Maptool Maps vanishing from Campaign?

Talk about whatever topic you'd like, RPG related or not. (But please discuss things related to our software in the Tools section, below.)

Moderators: dorpond, trevor, Azhrei

Post Reply
thomas5251212
Kobold
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 4:13 pm

Maptool Maps vanishing from Campaign?

Post by thomas5251212 »

I just had the disconcerting experience of suddenly having all the campaign maps but the one I was working on vanish from the campaign--and I didn't realize it until after I'd saved. Fortunately, since I'd done a backup the yesterday, I was able to export the map, get the backup, and reintegrate it with no real loss, but it was more than a bit unnerving.

Anyone ever heard of anything like this happening? I think I'm going to get in the habit of making a backup of the campaign file before I start working with it...

User avatar
aliasmask
RPTools Team
Posts: 9024
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:11 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Maptool Maps vanishing from Campaign?

Post by aliasmask »

I've never heard of that happening. What version of MT are you using? Also, how do you save your campaign. Do you save when you close it?

thomas5251212
Kobold
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 4:13 pm

Re: Maptool Maps vanishing from Campaign?

Post by thomas5251212 »

aliasmask wrote:I've never heard of that happening. What version of MT are you using? Also, how do you save your campaign. Do you save when you close it?
1.3.b89

I tend to save periodically and when I close.

User avatar
aliasmask
RPTools Team
Posts: 9024
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:11 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Maptool Maps vanishing from Campaign?

Post by aliasmask »

I recommend not saving during the close. If you haven't saved at that time, just cancel the program closing and use the save button from the menu. Although, I've never found any proof bad stuff can happen when saving that way, it does seem to be a common denominator with people who end up with corrupt campaigns. But it's so rare that you can't really duplicate. I would also change the auto-save setting to a longer period than the default. I have mine at 300 min, but I wouldn't recommend anything below 60 min. I have a feeling if you auto save during a save that bad stuff can happen like loss of material or corruption.

Loss of your map was probably a fluke and you're probably a victim of bad timing.

User avatar
Full Bleed
Demigod
Posts: 4736
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:53 am
Location: FL

Re: Maptool Maps vanishing from Campaign?

Post by Full Bleed »

aliasmask wrote:I recommend not saving during the close. If you haven't saved at that time, just cancel the program closing and use the save button from the menu. Although, I've never found any proof bad stuff can happen when saving that way, it does seem to be a common denominator with people who end up with corrupt campaigns. But it's so rare that you can't really duplicate. I would also change the auto-save setting to a longer period than the default. I have mine at 300 min, but I wouldn't recommend anything below 60 min. I have a feeling if you auto save during a save that bad stuff can happen like loss of material or corruption.
Never had a campaign corrupt. Always save before close and at close (just to be sure). And have my autosave set for 5 minutes.
Loss of your map was probably a fluke and you're probably a victim of bad timing.
This is probably likely the case.

Though I'd probably be more likely to point a finger at a memory management root cause given all the variety of problems that seem to arise from low memory situations. Keep in mind that when you save a campaign your memory usages spikes 20-25%... if you're short, who knows how MT handles the situation.

But, fortunately, things like this do tend to happen so infrequently that it's nearly impossible to nail down why.
Maptool is the Millennium Falcon of VTT's -- "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."

thomas5251212
Kobold
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 4:13 pm

Re: Maptool Maps vanishing from Campaign?

Post by thomas5251212 »

Its entirely possible there's a memory connection; I'm doing very detailed maps for the first time, and I've had MT freeze at least once when I asked too much of it at one time.

As I said, at this point I'm taking precautions to minimize risk (I save the maps separately in addition to in the campaign), and I was lucky last time, it just seemed an odd result that the one map was intact but everything else vanished.

Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion”