PBEM problem - Can't find PBEM folder

[ravells]

Hi all, new recruit here.

Used to play CMBO a long time ago and have come back to it and got CMBB and CMAK.

Here's my problem. I've done a search on the forums but can't find any help to it.

I want to play a PBEM game but the PBEM folder in my CMBB directory is hidden. I know it's there, because I can see the PBEM file I have generated by going into the game and pressing the 'load game' button. It points to the directory where CMBB is loaded (the default one) My Computer / programs (x86) / Battlefront / CMBB / PBEM.

The problem is that when I navigate to the same directory using my email client to attach the pbem file, the PBEM folder just isn't there in the CMBB folder.

I'm using Windows 7 and have enabled viewing of hidden files and folders, but that doesn't help.

:: Edit :: Have tried an uninstall / reinstall, but that doesn't solve the problem.

Can anyone help me please?

Best

Ravells

[Joachim]

Do you see the pbem folder and files when you use the windows explorer?

Can you find it using windows search?

Cause then a quick fix would be to copy the pbem file to a location which your email program can see and send it from there.

[TheVulture]

Windows 7 has the same virtualisation feature as Vista. Programs are not allowed to write to certain directories for security reasons. I'm not sure on the details, but in practice it often means that while the program thinks it is accessing files in its working directory, the actual files are stored elsewhere (somewhere in the user's documents directory tree).

Similar problems can occur if you edit e.g. a config text file in the game's folder. Vista/windows 7 will secretly create a 'virtualised' copy so that when you look at the file you see your version, while the program (running under different permissions) sees its own unaltered copy of the file (since you didn't actually change the copy that is really in the folder).

It creates a lot of gratuitous screwyness.

[ravells]

Thanks Joachim & Vulture,

Joachim: No the folder doesn't appear in the directory when I use windows explorer. When I search for the PBEM file it appears as a result but when I click on it I get a 'shortcut not found' message.

All of this tends to confirm Vulture's diagnosis. The file is somewhere on the system but not where it's supposed to be and the 'shortcut' which if it was there would look like a normal folder in the CMBB directory has gone.

I originally loaded the CMAK AK demo about a month ago (noticed that the PBEM folder wasn't in the directory either) when I was running Vista. I then ran (stupidly) a PBEM manager which I think was configured for XP only. I upgraded to Win 7 last week and have noticed a number of little niggles which I think have resulted from upgrading rather than doing a clean install of Win 7. So I'm backing everything up and am going to do a clean Win 7 install. Hopefully that will solve the problem.

Another thing I found which was a bit weird (but again underlines what Vulture was saying) is that when I uninstall CMBB and reinstall it, all my saved games are still there. So not a clean uninstall / reinstall.

Let's hope the nuclear option of a reformat does the trick!

Thanks for your help guys. If I don't post over the next few days it's probably because I've forgotten to save some vital driver!

The fact that it appears from a search on the site that I am the only one with this problem suggests something locally screwy on my puter rather than anything incompatibility between the game and Vista / Win 7. I think it may have been running the PBEM manager software which has ruined it for good. I've uninstalled the manager software but I think that's a bit too late now. Anyway have posted a ticket on the Tech support forum, let's see what they have to say.

Best

ravells.

[ravells]

Wow the tech support on Battlefront is good! I posted my query this (Saturday) morning and there was the answer (along the lines of Vulture's answer) - just cross posting here in case anyone has the same problem):

Windows 7 and Windows Vista both have a feature called User Account Control (UAC). This feature is a security measure that among other things prevent programs from writing data to program file areas, such as the directory 'Program Files'. Instead such files and directories are re-directed to another directory within the User's folder called a 'VirtualStore'. With a default install this will often be '/Users/{your account name}/AppData/Local/VirtualStore/Program Files/Battlefront/Combat Mission Barbarrossa to Berlin/PBEM' for the CMBB PBEM folder. You'll find any other folder in here for CMBB that gets data written to it, such as a Scenarios folder, Save Games, etc. You'll also find other program folders/directories in the VirtualStore directory.

This community and the people who run it, just rock....thanks everyone! problem solved! Thank you for the tech support person (name not given in the reply) who answered my query so promptly. Hope you didn't get too much wife / gf ack for working on a saturday morning!

best

Ravs