Bridge Commander Central

BC Forums => BC Technical Support => Topic started by: Rodecap on December 05, 2007, 09:44:27 PM

Title: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 05, 2007, 09:44:27 PM
Ok, I uninstalled then reinstalled. and I must not be doing something correctly, because when I add in the "-TestMode" it keeps telling me "target box not valid". So I am at a loss....
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: darkguy2 on December 05, 2007, 10:19:37 PM
Make sure that you have a space after the original target and the testmode command. so it will be

"C:\Program Files\Activision\Bridge Commander\stbc.exe" -TestMode
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 05, 2007, 11:51:49 PM
Yeah, alright, got it. But now, when I try to activate the console, my computer does absolutely nothing and I still wind up having to disconnect power and restart my machine.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 06, 2007, 11:57:52 AM
Now that's odd.

Ok, open options.cfg (make a backup first) and change:
Code: [Select]
Fullscreen Mode|1To:
Code: [Select]
Fullscreen Mode|0
And change the "Display Height" and "Display Width" to 600 and 800 respectively.
And now try to run BC in -TestMode
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 06, 2007, 10:01:09 PM
Thanks Leo, but I think I figured out the issue.

Upon opening options.cfg, I found that I had absolutely NO video parameters at all.

I am now reinstalling   :lol:
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 07, 2007, 04:51:37 AM
I hate to break it to you, but simply deleting the options.cfg could have worked, since BC always generates one if there isn't one present.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 14, 2007, 10:36:12 PM
Could you give me a copy of the Graphics parameters in the options CFG? They just aren't there.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 15, 2007, 10:54:31 AM
That depends on your video card.
Back up your options.cfg and delete the original file and start BC.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 15, 2007, 02:50:35 PM
Let me tell you EXACTLY what happens, because I don't think I've made it quite that clear.

I get just about as far as the "Paramount" logo, then I hear some LCARS beeping sounds, and then my computer dies. I was able to fix it once by messing with some of the properties, but that doesn't even work now (I think they were the 'maximized/minimized/normal' options and disabling the visual themes or something like that).

Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 15, 2007, 03:16:55 PM
Dieing as in rebooting?
Or freezing?
If it's the latter, have you tried Alt + Tab? And see if there is a window with the BC logo?
If there is, then that's the debug console and it will give you an error that you can post here.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 15, 2007, 03:55:36 PM
 :arms: Nothing whatsoever when I alt + tab....
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 15, 2007, 03:59:54 PM
Then explain atleast what you mean with dieing.

Obviously, it would appear the computer isn't rebooting.
Have you tried Enter, Esc or anything like that?
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 15, 2007, 04:27:15 PM
Doesn't work. When I say die, I mean black screen without any chance of recovering my computer without disconnecting my power supply.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 16, 2007, 01:33:04 PM
No need for rouge moderators here.

Anyway, did BC create an options.cfg?
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 16, 2007, 01:34:47 PM
It does, but only as far as sound options...I'm beginning to wonder if the main menu IS there, just not visible.....
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 16, 2007, 01:46:19 PM
Now, go into the options.cfg, and look for:
Code: [Select]
Fullscreen Mode|1And change it to:
Code: [Select]
Fullscreen Mode|0And start BC again, but in -TestMode
And see what happens.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 16, 2007, 01:50:01 PM
You're going to hate me for this, but I meant that it ONLY produces a set of sound options. I thought they came first anyway, sorry  :lol:.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 16, 2007, 01:52:48 PM
You are starting in -TestMode, right?

Try and get a console report (when in -TestMode).
The very top post should help you with that.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 16, 2007, 01:55:35 PM
I am starting in test mode, but I don't even have enough time to activate the console. As I've stated before, my computer screen goes blank and my computer won't respond to anything I do after the main title video.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 16, 2007, 01:59:56 PM
Can you attach the file: scripts/MainMenu/mainmenu.py?
I want to add some debug info so that we can tell when it's going wrong.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 16, 2007, 02:11:00 PM
Emailed it to you.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 16, 2007, 02:28:42 PM
Right, so you don't have a mainmenu.py

Did you install the Foundation (and the patch) before any mods?
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 16, 2007, 02:29:42 PM
I am currently mod/patch free
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 16, 2007, 02:34:47 PM
Do any other games have the same problems?

Do you have the latest drivers? Or just the drivers that came with Windows?

Also, have you tried the DXDIAG?
Go to start->run type in dxdiag, press Enter and wait for it to start up (see the progress bar on the screen).

