[S3F] - Silent Hunter III-Front-End - the NEW way to go

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

Source: www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2572873

Nice to read such. You would wonder what the new version can do...



Source: www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2499911
(deleted by the SuSi-SNOTs in the meantime)

And trust me, I have not abandonned this. I gave you an account here, but you were desinterested to use it.
And eventually the admin-software kicked you out for total inactivity. Pity. But your fault, not mine.


^^ Example of positive feedback about the S3G





^^ Example of positive feedback about S3F and the upcoming S3H-auto-patch
Source: "H.sie-Patch V16B1 completely automated - soon to be released"
(deleted by the SuSi-SNOTs in the meantime)

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

With FIEDLER joining DEF (glad you did!) it has been brought to my attention that it is now public knowledge - at least on STEAM - that you can force Front-End to run a new scan. I designed it to do that if
a) no configuration-file can be found or none was created yet, so one must be created anyway
b) S3F finds a data-mismatch in its configuration-file, so a new one must be created to have the data fixed

In both cases S3F creates a new configuration-file and starts from scratch, so the most obvious way to achieve this has been found by some guy on STEAM: simply delete the configuration-file. It is called "SH3-Front-End.ini" (old versions) or "S3F.ini" (new versions).

In fact I have added this function as an undocumented command line parameter, so if you run "S3F.exe /newscan" you achieve the same.

On a sidenote: I have watched FIEDLER's thread on STEAM and I believe he is now getting the full feeling of how "creative" users are... I feel deeply sorry for you, FIEDLER, I know you meant well and must be disappointed. I believe you can now understand why I am how I am...

Blitz, add a function:

SH3.EXE is still/already running? Do you want to kill that task?

Yes. Definitely worth thinking about. It seems to me that all newer Windoze versions cause such issue.
I have not yet come across any validated solution besides all the usual bullshit posted on SuSi by always the same suspects (Prob, Berb, BS40 etc)
but I hold this workaround to be the most promising:
[HOWTO] Fix: SH3 is open when it is not? Rundll32.exe problem with games!

What I do know and have verified by own testing is that this issue has nothing to do with S3C.
It is an issue related to SH3.exe running on Win7 and later and it happens when you are not even using S3C, too.

Other games provide a different GameuxInstallHelper.dll with 75032 Bytes of size. Maybe that circumvents the issue.

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

⚡️ NEW VERSION OUT! ⚡️

- 20210907 - [RELEASE] S3F V1.7.9.74b [C0R0N0iA-EDiTi0N] : S3M and ini code-fix, extra noadmin warnings

Try it out and let me know...

Thanks to Grey Eminence for properly describing the S3M-ini-bug, it is fixed now.

Version 1.7.9.74b C0R0N0iA-EDiTi0N now also addresses a lot of feedback in regards to WIDESCREEN, SCALING and VERY HIGH RESOLUTIONS - matters that I had never been able to address because I only had an old Win7-laptop.

If you run into display issues for the time being, OVERRIDE HIGH DPI SETTINGS and select to let the application run in 100% scale, not any above that. Do not scale Windows to 125% (a very silly Windows default, run it at 100%). I am working on it, but it is very difficult when people a) do not financially support me with buying a newer PC and b) never respond to my questions towards testing in a timely manner, nor do most come to Teamspeak.

We could have long solved this issue, folks! And I really hate this stupid DPI-shit on Windows10

EXPLANATION

All this silly display-shit happens because Windows 10 apparently scales all its applications to 125% of their size (how much it scales depends on your hardware). This is one of the most idiotic default settings that this shit called Windows 10 imposes on the user. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2017/05/19/improving-high-dpi-experience-gdi-based-desktop-apps/#:~:text=Right

If you run it at 100% it will all be the normal size and look good.

When I started coding this, it was 2014 and Windows 7, nobody thought of such shit. And now there is the problem. And I only get to know this by total coincidence, because most users only say "does not work" - and there you are left with nothing to look for.

Anyway, there is much work to do, all the new buttons, menus, but foremost I am now integrating module_SFSF() into S3F. The new wrapper exe is working already and then comes 1.7 etc etc etc...

