does it just close without anything coming up?

**Chevalier1982** · August 14, 2018, 11:52 AM

May be smthing wrong with my windows (old 7)... I'm trying to open Rome 2 DeI mod files. Both old 4.1.2 and new 5.0.2 PFM just crashing during opening db files.

**Genreless** · August 15, 2018, 01:58 AM

Does it only crash when you open the DeI mod files or does it crash when you open CA's files also? Also, what color is the text on the tables that crash PFM for you (black, red, blue, yellow-highlighted)? There is a chance you are trying to open a pack file that has been corrupted or that the schemas to open the table were accidentally deleted during a schema update though the schemas being incorrect don't tend to cause crashes.

**SharpEyed** · August 15, 2018, 02:56 AM

Possibly not related to this but if you have Auto Update as Enabled and not have connection during the PFM opening, it will give an error and won't open.
Disabling it solves the issue.

**Chevalier1982** · August 15, 2018, 11:39 AM

1) DeI, CA packs - no difference.
2) Black colour.

**Genreless** · August 15, 2018, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by SharpEyed

Possibly not related to this but if you have Auto Update as Enabled and not have connection during the PFM opening, it will give an error and won't open.
Disabling it solves the issue.

Thanks for reporting this. I think I know what caused this to start happening and will try to remember to fix that with PFM's next update.

Originally Posted by Chevalier1982

1) DeI, CA packs - no difference.
2) Black colour.

Hmm... If the text is black then PFM thinks it has a schema that should work for opening the table. Since it is happening on CA packs also that means it is unlikely to be a problem with the pack files. The only thing I can think of at the moment is that it might be a problem with your .NET framework installation. You might want to try reinstalling the .NET framework on your computer and see if that helps.

**Genreless** · August 24, 2018, 01:35 AM

I have released schema 113, if PFM's autoupdater is enabled, it will be downloaded automatically the next time PFM runs. Schema 113 features Rome 2's schema up to date and free of obvious unknown values and unopenable tables (except for models_naval_tables). I also included Matmannen's schemas after correcting the unknown values in them and inserting the fkeys that TW Warhammer 1 uses. Since the projectile_bombardments_tables Matmannen submitted uses a newer version number than that used for TW Warhammer 1, I'm going to assume that the schemas they submitted were for TW Warhammer 2, so I can't guarantee the fkeys are correct as I don't have Warhammer 2 and used Warhammer 1's fkey values instead. I also corrected some broken tables for Warhammer 1 although I haven't done a thorough pass over all of them.

**Genreless** · September 06, 2018, 12:56 AM

Schema 114 is now out. It updates all the formerly blue, red, and yellow tables for Warhammer 1 to be complete and correct (except maybe some of the empty model tables). It also updates all the Warhammer 1 tables up to cai_personalities_technology_researches_tables to be complete and correct. Schema 115 should contain the rest of the Warhammer 1 tables corrected. As always, if you have the latest version of PFM, the autoupdater should download the new schema automatically if you have it run by default.

**juancfp** · March 21, 2020, 11:46 AM

Hello a question could you tell me how to change the line to put more dust thank you.

**perris0707** · August 08, 2020, 03:12 PM

I get this message when I try to open the PFM - failed to load DBE: the type initializer for 'PackFileManager.ModManager' threw an exception" Any fix ideas for this?

**Genreless** · August 11, 2020, 07:45 PM

I feel like I've seen this before, but the exact solution is currently escaping me and I'm failing to track down the exact location of the error so let's try some changes that I think might help. I'm pretty sure something went wrong with PFM's "My Mods"/ModManager feature. Thus, I'm going to suggest moving the current settings file out of its current location to see if having to create a fresh settings file fixes PFM. The settings files can be found in "%UserFolder%\AppData\Local\PackFileManager". You'll be looking for "currentMod.txt", which tells PFM what mod you were working on last, and "modlist.txt", which contains the list of mods you've explicitly made with PFM. I'd suggest first moving "currentMod.txt" out of the folder and trying to start PFM. If that doesn't work, try moving both out before starting PFM. If neither of those works, tell me and I'll see if I can think of anything else.