Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Hello fellow wargamers,

Late last year I started working on the next release of Warcab: version 0.8.0.

Today I am happy to announce that this work is nearing completion! :D

Warcab version 0.8.0 introduces many changes, the most interesting ones for players in this forum are:

* Added support for multiple game types (currently SP:WaW and winSPWW2)
+ date-specific OOB nation info and flags
+ map hex connection detection and tramlines
+ unified unit and formation types
+ formations can contain core units as well as support units
+ month-only battle/turn dates

* New feature - campaign battle results
The results of a campaign battle (Decisive Victory, Marginal Victory, Drawn Battle,
Marginal Defeat, Decisive Defeat) are now recorded and reported.
Note: they are not reported for older dossiers (when battle results were not yet recorded).

* New feature - victory hex statistics reporting
The occupation status of the victory hexes is now reported for each battle turn.

* New feature - campaign battle index
The campaign battle index tracks the position of the battle in the campaign, compared to
other battles. It is used to distinguish and sort the different battles of a campaign,
replacing the date-based mechanism which did no longer function with month-only dates.

* New feature - tramlines to stratmap
The stratmap now also shows tramlines.

* New feature - support local and global configuration storage
Warcab preferences can now be stored globally (in the registry), or locally (in a warcab.ini file).

* Improvement - changed unit 'radio' status to 'contact' status
The old unit radio status is now reported as a unit contact status (No Contact, Radio Contact,
Direct Contact)

* Improvement - updated loaded unit position recording
For the position of a loaded unit, the position of the loading unit is recorded.

* Improvement - only report battle losses and force turn status when relevant
These are now only reported for the final (score) turns of campaign battles.

* Improvement - improved savegame unpacked data handling
When the size of the savegame section is not fixed (or unknown), buffers are auto-allocated
to load the uncompressed section data in.

* Fix - dossier/snapshot saving
Don't destroy existing file if saving fails.

* Fix - fixed bug not setting dossier info
The dossier info was not saved in the dossier file and was lost after loading the dossier file.

* Fix - fixed graph horizontal axis label redraw problem
When moving from battle to battle, the orizontal axis labels where not regenerated when the
number of items on the axis did not change between battles.

* Fix - fixed some memory corruptions and leaks

* Documentation:
+ added winSPWW2 OOB file format documentation
+ added winSPWW2 save file sections format documentation
+ added documentation for the spwreport, spwdecompose and spwreconstruct tools

--

Because of the many changes in this version, I would like to invite a bit of beta testing before creating the new official release.

So, if you are willing to do some testing and provide feeback, PM me and I will send you the unoffical current BETA release.

Thanks in advance,
Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Sorry for my ignorance but what is warcab?

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Have a look HERE

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

It’s a fantastic tool, hopefully to MBT one day too! ;-)

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Thank you very much Erik

I was kinda waiting for this to start a new long campaign. I guess I better start now and use your great tool along.

THANK YOU AGAIN for this tool!

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Hi Kritkeen,

Thanks for offering to beta test, PM is on the way! :)

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

This sounds so promising. Send me a PM please, i am eager to give beta a try.

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Hi Lomaster,

I'd like to send you a PM but I can't.
I think you're not yet allowed to receive any?

Feel free to send me a regular email at erik.cumps@gmail.com.

Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

[/quote]

Done

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Lomaster, you've got mail :)

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Wow, the functionality is already quite impressive.
Here is a couple of issues i've got right off the bat:

1) When i try to add a savegame from a battle different from the battle already added to the dossier i get an error: SpSv004.dat: SPWERR_NOMATCH_CORECNT: player formation or unit core count does not match I can add multiple savegames of the same battle (different turns of one battle of a campaign) but cannot add another battle of the same campaign.
Judging from the error text - it does not accept my expanding the core between the battles.

2) Strategic is limited in displaying heightmap. Seems like the maximum value is 40 or 50. Which makes mountainous locations like Italy look like plateau, not mountains.
https://i.imgur.com/UQNjANO.jpg

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Hi Lomaster,

Thanks for your feedback and thanks for the praise! :)

Let me try to answer your questions:

1) Yes, currently Warcab requires the total number of core units to stay fixed during
the campaign. This makes it easier to keep track of each unit throughout the campaign.

It could be this assumption is too strict, I don't know. I don't have much experience
with long campaigns (or winSPWW2 for that matter).

You are now the second user who is hitting this issue. The other user has already sent
me a dossier file, some savegames and the OOB files. As soon as I have some free
time I will look into it.

