Merged.pbo

=Matt= · July 3, 2003

yes, i u can create a folder like this:

X:\Programz\OperationFlashpoint\MODS\Addons

(call it mods or what u want, i got one for inv44, and other with all the rest (<-not a good idea, coz some thingz make conflicts... but, it's ok...))

and in the Addons folder u put all the addons...

now, to lauch of with those addons u gotta modify the shortcut with:

C:\Programmi\OperationFlashpoint\FlashpointResistance.exe -nosplash -mod=MODS

so u can have your ofp pure, and many addons without mixing them

=Matt= · July 3, 2003

the shortcut will only use the mod folder for addons?

yeah, it will use the addons in your addons folders and those in the MODS/Addons.

so basically u can keep ofp addons folder pure, with only original stuff, and maybe editorupdate, and put all the rest in those folders, or just put the addons that make modified msg...

zinco · May 20, 2002

ahhhh ic so have two shortcuts. one pure addon shortcut and one pure addon + plus every addon known to man shortcut.

berghoff · February 10, 2003

@ July 13 2003,23:31)]English (USA) 1.91
Res merged: 0x042c93ca

Reg merged: 0xb22dc0a6

you are a US dude !

zinco · May 20, 2002

thanks matt works like a champ.

zinco · May 20, 2002

here is me connecting with my mod (every addon known to man) shortcur and then connecting with my clean addon short cut.

13:38:53 Server identity created

14:45:19 Player Capt. Zinco connecting

14:45:19 Mission DECISIVE V4 (2-40).CAIN read from bank

14:45:24 Player Capt. Zinco connected (id=715662)

14:45:29 Capt. Zinco uses modified data file - res\dta\data.pbo

14:45:29 Capt. Zinco uses modified data file - res\dta\data3d.pbo

14:45:33 Capt. Zinco uses modified data file - res\dta\hwtl\data.pbo

14:45:34 Capt. Zinco uses modified data file - res\dta\hwtl\data3d.pbo

14:45:43 Player Capt. Zinco disconnected

14:45:43 All users disconnected, waiting for users

14:45:49 Player stefan connecting

14:45:49 Mission DECISIVE V4 (2-40).CAIN read from bank

14:45:53 Player stefan connected (id=1327389)

14:45:53 stefan uses modified config file - 1.85

14:46:18 Player stefan disconnected

14:46:18 All users disconnected, waiting for users

14:46:23 Player Capt. Zinco connecting

14:46:23 Mission DECISIVE V4 (2-40).CAIN read from bank

14:46:27 Player Capt. Zinco connected (id=715662)

14:47:56 Player Capt. Zinco disconnected

14:47:56 All users disconnected, waiting for users

zinco · May 20, 2002

is there someone more skilled than i that could write a script that would use md5 to have the server check the files rather than crc to see if it would work better with addons.

sergeant rock · November 6, 2001

Zinco, I've found that the Data.pbo file on our server ends up being the one getting modified...not the one on my local install. Â Very strange...at certain points it will become spontaneously altered resulting in a bogus checksum. Â I've made backups of all the CRC verified pbo's, and have resorted to checking the Data.pbo on the server at a regular basis and copying a "good" version in when I find it modified. Â I've never experienced this with any other pbo.

Contrary to your findings, I can connect with all my addons (BAS, MTCO, Etc) and not recieve any modified file messages. Â I'm not disputing your excellent research, but there is still some factor eluding us that is causing these messages.

I'll continue to test and post finding here.

zinco · May 20, 2002

Yes there are some people who can connect with all addons known to man and not recieve messages. Russin, Zap, and others i know. I have to agree that the data.pbo and data3d.pbo results still seem to be not reliable. I get a data message everytime i connect to citadel with my clean addon folder. twice i have gotten it on hotel. i have not checked the server data.pbo lately but in the past whenever i got the message and checked it the server file matched using crc. have u been using crc to check the server file? i am thinking that the method that crc uses is just not reliable for these big files. try it with winmd5 as people have suggested. if the server file is actually getting modified somehow that would answer alot of questions but i do not think that it is.

We need to come up with a way for the server to use md5 to check the files. anyone?

what language is ofp written in?

sergeant rock · November 6, 2001

I don't know if what you're asking for would be possible. BIS never released the source code, and what you're asking for here would be a source code modification. There may be a way in Linux (and maybe even Win2k) to write a shell script to MD5 the files on the server but never interactively with the connecting clients.

From some research that I did, CRC should be more than adequate to detect changes in the binary data of the pbo files. CRC does not become more or less relaible based on the size of the file. CRC, in my opinion was chosen over MD5 because of the differences in computational time. As you know, with checkfiles running, attaching to a server takes an extended period of time as the CRC code checks the files on your PC and compares them against those CRC values from the server's pbo's. Being that MD5 does a more stringent and accurate test, these computational times are significantly increased. This also momentarily increases load on the CPU...not something you want to happen in the middle of an intense firefight.

