Packing into PK3 is not working correctly

[sacarias]

If packing like this:
--mapinfo.txt
--graphics
----titlepic.png
--NERVE.WAD
everything works (even all GZDoom core lumps seem to be inherited or the like).

But if packing like:
--mapinfo
----mapinfoNerve.txt
--graphics
----titlepic.png
--maps
----NERVE.WAD (in order to prevent RAM leaking according to the docs)
this is totally broken; neither PWAD nor mapinfo lump are recognized at all.

Why does second way break things?

[Graf Zahl]

The second way breaks because it's not how things need to be organized.

First, nothing loads the included MAPINFO so of course its contents are not used.
Second, you need to place single maps into the maps folder, not full WADs. Those also won't get loaded.

[sacarias]

Then full WADs must never be inside directories? Will there never be a way to avoid "RAM leaking" if putting full WADs inside PK3?

[SPZ1]

There is no such thing as "RAM leaking". Your plain text files should be in the root directory. You can put any kind of .WAD in the root as well.

[sacarias]

1.- RAM leaking/corruption:
https://zdoom.org/wiki/Using_ZIPs_as_WA ... ent#How_to

2.- So the mapinfo directory inside gzdoom.pk3 is actually not a PK3 core lump?

[SPZ1]

Just how large is this project you are working on? Mine is currently a bit over 750MB and I've never experienced memory corruption.

[sacarias]

Then why the info there at wiki?

And, is the mapinfo directory inside gzdoom.pk3 actually not a PK3 core lump, so "nothing loads mapinfo directory"?

[Enjay]

If you look inside game_support.pk3, there is a file called iwadinfo.txt. That has explicit path information for the various supported games and where to find their mapinfo files. I assume that's what tells the game to look in the mapinfo folder, and which file to look at for which game.

e.g.

Code: Select all

// Doom 2 must be last to be checked because MAP01 is its only requirement
IWad
{
	Name = "DOOM 2: Hell on Earth"
	Autoname = "doom.id.doom2.commercial"
	Game = "Doom"
	Config = "Doom"
	IWADName = "doom2.wad", 1
	Mapinfo = "mapinfo/doom2.txt"
	Compatibility = "Shorttex", "nosectionmerge"
	MustContain = "MAP01"
	BannerColors = "a8 00 00", "a8 a8 a8"
	IgnoreTitlePatches = 1
}

[sacarias]

Thanks, that finally made sense.

Lastly, why the info at that wiki link regarding PK3 and RAM corruption?

[Redneckerz]

Lastly, why the info at that wiki link regarding PK3 and RAM corruption?

Because, like most good Wiki's, it explains a rather obvious flaw when you attempt to do this. The fact that the Wiki documents this means people in the past have tried to do this - with disastrous results.

[sacarias]

Because, like most good Wiki's, it explains a rather obvious flaw when you attempt to do this. The fact that the Wiki documents this means people in the past have tried to do this - with disastrous results.

Then this would make user SPZ1 a complete fool, and either he has no dignity, or you are the one who doesn't, or this is a witch hunt for free.
Nothing makes sense here

[phantombeta]

Then this would make user SPZ1 a complete fool, and either he has no dignity, or you are the one who doesn't, or this is a witch hunt for free.
Nothing makes sense here

This is needlessly hostile. The wiki is inaccurate about it causing memory corruption, but it's very much correct about it using up more memory (though it's not leaking it- the wiki doesn't claim it is, anyway). GZDoom decompresses the WAD in memory, then loads it as if it were a normal WAD, and to do that, it needs to keep that decompressed copy around in memory, so it's gonna use up memory that it wouldn't have if it were loading from disk.

[SanyaWaffles]

I have to agree with phantombeta here, it seems needlessly hostile.

I'm not 100% sure what you're trying to do as well

[Hellser]

Just a little heads up: That warning was added in July, 2015. Let's put that into perspective: GZDoom's version was 2.1 (32-bit), ZDoom was a pre-release of 2.8 (32 and x64 versions available). Note the last version of ZDoom is 2.8.1. If memory serves, 32-bit applications could only access up to 4GB (maybe!) of RAM. Also the person who wrote that warning was known for creating one of the largest multiverse thrown together wads that took a little to load even on the fastest of systems. So they were most likely writing from their own personal experience - and everyone took it at face value, because hey! It made sense at the time.

There's no need - and I am going to repeat: there is no need to be hostile to anyone on the forums for following something that they believe to be true from a decade+ of using GZDoom. The wiki is our bible - and all bibles have their faults... and like any text written by mankind, it can be fixed.

[Redneckerz]

Because, like most good Wiki's, it explains a rather obvious flaw when you attempt to do this. The fact that the Wiki documents this means people in the past have tried to do this - with disastrous results.

Then this would make user SPZ1 a complete fool, and either he has no dignity, or you are the one who doesn't, or this is a witch hunt for free.
Nothing makes sense here

Good to know i am called as someone with no dignity for giving a mere explanation, aside from flaming another user.

Just a little heads up: That warning was added in July, 2015. Let's put that into perspective: GZDoom's version was 2.1 (32-bit), ZDoom was a pre-release of 2.8 (32 and x64 versions available). Note the last version of ZDoom is 2.8.1. If memory serves, 32-bit applications could only access up to 4GB (maybe!) of RAM. Also the person who wrote that warning was known for creating one of the largest multiverse thrown together wads that took a little to load even on the fastest of systems. So they were most likely writing from their own personal experience - and everyone took it at face value, because hey! It made sense at the time.

True, 32 bit applications can address up to 4 GB RAM. In practice, due to Windows, its usually 3 GB.

That warning likely needs to rewritten to reflect it came from an period in GZDoom where a lot of refactoring yet had to take place. Nowadays GZDoom coasts most heavy WADS and computers have gone significantly more powerful on top of GZDoom being better suited towards modern machines.