"mission_researches" not Giving Research.

[skaianDestiny]

I made a quick change to FTD to test out the mission_researches.xml and it seems it's not giving the research.

[ATTACH]5371[/ATTACH]

Install using mod loader and move the assault lander and dreadnought ufocontents files to assets/ufocontents. Any help?

FTD quick launch.zip

FTD quick launch.zip

[Solver]

Is this with 0.27? I've done some fixes there and verified that mission_researches works. Also try setting MODMERGE="replace" on the top level MissionResearches.

Otherwise I will test this when I have a moment.

[kabill]

As it is, it won't work because there's multiple <MissionResearch> entries and the game doesn't know how to load them.

There's two ways to fix this. Firstly, as Solver suggests, use MODMERGE="replace" on the top level. That will work, but it will make it incompatible with any other mods which use that file (e.g. Lore+) as it will replace everything in that file with just the FTD stuff.

Secondly, a new feature has been added in which allows you to effectively merge these kinds of files (see the last post in this thread).

However, I've just realised that this method won't quite work, as there's no child with a unique entry (you can't use the mission type, the research type or the UFO type as the entries for these are all repeated). To be fully modular, that file needs a unique identifier for each entry like a 'name' variable or something.

[Solver]

Would MODMERGE="insert" work with this and Lore+ simultaneously, I wonder? Probably not though.

[kabill]

I don't think so, no, because again it would need a unique identifier.

For it to work, I think the file needs to be something like:

<MissionResearch name="whatever">

<AllTheChildren/>

</MissionResearch>

In which case MODMERGEATTRIBUTE="name" MODMERGE="insert" would work. Or:

<MissionResearch>

<Name/>

<AllTheOtherChildren>

</MissionResearch>

In which case the new additional merging feature could be used.

[skaianDestiny]

Would MODMERGE = "update" work?

[kabill]

I'm fairly certain it doesn't, again because of the ID issue. I'm not 100% sure, but I seem to remember trying it when I was converting XNT to the modular system and it didn't work.

[Max_Caine]

On a related matter, Solver, you told me this would all be working with the final of 0.27. Is that ready to come out yet?

[llunak]

I don't think so, no, because again it would need a unique identifier.

For it to work, I think the file needs to be something like:

<MissionResearch name="whatever">

<AllTheChildren/>

</MissionResearch>

In which case MODMERGEATTRIBUTE="name" MODMERGE="insert" would work. Or:

Yes. This file is used to unlock a specific research after completing GC with the given UFO and mission, right? In that case I suggest using a specific id to uniquely mark each specific item. So something like

<MissionResearch id="modname_idinmod" MODMERGEATTRIBUTE="id">

Where "id in mod" could be even plain numbering, but it'll be better to use actually something that identifies the item, so that a possible mod on top could mod it again using a well-defined id.

EDIT: Added MODMERGEATTRIBUTE to example.

Edited August 22, 2014 by llunak

[Solver]

On a related matter, Solver, you told me this would all be working with the final of 0.27. Is that ready to come out yet?

Yes. Put MODMERGE="replace" on your top level element and you can release. I played with Lore+ last night, did 3 missions and got the scouting, research and ground attack techs from them, no problem.

[skaianDestiny]

I want to bring this topic up again as I want to know if it's possible to change mission_researches so multiple mods can use it.

[llunak]

That has been already explained here. Does that not work?

[skaianDestiny]

I'll test it out.

[skaianDestiny]

I do know about the MODMERGE="replace", however I wish to retain compatibility with other mods that utilize mission_researches. Has this:

Yes. This file is used to unlock a specific research after completing GC with the given UFO and mission, right? In that case I suggest using a specific id to uniquely mark each specific item. So something like

<MissionResearch id="modname_idinmod" MODMERGEATTRIBUTE="id">

Where "id in mod" could be even plain numbering, but it'll be better to use actually something that identifies the item, so that a possible mod on top could mod it again using a well-defined id.

EDIT: Added MODMERGEATTRIBUTE to example.

Been implemented or is working right now?

[endersblade]

I do know about the MODMERGE="replace", however I wish to retain compatibility with other mods that utilize mission_researches. Has this:

Been implemented or is working right now?

Came here because of interest in FTD, the thread looked dead so I followed it here. Still looks dead. What's the status on this? Really interested in seeing a properly working version!

[llunak]

Has this:

...

Been implemented or is working right now?

Yes and yes (what's the difference between the two?), as far as I can say. Curent X:CE even has its own mission_researches.xml updated to show this in the commented out examples. Is there still something that needs to be done here?

[kabill]

Yes and yes (what's the difference between the two?), as far as I can say. Curent X:CE even has its own mission_researches.xml updated to show this in the commented out examples. Is there still something that needs to be done here?

There's currently no way of uniquely identifying entries for merging purposes, which I think was the problem. (Unless this was changed for XCE 0.31. I've not looked at that yet.)

[llunak]

I don't understand what you mean. There are no stock entries, and any newly added can have them added the way I've described. Or am I missing something?

[kabill]

I don't understand what you mean. There are no stock entries, and any newly added can have them added the way I've described. Or am I missing something?

Do you mean this description?:

So something like

<MissionResearch id="modname_idinmod" MODMERGEATTRIBUTE="id">

Where "id in mod" could be even plain numbering, but it'll be better to use actually something that identifies the item, so that a possible mod on top could mod it again using a well-defined id.

I'd read that as a suggestion rather than something that is currently possible (there is currently no ID variable defined in the file, at least not in the commented out example). But is it in fact possible simply to add in a new ID variable without it being defined in the base file?

[llunak]

Yes, I mean that description. And while it was just a suggestion, it should be a working one (it doesn't matter there's no id in your example file (presumably from older X:CE), it's just another XML attribute and it'll be used only for the purposes of the merging).

[kabill]

Fair enough. I figured that it would need adding in some way to the game to make it work. Should be fairly easy to get this mod finished off then.