2) You are right that the stratmap is currently limited to heights of about 35 meters.
That's just because winSPWW2 support is new for Warcab, previously it only supported
"that other game" which is indeed limited in the heights that it supports.

I am planning to look into this as a further improvement, but it's not yet high priority,
my first goal is to get the basic functionality working correctly...

Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Hey Lomaster,

As I said, I don't have experience with long campaigns, so forgive me this additional
question :), it might help me find solutions for that unexpected error you encountered
(the SPWERR_NOMATCH_CORECNT).

I understand now that core units are sometimes added during a campaign, but does
the inverse also happen? Core units that are removed during the campaign?

Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Core units can be deleted, or cross attached to other formations.

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Yes, I may also remove or change HQ for sub-units during the campaign. For example,

As German, I start with 3 sections of 8cm mortars (B0-B2). Sometime after Eastern Front, I will pass command of 1 section (B2) to 1 of the infantry companies (G0), and upgrade the remaining 2 sections to 12cm mortars.

Starting core
B0-B2- 3 sections of 8cm mortars
G0- Company Commander
G1- AT Rifle Section

After Eastern Front
B0-B1- 2 sections of 12cm mortars
G0- Company Commander
G1- 1 section of 8cm mortars
G2- AT Rifle section

Conversely, I will sometimes add 1 core unit for the purposes of changing their sub-unit's HQ, and then deleting the core unit after the battle. Similar to the case above. This is what happens

Starting core
K0- Company Commander
K1- AT Rifle Section
O0- Company Commander
O1- AT Rifle Section

After Eastern Front
Added T0-T2- 3 sections of 8cm mortars

K0- Company Commander
K1- 1 sect of 8cm mortars
K2- AT Rifle Section
O0- Company Commander
O1- 1 sect of 8cm mortars
O2- AT Rifle Section
T0- 1 section of 8cm mortars (to be deleted at end of battle)

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Let's see if I get this right...

I'll be using the following notation: [unit id](formation leader unit id).
Please excuse the poor ascii art... (damn spaces got lost, no art today :mad:)

In your first example, the OOB changes like this?

[B0](B0), [B1](B0), [B2](B0), [G0](G0), [G1](G0)

[B0](B0), [B1](B0), [G2](B0), [G0](G0), [G1](G0)

[B0](B0), [B1](B0), _________ [G0](G0), [G1](G0), [G2](G0)


And in your second example, the OOB changes like this?

[K0](K0), [K1](K0), _________ [O0](O0), [O1](O0)

[K0](K0), [K1](K0), _________ [O0](O0), [O1](O0), _________ [T0](T0), [T1](T0), [T2](T0)

[K0](K0), [K1](K0), _________ [O0](O0), [O1](O0), _________ [T0](T0), [K2](T0), [O2](T0)

[K0](K0), [K1](K0), [K2](K0), [O0](O0), [O1](O0), [O2](O0), [T0](T0)


I ask this because I need to understand the mechanics.

Warcab tries to track each core unit during the campaign, for promotions/demotions,
equipment upgrades, replacements and reassignments.

That's not an easy thing to do...

Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Broadly yes. Except I'm not exactly sure whether the new unit would take position as X1 or X2.

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Cross-attatchment can be strange.

If you add a unit to a formation, sometimes it becomes the new last unit in the formation, but other times it can become the new leader. If you have the full game, you can use the "fix formation leader" function to change the leader back to the original 0 unit (the function is not just for when casualties move the commander to another unit than 0).

If you delete a formation and then add a new larger one then if there are formations further up the force, some of the overflow may show up in lists with a gap - the game will put the first 2 slots say, in the freed-up slots of the old deleted formation, and the overflow up at the end. Some lists show the sorted into formation order, others the absolute order in the force. For example - the artillery bombardment list IIRC uses absolute unit order, so a bit of reattaching can produce split lists where B0 and B1 (B1 being x-attatched from down the unit list to add to original singleton B0) may have other fire units listed between them.

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

I contend that most folks playing CG will expand their core over time and some folks cross attach sub formations to companies (I do this all the time).

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Expanding the core is a given. As will be cross attachment.

I can't think of any reason to stick to the same core you start with. That really only happened in SP1, where no addition or cross attaching could be done, only changes of unit type. So in SP1 you would start a campaign and ensure your full 48(? may have been 24) allotment was filled - even if it was jeeps or sniper placeholders (SP1 charged 1 whole point for a sniper, so they were extremely good value).

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Thanks, that's food for thought.