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

20210222: FIEDLER and I have had a long conversation about "some weird error" that some players were reporting:

The error "No CSubTorpedoCtrl *: cmihalache" was implemented by the coder (UBi-ROM Cristian Mihalache) and means there is no class with that name "SubTorpedoCtrl" and only experts can look into it by use of S3D. The error does not (!) occur in vanilla SH3, it is and can only be caused by modification of files, very likely installing a broken or incorrect mod or aborting a running installation of a mod, rendering the mod broken and incomplete.

S3F does not install any broken mod. The S3H-archive files are original files and have not been changed since 7+ years!

To my knowledge this error has never been furtherly documented, but the logic would be a data mismatch between the U-Boot-configuration files, e.g. basic.cfg and .sim, most probably something where modders attempted to correct the data of an U-Boot-type, even more so when they introduced new types and/or new features. The last time I remember this bug occured was when modders came up with the type VIIf, a torpedo-transporter U-Boot.

FIEDLER raised this concern and we attempted to track down these reports. In the tests we did the error could not even be reproduced once!

20211020: More than half a year, several false alerts and impatient users who give up instantly later, finally came one guy who actually helped find and solve this issue. The error occurs when the H.sie patch is INCOMPLETE, resulting in a missing SH3.exe so when you then run the game, the old unpatched SH3.exe does not find matching data (the newly introduced U-Boot type as explained above). Reason is something we did at first not quite believe but is true: STEAM write-protects all their game-folders! A simple routine in the Steam-Fix now takes care of that...


⚡️ NEW VERSION OUT! ⚡️

- 20211021 - [RELEASE] S3F V1.7.9.81b [C0R0N0iA-EDiTi0N] - NEW more intelligent Registry Code, module_SFSF() is now included in the package
- 20211021 - [RELEASE] module_SFSF() V12.2.1.4e: smart anti-write-protection-code for exe and root install folder

A very special thanks must go to Doge of Frisbee on STEAM, who did more than just saying "does not work" and giving up and spreading false news about 'some conflict'; he came to Teamspeak and we had a nice chat and found the issue. WAY TO GO, MAN!

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

NOTICE FOR STEAM USERS

I have had a very long and helpful conversation with some US friend that FIEDLER brought from STEAM. In fact, FIEDLER killed my sleep and got me out of bed, but that must be some of his revenge actions for what I had done to him when we did the TAIWAN-VERSION some great a many years ago...

Anyway, it turned out in that conversation that my tool DOES write the patched SH3.exe. but something else deletes that file a moment later. To me that can only be some security software that quarantines the newly created SH3.exe. Or even deletes it completely, just because it considers that action a possible threat. The result is that then in MODS\S3H-H.sie-Patch-V16B1\ there is no patched SH3.exe suddenly AFTER S3F HAS SUCCESSFULLY CREATED JUST THAT FILE.

So switch of your antivirus/threat/whatever defending software for the moment you want to patch any *.exe file. The log files indicate that S3F itself works as inteded and creates that file. A freshly patched with H.sie SH3.exe has this MD5Sum: 39A8C863B5FD9DE07A9F6C28F3AE39E3 and 1384448 bytes size.

Nevertheless I put out a new S3F-package today that gives us a checksum of that newly created and patched file so we can investigate that further.

[REV_Grey Eminence]

Congratulations on 8 years Front-End!
 

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

Congratulations on 8 years Front-End!
 

Right.

8 years of exciting things happening... here a screenshot from 2 years ago...

Look closely (the contrast is bad due to the colors on MEDiAFiRE), S3F has been downloaded more than 40000 times!
2 old versions had 4500+ downloads already plus almost 5000 downloads of the module_SFSF() alone :)

and here one of just now...

Source: www.mediafire.com/folder/e88qja72j1jbr/TOOLS

So speaking of today, on S3F's 8th anniversary, we can speak of more than 50000 downloads
(42000+ current version, 4500+ old versions, 5000+ downloads only module_SFSF() alone



I am only dissappointed with the support. I wrote the following below ages ago (20200713):

Now that module_SFSF() seems complete with its version 10 I want to resume work on the automization of the Stiebler-Patch (S3S = V1.6B1-4C).

