my MT will not recognize certain images [resolved]

[Glitch(TMG)]

As far as I can tell, there's some new bug report policy that says I need to start with 'discussing' my bug here instead of the actual bug report subforum? Hope I got that right, please forgive me if I haven't.

So, I've got a bizarre and irritating bug. I'm working with someone else on trying to put together a particular preconstructed campaign in MapTool. This campaign has several pre-done images for maps. We would have liked to actually use these images directly by selecting them with the "Map" button from the "Create New Map" window, but there's a problem.

The images don't show up for me. All I see is a single red X on the map.

My friend was the one who was initially creating the maps, so we figured, hey, the filesizes of these images must be too large to transfer properly over MapTool. So, friend sent me the images directly.

No such luck. Even on my own computer, without doing things over a server, MapTool will not recognize the images and use them. Here is how they look in my file directory:



Note that both of the marked images aren't even the largest ones in terms of filesize that I have. In MapTool's library directory, they look like this:



Also note that the larger-filesized images are showing up in thumbnails fine, as I have actually successfully used them before as background maps. And, when I actually select one of those two files and try to make a map of it, this is what I see:



Which is the exact same thing I saw when my friend originally tried making the maps themselves. So we've instead been trying to make do by my friend dragging in the necessary images as objects (which appear as giant Xs to me) and trace over the walls, while I fill in the floors, but this is leading to one headache after another as my friend hates drawing things with MapTool, and we've had a few other glitches and snafus along the way, so I'm here to ask what gives.

My computer is a pretty decent one, better than my friend's at least, and I'm running Windows 7.

Friend is using a Mac and I believe it's also a laptop, don't know anything else about it.

Despite the file location of the images in the first posted image here, we're both using MapTool 1.3b91, but I also tried MapTool 1.4.0.0 and I get the same red questionmark/X results when looking at the library and selecting the image to use as a map.

I tried attaching the problematic imagefiles to this post, but I got a message saying "the file is too big, maximum allowed size is 512 KiB". If necessary, I can upload them to the same place I did the screenshots above and link to them that way.

[Full Bleed]

As far as I can tell, there's some new bug report policy that says I need to start with 'discussing' my bug here instead of the actual bug report subforum? Hope I got that right, please forgive me if I haven't.

It's not a new policy. It's a matter of people crying wolf about a "bug" before it's been confirmed a bug.

So, I've got a bizarre and irritating bug. I'm working with someone else on trying to put together a particular preconstructed campaign in MapTool. This campaign has several pre-done images for maps. We would have liked to actually use these images directly by selecting them with the "Map" button from the "Create New Map" window, but there's a problem.

The images don't show up for me. All I see is a single red X on the map.

<snip>

Friend is using a Mac and I believe it's also a laptop, don't know anything else about it.

There is something about Macs that sometimes monkey's with the image format in such a way as to make MT think it's a non standard image. Someone who knows more about macs might know what that is (my guess is that it is probably attaching some kind of non-standard metadata).

I tried attaching the problematic imagefiles to this post, but I got a message saying "the file is too big, maximum allowed size is 512 KiB". If necessary, I can upload them to the same place I did the screenshots above and link to them that way.

Please do. First, people need to reproduce having a problem using the files. Second, every time I've had a messed up image file coming from a Mac source I've been able to open the file in Photoshop, re-save it, and then the file works just fine (which leads me to believe even more strongly that there is a problem with the standard metadata).

[Glitch(TMG)]

It's not a new policy. It's a matter of people crying wolf about a "bug" before it's been confirmed a bug.

*checks dates of policy posts* Oh, so it has always been that way. Whoops, my bad.

There is something about Macs that sometimes monkey's with the image format in such a way as to make MT think it's a non standard image. Someone who knows more about macs might know what that is (my guess is that it is probably attaching some kind of non-standard metadata).

