HDZ files problems, etc.

[Trailblazer]

I've been encountering some problems with HDZ files and a couple with export tags (all with V2.30). Unfortunately, most of the HDZ problems appear intermittently, and I haven't been able to reproduce them reliably following a specific set of steps, though I did manage to do so with one of them. For the others, I will outline what I've seen in the hope that it may be helpful.

Export tags:
1. The COMBAT_LEVEL_TEXT tag outputs CSLs in weapons and equipment (which is great!). However, in addition to outputing the level value, it also outputs the active points and power modifiers along with it. See the enclosed exported character ("Rogar") as an example; note the COMBAT INFORMATION box in the upper right.

2. The MANEUVER_EFFECT tag outputs incorrectly-calculated damage values for martial arts maneuvers with a weapon element. For example, in the enclosed exported character, in the Combat Maneuvers section on the right, the last three maneuvers are reported as follows:

Chop/Smash 1/2 -2 +1 8 1/2d6 Strike
Ogre-Slaying Stroke 1/2 +1 +3 4 1/2d6 Strike
Side Slash 1/2 +0 +2 6 1/2d6 Strike

My players would be very happy with these values! Since these damage values actually vary with the weapon used, it would probably be better just to output the added DCs themselves rather than trying to calculate values. Note that the DCs are correctly displayed in the MARTIAL ARTS MANEUVERS section below that.

The export template that I usually use is also enclosed.

HDZ files:
I've enclosed a set of character files that I regularly have open so that I can work on them all together. This has resulted in a couple of problems which are mostly intermittent:

3. Disappearing images in exported and previewed characters based on extracted templates (with trailing digits): When HD is initially launched, images are successfully displayed on previewed characters and included in exported characters. However, I discovered that if I make any change at all (like giving the character 1 experience point and taking it back) and then save the change, from that point on, that character's image will neither display nor be exported until HD is shut down and restarted.

4. Errors loading the HDZ files on application launch: Quite frequently, when launching HD after having closed it with all of the characters open, HD will complain about a template file (the normal template name followed by a sometimes looong string of digits) not being found. It then resets the template for that character to that of one of the other characters, including its long string of digits. Any image that had been associated with that character is then lost. The behavior varies; sometimes all characters load correctly, while other times, errors are generated upon attempting to load one or more of the characters. Attemping to reset the templates manually at this point is generally successful, though it doesn't seem to make the character "modified".

5. Occasionally, while working with the set of characters (spending experience points and adding equipment, mostly), HD will spontaneously complain about not finding one of the templates of the other characters. If the template is manually reset, more often than not HD then experiences further serious errors and issues a message advising that the application be shut down. In addition to adding equipment from prefabs, this has happened while attempting to copy skills from one open character to another. Note: see the update in 7 below for more details on this.

6. With V2.30, I have *never* seen HD ask about extracting the image files upon preview or export. Since you reported that you had, I can't account for why I'm not. I did see it many versions ago (in the vicinity of 2.20), but I stopped using HDZ files shortly thereafter because I was experiencing so many problems with them and didn't have time to dig into it then. When one of the problems was reported as fixed, I tried them again. Overall, they seem better, but I'm still seeing a lot of problems (as described above).

Update: While working with HDZ files extensively over the weekend, I noticed two interesting things, including a reliably-reproducible corruption and crash:

7. Attempting to copy an item from a character not based on a template to one that is based on an extracted template (with trailing digits) always fails on the second attempt upon selecting the second character from the list of open files. The message indicates that HD can't find the template file and will use a different one. The sequence of events is as follows:

- Select character 1 (not based on an extracted template). Select and copy an item.
- Select character 2 (based on extracted template). Paste the item. Save the character (this is important; otherwise, the error does not occur).
- Select character 1. (no select/copy necessary.)
- Select character 2. At this point, the following error occurs: "An error occurred loading the template "<name><digits>.hdt." The template file specified was not found on the system. The currently loaded template will be used instead."
- Attempting to manually reset the template at this point results in the following error: "An error occurred loading the template. Data loss may occur if you save. Please shut down Hero Designer and restart. Error message: Error on line 1 of document file: <HDZ filespec>: Content is not allowed in prolog."

8. I noticed that each time I restarted HD after saving characters based on templates, the number of digits following the template filename seen on the bottom line would increase by 13 each time -- first 13 digits, then 26, then 39, etc. This didn't seem to have any bearing on the errors but would of course eventually cause problems of its own.

Other:
7. Usually when a different export template is chosen for a character, HD shows the character as modified. However, sometimes it doesn't. I haven't yet determined any pattern for this.

8. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, the keyboard shortcut for saving characters (CTRL-S) simply stops working. The menu option for saving characters still works when this happens.

Please let me know if you need any more info, and I'll do the best I can.

Take care,
Daryl

[Simon]

1. That is exactly as it should be. If you don't want the full text for the CSL to export, then don't use the *_TEXT export tag.

2. That is exactly as it should be. The MANEUVER_EFFECT tag will output the effect of the Maneuver <i>with STR figured in</i>. If the Maneuver is intended to be used with a weapon, then I would suggest that you indicate that when purchasing the Maneuver (there is a drop down list for exactly this purpose) -- that will change the display to "Weapon +X DC".

3-7. These all sound like you are having permissions problems with the HD install directory on your system. When opening an HDZ file, HD extracts the bundled files into a temporary directory (located in the install folder). It appends a string of digits off the end to ensure that each filename is unique. If it cannot create those files, then you will receive various and sundry errors as the requisite files that the character needs to render are not found. I should also note that I have seen MAJOR problems with some Macs when sending HDZ files. Apparently the Mac seems to recognize the HDZ file as a zip file (which it is) and prepends some binary information of its own to the head of the file (this information does not exist in the original file on the Mac). This prepended information prevents Java from being able to read the file and will cause numerous errors.

8. Because you are taking temporary files and saving them into a packaged character and then opening it again, which appends on more digits to ensure that the filename is unique. You would do far better dealing with the package files as they were intended: for transfer. If you want to work with the characters, you open the character and do a "save as", saving the relevant files on your system and making the character a regular, non-packaged character. You then work with it, make any changes that you need, and re-package it to send out.

7.2: It always sets the character as changed if the export template changes. If the export template chosen is the same as the one already specified on the character, then no change flag will be set.

8.2: I don't show this behavior.

[Trailblazer]

1 & 2: OK, thanks for the info. I'll check out the other tags a bit more.

3-7: Hmm. I'm using Windows 98 on my main system, which has no concept of permissions beyond readonly files. However, I've been transferring files a bit via CD and may have inadvertently left them as readonly after copying them from CD. I'll double-check that and see if that makes a difference.

8. Now that's reasonable advice, thanks. While it was clear to me from the documentation that the HDZ files could be used for transporting the files, it wasn't clear that they should *only* be used for transporting files. Makes sense.

That 7.2 should have been 9; I forgot to renumber after adding new info. Anyway, I've seen cases where setting the template file does not always set the file as modified. I've seen this behavior with export templates too: sometimes the file is set modified, and sometimes it isn't. If I manage to reproduce this reliably (after checking out the above problems first), I'll report back.

8.2: Likewise, if I can reproduce it, I'll report back. It has been intermittent.

Thanks very much for taking the time to respond to all that!
Daryl