In the mean time, if anybody has ideas about tracking cross-attached units from battle to battle,
in order to "know" that unit B2 in the first battle is the same unit as unit G2 in the second battle,
I'm all ears! :)

Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

While I'm at it, here's another question :)

When a unit is cross-attached to another formation, and the OOB record ID of the
formation is not changed, that new unit will probably not match the OOB formation
record information, right?

Ok, there's a bunch of special winSPWW2 support work popping up here, I think.

You see, before I discovered the unit 'valid' flag in the savegame section #01, warcab
had to resort to some fancy OOB formation record discovery and verification to determine
if a unit in the savegame is a valid unit or not (i.e. it could be a leftover from a previous
game).

Today warcab knows about the unit "valid" flag and the fancy OOB record checking is
no longer necessary to determine unit validity, but it is still being used to determine the
unit's core status: in some cases a formation contains a unit which obviously does not
belong to the formation according to the formation's OOB info. In such a case, this unit
gets an SPAU status (Special Purpose Attached Unit - this only has a meaning in warcab).
These SPAU units are considered support units, not core units.

Take for example a "PionierZug(gep)" formation with OOB formation record 241. This
formation is supposed to contain 10 units, but I have seen savegames (albeit from a
scenario battle), where this kind of formation contained the expected 10 units, but also
an additional 11th unit, a "Schlauchboot" -> That's an SPAU.

But all that will have to change now, I guess. If units can be cross-attached, they will
probably no longer match the formation's OOB info and they will be mistakenly tagged
as SPAU and hence as support unit.

To fix this, warcab will have to assume (at least for campaign savegames) that all units
in a core formation are core formations, which will also mean losing the SPAU status
of actual SPAU units.

But, based on the previous messages in this thread, I guess that won't be too big a
sacrifice to make?

Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Fellow wargamers,

Two quick notes.

#1: a new Warcab BETA #7 is available. :D

I have sent a PM with the download link.

This beta has disabled the core formation/unit count check when adding
savegames to a campaign (for winSPWW2 only).

The upside is that this will allow adding savegames to the campaign dossier
even when core units have been added/deleted/cross-attached...

The downside is that the unit history tracking and the campaign reporting is
probably incomplete and/or incorrect. There's more work to do here to get it
right, I am afraid...

However, the battle and turn reports will be correct and complete.

#2: I am going on vacation to Italy until the end of the month :)

This means I won't have time to work on warcab until early September.

In the mean time, if some of you are willing to start a long campaign with three
(or more) battles where core units are first added and then later deleted (to end
up with fewer core units than in the first battle), that would be very useful as
reference material when I start investigating improved unit campaign tracking.

See you in about 2 weeks,
Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

What a very cool tool! I am looking forward to giving a spin when ready for general release. Wishing you the best of luck!

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Hi there!

I'm back from a very refreshing holiday, the dolomites where absolutely fantastic!!!:)

This also means I can restart working on the remaining issues with the current warcab 0.8.0 BETA. :cool:

I believe these are:

• add full support for core unit additions/deletions/cross-attachments
  (I already have an idea about this, but some example save games would be highly appreciated!)
  
• support more heights (up to 15 levels) on the stratmap
• don't show dead units on the stratmap
• add a "limited-intel" option to hide opponent formation and unit information

If you see something missing from this list, please let me know!

Thanks,
Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Welcome back!

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Yes, it's been a while. Life was sidetracking me again...

Just a quick status update.

Supporting the addition, deletion and cross-attaching of core units is not an easy task,
but I'm happy to say that I have some proof-of-concept code done! :D

It seems to work fine in most circumstances (based on some artificial test data), the
only limitation is that battles are expected to be added to the dossier in the correct order,
otherwise the cross-attachment detection can go wrong.

Next steps are to polish and integrate this PoC code into the codebase, without causing
regressions or other bugs, or impacting the support for that other game.

I'll progress (and keep you updated of my progress) as time permits.

Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Does this still work with version 13 from 2020?

Can we get a public beta or do you still share only via PM?

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Hi KAreil,

Not sure about v13, haven't tried it yet. But my guess is that the
savegame file format hasn't really changed and that it will just work.

Concerning your question about a private beta:

To be honest I almost bit of more than I can chew when I tried
to add support for unit cross-atachment, but I've done just that...
...and a little bit more! :)

I'm finishing up and am aiming for a public release of 0.8.0.
(no private beta, don't think it will be necessary)

Hope to have some release news soon.

Erik

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

The savegame format has NOT changed. Only the scenarios format was altered to accommodate more scenarios

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Hi, Erik. Hope you received my email. It's been a while and i would definitely like to give the latest beta a try.

Re: Warcab 0.8.0 BETA version
 

Lomaster: See this thread for latest version