Text formatting - expert modders requested !!!!

[PEB14]

Hi,

To build a scenario for Combat Mission you really need multiple talents… Today I've become a gimp expert…

Anyway, some questions remain unasnwered. Here's a question for top level modders around. I'm a perfectionnist, so I want my text briefings to show the correct FRENCH ACCENTS. Yes I do.

And don't tell me it's impossible: in his Devil's Descent campaign, @Field Marshal Blücher make us fight for Sainte-Mère-Eglise, NOT for Sainte-Mere-Eglise (OMG!).

But the question is: HOW????

I've tried various formating (Windows-Latin, UTF-8, UTF-16) for the txt file to import as a briefing — no way. I get bizarre characters instead of accentuated letters. Any ideas around?

[kohlenklau]

I am just a mere mortal with an IBM PC. But my briefings are written using a plain text file. *.txt

I can paste into it the umlaut character and other stuff if grabbed from elsewhere.

Seems very simple. 

Write in your word program and paste to a text file?

Here at the end of this random briefing of mine is the test of a few things with special characters...

 

BUNDLE DEAL LIMITED TIME OFFER!

All scenario images processed PLUS briefing special characters. Only 10 Euro per scenario.

 

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by kohlenklau

[OldSarge]

In the scenario editor, I first create a template file by exporting it.

Then, I use Notepad++ and set the encoding to ANSI and then enter the appropriate Unicode for the character. In this case alt+0232: è

Of course, I'm using a machine with all of the US character setups. Windows can do funny things across cultures.

 

 

template.txt

Edited April 29, 2023 by OldSarge
Sainte-Mère-Église added the É

[PEB14]

Thank you @OldSarge.

FYI I also used the template but to no avail.

Your file loads perfectly into a CM test scenario and the accents show propeerly. But just look at what your template file looks like when loaded into Mac OS TextEdit:

CM scenario making is definitively not for Mac users…

Edited April 30, 2023 by PEB14

[PEB14]

Finally I found a proper solution. Files shall be encoded using "Occidental (Windows Latin 1)" format, available in MS Word.

A text file generated with this encoding is read without error in CM.

[OldSarge]

I'm glad to hear that you're back in business! I just did a quick check and LATIN 1 is Windows-1252 (on Windows 1x) and on my machine maps directly into the ANSI encoding, Notepad++ allows me to choose each but they're the same, from the older Windows 9x machines. I think they do this just to drive us crazy!

Edited April 30, 2023 by OldSarge

[PEB14]

1 hour ago, OldSarge said:

I'I think they do this just to drive us crazy!

And it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now the last thing that drives me crazy is this f****g bmp thing. They love old Windows stuff at BFC…

[A Canadian Cat]

On 4/30/2023 at 11:02 AM, PEB14 said:

Now the last thing that drives me crazy is this f****g bmp thing.

Could @OldSarge's trick with .txt files also work with .bmp files? By that I mean export an existing scenario's .bmp file and open that in your editor, paste over the actual picture and save the .bmp file. Depending on the editor that might preserve whatever setting is causing you grief that the game is not telling you about and give you a .bmp file with an updated image that will work.

if that's not possible go easy on my I'm at work and don't have access to the game at the moment.

[PEB14]

30 minutes ago, IanL said:

Could @OldSarge's trick with .txt files also work with .bmp files? By that I mean export an existing scenario's .bmp file and open that in your editor, paste over the actual picture and save the .bmp file. Depending on the editor that might preserve whatever setting is causing you grief that the game is not telling you about and give you a .bmp file with an updated image that will work.

if that's not possible go easy on my I'm at work and don't have access to the game at the moment.

Thanks again for taking the time to care!…

This solution was proposed by @Ivan Zaitzev and while it works for him, unfortunately it doesn't for me. Probably because gimp does reincode the file when exporting - it's not a "simple" save.

By the way, you haven't seen the look of my Tac and Strat map bmps once loaded in CMFI.…

I'll try tomorrow with my office Windows computer. I'm pretty sure it will work.

Like I wrote on the other topic, bmp is not an Apple friendly format…

[Ivan Zaitzev]

I edit the original BMP with Paint, maybe that's the trick.

[PEB14]

I've found the solution, see my post in the bmp thread!