Squad XML help

[Bellum 10]

I've got everything working except the logo. It's in .paa format, it's 256x256 pixels, I converted it in TexView2. It's in the same folder as the squad.xml file. Here is my squad.xml see if you can see anything wrong with it I guess.

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<!DOCTYPE squad SYSTEM "squad.dtd">

<?xml-stylesheet href="squad.xsl?" type="text/xsl"?>

<squad nick="N/A">

<name>N/A</name>

<email>N/A</email>

<web>N/A</web>

<picture>mediccross.paa</picture>

<title>TGSM Medic</title>

<member id="2377792" nick="|TG|Dr. Nner">

<name>Nero</name>

<email>v.icodin@yahoo.com</email>

<icq>N/A</icq>

<remark>"I am that I am."</remark>

</member>

</squad>

[spamurai 3]

How do you know that it's not working?

You can not see it on your vehicles?

I assume the rest of your information appears on the Player List menu when you click your name? You Tag, email ect ect?

[nobrainer 0]

Your XML seems to be correct.

If you got your squad.dtd, squad.xsl, mediccross.paa and squad.xml in the same catalog.

And you see it in a web browser when you enter the http://...

Then your XML is correct.

I also use *.paa with 256x256, but do check if it got the right size, the first one I made got 255x255 and did not work...

[Bellum 10]

I can't see the logo on vehicles or in my userlist. Yes I did re-open the file in TexView2 and check and see if it is the right size it says 256x256. As far as the other files, (not the squad.xml) I used the sample ones from the wiki.

Like I said everything else is working but the logo.

[bhaz 0]

Check ArmA2's folder in Application Data, it should have a "squad" folder containing your squad's .paa file, if it doesn't it might be having trouble finding the file. If it is there, you can try deleting it to let ArmA redownload it.

Also, I'm using a dynamic DNS address for my squad file, and I found it only works with "http://address" rather than "http://www.", something about URL wildcards on the server.

[An Fiach 10]

I can't get .paa to work for anything. Jpeg works fine. tex2view crashes any time I try to browse for my image files but I have used the photoshop plug in, still the game wont read them but I know they work as I have seen others with them.

[bhaz 0]

Try exporting as a .tga then using TexView to convert to .paa. Also, you'll need this patch for PhotoShop to export .tga files properly. If you're still having problems try using GIMP, as far as I remember it's only ~50mb and is very similar to Photoshop, plus there is a guide for it on the Biki.

Edited July 23, 2009 by bhaz

[Bellum 10]

Try exporting as a .tga then using TexView to convert to .paa. Also, you'll need this patch for PhotoShop to export .tga files properly. If you're still having problems try using GIMP, as far as I remember it's only ~50mb and is very similar to Photoshop, plus there is a guide for it on the Biki.

This is exactly what I did using GIMP then used TexView2 to convert to PAA.

I will try some of the things mentioned here and report back for more assistance or solution.

Edited July 23, 2009 by Bellum
left some stuff out

[bhaz 0]

In ArmA1 i had a problem where my firewall wouldn't let ArmA download anyone's .paa files, including my own. Found this out when my mate says "look at this guy's squad logo", then I realised I couldn't see anyone's. Might wanna jump in a public server and see if anyone can see yours (and vice versa).

Also, you could try out someone elses working files just to rule out a simple typo or corrupt file.

[Bellum 10]

Tried using mediccross.jpg 256x256 pixels changed file in directory changed squad.xml to point to it and still no luck getting it to display on the userlist or the vehicles. I have to be doing something wrong.

I can see others but not mine. I will try someone else's from the App Data folder. I can see them there.

---------- Post added at 03:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:26 AM ----------

Ok just tried using someone elses working one from the App Data folder that I have seen in game before personally. "logo.paa" Uploaded it, changed the squad.xml to point to it and still not working.

[bhaz 0]

"logo.paa" Uploaded it, changed the squad.xml to point to it and still not working.

Guess that rules out the image.

Here's my squad.xml, copied and pasted directly from notepad.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE squad SYSTEM "squad.dtd">
<?xml-stylesheet href="squad.xsl?" type="text/xsl"?>

<squad nick="Sgt">
 <name>Sergeant</name>
 <email>n/a</email>
 <web></web>
 <picture>logo.paa</picture>
 <title></title>
 <member id="idhere" nick="Bhaz">
   <name>namehere</name>
   <email>emailhere@gmail.com</email>
   <icq>n/a</icq>
   <remark>n/a</remark>
 </member>
</squad>

I didn't delete web and title, they were already blank.

If i had to throw a guess out there, I'd be thinking either the odd character "/" in your squad nick, or the title, which is meant to show as text under the image.

[Bellum 10]

Guess that rules out the image.

Here's my squad.xml, copied and pasted directly from notepad.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE squad SYSTEM "squad.dtd">
<?xml-stylesheet href="squad.xsl?" type="text/xsl"?>

<squad nick="Sgt">
 <name>Sergeant</name>
 <email>n/a</email>
 <web></web>
 <picture>logo.paa</picture>
 <title></title>
 <member id="idhere" nick="Bhaz">
   <name>namehere</name>
   <email>emailhere@gmail.com</email>
   <icq>n/a</icq>
   <remark>n/a</remark>
 </member>
</squad>

I didn't delete web and title, they were already blank.

