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Map size related bug for BZFlag

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 8:02 am
by Dervish
****** THIS MESSAGE ALSO POSTED IN OTHER FORUMS ******

I know that this topic has been floating around the forums on sourceforge, but not to this exact detail...

I've recently been working on a map that is crossing the 32KB file size. I've noticed that some (not all) teleporter links stop working when the map is larger than 32KB.

I've also tried moving teleporter and link statements to the top of the map file, making sure to keep them in the original order. Nothing helps except making the file size smaller.

My map currently has 30 teleporters, and 60 links to account for both sides of each teleporter. Yes, this is a large map.

I'm working in BZEdit, but after my work is complete, I edit the file manually and delete all BZEdit comment lines to save space. The world is currently 38KB with only two comment lines at the very top. I've temporarily taken the file size down to 31KB to test, and sure enough, the teleporters start to work again at this file size.

Any suggestions for developers? Thanks in advance.

Platform: Windows XP Pro to test map locally
BZFlag: BZFS 1.7g1 (CVS build)

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 10:04 am
by Dutchrai
Interesting. Never experienced it I guess since all my maps are below 32KB.

I did use up to 36 teleporters once (Monster Lab), but appearently due to its file size (24KB) there were no problems.

Do you experience the 'missing link' problem on both Win and Lin platforms?

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 1:29 pm
by MrApathyCream
Well, in theory the maximum size of a world needs to be slightly less than 64K. But this isn't the size of the bzw file, but the binary version, so there isn't a simple formula. Look in your cache directory to see the actual size of the binary version of your world. At one point there was a bug regarding the total number of teleporters, but this was supposedly fixed. Maybe you've stumbled on another variant.

If you want post the world on the bugs forum in Sourceforge.

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 1:58 pm
by SGI
Arg me tooooo 64 TP's with links.........
I'm going to delete some TP's

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 5:06 pm
by JeffM
maps with that many objects will aslo be rather slow on low end systems with bzflags current object culling system.

One way to check if it's a file size thing would be is get the map to a working size, then add a butt load of comments and see if it craps out.

Looks like there is no limit to the number of objects in the code, and link IDs are ints, just that 64k packet thing ( that realy should be changed ).

And yes definatly get it reported as a bug on the SF forums, that's what they are there for :).

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 8:08 pm
by Dervish
Thanks for everyone's help. :)

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 9:01 pm
by JeffM
please post the map in a place we can get to it at. We can't do anything with out the map, since I don't think it's just the teleporters and links that do it.

Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 6:55 am
by JeffM
I'm tryin to dupe it an It's going fine for me.

What specifc links in that map don't work? from what TP to what TP?

Packed your map is like 2k. so I don't see you hiting any limits. You sure you don't have a bad link or something?

Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 11:40 pm
by JeffM
can anyone get me a map and tell me what specific links don't work?

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2003 3:03 am
by Dervish
Patlabor,

In a PM to you I gave you a link to my map. You replied and were going to enter a bug in the tracking system with sourceforge. Is there some other problem?

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2003 3:51 am
by JeffM
I said I would report it when I duped it.

The bug needs more info, and I have asked you for that info in my last 2 posts.

What links don't work? we need specifics here. I have gone thru allmost all your ports and they seem to work just as they show in the editor.

If I post it as a bug now, it will just get bummped to closed with not enough info.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2003 5:17 am
by Dervish
Ah, ok. I'm on the same page as you now. :)

Dutchrai recently PMed me with a really good idea I'm going to try. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2003 5:38 am
by JeffM
ok let me know, as soon as you can tell me what link dosn't work, I can pop in the debuger and see what the dillio is.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2003 9:12 pm
by Dervish
Well, I got a new version of my map less than 32KB. When I continue adding structures to the map, I am going to try dutchrai's suggestion of keeping links close after the teleporters.

Just a wild guess in the blue, may be links located beyond the 32KB marker are loaded differently that links below, will not link to teleporters below the 32KB marker, and vice versa? Just a wild guess based upon speculation. :)

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2003 12:33 am
by JeffM
its all based on link IDs not size of the text file. BZFS just sucks up the text as a stream, dosn't even save it in text form.

If you have a specific link set that dosn't work, let me know what ones. I can pop into the debuger and see what is hapening. no need to speculate.

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2003 2:30 am
by MrApathyCream
Patlabor221 wrote:If you have a specific link set that dosn't work, let me know what ones. I can pop into the debuger and see what is hapening. no need to speculate.
Yes Please! Rather than trying to massage the world file so that it works, break the dang thing, please!! Duk, Sounds like you have a handle on a version of your file that causes bz to puke... That's just the thing we want.
Post the world on sf bugs please.

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2003 2:48 am
by Dervish
Apathy,

I make a new copy of each save for my maps, so I will locate the one with the problem and post it. Thanks. :)

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2003 1:26 am
by JeffM
and tell us what link too.

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2003 10:38 pm
by larsl
There was a bug in the teleporter parsing code which would reset some links in maps with many teleporters. That was fixed in 1.7g2, so if that was the problem it should work fine in that version.

Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2003 5:51 am
by Dervish
Thanks! :)