Now go to the Display tab, and press "Test Direct3D".
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 16, 2007, 02:35:29 PM
All of my other games run just fine....maybe it's a bad disk?
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 16, 2007, 02:45:44 PM
Making your computer fail so consistenly?
Maybe.

What operating system are you using?
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 16, 2007, 02:48:44 PM
XP SP:2, it never fails on my games, and I've run more graphically demanding programs than Bridge Commander.

Medieval:Total War II, EVE online, Oblivion, etc...
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 16, 2007, 02:55:17 PM
Install the patch, and see if that helps.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 16, 2007, 03:06:12 PM
Nothing.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 16, 2007, 04:57:46 PM
Did you delete the options.cfg as well?

Has BC ever worked?
If so:
What's different from then?
Why did you have to reinstall?
If you did reinstall, did you do that on top of your original install?
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on December 16, 2007, 06:30:46 PM
I REINSTALLED because I thought that there was something wrong with my install (it was actually a mod malfunction) it DID work at one time. As for difference, I don't know what's different, because I don't think anything is...just today, I have uninstalled and deleted BC files about 5 times, and reinstalled them, but I can't find anything that works.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on December 17, 2007, 12:38:05 PM
Have you tried installing to a different directory?
Say, outside Program Files (C:\Games\Bridge Commander)?
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on January 07, 2008, 03:24:08 PM
I hate to bother you again, Mleo (seems like you have some other headaches right now) but my problem is back, but now I have it with a totally new copy. Well, close to new, the disk is in perfect shape.....and when I go to play the game, nothing. No patches, no mods, just the vanilla game; and it's still crashing my computer. Maybe if I install to a new directory, it'd correct itself....
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on January 07, 2008, 04:25:21 PM
I hate to put it like this, but that is exactly what I've been saying the whole time....
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on January 07, 2008, 09:21:05 PM
Well, that didn't even work....there has to be something going on and I'm determined to find it. I really don't want to give up this game.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on January 07, 2008, 09:51:23 PM
Hm. I think I made a breakthrough. I installed your Unified main menu, and now I can see a cursor, which I can move. Still a black screen, but at least now I can exit it.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on January 07, 2008, 10:53:06 PM
Ugh! okay, I'm seriously thinking about just trashing it. I spent eighty dollars on a game that isn't going to work regardless. I've tried, I think, every trick in the book, it seems, and none of them have worked.
I have:
-installed into a new directory
-installed patches
-tried running vanilla
-tried messing with the display options
-tried running in test mode
-tried running with select mods
-deleted options.cfg (about a million times)
-replaced MainMenu scripts with Unified Main Menu scripts.

I'm running out of options, unless I just go for it and wipe the entire hard disk and start over.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on January 08, 2008, 01:34:16 PM
How did you start the game?
I suggest you create a new shortcut (from the directory of the new directory) and change that to use the -TestMode, and try it through there.

Because it's _impossible_ to have the same issue if you run it from the new directory without mods.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on January 08, 2008, 03:40:29 PM
I wiped my hard drive (kept most of my files on an external, though) and guess what? That fixed her up! There must have been something wrong with my windows configuration. Thanks!
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on January 08, 2008, 04:37:27 PM
I fear you kept running your old installation, the one with the problems. And to which you installed BC over lingering files. But that's just me.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Rodecap on January 10, 2008, 06:28:42 PM
I probably was. But I did run a system search for any files associated with the term "bridge commander" and deleted all I could find, that didn't fix anything, so I don't know what else I could've done.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on January 11, 2008, 08:16:06 AM
Well, you know where you installed.
And not all files are "marked" as "bridge commander".
You have to go there yourself and see if there are any lingering files.
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: Kirk on January 11, 2008, 08:20:17 AM
Well, you know where you installed.
And not all files are "marked" as "bridge commander".
You have to go there yourself and see if there are any lingering files.
Not to poke my nose where it doesn't belong, but wouldn't he have deleted all of the BC files when he deleted the folder "Activision/Bridge Commander"? That,  I guess, is assuming that he searched for both files and folders
Title: Re: Testmode difficulties; unable to get to the console
Post by: MLeo on January 11, 2008, 08:49:04 AM
Here is what I suspected happend to him a couple of times now.

He uninstalled the game, which didn't remove the py files (among others) of the mods he was having a problem with.
Which, when he reinstalled at the same location, got "active" again and messed his game up, again.