Heelp!

How do I overwrite the old map, when making a plugin. Every time I try to do that, In the game there are some missions like "Ferry passengers to Telnan" and I haven't got any Telnan. Or do I have to overwrite the old systems into the new ones? Help!

In the Nova Data file is where the original systems are kept. Nova loads the systems in the Data folder first, then the plug in folder meaning that anything in the Data folder that clashes with the plug in folder is over written, i.e. If system id 128 is in both a data file and a plug in file the one in the plug in file is the one that will show up.

So to clear the map, you should move the data file with all the systems in out of the data folder, then add a plug in with all the systems you need.

no_use_for_a_name, on Jan 3 2005, 11:55 AM, said:

In the Nova Data file is where the original systems are kept. Nova loads the systems in the Data folder first, then the plug in folder meaning that anything in the Data folder that clashes with the plug in folder is over written, i.e. If system id 128 is in both a data file and a plug in file the one in the plug in file is the one that will show up.

So to clear the map, you should move the data file with all the systems in out of the data folder, then add a plug in with all the systems you need.
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Be careful with that. There are other things in that data file besides just the systems (can't remember exactly what, though). What you should probably do is make a backup copy. Remove the syst and spob resources from the copy and replace them with your stuff. Always leave a copy of the Nova data files in the original form.

- PBoat

Erm, no. No no no no no.

Sorry if I'm being rude, but this is NOT the way to go about doing things, at least in this case.

The proper way to overwrite old systems is to, quite simply, "overwrite" them. The way plug-ins work is, as no_use_for_a_name said, the original data files (in your case probably Override Data 1, Override Data 2, Override Graphics, Override Sounds, etc.) are loaded first, then the plug-ins are loaded. What happens is any resources in your plug-in that have the same ID number as a resource in one of the data files becomes the resource that is used. So say you have the following syst resources

Original Data File:
128 Sol
129 Centuari
130 Liat

Your Data File:
128 Bob
130 Meh
131 Blargh
132 Whee

Then what'll get loaded when you start EVO is the systems Bob, Centauri, Meh, Blargh, and Whee.

Now, if you want your plug-in to have fewer systems than the original, just replace the other systems with empty systems that don't connect to any of yours. If you make it so that they need a VisBit to be set for them to be visible, that should probably ensure you don't have them showing up in missions.

The method the other people suggested can be useful if you know what you're doing, and if you're working with Nova (only because Nova has so many resources). But in your case, if you're just starting out, and if you're writing your plug-in for EVO, then you should probably use the method I just described. That really is the way plug-ins were meant to be written.

I hope that's understandable. Please let us know if you're still confused.

At least try to keep an open mind, Firebird. Yes, that is the way it was meant to be done, but our solution has just as much merit, especially for a TC (which I assumed he was doing. I reserve the right to be wrong.). In such a case, replacing every single system in a plugin takes up a lot of memory and can crash Nova (on slower machines, it might do the same to Override). The way around that is to edit copies of the data files. Or, if you feel a need to do it the "proper way," you can use Artanis's Absolute Minimum and load everything off of plugins.

PBoat101, on Jan 5 2005, 01:48 AM, said:

At least try to keep an open mind, Firebird. Yes, that is the way it was meant to be done, but our solution has just as much merit, especially for a TC (which I assumed he was doing. I reserve the right to be wrong.). In such a case, replacing every single system in a plugin takes up a lot of memory and can crash Nova (on slower machines, it might do the same to Override). The way around that is to edit copies of the data files. Or, if you feel a need to do it the "proper way," you can use Artanis's Absolute Minimum and load everything off of plugins.
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Sorry if I was (more than) a little brash. I did note, though, that if you're doing this in Nova (and you're right, particularly for a TC), this may be the thing to do.

Of course, Captain Sector appears to be writing for Override...(sorry, just had to point that out)

Thanks everybody! Now I think what I should do.