couple of issues

[fluffyfreak]

Ah sorry, I thought you were familiar with Visual Studio etc.Ok, when you've got the project open you should have a list of the files & the projects they're organised into on the left-hand side of the screen.Firstly, right-click on the Pioneer project, then on the line "Set as startup project" - this is just to make sure that it's the one being built and RUN.Next, right-click on the Pioneer project, and then on "Properties" at the bottom of the list.Another window should popup which has "Common Properties" and "Configuration Properties", open the "Configuration Properties", choose the "Debugging" entry and the main area should show a bunch of options and in there is an option labelled "Working Directory". That's the one you want to change to read "$(ProjectDir)..\..\".I should really fix these things up somehow, possibly by making it compile the exe's into the root folder? or maybe into the libs folder and then read from the root folder? Hmm, I'll have to work it out.Andy

[Ron]

Negative ... that change made no difference. It still claimed to compile, but then when I tried to run it, "The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0150002). Click on OK to terminate the application."Could you get me the exact block of code you are using? Project files and all, no little surprises? (i.e. not something that was reconfigured six times with different operating systems and the MS Visual C++ project files not updated.) That way I can know for sure that it should be working and should compile on MS Visual C++ 2010 express. Just put it all into a .zip file, where if I just drop it on my hard disk, it will be identical to what you can confirm to work. That should take all the variables out of the formula.Now, the irritating part is that, at this point, I am generating negative work ... creating more work than I'm accomplishing. I suppose that's normal when somebody new to the whole system tries to get involved, but it's still frustrating.

[fluffyfreak]

You could grab one of my branches on GitHub [url]https://github.com/fluffyfreak/pioneer[/url] using the Git commands etc.Otherwise I'll try to upload something when I get to wherever I'm staying tonight (I contract and am currently in Manchester instead of at home in Nottingham) and can get online without using works internet like I currently am

[fluffyfreak]

Ron wrote:
Now, the irritating part is that, at this point, I am generating negative work ... creating more work than I'm accomplishing. I suppose that's normal when somebody new to the whole system tries to get involved, but it's still frustrating.
Don't worry about it, takes a little while to get up and running with this.I think this highlights the need to improve these vs2010 and vs2008 projects etc.

[Ron]

Crud ... OK, the github branch download reacted similarly. I'm sure not understanding why any of this is going on ... I thought that if something would compile, then something would compile. Didn't know it could compile for some people and not for others.Let's eliminate all the variables. Just take the whole directory where you're working on this thing, check to make sure it compiles for you, put it in a .zip file or some such, and post it on wupload.com. (I'm in China, and on a college network, and the 'net is so slow and unreliable that a lot of the other services don't work. wupload will usually work, at least right now.) That will eliminate all possible variables related to version of the code, or where the files have wandered off to. I'll check to make sure your test compiled version will run on my machine, and then try to recompile it and repeat the result. That should either fix the problem or isolate it and tell us what it is.Why is everything so dang complicated? Can't life just give me a break occasionally?

[fluffyfreak]

I'm having trouble uploading the file :/How about using Git to actually clone the thing itself?First you'll have to install Git, and then just clone the repro... this sounds complicated but honestly it's nothing at all On windows I use TortoiseGit from [url]http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/[/url] Just follow the instructions to get it installed with the other programs that it needs first.You can then either go to the [url]https://github.com/pioneerspacesim/pioneer[/url] Pioneer GitHub and copy the git read-only address (it's "git://github.com/pioneerspacesim/pioneer.git" for reference) then "clone" it into a local folder or you can learn how to get setup on GitHub and fork the project... which is the recommended route if you're going to try and give stuff back eventually.Just take your time and ask plenty of questions on here

[Ziusudra]

Ron wrote:
"The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0150002). Click on OK to terminate the application."
As I remember, this a problem with the Debug and PreRelease builds. One of the libraries that the game links to was linked against the 2008 version of the MSVC debug C runtime, which does not come with MSVC 2010. Specifically, libpng15d.dll requires zlib1d.dll which requires MSVCR90D.dll. While Windows comes with MSVCR90.dll and VC++ 2010 comes with MSVCR100D.dll, the only way I know of to get MSVCR90D.dll is to install VC++2008.The solution I used was to change to the library without debug info, libpng15.dll, for those build configurations. This is done by editing the Linker/Input/Additional Dependencies in the pioneer project Properties for those configurations.