If i had to throw a guess out there, I'd be thinking either the odd character "/" in your squad nick, or the title, which is meant to show as text under the image.

Thanks I will try it when I get home in a couple hours and let you know if it works. If so we may have found an answer for everyone with this issue.

[nobrainer 0]

Can you open it and see it with http://yourdomain/squad.xml in a web browser?

[Bellum 10]

Can you open it and see it with http://yourdomain/squad.xml in a web browser?

Yeah I can see everything but I can't see the logo.

[_pi_ 10]

I did have that same issue, well at last instead of my logo I did see a black sqare, so closing completely arma2 and starting it again worked.

[Bellum 10]

Copied directly from my squad.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE squad SYSTEM "squad.dtd">
<?xml-stylesheet href="squad.xsl?" type="text/xsl"?>
<squad nick="">	
<name></name>	
<email></email>	
<web></web>	
<picture>logo.paa</picture>	
<title></title>	
<member id="idhere" nick="|TG|Dr. Nner">		
	<name>Nero</name>		
	<email>something@yahoo.com</email>		
	<icq></icq>		
	<remark>"I am that I am."</remark>	
</member>
</squad>

http://inb4404.com/public_html/squad/squad.xml

---------- Post added at 08:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:30 AM ----------

Okay, I tried everything and even taking most stuff out and the logo still doesn't work.

Edited July 23, 2009 by Bellum

[bhaz 0]

I opened up the logo.paa file from that URL, 86kb, yet TexView shows the image as empty? Better yet, GIMP is picking it up as a .tga file, but won't let me open it.

I'll PM you the link to a .paa file (tested and confirmed working).

Also, delete your squad's folder from the Application Data folder, as ArmA will (might?) jump on that before looking for a new one, assuming the folder's there for a reason.

Vista:
C:\Users\~~~\AppData\Local\ArmA 2\squads\
XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\~~~\Application Data\ArmA 2\squads\

Edited July 23, 2009 by bhaz

[ShadowY 0]

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<!DOCTYPE squad SYSTEM "squad.dtd">

<?xml-stylesheet href="squad.xsl?" type="text/xsl"?>

<squad nick="TG">

<name>TG</name>

<email></email>

<web></web>

<picture>logo.paa</picture>

<title>Dr. Nner</title>

<member id="idhere" nick="|TG|Dr. Nner">

<name>Nero</name>

<email>something@yahoo.com</email>

<icq></icq>

<remark>"I am that I am."</remark>

</member>

</squad>

Did some small changes.

All you have to do is check your Ingame NAME and ID#, the Adress fully typed or pasted there...so go to your EDIT PLAYER DIALOG ingame.

Otherwise there is a problem with the logo.paa so place a BMP/PNG inhere and I change it for you to TGA and convert it to PAA or PAC when you use a alpha channel.

Maybe get rid of that space between Dr. Nner...dunno if XML likes that or that the ingame player dialog has no space

---------- Post added at 16:43 ---------- Previous post was at 16:37 ----------

slow me...thnx Bhaz :bounce3:

I don`t have ArmA II ...still do it the old fashion way as you can tell :D

[An Fiach 10]

Try exporting as a .tga then using TexView to convert to .paa. Also, you'll need this patch for PhotoShop to export .tga files properly. If you're still having problems try using GIMP, as far as I remember it's only ~50mb and is very similar to Photoshop, plus there is a guide for it on the Biki.

I have both. Texview might give me a working file if it didn't crash everytime I try to browse to get the tga file

[Bellum 10]

I tried using your .paa file and it did not work.

[An Fiach 10]

I think I am gonna give it up for now, not worth my wasted time.

[lt_darkman 0]

In the end I had to manually save the logo in the C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Local\ArmA 2\squads\YOURSQUAD folder and tick the Read-only box to get the logo to work.

I guess it's another bug :j:

P

[bhaz 0]

I tried using your .paa file and it did not work.

In the end I had to manually save the logo

I had exactly the same problem about a year ago, thing is I tried a ton of things at the same time so I'm not sure what fixed it. Your logo (TGMedicSM.paa) is definately uploaded correctly. I'll mess around with mine when I get the time, see if I can screw it up.

[An Fiach 10]

In the end I had to manually save the logo in the C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Local\ArmA 2\squads\YOURSQUAD folder and tick the Read-only box to get the logo to work.

I guess it's another bug :j:

P

I did this, and I also marked it read only before uploading it and it worked, thanks for posting that.

[Bellum 10]

Hey everyone just wanted to let you know I got it working by custom creating the folder and manually putting the logo in the sub-squad folder in AppData/Arma2/squads and marking it read only. Everyone else can see it too. For some reason it wasn't downloading when I connected to the server.

Thanks Darkman and everyone else for trying to help. This is why I like the BIS community.