MD5 is primarily used in cryptography and computer forensics when researchers want to ensure that the data was not modified and "tweaked" so the CRC check is still valid (or when you are just really anal about being absolutely positive that code hasn't been corrupted during download or burn to a CD). Because the CRC check is mathematically much simpler than MD5 it is possible to modify data, and then find a way to make it equal the CRC checksum by entering bogus nonsense data. I could explain how that's done, but you would probably be asleep by the time its finished.

I'll research more on the server modifying its own Data.pbo file. I've seen it first hand, so I am confident it is indeed happening...just don't understand why....

Charlie-SWAF- · January 23, 2003

Ive found next:

I had a version of BAS Little Birds addons that contains a file bas_soar.pbo with size of 1307kb and he was giving me errors. Actually Ive changed for an older version of BAS Littlebirds with same file with 1303kb, but without errors connecting.

Actually Im connecting with 79 pbo files without errors, when the original folder has 26 files.

Here is the list:

21vbGlider.pbo 198kb

A10realistic.pbo 3kb

AK101.pbo 230kb

apcrups.pbo 13470kb

apcupd.pbo 4415kb

BAS_Cargo.pbo 1989kb

BAS_derad.pbo 4472 kb

BAS_deraw.pbo 4504 kb

BAS_kawa.pbo 1428 kb

bas_lbs.pbo 4793kb

bas_lbs185.pbo 6kb

BAS_MH47E.pbo 2722kb

BAS_MH47E_185.pbo 4005kb

bas_soar.pbo 1303kb

bas_soar185.pbo 4kb

BAS_weap.pbo 20606kb

BISCAMEL.pbo 6442kb

coloredlights.pbo 6kb

DKMM_M46.pbo 1577kb

editorupdate102 219kb

glasses.pbo 769kb

ITA_P_GER.pbo 653kb

ITA_TRD_MFG.pbo 8257 kb

javelin.pbo 162 kb

kegak103 978kb

kegak107 928kb

KEGepack_snow 3 kb

KEGmakarov 753 kb

KEGnoecain_snow 57983 kb

KEGrpg7 2793 kb

kegrpk47 678 kb

kegrpk74 452 kb

KEGSvehicles1.pbo 10110 kb

kkb_gate.pbo 70kb

lsd.pbo 15286kb

lsd_static.pbo 1 kb

M14.pbo 47 kb

m16203.pbo 166 kb

m16shotgun.pbo 206 kb

M60real.pbo 68 kb

mandeville.pbo 284 kb

misc1.pbo 2037 kb

misc2.pbo 3484 kb

rpg 29 75 kb

rsg 443 kb

SNYSptPack.pbo 148 kb

Streetlamp 3 kb

su25realistic 730 kb

supply UAZ 463 kb

suppyUAZG 377 kb

t90 822 kb

TheHKpack.pbo 30376 kb

Trabcab 1076 kb

up_mortar.pbo 736 kb

Vulcanrealistic 5 kb

ZSUrealistic 4 kb

This is the list of mandatories addons we are using in SWAF, we are trying send our members via air mail a CD Burned with these files that are no getting error messages to test in more PCs.

I will keep you update

zinco · May 20, 2002

Well today rock i connected to hotel and got data errors with clean addons. i rebooted my machine, not the servers, and connected again and got no errors. that same thing has been true for me 3 times now. i am going to start doing crc checks on the server file. I am still not convinced it is being modified. I have done crc checks on the server and local file right after recieving a message and they matched.

And why would charlie connect and get no error and the next guy connect and get one?

zinco · May 20, 2002

Rock i do see your point about the time it would take for md5 even if we could do it without changing the source code. I am looking at this more for matches though so connections during game would not be an issue.

zinco · May 20, 2002

Win Md5 check

7-18-2003

28d96646e2f61ee3333e291f87afa121 Data.pbo= hotel server res/dta/hwtl/data.pbo

28d96646e2f61ee3333e291f87afa121 Data.pbo= zinco local res/dta/hwtl/data.pbo

a4495437b60de2e7e85e006533e2f94c Data3D.pbo= hotel server res/dta/hwtl/data3d.pbo

a4495437b60de2e7e85e006533e2f94c Data3D.pbo= zinco local res/dta/hwtl/data3d.pbo

a14d9e9343f1578c435dc3abef73ce51 Merged.pbo= hotel server res/dta/hwtl/merged.pbo

a14d9e9343f1578c435dc3abef73ce51 Merged.pbo= zinco local res/dta/hwtl/merged.pbo

4083d0605eaf3929e8e79ae792506935 Data.pbo= hotel server res/dta/data.pbo

4083d0605eaf3929e8e79ae792506935 Data.pbo= zinco local res/dta/data.pbo

b3ba701b7d118bd110dc7e2bbaa29569 Data3D.pbo= hotel server res/dta/data3d.pbo

b3ba701b7d118bd110dc7e2bbaa29569 Data3D.pbo= zinco local res/dta/data3d.pbo

zinco · May 20, 2002

actually winmd5 checked them faster than the crc check i was using.

zinco · May 20, 2002

Ok boys and girls in the next example we will attempt to see if the res/dta/data.pbo file on the server is being modified in any way an thus generating messages.