Please do. First, people need to reproduce having a problem using the files. Second, every time I've had a messed up image file coming from a Mac source I've been able to open the file in Photoshop, re-save it, and then the file works just fine (which leads me to believe even more strongly that there is a problem with the standard metadata).

Hm. Well, I just tried opening one of the problem-files with MSPaint and saving a copy as .jpeg, .png, and .bmp, but none of those worked either. So, here's the images, uploaded to the same pla...

...

Well, on a whim, after uploading one of said images to the same place as my screenshots, I pulled it right back off myself.

First; Not only was the image not kept in its original state, there was a severe loss of size (like, actual pixel size) and quality. How severe? This severe:



Second; I then tried opening up the new, extremely-downsized image in MapTool.

It worked. Though the map is now unacceptably small and would be far too pixelated if resized in Paint back to where it should be.

So, um...well, at least we know what the problem is now. Thank you for your reply, I will discuss the issue with my friend and see where we go from here.

[Full Bleed]

So, um...well, at least we know what the problem is now. Thank you for your reply, I will discuss the issue with my friend and see where we go from here.

Well, we have more data... but I'm not sure we've completely found your problem.

Can you share your Help>Gather Debug Information report here? I'd like to confirm your memory settings. If it's a memory issue you may be able to address it easily.

Do you have something like a dropbox account where you can share the full size file? Failing that, knowing the native resolution of the files in question would be helpful.

[Glitch(TMG)]

Well, we have more data... but I'm not sure we've completely found your problem.

Can you share your Help>Gather Debug Information report here? I'd like to confirm your memory settings. If it's a memory issue you may be able to address it easily.

I'm preeeetty sure that it's not a memory issue, as one of the attempted fixes I tried for this problem when I was first having it was bumping up memory, but, well, here you go;

==== MapTool Information ====
MapTool Version: 1.3.b91
MapTool Home...: C:\Users\-\.maptool
Max mem avail..: 247M
Max mem used...: 33M

==== Java Information ====
Java Vendor.: Oracle Corporation
Java Home...: C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7
Java Version: 1.7.0_79
Result of executing 'java -version':
............: Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_79-b15)
............: Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 24.79-b02, mixed mode, sharing)


==== OS Information ====
OS Name........: Windows 7
OS Version.....: 6.1
OS Architecture: x86
PATH...........: C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin;C:\Windows\Sun\Java\bin;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;.
Number of Procs: 4

I presume you don't need the "user info" and "networking info" that was after all that, but if you really do, I can add it later.

Do you have something like a dropbox account where you can share the full size file? Failing that, knowing the native resolution of the files in question would be helpful.

I don't have a dropbox, no, but I tried uploading to this site and redownloading from it myself, which seems to 'work' (in that the image file remains the same size and apparently unaltered as my MT still can't use it after redownloading), so, here you go:

http://wikisend.com/download/308592/Cas ... educed.jpg
http://wikisend.com/download/266998/TestFloor.jpg

[Full Bleed]

I'm preeeetty sure that it's not a memory issue, as one of the attempted fixes I tried for this problem when I was first having it was bumping up memory, but, well, here you go;

==== MapTool Information ====
MapTool Version: 1.3.b91
MapTool Home...: C:\Users\-\.maptool
Max mem avail..: 247M
Max mem used...: 33M

Actually, it probably is a memory issue. You're using the default memory settings. Since you are using a 32bit OS, about the highest you can go is 1408.

I recommend:

1408 Max
64 Min
4 Stack

==== Java Information ====
Java Vendor.: Oracle Corporation
Java Home...: C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7
Java Version: 1.7.0_79

You should upgrade to Java 8 as well.

I don't have a dropbox, no, but I tried uploading to this site and redownloading from it myself, which seems to 'work' (in that the image file remains the same size and apparently unaltered as my MT still can't use it after redownloading), so, here you go:

Worked with no problem with the memory settings I suggested above.