[Ron]

OK, I've just tried pretty much everything suggested or hinted at ... including installing C++ 2008 just to get the other files ... and this is NOT working out.Rather than generating more negative work trying to get my junkpile computer turned into a programmer's workstation, let's just work this the other way. We're only talking about a dozen numbers or so here, so I'll take my best guess at what I feel they should be, someone else can compile it and post it (set up a "combat test" branch or something), and we can all test and comment on it. Wash, rinse, repeat ... in about three tries, we should be close enough for this development phase.Here are my first thoughts: greatly increase speed, so the fire looks like fire, and also so it flies past you instead of just cluttering up the whole sky. Increased rate of fire, particularly for the smaller weapons ... larger guns can have a somewhat lower fire rate, but tweak the damage to compensate. Higher fire rate will make the guns heat, especially in anything too small to have a cooler unit, so fire will be in bursts by necessity. No idea on damage numbers yet, so for now, I'm really just working with the small weapons... changes to the others are just so we won't confuse ourselves about the ratio between the various sizes. (Don't want to double one thing and cut another in half and then try to remember how many times I did this for each weapon entry.)So plug these numbers in, and see what happens:const LaserType Equip::lasers[] = {{0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0,Color(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f),},{ // 1mw pulse8.0f, 9000.0f, 1000.0f, 0.10f, 10.0f, 0,Color(1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f),},{ // 1mw df pulse8.0f, 9000.0f, 1000.0f, 0.10f, 10.0f, Equip::LASER_DUAL,Color(1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f),},{ // 2mw pulse8.0f, 9000.0f, 2000.0f, 0.10f, 10.0f, 0,Color(1.0f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f),},{ // 2mw rf pulse8.0f, 9000.0f, 2000.0f, 0.05f, 10.0f, 0,Color(1.0f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f),},{ // 4mw pulse8.0f, 9000.0f, 4000.0f, 0.10f, 10.0f, 0, Color(1.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f),},{ // 10mw pulse8.0f, 9000.0f, 10000.0f, 0.10f, 10.0f, 0,Color(0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f),},{ // 20mw pulse8.0f, 9000.0f, 20000.0f, 0.10f, 10.0f, 0,Color(0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f),},{ // 17mw mining8.0f, 9000.0f, 17000.0f, 1.0f, 10.0f, Equip::LASER_MINING,Color(0.0f, 0.3f, 1.0f, 1.0f),},{ // small plasma accel8.0f, 9000.0f, 100000.0f, 0.3f, 14.0f, 0,Color(0.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f),},{ // large plasma accel8.0f, 9000.0f, 200000.0f, 0.3f, 18.0f, 0,Color(0.5f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f),}};

[Brianetta]

Ron, there's no reason for you not to make these changes to your own fork of Pioneer on GitHub. Any Git users can pull in your changes, as you make them, and try them out.Normally, this would be achieved by checking out the Git repository onto your computer, but you can make minor source code changes directly on GitHub.com and others can easily merge in your changes and compile them.If you don't have an account, do go ahead and register. Fork the Pioneer project (this is a single click), then browse through the source in your clone and edit your values there. It's easy for you, easy for us.

[s2odan]

Ron wrote:
"The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0150002). Click on OK to terminate the application."
I've seen a similar bug caused by the model cache, Ron its a long shot but try deleting the MyDocuments/Pioneer/Model_Cache and running it again.

[Ron]

s2odan wrote:
I've seen a similar bug caused by the model cache, Ron its a long shot but try deleting the MyDocuments/Pioneer/Model_Cache and running it again.
You're right ... that WAS a long shot. Predictably, it didn't work.
Brianetta wrote:
Ron, there's no reason for you not to make these changes to your own fork of Pioneer on GitHub. Any Git users can pull in your changes, as you make them, and try them out.Normally, this would be achieved by checking out the Git repository onto your computer, but you can make minor source code changes directly on GitHub.com and others can easily merge in your changes and compile them.If you don't have an account, do go ahead and register. Fork the Pioneer project (this is a single click), then browse through the source in your clone and edit your values there. It's easy for you, easy for us.
Since the issue is that some combination of the code, the compiler I am using, and as of yet unidentified factors have conspired to make anything I personally work with non-functional ... do you have any reason to believe that this would improve the situation, instead of just creating more bugged copies that don't work?I mean, if the problem revolves around my computer, and something going on with it, then the obvious immediate response (assuming that my part in this overall project is relatively limited) is to cut my computer out of the loop. Someone who has no problem making it work can add a few numbers to their copy, and we'll test that instead. That's the response that eliminates the negative work - spending a month trying to get my system configured to program on this thing, when my total expected contribution is only expected to be a few numbers. (I mean, I can help test and such, but I'm no programmer.)Somebody just plug those numbers in, and direct me (and whoever) to a playable .exe we can test. Repeat this about three or four times, while we tweak it, and problem solved... fewer total keystrokes than I've just spent talking about it.

[Brianetta]

I was ruling out your computer, by suggesting you change the values in the file directly on GitHub. You know exactly where you want the changes to be made, and I don't have to open a text editor and break it at all.Edit: I don't have any Windows systems, so while I could test it, somebody else would have to also make the changes to their copy of the source in order to provide a Windows build that could be tested. This is an immediate duplication of work - or, as you put it, negative work.

