[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Biltong:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by DBaron:

Problems extracting Biltaid.

Help me. Please. I am trying to get Biltaid to run, ...WTF is this about? This is very frustrating...

LOL. Oy.. Patience guys!!

Two things:

Please remember SeaHawk is not being paid for this.. He's doing it because he's a machocist [...]

</font>

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by SuperSulo:

Those two lines certainly looks weird...

Anyway, I got the .jar file "unstuffed" from Seahawk, but I had to zip it for the site... I've never had any problems with zipped files though, so I think now that the stuffit compression is gone it should work well for windows users.

Great SS. Might be the combo compression made certain Windows configurations complaining (others had it working just fine).

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by DBaron:

DOn't get me wrong, I appreciate everyone help, especially Biltong for keeping the campaign system alive, and Seahawk (and Peterk?) for making the java program. I will rename that file and see if that does the trick.

Regarding the kak.worm, the file itself is clean, but in the instructions for editing the autoexec.bat in the release notes (top of page 3) there are two lines which contain kak.hta. Below is the text from the release notes. This is what was setting off my Mcafee, and I don't see what

good having those two last lines would do, as I don't see that they would help windows recognize a path to java. Just trying to help.

@echo off

path c:\windows;c:\windows\command;c:\command;C:\JBuilder8\jdk1.4\bin

set dircmd=/o:gne

rem - by windows setup - lh c:\windows\command\mscdex.exe /d:mscd000

@echo off>C:\Windows\STARTM~1\Programs\StartUp\kak.hta

del C:\Windows\STARTM~1\Programs\StartUp\kak.hta

Heya Baron, I am :cool: , did not take offense. Concenring the instructions for Windows and bat files (are there bats in PCs? wow) I honestly have no idea. As Biltong said I took over from Peterk who was developing on a Windows machine so the Windows release notes are his (not to put a blame but to stress I have no idea whatsoever about their correctness: they worked for BiltAid previous versions. I did not change a line)

Release notes from me (1.0.3 and 1.0.4) do not contain anything special running the Java tool in that it is an executable. If your OS is system aware then it is the equivalent of a .exe for Windows.

I develop on an OS X machine: I double click BiltAid.jar to start it. I check it also starts with the CLI (Command Line Instruction):

java -jar BiltAid.jar

If old instructions to have Java fully functioning on a Windows machine are not complete or exhaustive (covering all cases) then we will need a Windows/Java savvy BCR user to update them.

The zip exception *MIGHT* come from SuperSulo zipping the hjar file to shrink it for easier downloads. No zip-aware code is in BiltAid itself.

BiltAid is fully java, hence it does not matter where it is developed what matter is that your computer fully speaks java.

Also - to everyone - do not take these lines as criticisms. I supposed the instructions to have Java working on Windows were correct. I cannot check them, I cannot offer help in case they do not work. SuperSulo (prolly done already) will have the BiltAid JAR file as is on its site: that might solve the confusions about extracting files (no more needed), bats and vampires in your PC , BUT you must assure yourself you may run Java applications.

OS X users instructions: double-click on the jar file. Enjoy.

See? much easier

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Silly attempt:

rename BiltAid_1_0_4.jar as BiltAid.jar and see whether the zip exception disappears.

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

I'll send SuperSulo the jar file as is without stuffit.

SS zipped it into his site in order to allow for a smaller download. BiltAid jar is ~600k.

To people showing your very same problems I sent the jar file and it just worked.

SuperSulo will receive it and update his site soon to feature the jar file - unzipped and unstuffed - , ready to run.

Cheers

PS

I wish you could all simply click on it to start it: so much better

[ April 26, 2003, 11:03 AM: Message edited by: Seahawk-vfa201 ]

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by DBaron:

Problems extracting Biltaid.

