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| If TDM does not work properly for you, the best thing to do would be to report the problem.
| | == Introduction == |
| | Doesnt run TDM on your system, when your start TDM and get errors. |
| | There are several ways to analyse these problems. |
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| You are welcome to post in Tech Support section of the [[The_Dark_Mod#Dark_Mod_Forums|forums]], even if you suspect the problem is with your machine or you want to get some help/clarifications.
| | == Creating Logs == |
| When there is clearly a problem with TDM itself, an issue is usually created in the [[The_Dark_Mod#Bugtracker|bugtracker]].
| | one of the ways are creating Logs. |
| But since the bugtracker is a rather technical place, it is more advised to report problems in the forum.
| | TDM places a logfile in his application folder, named darkmod.log. |
| Sooner or later someone will create the issue anyway if it is really needed.
| | This plaintext textfile can be opened with your favorite texteditor. |
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| This article describes some general information typically requested from everyone who reports a problem.
| | To create a log, open your command prompt (terminal, etc) and navigate to your darkmod folder. |
| | From there, call your call tdm executable with several arguments. |
| | tdmexecutable +<argument> |
| | (for the following examples, we use the tdm-executable for windows) |
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| == Baseline ==
| | To start tdm, create a log named, mylog.txt, and quit tdm. |
| | thedarkmod.exe +condump mylog.txt +quit |
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| This pieces of information are almost mandatory:
| | For videoproblems: start tdm, ask for grapicsinfo, save to log and quit |
| | thedarkmod.exe +gfxinfo +condump mylog.txt +quit |
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| # Contents of <tt>darkmod.cfg</tt>.
| | For starting a mission: |
| # Contents of game console at some moment (known as "condump").
| | start tdm, install a mission (for example trainingsmission and quit. |
| # In case of graphical issue, a screenshot showing the problem is often needed.
| | thedarkmod.exe +map training_mission +condump mylog2.txt +quit |
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| Don't worry if you forget to provide any of these bits on the forums: you will soon be asked for them anyway =)
| | To create a log with some arguments and loading a mission |
| | thedarkmod.exe +developer 1 +set logfile 2 +map training_mission |
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| However, when creating an issue on the bugtracker, it is highly desirable to include all of these things, as well as the repro steps.
| | == Log Examples == |
| | | A normal log. |
| === darkmod.cfg ===
| | (going to add a log) |
| | |
| The file named <tt>darkmod.cfg</tt> should be located in the root directory of TDM installation.
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| If in doubt, you can locate this directory by checking what executable is run when you start the game: it is in the same directory.
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| Let's assume for the rest of the article that root directory is <tt>C:\games\thedarkmod</tt>
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| This file stores the values of all switches and tweaks that player can change.
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| The game may work in completely different ways depending on these values, thus they are very important for reproducing the problem.
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| When reporting the problem on forums, you can do one of:
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| * Attach it to a forum post. In this case rename it to something like <tt>darkmod_cfg.txt</tt>, the forum forbids anything except txt files.
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| * Copy/paste the full contents of the file into the post. In this case, please wrap it into "spoiler" tag, so that readers don't have to always scroll across the 5 pages of it.
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| When reporting on bugtracker, just attach the <tt>darkmod.cfg</tt> file to the issue.
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| === condump ===
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| The term "condump" means all the text written to the game console.
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| You can usually open game console by pressing either Tilde(~) key or Ctrl+Alt+Tilde combo.
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| There are two ways to save the contents of game console into a file:
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| :'''1) condump.''' Open game console, type the following and hit Enter: <tt>condump unwrap my_nasty_issue</tt>
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| :Then find file named <tt>my_nasty_issue.txt</tt> in <tt>C:\games\thedarkmod</tt> (root TDM directory).
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| :Note: execute the command soon after the issue manifests itself.
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| | |
| :'''2) logfile.''' Open file <tt>darkmod.cfg</tt> in text editor.
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| :Find or create new line containing: <tt>seta logFile "?"</tt>
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| :Instead of the question mark, set digit 2 if you experience a crash. Otherwise digit 1 is also OK.
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| :Save the file, start TDM and reproduce the issue.
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| :Now find the file named <tt>qconsole.log</tt> in the directory of the currently installed FM, for instance in <tt>C:\games\thedarkmod\fms\newjob</tt>.
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| The first approach is better, but it is useless if TDM crashes or you cannot even get into game console.
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| In any of these cases, use the second approach.
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| When you have got the file, add it to your report just as you did with <tt>darkmod.cfg</tt>.
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| === Screenshot ===
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| If something looks wrong for you, posting screenshot is a good thing to do.
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| Otherwise, the guy who tries to reproduce your issue and fails will have hard time guessing if he sees the same picture as you.
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| You can of course try to explain what you see with words, but it is vague and subjective.
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| There are two ways to get a screenshot:
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| # Press a key in-game (F12 by default). Then find the screenshot in <tt>C:\games\thedarkmod\screenshots</tt>
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| # Ensure that you run game in Windowed mode. Press Print-Screen key to copy screen to clipboard. Start Paint and paste (Ctrl+V) it there. Trim the TDM window in it and save.
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| The first approach is preferred, but sometimes it fails to capture the glitch.
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| When you want to share a picture on the forums, you can do one of:
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| * Add it as attachment to your forum post.
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| * Upload it to some free image hosting, and insert a link to it (click on Image icon) into the post. Surround the link/picture in spoiler tag (unless it is low-resolution) !
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| When reporting on bugtracker, simply attach the file to the issue and mention it somewhere in the text.
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| == Advanced ==
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| Here a few more advanced tricks which may help debugging issues.
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| === Crashdump ===
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| When TDM crashes, you can record a "memory dump" or "crash dump" of it.
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| It often contains information invaluable for coders, but it is only useful for debugging crashes.
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| The article [[Save a Memory Dump for debugging Crashes]] explains in detail how to record it.
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| === Video ===
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| Some graphical issues are very obvious in dynamics, but when you take a still screenshot, it does not capture the tragedy well enough.
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| In such case you can record a video of the problem.
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| [https://obsproject.com/ Open Broadcast Software] is a free program which can easily record a high-quality and high-FPS game footage.
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| The program is quite complicated, but the main thing you need is to add a "source": either "Game Capture", or "Window Capture", or "Screen Capture".
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| When you have a video, you can either upload it to video hosting (like YouTube) and post a link, or upload it to cloud storage (like google Drive) and post a shared link.
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| If you copy/paste a link to YouTube video into a forum post, the forum will show embedded player automatically.
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| === Installation state ===
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| Sometimes there is a chance that your TDM installation is corrupt.
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| In such case it is great to give people a brief overview of it.
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| '''TODO''': write some simple way to get good textual representation of TDM installation directory.
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