Before I go into more details, I need testers. PLEASE COME TO TEAMSPEAK!


Weird... Did not spark interest. Very strange. There seems no interest in the automated Stiebler-patch.
Sometimes it is astonishing. You offer to do something and the dumb people does not want to support you.
They go crying wolf about every step they must take to get things achived, but they will not support you.
They throw their money into the SuSi-money-collector-whiners and hope it will all be miraculously get done...

Let me then put it this way, you guys, yes, all you, who are reading this thread - I see you!
You can signal to me that I shall continue the code by making a donation to DEF (not to me).
I do not want money for myself. But I want the the servers of my group get paid.
I shall not spend immense time of my life and then even pay for everything myself!

>>> <<<

Or do you seriously throw your money over to SuSi, where nobody ever does it?
Think about it.

Spoiler: show

Hm. Sometimes you look at your own code. And when you can not understand it.
I am practically recoding S3F. More than 2500 lines of code to go through. Without modules.
Much to do...

The module_S3S uses the original files by Stiebler.

IF it does not find that file in the CurrentDirectory(), it downloads that file from Stiebler's directory.
IF it finds that file in the CurrentDirectory() and the MD5Sum is correct, it uses that one.

    it verifies if you have provided an original Stiebler-archive in the same directory as S3F
    if not, it will download from Stiebler's site
    in either case it verifies the MD5Sum so that only an original Stiebler-archive is going to be used
    that verified archive is then unpacked
    ...
    it then verifies if S3H or H.sie-patch has been applied
    if not, it asks you to confirm execution of S3H
    if that is done S3S continues
    ...
    ...

And I have recoded the module for renumbering.


This is as far as I got until today with grandmaster Stiebler delaying communications severely.
Oh! How nice it feels that I can say that and do not have to fear that some SuSi-idiot like that copper infracts me for saying.
Ha... that feels good.

The S3S is not only a one-shot-go, it now has an own menu with CHECKBOXES

• - 4C (the basis patch = always ticked on)

[ ] - 4C_Use_EnvSimAct
[ ] - 4C_Use_AI_Sensors.dat
[ ] - 4C_Use_CAM-SHIP-Fix
[ ] - 4C_Use_ChangeGridMod
[ ] - 4C_Use_WeatherMeterMod
[ ] - 4C_Use_RadarOnTurms

When selecting either, any or all of the additional sub-mods, their very mod-folders are generated and so everything is reversible.

Originally Posted by Stiebler  You are welcome to include the current Options Selector, but (I repeat) it would be a major task to recode it for any purpose.
 
 Congratulations with your S3F patch.
 
 I am happy for you to include my Stiebler-Patch with S3F. (That is, permission granted.)
 
 Good luck!
 Stiebler.

In the process of recoding all this Stiebler said it would take someone else for the task to recode a new OptionsSelector, so here I do it:
 
 Want to take a first glance?
 
YES!
 
 This is now ONE OptionsSelector for BOTH:
 + H.sie (and its automated version "S3H")
 + Stiebler (and its automated version "S3S")
 

Will naturally keep you updated.

Hmmm... + with STIEBLER's latest additions
+ NYGM detection and message "Realistic Repair Times is not compatible with NYGM and must be unchecked for NYGM users!"

Note to myself: That is exactly where Stiebler and I left off - when I was keelhauled in all but name.
I sent him several mails and even had them forwarded through DS, GD, and lastly PA.
No response.

b1(+2m)


Ok, let me give some news and changes that I am now working on:

[I]
Support for any language other than ENGLISH is going to be removed.
Reason: German players have proved to be no help whatsoever.
No more to do... Fix SETTINGS in German: NOT "Abbrechen", but "EXIT"

[II]
S3B/SH3BAK is a backup-solution for SH3-installation-specific files.
I have seen so many players screwing up their installation and thereby crashing or even losing their career or campaign-data so this can be very helpful.

