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Huh? Can't open B-I-G PBEM file


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Hi there you smart technical CM people.

Wierd problem. I have CMBB 1.03 (Special Edition boxed set bought in U.S.) and I am unable a certain PBEM file sent me, but:

1. I open other PBEM files just fine

2. If I forward the problem PBEM file to some one else, he can open it. :confused:

I could understand a corrupted file. I could understand my machine or my install of CMBB messing with reading PBEM files in general. But I can't figure out why my machine has it in for this file, and this file only.

If it makes any difference, the file causing the problem is a H-U-G-E scenario.

Here's my vital statistics:

Windows 2000

Intel ® Celer

On ® CPU 1.70 GHz

AT/AT Compatible

268 848 KB RAM

My video card is a RADEON 9200 Series by ATI Technologies

Suggestions? Comments? Advice?

In limbo,

BD6

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When you attempt to "open" the PBEM are you getting the 'error ding' from CM ? What type of computer, PC or Mac is your opponent using and what OS ? What type of computer and OS is the person who can open the PBEM using ? Is this PBEM compressed or is it 'plain text' that you're copying from the body of an email ? What mail service and/or mail reader are you using to receive and send files ?

Though these issues should have been ironed out, what version of CMBB is your opponent and "compatible reader" using, i.e. - BFC internet or CDV retail versions ?

Do you have anything running in the background when you receive and attempt to open this file, especially anti-virus programs ? Though I'm not sure how much memory CMBB would consume with an extremely large scenario, 256Mb should usually be enough memory to run CM. However, if there are a lot of things (utilities and programs) loaded up and eating memory it may be possible that a very large scenario might run out of memory before it can load the PBEM file. If there are any issues with 'virtual memory' on your machine, it may cause this problem.

The first thing to suggest is to close down as many programs and utilities as possible (Ctrl-Alt-Del > Task Manager > Applications and Processes tabs). Hopefully this is just an issue of actual memory being available and by freeing some of it up it may allow CMBB to load this scenario.

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Hi,

Well the short answer is that a reinstall of CMBB plus a moderate crank down in video speed (from 100 hz to 85 hz) fixed the problem. I suspect the problem was in my monitor, but who knows.

To answer your questions:

1. There was no error ding.

2. Both my opponent and I are using PCs.

3. Both are using some version of windows.

4. I am the one that was having trouble opening the file, my computer stats are in the first msg this thread.

5. Both plain text and compressed versions of the file failed to open, before I did the reinstall, hz speed reduction.

6. Don't know what mail service my opponent is using. I am using the The Bat program.

7. I assume but don't know my opponent is using the standard U.S. version with BFC upgrades to 1.3. I am using the CDV CMBB Special Edition, bought in the U.S.

8. The only thing I had running in the background was Windows.

Do you have

9. I have 382 MB dedicated to virtual memory on my machine. There was no windows warning note "hey, you're low on virtual memory".

10. FYI I had something like 12 GiGs of regular memory available.

Alls well that ends well. :D

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I can't imagine that changing your videocard's vertical refresh rate from 100Hz to 85Hz would have affected this issue - the videocard's vertical refresh and CM's PBEM file parsing should be completely unrelated. Reinstalling CMBB however may have been the difference. If your CD isn't 1.03, then just reinstalling the 1.03 patch should be enough to "reinstall" CMBB since the primary file to be replaced is the executable - although in this case there may have been an issue with a missing texture or something.

If you weren't getting an error ding, what was happening when you attempted to open the huge PBEM; nothing ?

I assume the 12 Gigs you're speaking of is actually disk space rather than memory. If Windows is actually managing the virtual memory itself, then it can dynamically allocate that disk space according to what is needed (within certain parameters). However if you've manually entered in a number for a maximum swap file size, then Windows won't exceed that, despite having more disk space available.

Anyway, if CM has a problem reading a file it will give an 'error ding', which is often an indication that the file is corrupt. If you weren't getting the error ding, then I'm not sure what was happening.

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I would press the "Load PBEM" button and although it appeared my CPU started thinking (light flashed a bit) but the screen wouldn't go dark as happens normally w/ PBEM. No lockup, I could move to other menus or even load another PBEM file.

My CD is an absolutely legal U.S. retail copy of the CDV CMBB Special Edition, meaning the patches to 1.03 are built in. (Which you know, obviously.)

My RAM number is the one I referred to in the first message. No, I don't have 12 GiGs of RAM. Windows was managing my virtual memory, and it's instructed to allocate the maximum (380 MeGs or somefin like that).

What really has me scratching my cranium was that it was this particular computer that had a problem with this particular file. And it was quite happy to open up other, admittedly smaller, PBEM files.

What's more, I opened the same file on a different computer with the CMBB program installed from the same CD, and on THAT computer the file opened just hunky-dory.

(Cue Twilight Zone music)

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