[Ron]

OK, so after checking every menu on GitHub, I cannot find any way to get myself registered so I can log in and do any of that stuff. The necessary command has to be hidden somewhere, but I sure can't find it.But even assuming we can fix that, I don't see how it simplifies things anyway. Somebody else will still have to download the files and recompile it ... so how is downloading stuff to recompile any faster than just cut-and-paste that block of code off of a forum post? It won't recompile itself on the GitHub page, will it? I mean, I'll play along, but again, which one is just creating unnecessary work?As usual, the devil is in the details.

[robn]

The signup link at the top of the Github homepage gets you here: https://github.com/signup/freeThis is a volunteer project. If you want a change made, you either do it yourself or you convince someone else to do it for you. You're not being particularly convincing - my personal impression (and it my just be me) is that you're getting pretty pushy, and for mine that's a huge disincentive. I don't want to work with anyone that doesn't appreciate the time and effort I put into things. If I was in a position to easily and quickly do a Windows build I'd still be faced with the prospect of having to do it several times over as you decide the values need tweaking further. That's not a worthwhile use of my time at the moment. Perhaps others feel the same way.If you're unable to enlist some help, then you can either drop it, open an issue for a time when someone comes along and is interested, or spend the time learning how to get your own build working. I don't pretend its easy - the MSVC builds are difficult to work with; its very much a known issue. Again though, this is a volunteer project. If someone wants to make it easier I'll take the patch in a second. Until its important enough to someone it won't move.This may sound harsh to you, but its the nature of things in this type of project. Many others have come before you wanting to contribute to Pioneer. Some haven't had the patience, but most have persisted and produced good quality work. We welcome any and all contributions to the project. We're just not so keen on people creating work.

[Brianetta]

Ron wrote:
... so how is downloading stuff to recompile any faster than just cut-and-paste that block of code off of a forum post?
Simple; on any of my machines, it's two commands. One fetches your changes (and only the changes, not the whole source tree) and the other recompiles those changed files. This process takes under a minute and doesn't require any concentration. If that sounds like magic to you, you'll be getting an idea of why it is that we use Git on GitHub.

[fluffyfreak]

robn wrote:
I don't pretend its easy - the MSVC builds are difficult to work with; its very much a known issue.
Are they? It's really hard for me to tell because I've been using Visual Studio for over 15 years and, to be blunt, I just don't notice a lot of issues that are obviously stumping people. Do we have issues on the tracker?

[robn]

fluffyfreak wrote:


robn wrote:
I don't pretend its easy - the MSVC builds are difficult to work with; its very much a known issue.
Are they? It's really hard for me to tell because I've been using Visual Studio for over 15 years and, to be blunt, I just don't notice a lot of issues that are obviously stumping people. Do we have issues on the tracker?
Well its not as easy as Linux, which is just "configure && make". There's copying stuff around, dealing with debug/release, dealing with 2008 vs 2010, and so on. I for one have never got a build I've done on MSVC to run. I haven't tried harder because I don't have to actually test it most of the time, I just compile to ensure that code I know works under MinGW builds under MSVC.If someone with good MSVC powers could fix it all up so that you can just open the project and hit "build", that would be absolutely brilliant. Its not on the issue tracker so far because nobody has cared enough - MSVC is a secondary platform still, and the people who use it already have it working.

[fluffyfreak]

Ah it's the other way around for me, Linux "configure && make" has never worked yet for me and I can't stand the hacking that's always required to get SDL installed/configured/made etc, it just never installs clean or works on any Linux distro I've used.That said I've started working on the MSVC builds and there's now a "SolutionFixUpPart1" branch based off the latest upstream master on my fork so I'll see what I can do with my MSVC-fu

[Ron]

OK, done all of the above. (I couldn't find the sign up because it was mixed in with all that stuff about creating whole new projects, but finally found it ... thanks.)Branched the file:[url]https://RonLosey@github.com/RonLosey/pioneer.git[/url] changes to the weapons specs, sync to that file. Check.I still have no way to compile it, so I can't test and see if this is working or not. Somebody else will have to build an .exe that we can test. Obviously, the first-round changes were a total stab-in-the-dark guess. Whoever does get around to building the .exe out of it, please tell me how to get it, so I can help test the thing.

[Brianetta]

Ron wrote:
Branched the file:[url]https://RonLosey@github.com/RonLosey/pioneer.git[/url] changes to the weapons specs, sync to that file. Check.
I see your fork, but I didn't see any changes committed.If you're looking at the files in your own fork, you shouldn't need to branch anything at all. Simply edit the file, and the commit the changes. If you only see "Fork and edit file" you're not on your own fork, but somebody else's.My computer is all set up ready to compile any changes that you do commit to your fork, so you can get pretty much immediate feedback that your changes compile properly, if you like (and assuming I'm physically at my computer).