Help me. Please. I am trying to get Biltaid to run, but it doesn't unpack per the release notes. I made a directory in my C drive, called it Biltaid, with no spaces as stated. I used folders option in winzip, and extracted it to the Biltaid folder. In the biltaid folder there is now a biltaid 1 0 4 file, which I extract again. I get another folder a biltaid 1 0 4 jar folder with a bunch of further subdirectories like utl, cmmbcampaign, com, and meta-inf, along with a biltaid.1 file. The release notes said I should get a classes and resources directory, along with a BiltaidUi.bat file which I can't find anywhere. I downloaded Stuffit, and re-extracted it and get the same thing. On top of that, everytime the release notes are extracted, McAuffee pops up and says its infected with the kak.worm. I get this same message when I tried to open the release notes posted on supersulos site as well. I just let Mcafee clean it/delete it and move on. WTF is this about? This is very frustrating. Anyway thank

s in advance.

Release Notes are a living document, that is latest changes overrid oldest one. The old release notes say what you describe, the lates additions do not.

There is nothing to do with the new JAR executable BiltaAid file than issuing the command 'java -jar file-name.jar' common to run executable jar files, or double-click on it. The file is ready to run.

On Java savvy OSes it indeed starts by double-clicking it.

Looks like you are appliying the old recipe to run BiltAid when it was a collection of files to the current situation where it is an executable jar file: no need to extract anything. It is self-contained.

No surprise it does not work mixing the two things.

The release note file I have and sent is virus/worm free (BTW it is a text file) on my system. Just checked just to be sure although the entire system is protected against this stuff :cool:

Applying Stuffit to the sit file (NOT the jar file) should get you two files: a text file (release notes) and the BiltAid jar file. The jar file is ready to execute.

[ April 26, 2003, 11:11 AM: Message edited by: Seahawk-vfa201 ]

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Lane:

From Lane,

I threw the towel in on BCR

Removed Bilaid ver 1. Played 14 Battles

Tried to set up new Bilaid Just could not get

set up. I just am a dummy on java Programs.

Last post from Dummy Lane On BCR.

It is a good fun Program who understand it.

Had fun trying to learn some of rules.

Hard to teach a old dog like me age 66 new tricks.

I think this will be it on BCR.

Have fun guys and win your battles

Lane

Sent you directly the JAR file. We might want to switch to this rather then the sit format for future releases (it helped others as well)

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Snowbart:

Thanks Biltong and Seahawk. Still have a question about my PzII. Does it return at all since I have ZERO crew for it?

Yep, only the crew will be newcomers. You should spend some time to introduce them to the rest of the KampfGruppe, show them how to start tank's engine and instruct them that when you calmly say "go" it is actually "GO NOW!!!!!"

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Snowbart:

Question time for the newbie:

I was forced into an Emer. Reorg. I took the two remaining crew from my PzIIC and ditributed one to my PzIII and one to my 251/1 HT, bringing them up to full crew. According to the rules, since this unit has below 50% of crew, it is "lost forever". Does this mean the purchase points for that unit have vanished and I just use new attached points to buy another unit, if possible?

Also, I used one of my squads to replace a couple of casualties from other units, leaving this squad with 7 men as the depleted unit. I know i will move it off the board at start of the battle, and that it will get normal replacements after this battle. I suppose when calculating the after replacement experience, I would use 7 for the number of men left and 3 for number of replacements?

I'll let Biltong chime in on this but the unit is lost for the next battle, ie you will not receive from Berlin replacements and spare parts to reconstitute the Battle Group. So those units will have to leave the map at turn one on next battle in order to get the moral penalty but Battle Group (unless another Emerg. Reorg. happens) will be replensihed (with lower exp) at next battle happening after a resting period.

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Sardaukar:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Seahawk-vfa201:

Weird, zip and rar should simply state the archive is not what they do expect rather then expand it.

Anyway, good you got stuffit and run BiltAid fine.

It won't work when double-clicking, but with "Open with.." it works. But it opens the biltaid.sit file strangely...there is no biltaid.jar, but biltaid.1 and lot's of subdirectories with files But since Stuffit is only 8+ megs, no big deal. Great program you made, by the way.

Cheers,

M.S. </font>

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Biltong:

[...]. I'm an old programmer...