You simply select the installpath (as in SH3RME), S3B reads Filemanager.dll and offers you to make a backup of...
    the entire installation (installpath$)
    only the mods-folder (installpath$\MODS\)
    the SP/CP-related files (career/campaign-data in %MyDocuments%)
    your settings in %MyDocuments%

THIS MODULE IS SOON TO BE INTEGRATED IN S3F (MENU_SETTINGS!)
and mirrored in S3Q (same code)

[III]
S3F is going to let you tick the checkbox to run S3C with SHxVAR

lets you pick your installation of SH3 (as in SH3RME)
creates %installpath%\..\TOOLS\SHxVAR
writes SHxVAR.exe, SH3VAR.cfg

lets you pick your installation of S3C
moves doc files where they belong (to \documentation)
patches SH3Cmdr.exe like S3H, i.e creates a mod and activates it so "mod" is listed and all files are saved
--─────────────────────────────── ■  2do:  ■ ───────────────────────────────--
Now working on...
+ completing the code-integration of SFSF.
+ new menus such as those in S3Q - see there!
+ Explore installation folder icon -> Open game path
+ Explore career files icon -> Open save data path


parentwin of
- settings
- copy

put in NEW copy routine
(elapsed time comparison)


Do you want to add this newly created installation to be registered to WINREG, so other programs can find and use it?
Only needed in very rare occasions and if you use Front-End you do not have this problem anyway.


New Endscreen for module_SFSF() coming...

After completion of the fix, you can then...

TAKE YOUR NEXT STEPS
- CONTINUE WITH FIEDLER'S INSTRUCTIONS
- SUPPORT THIS TOOL
- COME TO CHAT ON TEAMSPEAK
- JOIN DEF AND PLAY WITH US
- SUBMIT FEEDBACK
Leave feedback in Steam-thread
Give an award on Steam-thread
Give an award to FIEDLER
- EXIT TO WINDOWS

And it may look a bit like the new S3Q-menu...

Idea: What if you replace the current end screen with the feedback window?

I am figuring that out... but the total code-inclusion with sub-calls has higher priority.

Did you drum up some donations so our server-costs are covered yet?

Because when the forum and domain are down it has little use of programming to me...


Also for 1 month nobody of all those "community-lame-asses" helped testing:

Also I would like to invite everyone to help testing: V1.8.0.0b "C0R0N0iA-EDiTi0N II"
(this one has 100% of the SFSF-code included that was previously an external module).

[DA]

Wow! thx for your hard efforts! I was missing sh3, thx to you no seriously hard effort requred to enjoy one of my all time favs :)

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

Thanks for the feedback.

If you want to enhance your SH3-experience and play as a DEF-member, feel free to [JOiN DEF]. In that case your account will be further upgraded by DEF-staff.
 

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

We have another stubborn Subsim-fool that will come up with "has not worked for me".
This time from Atlanta, Georgia

Dude, stop blocking the tool and then it functions!
Read and stick to the fucking instructions and do not blame my tool if you ignore instructions!

And why did you not use the feedback function to get in touch?
Nothing coming there. But such idiots are the first to complain publicly like on SuSi or elsewhere
that it has not worked. Why they never say.

Such idiots are the reason why my software is banned from SuSi.
Such idiots who cannot read and follow instructions are the problem. Not my software, neither 'its integrity'.
Such idiots are the reason why programmers like JScones got frustrated and wrote that people in
their laziness and stupidity would even blame JSGME for their fridge magnets falling off - and that is a quote!

Must be vaccinated or otherwise spoiled.
And such idiots never spare a dime for support.

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

⚡️ NEW VERSION OUT! ⚡️

- 20230407 - [RELEASE] module_SFSF() V13.4.4.1f: gwhois-fix, fixed order of events, log cosmetics
+ checks for empty folders and removes tools\, jsgme\, S3C\, READMEs, Downloads\
+ forcedelete and error msg if a user has some quarantine soft running

In fact I trimmed the module down to 40% of its size. Complete code-integration into S3F in the works.

Enjoy!