Disabling file cache - resolving modding and savegame issues
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Disabling file cache helps fixing some conflicts with old saves, deleting map.rwm alone won't let you play battles in some cases.
There's also one more important thing to it - saving a previously crashing game while cache is disabled ant then playing it after enabling caching is possible.
Proved to be wrong - savegames won't work properly if file cache isn't disabled at all times. This error was sponsored by number 2am and letters "w r o n g f i l e e d i t e d".
How to attempt to save a CTDing game if there are no obvious reasons expressed in log file:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
I wanted to post some info on cache since February, but accidentally we just got more reference data. At this point my opinion is close to final, it could change very slightly depending on further tests, there's another theory on disabling file cache on the forums, but I came to different conclusions, which are worth sharing give possibility of saving someone's 100 turns of efforts.
Deleting map.rwm is still necessary when starting a new campaign, no need to disable file cache then. Additionally campaign-specific text files don't influence the contents of map.rwm. I used to recommend disabling file cache for a while with Battle AI switcher, but I found no direct evidence it influenced reloading battle AI settings (I tested it specifically).
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With old savegames it might be the case with some conflicts arising when caching is on, the question is what exactly happens when cache is disabled.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
After discovering modeldb was the cause for an error I scanned modeldb files today and gained vital info on file cache - it's definitely stored inside a savegame as well. Previous mod version's file references (with full path) are put inside a savegame, but not all. Disabling file cache means the game won't overwrite old cached settings (stored when the save was first created) with new data and maintain compatibility.
File caching occurs on start (only necessary files) and when performing any activity requiring new files to load. Not all file data that's cached during a session is stored in a savegame e.g. information about savegame files, normally cached when loading a game during a campaign, is skipped.
Both files attached, with a crash log as well - pay attention to these lines in the log:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
I think I could risk such assumption - cached data is stored inside a savegame file and (let's use modeldb as example):
-with file cache enabled (default):
a) it gets confronted against existing modeldb file data read and cached on game start, if there are no references to some texture locations within existing modeldb while they're present in the savegame, texture references don't get overwritten, strangely all units are properly displayed and there are zero references to textures previously reported as missing in the log --> no CTD
b) it gets confronted against existing cached modeldb file data, if there are some references to stored unit texture location (or maybe to number attributed to them, creating something like "6-104" checksum in this case), it gets overwritten --> CTD if new references overwrote old data.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
-with file cache disabled:
the doesn't create file cache data, so it doesn't overwrite old data loaded from a savegame, which lets the game continue in "compatibility mode". Textures are displayed correctly.
The cache present in a savegame is saved the very moment a campaign is created, which means this info is stored in memory during a session.
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Also I'm enclosing different testing setups, among them ones done when entering main menu and starting a campaign (I did them in February), the basic conclusion is pretty obvious and coherent with tests I made when testing AI: with cache on all files are indexed ("cached") before being open when needed.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Regards
P.S. Logs and a savegame links underneath.
P.S.2. Thanks to vtec.dominion for supplying the savegame and to Moranimator for reminding me I was doing some research a few months back.
battle_models.modeldb and recent logs here
Savegame here
Older logs here
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