Here is Charlie connecting:

18:34:49 Dedicated server created

18:34:52 Server identity created

****clean addons****

21:50:49 Player Charlie connecting

21:50:49 Mission DECISIVE V4 (2-40).CAIN read from bank

21:50:57 Player Charlie connected (id=468612) **checked prior to connect 4083d0605eaf3929e8e79ae792506935 Data.pbo= hotel server res/dta/data.pbo**

21:56:09 Player Charlie disconnected

21:56:09 All users disconnected, waiting for users

***all addons***

22:05:22 Player Charlie connecting

22:05:22 Mission DECISIVE V4 (2-40).CAIN read from bank

22:05:29 Player Charlie connected (id=468612)

22:05:34 Charlie uses modified data file - res\dta\data.pbo

22:05:40 Charlie uses modified data file - res\dta\hwtl\data.pbo

22:08:45 Player Charlie disconnected ** downloaded and checked right after - 4083d0605eaf3929e8e79ae792506935 Data.pbo= hotel server res/dta/data.pbo**

22:08:45 All users disconnected, waiting for users

***clean addons****

22:53:45 Player Charlie connecting

22:53:45 Mission DECISIVE V4 (2-40).CAIN read from bank

22:53:52 Player Charlie connected (id=468612)

23:01:59 Player Charlie disconnected

23:01:59 All users disconnected, waiting for users

***all addons***

23:02:23 Player Charlie connecting

23:02:23 Mission DECISIVE V4 (2-40).CAIN read from bank

23:02:30 Player Charlie connected (id=468612)

23:02:35 Charlie uses modified data file - res\dta\data.pbo

23:02:41 Charlie uses modified data file - res\dta\hwtl\data.pbo

23:03:24 Player Charlie disconnected

23:03:24 All users disconnected, waiting for users

***clean addons

23:05:12 Player Charlie connecting

23:05:12 Mission DECISIVE V4 (2-40).CAIN read from bank

23:05:19 Player Charlie connected (id=468612)

russin · October 21, 2001

Zinco, I've found that the Data.pbo file on our server ends up being the one getting modified...not the one on my local install. Â Very strange...at certain points it will become spontaneously altered resulting in a bogus checksum. Â I've made backups of all the CRC verified pbo's, and have resorted to checking the Data.pbo on the server at a regular basis and copying a "good" version in when I find it modified. Â I've never experienced this with any other pbo.
Contrary to your findings, I can connect with all my addons (BAS, MTCO, Etc) and not recieve any modified file messages. Â I'm not disputing your excellent research, but there is still some factor eluding us that is causing these messages.

I'll continue to test and post finding here.

i too have every addon in my folder with 0 errors blows the addon theroy to shame cause i have islands bas addon pack 1 editorupgrade102 and EDITORUPGRADE1 and about 230 more and counting with no errors at all im on 1.91 BTW as well all my addons are regular addon folder only ones that where installed to res addons are in the res addons there is no reason why a addon should cause a error as far as i can see.....

zinco · May 20, 2002

russin u have to look at all the evidence and not assume that because it does not cause a problem for u that it should not cause a problem for others.

i can guarantee u 100% that the addons some how cause messages for me. i can't say why that is and i can't say why it doesn't for u. i can only say that it does for some and does not for others. and that for those that it does there is a solution......if you don't drink you can't get drunk, there is a program of recovery....oh wait that is something else.

russin · October 21, 2001

russin u have to look at all the evidence and not assume that because it does not cause a problem for u that it should not cause a problem for others.
i can guarantee u 100% that the addons some how cause messages for me. Â i can't say why that is and i can't say why it doesn't for u. Â i can only say that it does for some and does not for others. Â and that for those that it does there is a solution......if you don't drink you can't get drunk, there is a program of recovery....oh wait that is something else.

lol zinco you got me wrong i meant to agree with rock cause we both have the same OFP english ver yet to different results and BTW i don't drink just smoky

i no what ya mean that addon somehow does cause this but why i ask some it does and some it don't? can you answer that i don't think so thats the point i meant to make

zinco · May 20, 2002

I can not answer that i wish someone could.(addons)

If it was a fake rock with a euro version than that would make sense. i do not know what version suchey is running but i would imagine USA.

zinco · May 20, 2002

I am going to stop checking the res/addons too for now. i am thinking the euro versions are different for those to.

sergeant rock · November 6, 2001

It happened again on the CITADEL on 7/22. Both Data.pbo and Data3D.pbo checksums changed. I say again, this actually changed on the SERVER side. I will post screenies of the CRC32 results when I get home from work. This is 4 times now that I'm aware of.

Curious as to what could be causing it. I doubt an addon could permanently alter them. They are set to READ-ONLY. Perhaps defragmentation of the drive on the NTFS file system can affect the crc value? Perhaps the drive controller is failing and somehow alters the file? This is bizarre.

I check once a day now for change, and copy in a good PBO from my backup if I notice a CRC difference. Shouldn't have to do that....

zinco · May 20, 2002

Very strange. we are on the trail though. what is happening to u is probably happening to all of us. athough it must only change temorarily. is that possible? whenever i check our server it is the same.

zinco · May 20, 2002

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