Combat Tracker crashing my session

[gmkieran]

I am running a 4e (converted) campaign in the most up-to-date version of FG. Last week (after manually editing the db.xml file for the campaign to include NPC powers) FG froze when I attempted to populate the CT from an encounter while the CT was closed. Tonight, to see if having the CT closed was the problem, I opened it and tried to populate the NPCs using the automatic button; same results - FG froze, began using 99% of my CPU and stayed that way until I terminated the process. I did not make any changes to the db.xml, other than copying and pasting the code for Powers from the MM.xml and that seems to have worked exactly as desired. I recall a post where someone mentioned, in passing, recent issues with crashes sometimes related to the CT. Has anyone else encountered this problem or anything similar?

Thanks, as always, for all your help!!!

[Griogre]

Likely one of those NPC powers has a problem, is my guess. Save a copy of your db.xml file and then delete half the ones you added then load and try to see if it crashes. If not then used the save file to restore the ones you cut out and cut out the other half. See what happens. Bear in mind you might have problems in each half. You can keep halfing until you find the actual problem.

[Zeus]

I'm not sure manually editing your db.xml is a good idea and as Griorge suggests the problem is likely to be down to incorrect XML or the power not being parsed correctly.

If you already have a compiled MM module, why not simply drag the reference monster containing the power you require to the Personalities window to add it as a local NPC. You can then edit the new Personality to update the creature stats you require to create your custom NPC.

This way you don't have to edit the XML files directly.

[gmkieran]

thanks for the idea, Griogre. I'll re-check the powers, though they were copied and pasted directly from the MM and they display correctly on the NPC sheets when opened. I will look at the 3 NPC-types in the encounter that crashed me, first, as they seem the most likely candidates. Guess it would make sense to see if other encounters crash the system when populated to the CT, too.

The suggestion's a good one, DrZeuss, but that would leave me with 80+ NPCs, half of which I don't need and can't delete (because they're in the library module) and the other half of which aren't associated with the encounters I've created.

A little further explanation might clarify the situation, somewhat. The db.xml I have edited is part of a game module that I built and exported prior to the bug-fix that allowed NPCs to properly export with their powers. Once exported, the NPC entries would not accept powers dragged from MM entries and would not retain manually added powers, because FG can't update the db.xml in a .mod file (something JPG is looking into). For whatever reason, re-building and re-exporting the module post-bug-fix still left my NPCs without Powers. Believe me, I'd *rather*not edit the .xml, but it's been the only way to not have to re-type powers onto *all* of my NPCs before every game session.

[Zeus]

Strange I have never experienced the export issue you quoted.

I have another idea. Download my 4E Module Decompiler and decompile the game module your using. The output generated are text files compatible as input files for the 4EParser.

Once decompiled, you have the original source files which you can then edit and change as required. Once your happy, re-compile (parse) the module.

You can grab a copy of my 4E Module Decompiler here.

[Phystus]

Have you tried opening your db.xml file with Internet Explorer? That's a really fast way to find any problems with your xml.

~P

[gmkieran]

Thanks, DrZeuss! I was unaware of your decompiler, but I will definitely give it a shot. Are there instructions for using it included or is it straightforward enough not to need them? I forget exactly which update indicated that a problem with exporting powers had been corrected, but it was in the release notes and I'm pretty sure it was one of the last 4 releases.

I haven't, Phystus, although that had just occurred to me as a way of checking out the chatlogs prior to posting them to our game site. I'll give that a whirl, too, if only to see what it looks like. *g*

[Zeus]

Yeah its dead easy to use. There should be a readme.txt included. If not here's a quick step guide.

• Install and open it.
• Click the Load button and select your module client/common/db.xml file.
• Click the Decompile button.
• Once the decompilation has completed you will be prompted as to where the output should be written to. Just choose an appropriate folder and click OK.

Now when you navigate to the folder you just ouput to, you should find a host of .txt files each relating to specific content for the 4EParser e.g. story.txt for story entries, refmanual.txt for the library reference manual etc. etc.

You should also find a results.txt file which simply mirrors the output you will get in the tool's browser window.

Shout if you get stuck or hit any problems. It should work for the bulk of modules but as I tend to only test my own modules its hard to ensure it will work for everyone's.

[gmkieran]

DrZeuss, I'm afraid your decompiler doesn't like me. every single 4e db.xml file I have (not just the one I edited) fails to load and gives me the following error:

"Error parsing XML from module File, check to ensure your module has no XML errors or non-standard characters and complies with the FGII 4e_JPG 1.51 schema."

When I first got it (looking at my edited db.xml), I assumed that meant I'd glitched the edits. I went in and checked and found one instance where I had this construct:
<powers>
<powers>
~stuff
</powers>
</powers>

Took that out - couldn't find anything else that looked particularly wrong (Phystus, I also tried opening the file in IE, which is how I initially found the above, but nothing else really jumped out at me and I wasn't sure what I should be looking for?)

In any case, removing that didn't fix the problem, so I tested several other db.xml files (ones that I've never touched or that I've received from other GM's after they successfully ran them) and was unable to decompile any of them; note that all of these open and run normally in FG. Also, I was able to verify that all of the Powers entries I edited appear to parse correctly when I open the campaign in FG; at least, the entries appear correct on the NPC sheets. And THEN I got that bloody C++ error (posted in that thread, too) when I closed out!

After that, I went back into my campaign and was able to populate the CT from an encounter that I had previously created in my campaign (not in the module/db.xml I have edited) which would seem to confirm that the problem is in the edited document. However, after closing FG in order to re-start so I could load a completely different campaign and confirm that I can populate the CT there, now FG won't load ANY of my campaign files!!! I'm hoping it forgets whatever's causing that by tomorrow, but for tonight I'm giving up. Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks!!!

[Zeus]

DrZeuss, I'm afraid your decompiler doesn't like me. every single 4e db.xml file I have (not just the one I edited) fails to load and gives me the following error:

"Error parsing XML from module File, check to ensure your module has no XML errors or non-standard characters and complies with the FGII 4e_JPG 1.51 schema."

When I first got it (looking at my edited db.xml), I assumed that meant I'd glitched the edits. I went in and checked and found one instance where I had this construct:
<powers>
<powers>
~stuff
</powers>
</powers>

Took that out - couldn't find anything else that looked particularly wrong (Phystus, I also tried opening the file in IE, which is how I initially found the above, but nothing else really jumped out at me and I wasn't sure what I should be looking for?)

In any case, removing that didn't fix the problem, so I tested several other db.xml files (ones that I've never touched or that I've received from other GM's after they successfully ran them) and was unable to decompile any of them; note that all of these open and run normally in FG. Also, I was able to verify that all of the Powers entries I edited appear to parse correctly when I open the campaign in FG; at least, the entries appear correct on the NPC sheets. And THEN I got that bloody C++ error (posted in that thread, too) when I closed out!

After that, I went back into my campaign and was able to populate the CT from an encounter that I had previously created in my campaign (not in the module/db.xml I have edited) which would seem to confirm that the problem is in the edited document. However, after closing FG in order to re-start so I could load a completely different campaign and confirm that I can populate the CT there, now FG won't load ANY of my campaign files!!! I'm hoping it forgets whatever's causing that by tomorrow, but for tonight I'm giving up. Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks!!!

Hmm, not sure. Send me a copy of your modules .xml file thats causing you problems and I'll take a look. If you PM your email I'll drop you mine by return message.