Here is the bat file I used with MT 1.4.0.2 if you're having problems with the launcher:

Code: Select all

set STACK=4M
set MAXMEM=1408M
set JAVA=javaw
set VERS=1.4.0.2

start "MapTool" %JAVA% -Xmx%MAXMEM% -Xss%STACK% -jar maptool-%VERS%.jar run

[Glitch(TMG)]

Actually, it probably is a memory issue. You're using the default memory settings. Since you are using a 32bit OS, about the highest you can go is 1408.

I recommend:

1408 Max
64 Min
4 Stack

How can that be?
1; As I said in the first post, I have an image file that is larger than both the problem files that works just fine with my MapTool.
2; I did bump up the max memory, and everything I look at reports that (except for the debug info, it seems).



And my mt.cfg file reports the same:

# Lines that start with '#' and blank lines are comments and are ignored.
# The fields below may appear in any order.
# Field names are not case-sensitive but will always be written in uppercase.
# Leading and trailing spaces around field names or their values are ignored.
# Spaces inside a value are preserved (useful for directory names).
#
# Limited to approximately 1500MB on 32-bit systems; unlimited on 64-bit.
MAXMEM=4096
# Simply a starting point for memory allocation. The default is fine.
MINMEM=64
# Any value larger than 8-10MB is likely to cause memory problems for MapTool.
STACKSIZE=4
#DATA_DIRECTORY=
# Set this to force MapTool to use a particular directory for all file storage.
MAPTOOL_DATADIR=..\..\.maptool
# Directory where the MapTool .jar file is stored. (Also see EXECUTABLE.)
MAPTOOL_DIRECTORY=.
# Version of MapTool this configuration file is for; must exist in the MAPTOOL_DIRECTORY directory.
EXECUTABLE=maptool-1.3.b91.jar
CONSOLE=false
PROMPT=true
RELATIVE_PATHS=true
# Any extra arguments that should be placed on the Java command line.
#ARGS=
# A comma-separated list of XML files with enabled logging.
LOGGING=
# Locale setting for executing MapTool (does not apply to this launcher).
#LOCALE=
# Directory containing the version of Java to use; must contain a 'java' executable.
#JAVA_DIRECTORY=

However, my launcher never actually seems to launch MT for some reason which is why I usually hit the actual MT executable .jar directly, and I also noticed that apparently like you said, 1408 is the limit, so I tried changing the value in the .cfg file to that in case MT wasn't reading the higher value and going to the default value, but even then the debug info remained the same once I booted up MT. So I don't know what's going on there.

Worked with no problem with the memory settings I suggested above.

Here is the bat file I used with MT 1.4.0.2 if you're having problems with the launcher:

Code: Select all

set STACK=4M
set MAXMEM=1408M
set JAVA=javaw
set VERS=1.4.0.2

start "MapTool" %JAVA% -Xmx%MAXMEM% -Xss%STACK% -jar maptool-%VERS%.jar run

1; What .bat file? The only .bat file I've got is "Backup Maptool Registry Entries.bat".
2; I thought the .cfg file is where that data was found? It's where the data was in what I just posted above...
3; Like I said in the first post, I'm on 1.3b91, not 1.4.x, and I probably won't be updating (even though I do have 1.4.0.0 for testing purposes) because I'm in a few other games with other people using 1.3b91 as well, and it's always a headache-and-a-half to get everyone to update at the same time, so we rarely do unless critically necessary.
4; About updating Java and somewhat relating to the above, in the past I have had problems with an updated Java suddenly making an older version of MT not work anymore, so I'm afraid to update Java in case that happens again.

[taustinoc]

However, my launcher never actually seems to launch MT for some reason which is why I usually hit the actual MT executable .jar directly

That gets your default memory settings. That's the purpose of using the launcher, is to change those settings. Nothing in any config files gets used if you launch the .jar directly.

The reason the launcher doesn't work with 4096 max memory is that you are using a 32 bit OS, which cannot, ever, under any circumstances, access that much memory. The launcher suppresses the error messages, so you have no way to know that.