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> I am using just the standard rules, the pencil and paper deal, not Biltaid. So what does Biltaid do for you?

For me? That's private between consenting adults </font>

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Snowbart:

[...] So what does Biltaid do for you? [...]

Nothing more than doing all the calculations for you and present all BCR parameters on the screen, computing results from the AAR outcome and keeping track of units. Hard copy (printout) or soft copy (saved files) for the current situation is available as well.

Although it may be used right away without even a look at the rules altogether it is always good to know what BCR is for at least having a grasp of what happens behind the scenes when BiltAid spits out results or awards you medals and gets you a dispatch from Berlin with new orders and/or a promotion or simply gives you bad news: your CO is dead and the inept protegée of Himler has been assigned as your commander :mad:

[ April 24, 2003, 03:34 AM: Message edited by: Seahawk-vfa201 ]

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Sardaukar:

Interestingly, WinZip and WinRAR open Stuffit file just nicely, but totally differently...and it won't work. I downloaded Stuffit and managed to make newest version of BiltAid to work fine.

Cheers,

M.S.

Weird, zip and rar should simply state the archive is not what they do expect rather then expand it.

Anyway, good you got stuffit and run BiltAid fine.

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Time to add to the BCR news and rules a statement on

BilAid Java tool, BCR '41 South v2.2 compliant.

Soon to be extended to cover the whole war period.

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

How would we all do without Biltong wisdom?!

I have seen there are some few hundreds downloads of it hence quite many tests. Is everything looking alright with BiltAid 1_0_4 ?

No news good news - as they say - .

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Biltong:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Seahawk-vfa201:

...There is no check in the rules (or BiltAid) for weather for Air support.

...

That's the problem with a ton of small print </font>

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by eif:

S'all good in the hood! Found a jar file in my mail this sunny morn and got the new version up and runing, (thanks massimo)

Welcome

What I did not get yet is whether you tried to unstuff it and get to the jar file yourself or whether you were trying to run it from the sit file directly. The sit archive was just a way to send both the release notes and the executable in one format that is usually robust enough no to be corrupetd in the email transmission.

Anyway kamarade, glad you got the jar file OK and you are now campaigning in Russia.

[ April 23, 2003, 12:04 PM: Message edited by: Seahawk-vfa201 ]

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Cpt Kernow:

one simple simple qyestion.

I use biltaid.

The axis task force has a casualties tab. I cant see the purpose of this. I am cataloguing my casualties using the battle group fields, if I have to counter attack immediately and have casualties and have not been reinforced then I move the appropraite platoons of the map (as instructed.) If I set up the battle with axis casualties set say to 20% this is going to impact my main battle group, not just the task force. How can I seperate the casualties in my task force from casualties in my main group using the battle generator (could see how using the scenario editor but still only using ver1.2)

Cheers.

Kernow.

This is one main reason I do use the Editor. Casualties can then be treated differently for Task Force and Battle Group.

Patch 1.03 solves the ammo bug so I guess we are in for a general and common use of the Editor to deal with the Battle Group.

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Snowbart:

Yep, I do not think overcast and planes match. There is no check in the rules (or BiltAid) for weather for Air support.

Sounds OK though: in the 40s weather forecasts were lousy

Seahawk, what do you think the rule should be in this case.....that you can just spend it on Arty?

To be strict, I would say: "Tough luck my Officers. We had Air support but the damned weather made that support impossible! Fight with double energy!!"

Others might be more relaxed In principle there was nothing but the bad weather that made the air support vanish. I doubt in reality there would have been time to ask for and obtain a different support (arty) from Berlin.

[ April 23, 2003, 11:58 AM: Message edited by: Seahawk-vfa201 ]

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Snowbart:

Biltong,

For some reason I still can't get any air units generated so I may buy them....they don't show up on the unit purchase screen. Maybe it's the particular settings for this battle? They are:

-July

-Hot

-overcast

- mid-day

-Strg wind

-Ax Assault

-Axis Combined Arms

-Russkies Infantry

- +10 Handicap

Just got an idea: Could it be that there are no planes if it's overcast? Sounds logical. Am I on the right track here? thanks

Yep, I do not think overcast and planes match. There is no check in the rules (or BiltAid) for weather for Air support.

