[JASS] vJass Question

[Bubba Ex]

Hi, I want to make a save/load system for my campaign and theres a lot of data to store. It would take multiple game caches (I want 5 save slots) and be very slow while loading the data. This might put people off my campaign. I was wondering if it is possible to store my saves in a struct, store the struct in a game cache then retrieve the data later with minimum lag while saving and loading. If anyone knows will you please tell me if it is possible and if so how?

 

[Eleandor]

Why don't you use 1 game cache with 5 subfolders:

Saveslot1
Saveslot2
...

Each having subfolders for saved heroes, gold, whatever.

I also wouldn't know why a struct would lagg less. I'd rather expect the opposite ...

 

[Silvenon]

I don't know much about save/load codes, but what I do know is that structs are faster since you only have to attach one thing that holds many things (just explaining to Eleandor)........right?

 

[Blue_Jeans]

Well... when USING data, a struct is by far more efficient. However, for permanently saving data you will have to store it in a gamecache anyways. Calling that data from the gamecache may be faster if it is in a struct, but I honestly don't know. I'd expect it only to be slightly faster if faster at all. Data is data, no matter how you refer to it, so setting it in a struct and then storing it in the cache will eliminate all but 1 call to the game cache for each save/load.

The answer is: why don't you try both ways and find out?

 

[Bubba Ex]

Eleandor, the reason I can't do it with subfolders is I have LOADS to save. Probably more than the available 255 slots for each save slot...

The Answer is: why don't you try both ways and find out?

I suppose that may be the only way of doing it... but i'm not at the point where i can test it yet. I'm making the save/load system before i've made most of the rest of the campaign!

I don't know much about save/load codes, but what I do know is that structs are faster since you only have to attach one thing that holds many things (just explaining to Eleandor)........right?

I think i agree with silvenon on that one

 

[Eleandor]

I don't know much about save/load codes, but what I do know is that structs are faster since you only have to attach one thing that holds many things (just explaining to Eleandor)........right?

Sure it's faster in-game, but if you want to store something like that on your disk, you'll have to split it up in each individual field anyway, so...

Now what exactly are you trying to save that you need more than 256 slots?

 

[Bubba Ex]

the x,y,owner and type of every unit, x,y and of every destructible(or destructable)and each player's resources (custom resources, more than just gold+lumber and yes, i need to store computer's resources as well) the campaign is based on Rome:Total War so I also need to store the units inside each unit (which is actually a unitgroup, but needs to be displayed as a unit) and i also need to store buildings and units inside the cities... basically, theres a hell of a lot to store!

 

[Eleandor]

If you want to store a complete map (and it appears you're trying to), use the following 2 actions:

Game - Save game as SaveFile.w3z and change level to Maps\MapName.w3x (Skip scores)
Game - Save game as SaveFile.w3z and load LoadFile.w3z (Skip scores)

Whenever you're about to leave the map, use 1 of the 2 actions depending on whether you are going to visit the next map for the first time, or if you already visitted the map before...

If you need more help on this, tell me if you want to save 1 map or multiple maps.

 

[Bubba Ex]

thats a point... i know how to use those functions but i didn't think of it before... but I still need to save the units to be used in the battle to carry through into the battle. That would require lots of slots... but +rep for reminding me how to use SaveGame and LoadGame

 

[Eleandor]

Yes, but normally less than 255.

 

[Bubba Ex]

Not necessarily. I need to store upgrades (probably a bitstream, booleans stored in an integer), unittype, number for each squad. Thats 3 values. 255/3 = 85. So if i have say 50 squads per side, it would go over the maximum: (50+50)*3 = 300. In fact, any number of squads in total over 85 would cause an error. But I suppose I could just limit the number of squads per side...

 

[HappyTauren]

You should use string data, as in, saving one unit like this in string:
Unit Life + Unit Mana + Unit Type + so on, all in one string variable, like storing THIS into gamecache: 1550(HP);300(MP);hfoo;
To get a 'hfoo' from string you will have to use pools from vex' cscache, converting string to integer in such way.
This way you would need only one slot per unit, and you would need to make functions in that map as well, to read unit life (Function that takes everything before the first ";"(, function that reads mana (Everything from first ";" to second ";") and so on. I think you get the point. You can do same with upgrades, like saving "1;5;4;3;8;65" , having Upgrade ids (for example upgrade #1 takes value before first ";" to first ";", second one takes value from first ";" to second ";").

 

[Bubba Ex]

ye I suppose that would be a good way of doing it, but I'm not really that sure about using strings since people say they leak... wouldn't it be easier to use a struct like my original question was?

 

[HappyTauren]

You cant use structs to transfer things between maps, because structs are only integer value. To PROPERLY carry a struct from map to map you would need to move WHOLE indexes of variables (lets say you got struct s, and var a in it. To properly transfer "a" you would need to transfer all 8190 instances of it).

 

[Bubba Ex]

Now I think about it, I suppose you're right. I'll use strings. +rep for your help.

EDIT:
HappyTauren you just inspired me to make a String Array system! It would be like vJass Dynamic Arrays except there would be no limit to how many of them could be created at one time and they would be a single variable(technically) so would be storable in Game Caches and usable as parameters! After it's made I'm going to alter it to use in my campaign for my

 

[PurplePoot]

HT, you don't need to convert rawcodes into their textual format for data purposes only; the raw integers generated will do just fine. (Just I2S('hfoo') and use the number it gives you)

 

[Bubba Ex]

kk

Why is the minimum characters 15???

 

[HappyTauren]

Poot, really? Oh I thought I DID need to use custom function for that >.< It could be that vice-versa requires custom function like I2S('hfoo') wouldn't work. Or would it?

 

[Need_O2]

it would take many gamecaches

Why not storing everything in one ?

 

[Bubba Ex]

... read the whole thread