With 32 bit Windows, as mentioned, the absolute max you can use is about 1400 MB, and 1024 is more reliable. Even if you have more memory available. (It's a complicated combination of design features between Windows and Java that cause this, but that's really the way it is.)

Try it with 1024 max memory, and I believe stack 3 is recommended, and see if the launcher works. If it does, try the image. Without using the launcher, you'll never get MT to work well.

[Glitch(TMG)]

That gets your default memory settings. That's the purpose of using the launcher, is to change those settings. Nothing in any config files gets used if you launch the .jar directly.

The reason the launcher doesn't work with 4096 max memory is that you are using a 32 bit OS, which cannot, ever, under any circumstances, access that much memory. The launcher suppresses the error messages, so you have no way to know that.

With 32 bit Windows, as mentioned, the absolute max you can use is about 1400 MB, and 1024 is more reliable. Even if you have more memory available. (It's a complicated combination of design features between Windows and Java that cause this, but that's really the way it is.)

Try it with 1024 max memory, and I believe stack 3 is recommended, and see if the launcher works. If it does, try the image. Without using the launcher, you'll never get MT to work well.

...

......

.........

Oh good grief. Yes, that worked. Well, go figure, the problem apparently was I tried to allocate too much memory to MT. @_@

I still don't get why the larger image file I had still worked with the default memory settings, but whatever.

Thank you Full Bleed and taustinoc for your assistance.

[Full Bleed]

I still don't get why the larger image file I had still worked with the default memory settings, but whatever.

Because the size of the file is less relevant than the resolution of the image. It's a concept that many people do not fully grasp.

I could make a 1000x1000 pixel image that was a 10MB file. Or one that was highly compressed at 256kb (40 times smaller). But they both would use (virtually) the same amount of memory once loaded.

The large file you're talking about was probably poorly compressed (or not at all) and lower resolution.

[Full Bleed]

Without using the launcher, you'll never get MT to work well.

I will beg to differ on that. I *never* use the launchers. Having come from a time when we only had bat files to use, and because I use a different data directory for the various MT games I run/play in (so that it remembers my window layouts), I still use custom bat files.

In fact, the bat I offered above is one I made for one of my 32 bit players (and the settings he's been using for years). He's never had a problem.

I am not, however, necessarily advocating that people shouldn't use the launchers. They certainly make using MT easier for a good number of users. But, as can be noted from the OP's experience (and many others), the launcher is not full proof. People who use it still run into all kinds of problems.

[taustinoc]

Oh good grief.

Same issue bit me in the butt, too, and I do computers for a living. It's a subtle combination of issues with both Windows and Java, and while it's well documented here, it's not easy to find because it manifests a number of different ways.

[taustinoc]

Without using the launcher, you'll never get MT to work well.

I will beg to differ on that.

You are, of course, correct. I should have said "with the default memory settings, you'll never get MT to work well." The launcher is the right choice for most, but you are hardly the typical user.

[Full Bleed]

1; What .bat file? The only .bat file I've got is "Backup Maptool Registry Entries.bat".

I wanted to address this question directly since you asked and you may encounter talk of this elsewhere.

A .bat file is simply a plain text file with the .bat extension (so instead of a .txt extension it has a .bat extension). Thus you can create your own custom .bat file (like with the code I provided above for a typical 32 bit user) by opening a plain text editor (like Notepad in Windows), pasting the text I provided, save and rename to a .bat file, then run maptool by double-clicking on it instead of any jar or launcher files.

I've run into so many problems with my players not using the launcher correctly, using the wrong memory settings, or launching by jars... that I've created bat files for them to use specifically for my games. Believe it or not, it's easier to do that than walking through the investigative process every time trying to figure out why something "suddenly" isn't working for them. During version upgrades some player always have issues... but others can change how they load MT week to week (using the Launcher one week, or a jar file the next!) It's harder for them to mess up loading MT when there is a file in the directory that says, "USE THIS FILE TO LOAD MAPTOOL.bat"