Hi, I am here to say something about a new policy or at the very least a general rule that people should abide by.

If you are going to post a technical problem or errors, BEFORE posting it, check your debug.txt (C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo Custom Edition).

Then, READ your debug.txt. Just about 80% of the errors I get can be easily fixed by looking at the debug.txt. If I can't fix it, it will atleast tell me what is wrong, and I can talk to someone who DOES know how to fix it. Don't just see the errors and post on Halomaps "OMG TEH ERROS!" Actually take the time to read it and try to figure out what is wrong. By doing this it eliminates at least 60% of the useless topics here on Halomaps.

Here is a sample debug.txt:

01.08.09 17:42:43 a hobo pc 01.01.00.0609 ----------------------------------------------
01.08.09 17:42:43 reference function: _write_to_error_file
01.08.09 17:42:43 reference address: 401b13
01.08.09 17:42:43 Couldn't read map file './a_hobobeta.map'
01.08.09 17:42:44 CreateDevice succeeded with refresh rate = 0
01.08.09 17:42:44 Increasing sound decompression buffer size to 1048576 bytes
01.08.09 17:42:49 file_read('tags\levels\c10\bitmaps\c10_inv.bitmap') error 0x00000026 'Reached the end of the file. '
01.08.09 17:42:49 couldn't read #108 bytes from offset #64 in local tag 'tags\levels\c10\bitmaps\c10_inv.bitmap'
01.08.09 17:42:49 couldn't read elements for bitmap block
01.08.09 17:42:49 failed to load bitmap tag 'levels\c10\bitmaps\c10_inv'
01.08.09 17:42:49 failed to load shader_transparent_chicago tag 'scenery\emitters\single_marker_up\shaders\marker'


*deleted by admin for brevity

01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\devices\interior tech objects\holo control\holo control.device_control
01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\devices\light fixtures\light fixture wall3\light fixture wall3.device_light_fixture
01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\decals-environment\decal fore symb cyan b.decal
01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\decals-environment\decal fore symb cyan.decal
01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\decals-environment\decal fore symb green b.decal
01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\decals-environment\decal fore symb green.decal
01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\decals-environment\decal fore symb orange b.decal
01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\decals-environment\decal fore symb orange.decal
01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\decals-environment\decal fore symb purple b.decal
01.08.09 17:44:35 levels\b30\decals-environment\decal fore symb purple.decal
01.08.09 17:44:35 sound\sfx\vehicles\monitor_amb.sound_looping
01.08.09 17:44:35 sound\sfx\vehicles\monitor_move.sound_looping
01.08.09 17:44:35 sound\dialog\c1 soun sound\dialog\x50\bis02.sound
01.08.09 17:44:35
01.08.09 17:44:35 game_load() failed.

I know It's ridicuously long, but read it. By reading it you should be able to determine what's wrong. For instance, just by glancing at the first few lines, you can easily tell that some tags are missing and one named c10_inv.bitmap is corrupted. Now all you need to do is extract them with the HEK+

Well, anyways, congratulations, you made it to the end of my post. Thanks for reading, and give me your feedback. :)

Edited by UnevenElefant5 on Jan 26, 2009 at 12:13 AM
Edited by Dennis on Jan 26, 2009 at 02:53 PM

Good topic. Hopefully it will be stickeyd.

Just to contribute to this topic...
There will also be error's like this for example, when comiling a map or running it threw tool to make the basic BSP.

06.15.08 21:21:42 tool pc 01.00.00.0609 ----------------------------------------------
06.15.08 21:21:42 reference function: _write_to_error_file
06.15.08 21:21:42 reference address: 42ca20
06.15.08 21:21:42 Couldn't read map file './toolbeta.map'
06.16.08 03:00:15 EAX: 0x20A09722
06.16.08 03:00:15 EBX: 0x00024701
06.16.08 03:00:15 ECX: 0xFFFF52E2
06.16.08 03:00:15 EDX: 0x0000B304
06.16.08 03:00:15 EDI: 0x0012F2E0
06.16.08 03:00:15 ESI: 0x00000000
06.16.08 03:00:15 EBP: 0x0012F1B8
06.16.08 03:00:15 ESP: 0x0012F1A8
06.16.08 03:00:15 EIP: 0x77870F34, C3 8D A4 24 ?????
06.16.08 03:00:15 EXCEPTION halt in \halopc\haloce\source\cseries\profile.c,#442: parent_timesection->self_msec >= child_timesection->elapsed_msec

They are actully exceptions, like you could get on any custom halomap. Normally they will say some things like Vertex, face, or sound. That one I actully have no clue whats wrong with it... Just giving an example. Alot of the people here can help, and will take there time to help you as long you can respect them and not be totally iqnorant.
Edited by Higuy on Jan 26, 2009 at 12:12 AM

Yes, these kind of errors are usually impossible for me to fix, but still by reading them, sometimes you can still tell what is wrong. If, after reading it, and not finding the answer, then it would be acceptable to post the exception on Halomaps.

All I am asking of the people is to just look at the debug.txt before you post a thread about missing 1 file which you placed in the wrong directory -_-
Edited by UnevenElefant5 on Jan 26, 2009 at 12:17 AM

EDIT:



This was in the technical design forum. Read it. Then if you can't find the problem, you either can't read or are just plain retarded.
Edited by UnevenElefant5 on Jan 26, 2009 at 12:21 AM

I posted that becuase I wanted to let people know that its not always going to tell your missing something.

When I get an exception, I backtrack and use common sense.
If I can't figure it out, then I start replacing parts with freshly made ones, and see if it works.
If that doesn't work then... I start over.

Ah ok


^^
I do the same thing.
Usually I get an exception when I try something new in one of my maps (adding a sphere or something) and then i get an exception. The first thing I take out of my map is the new part of it. That usually works.

If the exception says something like "material" you can safely assume your problem is your textures, and from there you can redo your textures.

Like Higuy said, sometimes you get wierd errors. If you can't figure out what's wrong, then post it on Halomaps.