Sounds OK though: in the 40s weather forecasts were lousy

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

For players on Windows having troubles with starting BiltAid_1_0_4.jar

Try renaming it as BiltAid.jar and see whether that magically fixes it.

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by eif:

Thanks for the support in trying to get biltaid v1.03 running, though i came up against this command shell message

C:\WINDOWS>java -jar biltaid.jar

Exception in thread "main"java.util.zip.ZipException:

The system cannot find the file specified

at java.util.zip.ZipFile.open(Native Method)

at java.util.zip.ZipFile.<init>(Unknown Source)

at java.util.jar.JarFile.<init>(Unknown Source)

at java.util.jar.JarFile.<init>(Unknown Source)

seems my java is fine,

'stuffit' is the problem,

i'm pretty dull when it comes to dll's, they just don't wanna work, guess it's back to v1.01 till i solve it.

If you chaps ever get a moment to winzip these brand new versions though i'll be straight on to them

Other players report running it succesfully on Windows by right-clik and Open With using 'javaw'

Have you tried with other jar files to see whether you get same error message?

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

BiltAid 1.0.4 - Soon available on usual sites

To my knowledge this completes the rules '41 South v2.2 compliance:

- Computed CO death in case of casualties

- Added "Edit Date" on main menu to allow for easier use of historical battle map packs (that do have fixed dates).

Note that the last addition is not robust: it expects the user to do the right thing (ie it would accept wrong date or jumps into the past)

As a general warning, this is valid in the whole BiltAid implementation: if you truly want it to crash you will succeed easily.

So - once more - be good with it and remember the old software development adagio: trash in, trash out.

So, feed BiltAid with good quality food

PS

The Stuffit archive file (.sit) contains:

- The BiltAid JAR file is named BiltAid_1_0_4.jar

- The ReleaseNotes file

Not much time to provide it with a fancy info and greetings panel norwith a help file: see the included ReleaseNotes file.

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by eif:

Hi, wonderful job your doing, just a tad of a tech problem though, I downloaded Biltaid v1.01 a while back, went through the bowles of java and it's all running fine, having a heck of a time though with Biltaid v1.03, how do i get it up and running, it does'nt respond to the msdos prompt, seems the file contains a Stuffit File(and a read me file,) waaaah what do i do? I can crank it open with winzip but it just appears as a word file, where do i stick it? If anyone can help i'd be delighted, particularly when the rest of you seem to be campaigning in Russia while i'm stuck camping in Bognor! :confused:

BiltAid is now an executable Java ARchive (jar) file (containing all the files previously accessed separately with BiltAid 1.0.1

on OSes supporting java one can click on the icon/file to start it or, from the shell, one can issue the command:

java -jar BiltAid.jar

On Win32 systems the Java 2 runtime environment's installation program will register a default association for JAR files so that double-clicking a JAR file on the desktop will automatically run it with javaw -jar. Dependent extensions bundled with the application will also be loaded automatically. This feature makes the end-user runtime environment easier to use on Win32 systems.

The Solaris 2.6 kernel and Apple OS X have already been extended to recognize the special "magic" number that identifies a JAR file, and to invoke java -jar on such a JAR file as if it were a native executable. An application packaged in a JAR file can thus be executed directly from the command line or by clicking an icon on the desktop.

If you instruct Windows (after installing Java) to recognize a JAR file it will then amount to the same thing.

Hope this helps

[ April 22, 2003, 03:01 AM: Message edited by: Seahawk-vfa201 ]

[Biltong's Campaign Rules]

Originally posted by Schoerner:

Seahawk,

a suggestion for BiltAid:

wouldn't it be good, if you would include BCR's version# in BiltAid's name?

i.e.

BiltAid_v1.03_BCR2.2

Yes, that is easy. You can actually change it yourself. I was thinking more on providing a man page and an About BiltAid pop-up panel actually