[Fixed] What'd I do this time?

Post by **Enjay** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 12:28 pm

Yup, confirmed. SPIDY0 is a problem.

DeePsea reports it as a flat. Exporting it then re-importing it as a sprite or a texture allows the game to start.

Not sure why removing the "Initial frame = 674" line has any impact on this. 674 has been changed to use a sprite from the SPID series, but not SPIDY.

Still no mention of this VLITE1 either.

HotWax · Post by **HotWax** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 3:01 pm

Graf Zahl wrote:Why? If that's full you are out of memory. I have only set a minimum but left the maximum open so that in extreme cases I don't run into odd messages like the one above. Setting a static swap file size is probably one of the easiest ways to cripple performance of your system because effectively you are setting an upper limit of memory for all applications running at the same time. With today's hardware there is absolutely no need to do it anymore.
When I am using memory-intensive software the size of my swap file can easily go up a few GB.

If you're using Windows XP, it's probably better to let Windows handle your swapfile size, because XP actually knows what it's doing when it comes to memory. (Amazing I know)

If you're using Win9x, most people suggest that you set a fixed swapfile size. The reason for this is that 9x likes to abuse the swapfile if you give it free reign, dumping RAM into it when there's more physical RAM available! (And when the swapfile isn't a fixed size, this equals ALOT of reallocated hard drive space as the computer swaps RAM in and out) You can somewhat curb this behavior by opening System.ini and adding this under the [386enh] heading:

ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1

Then set your swapfile to a fixed size large enough to handle anything you're likely to run on it. For most people, this is (512 - PhysicalRam) OR 128, whichever is larger. e.g. if you have 128MB, set your swap to 384, if you have 256 set it to 256, if you have 512 or higher, set it to 128, etc.

BTW, it's also safe to turn off the swapfile entirely in Windows XP if you don't think you'll need any more than what you've got in your RAM sticks. Don't do this in 9x, however, because some programs will complain if it can't find the swapfile (even if they don't actually need it -- ugh.)

Cyb · Post by **Cyb** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 3:06 pm

if you use win9x you deserve what you get :P

HotWax · Post by **HotWax** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 3:10 pm

On the other hand I had the distinct pleasure last night of trying to convince Windows XP to use a PS/2 KEYBOARD. Yeah, that's right. XP didn't recognize a %@!% keyboard. Clever, really.

Ultraviolet · Post by **Ultraviolet** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 4:26 pm

For some reason XP wouldn't recognize my PS/2 mouse. Interesting, that is, because I had been running '98 prior to that (XP setup wouldn't recognize the mouse) and I had this USB optical mouse that my parents bought me that I never could use before that day because '98 wouldn't recognize it.

Apparently XP has some backward compatibility issues. Oh, and this just in: Water is wet.

Chilvence · Post by **Chilvence** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 5:05 pm

Thats why I stick by 98 like a terrified yorkshire terrier.

LilWhiteMouse · Post by **LilWhiteMouse** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 5:43 pm

Enjay wrote:Yup, confirmed. SPIDY0 is a problem.

Still no mention of this VLITE1 either.

Thanks everyone. This mod is showing it's age.

I found the VLITE1 problem, I was editing one copy, and loading another.

Ultraviolet · Post by **Ultraviolet** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 8:29 pm

Chilvence wrote:Thats why I stick by 98 like a terrified yorkshire terrier.

(continuation from my previous post) ...HOWEVER, the benefits XP gives if your hardware is somewhere within the boundaries of "relatively recent," or even a lot of somewhat old hardware, are innumerable. The hardware abstraction layer maintains a certain level of stability, can save data from accidental (or malicious intentional) loss. Memory management is much better. Hardware support for things is integrated better. It goes on and on...

Chilvence · Post by **Chilvence** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 9:29 pm

Meh, its too pretty(ie annoying) for my taste. 2000 is good, but I dont see a reason to shift to it until I start being crippled by incompatability. 98 for me is like the chair youve had so long that its warped ergonomically around your spine....even though its greasy, brown and full of burn marks, its right for me(tm)

randomlag · Post by **randomlag** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 10:34 pm

Enjay wrote:Yup, confirmed. SPIDY0 is a problem.

DeePsea reports it as a flat. Exporting it then re-importing it as a sprite or a texture allows the game to start.

Not sure why removing the "Initial frame = 674" line has any impact on this. 674 has been changed to use a sprite from the SPID series, but not SPIDY.

The question that remains: Why does removing the DEHACKED line (or lump) fix the problem since SPIDY0 is still incorrect? Can't just be the sprite.

I thought Randy did a simple verify on the graphics? From your description sounds like that part of the code assumes a patch format without any safety check (implicitly results infer it must be looking for that name).

I browsed through all the graphics and since they all "showed" ok in DeePsea (never noticed it decoded to a flat) - figured they were ok. Since after I renamed the DEHACKED file, PWAD loaded instantly - with the "bad" sprite.

Cyb · Post by **Cyb** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 11:29 pm

Chilvence wrote:Meh, its too pretty(ie annoying) for my taste. 2000 is good, but I dont see a reason to shift to it until I start being crippled by incompatability. 98 for me is like the chair youve had so long that its warped ergonomically around your spine....even though its greasy, brown and full of burn marks, its right for me(tm)

you realize of course that winxp is nt5.1 and 2k is nt5.0, they're very very close. AND you can *gasp* change the theme of xp so it looks different than the (awful) default skin it uses... for instance the classic look

HotWax · Post by **HotWax** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:44 am

Chilvence wrote:Meh, its too pretty(ie annoying) for my taste.

Step 1: Right-Click desktop.
Step 2: Select Properties from the pop-up menu.
Step 3: In the window that appears, click on the Appearance tab.
Step 4: In the Windows and Buttons drop-down box, select Windows Classic Style.
Step 5: Click OK.

Look ma! It's Windows 98!

Post by **Ty Halderman** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 8:48 am

XP. Can't lock the taskbar in '98.

Chilvence · Post by **Chilvence** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 10:24 am

Actually, there are at least a few things I like about it. Maybe I'll move on once I get my p200 with 14 inch monitor

HotWax · Post by **HotWax** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 11:59 am

Chilvence wrote:Actually, there are at least a few things I like about it. Maybe I'll move on once I get my p200 with 14 inch monitor

Dude. Come. Join us in the future. The year is no longer 1997. There are much faster things out there, and they're not even that expensive.