custom maps and server login failing

Hi All

I have had this issue from day one, where if I have the custom maps folder there the server gets a runtime error and crashes (was not the issue running the server2k3 vm by @SunnyZ)

I tried to just put some maps in the custom folder (mystery desert 1/2 (ba1/ba2 files)
When I do this, I am unable to log in, I get instant "unable to connect to server" even though the server is responding on port 10009.

Has anyone come across this?
I find it very bizarre and am not sure where to start,
It does not seem to be a SQL issue, i tried removing sql.dll and starting server with odbc running, no love.

I am running the server from @SunnyZ 's VM and the admin client, also using the maps from the mysteryPT.

update:
I tested by dropping Desert 1-4 fields into that folder and renaming them BA1/ba2 etc to no avail.
@SunnyZ these maps worked in your vm server, any idea where I should be looking at this issue?

bump, anyone come across this? its really strange and i have not found a remedy for it yet,
When i go to the map in game and hit f9 it shows that the files it wants are in: custom/xxx.ase
which is what I have server side but it still bugs out.

I am at a total loss for what to do about it.

You could try to enable Large Address Aware on the server exe?
So it can use more then 2gb.

Go down to . "The older solution (and longer)"
Follow those instructions.

JaLooNz the Webbie: Enabling large address aware for games

Cheers @SunnyZ

ill read into it and give it a try, had you done this on your VM server?

Seem to be having a lot of strange things going on with this, if i try different client exes even using the right port they wont connect even though i havent set the client version on the hotuk. very strange

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SunnyZ

You could try to enable Large Address Aware on the server exe?
So it can use more then 2gb.

Go down to . "The older solution (and longer)"
Follow those instructions.

JaLooNz the Webbie: Enabling large address aware for games

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This solution will not work with clan & sql.dll. The PT server is a 32bit application same as the req. dlls. Your server uses more than 1.2GB ram, which will give you runtime error. If your server uses less then 1.2GB, it should be a corrupted file. Check the header of the SMD otherwise rewrite the application or remove the objects in every single stage SMD 0.72 to reduce the ramusage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hades12

This solution will not work with clan & sql.dll. The PT server is a 32bit application same as the req. dlls. Your server uses more than 1.2GB ram, which will give you runtime error. If your server uses less then 1.2GB, it should be a corrupted file. Check the header of the SMD otherwise rewrite the application or remove the objects in every single stage SMD 0.72 to reduce the ramusage.

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forgive me as I am new to the world of programming languages.
but what do you mean when you say SMD 0.72? (i know smd are the files themselves in the maps folders)

I still cant work out why it didnt have an issue on server 2k3 but it does on server 2012r2 O.o (other than the 32bit vs 64bit OS)

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Ok having tested this,

with the 4G mod to the exe it will crash after the first change of town, every time it says the issue is with Clan.DLL
I tried doing the 4G mod to Clan.DLL and that did not change anything.

When I try to run the normal 32bit server.exe with the custom folder maps there (mystery desert/mystery forest etc) it wont actually start the server, i get a Visual C++ Runtime Library window with nothing in it, it then closes the server exe when i close that c++ runtime window.


very bizarre,

still doesnt explain why I cant log in with 1 or 2 of the custom maps enabled

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phatkone

forgive me as I am new to the world of programming languages.
but what do you mean when you say SMD 0.72? (i know smd are the files themselves in the maps folders)

I still cant work out why it didnt have an issue on server 2k3 but it does on server 2012r2 O.o (other than the 32bit vs 64bit OS)

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Ok having tested this,

with the 4G mod to the exe it will crash after the first change of town, every time it says the issue is with Clan.DLL
I tried doing the 4G mod to Clan.DLL and that did not change anything.

When I try to run the normal 32bit server.exe with the custom folder maps there (mystery desert/mystery forest etc) it wont actually start the server, i get a Visual C++ Runtime Library window with nothing in it, it then closes the server exe when i close that c++ runtime window.


very bizarre,

still doesnt explain why I cant log in with 1 or 2 of the custom maps enabled

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Check out the map .smd with hex workshop to know if the header is SMD STAGE VER 0.72. Otherwise your issue is the ramusage of the server. By using the 4GB patcher, SQL and Clan.dll will not work... Your server will crash.

@hades12
I checked them, they are ver 0.72

It has me baffled, if I leave two of the SMD's in there it will load the server fine, but when they are there I can't log in (will give an almost instant cannot connect to server)

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do any of you gents have working copies of atlantis town, battle town, mystery desert, mystery forest etc for me to test with?

What you could try doing.
Going through the custom maps, and use sandurrs smd converter, make all maps ase.
Then delete the smd files

This will force the server to read the ASE files and covert them back into a SMD format that it recognises.

ah cool, i'll give it a crack

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ok i tried that,

on first start of the server it got runtime error (must have been whilst creating the smds) then i started a second time (this is with just 4 of the custom map files, not all of them) i still got the issue of it starting up (showing 0 players instead of the normal 8 that I always see) and it would instantaneously give me unable to connect to server, as in the server is rejecting my login.

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so essentially still the same problem it seems

@SunnyZ and @hades12 ive found both battletown and myst desert 1 , when in game and i press f9 they show stage as Ba1 and field as b2, when i go to md2 it says field ba3 stage ba2.

Should md1 be field ba2 ? could that be my problem? its referencing wrongly?

could you check on your servers if its the same? if its not, how to i redirect the reference?

Open your server with OllyDBG and show us the a screen when it crash by this way i can help you.

Hades I opened the server in ollydbg (v1.10) and put the custom maps back in, his run and it showed this (see attached)

I am not familiar with ollydbg (trying to learn) so sorry i cant be too clear with it

You got a run function in OllyDBG to launch your executable.

Just run and let your application crash and OllyDBG will do a break with informations. Post it here.

It ran until it got to this point (see attachment) about exception, not sure what to do from there.

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and this is the thread window (see full of errors about the command ending in 57?)

As i mention before it is a ram issue. Your application uses more as 1.2GB ram cause of field/monsters. You can use the 4gb patcher but it will not support SQL and clan.dll. Otherwise you just need to remove the objects in your field model data to reduce the size of it.

You also can google the ERROR_NOT_ENOUGH_MEMORY

hades do you know which files are and which are not required in the field folder?
I had removed the bmp files when i first populated it.

and if I force it to use the odbc (removing the dll's) I wont be able to utilise the clan system right?

Your field folder only require SMD/ASE files. All the texture you can remove. But this wont reduce the RAM usage. Open the fields in Autodesk and remove the objects to reduce the size. By this way the ramusage will reduce.

so i need to actually remove sections from the maps essentially?

how do the bigger servers handle the newer maps?