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- SMF Readme V. 1 -
The Program Operation is Simple and does not require real knowledge of coding (but you do need to understand the Base Selection details which I will explain).It performs automatic coding of files to produce a Single Mission which works the same as an "OAW type" Mission".The mission will have only 2 Axis and 2 Allied Airbases in use and can be used Online or Offline.
You place a Target.dat and Airfield.dat in the program's folder and run the program. It codes a new Targets.dat and Airfield.dat from these and also makes a Frntline.dat.Do not place a Frntline.dat in the folder, the program self - creates it.The program also creates a folder named "output" and places the 3 files in it.
You will be selecting 2 Axis and 2 Allied Airbases to be used for the mission.The end result produced is exactly as you would expect, you will have 2 Axis and 2 Allied Airbases functioning for the mission.But only if you properly select Bases. This is the one area that you must understand.There is a functional difference of the Program's Selection device of Base name records and what constitutes a valid Base in EAW that can be used as an Airbase. You must think of it as 2 different matters. The Base names shown on the program Selection windows are showing the 302 possible coding positions (records) of EAW Targets.dat. Since the program is made to be compatible to use files created by new non-standard EAW coding methods such as might be made by new programs like those made by Mr. Jelly or Gurney or others and also for the possibility that even old campaign files may have non-standard coding it is necessary to allow that any of the 302 possible record positions in Targets.dat can be selected, as they may actually contain Airbases where normally in Default EAW or by standard coding methods they would not be used. There are only 162 Airbases available in EAW.If I had only accounted for the records where they normally would be coded, I would only have had to make a list of the 162 records or Base names they normally use. But due to non-standard coding they may be in any of the 302 slots. The program needs to know which record to code.It also cannot code a Target (also known as a "Base") that was never coded as an Airbase to become one. It then follows that record data also to find the data coded in Airfields.dat for the Airbase activation. If you are just using Default EAW Targets.dat and Airfield.dat you only need to know the Base is normally an Airbase.If you have been flying EAW much you probaly already know many of these.Or you can look these up in a list like the EAWK3wdb.html document (Dom's EAWK3.wdb enhanced by me) available from my site.
Just first fly the Scenario files you are going to be using to recode with the program Without any Tarnames.str file in EAW folder.. in other words remove any 3rd party Tarnames.str files from the Scenario.Then EAW will show and you will see which bases and their true EAW data record names are available as Airbases for use. You will see 4 of these in succession during the Selection phase.  Just highlight a Base and Click O.K. each time :)
So say for example you have "Midway".Just remove Midway's Tarnames.str file and fly it.You will see the true EAW Base names.These names equate to the actual records used by Targets.dat.
This is one great way to go.You just plunk a default Targets.dat and Airfield.dat in the program folder.Select your valid Airbases and "Voila!".You now have a flyable custom mission that also can be used Online. Just place your new files in EAW (or OAW folder as needed) and fly!
The frntline.dat will be automatically coded by a method that uses the EAW World X,Y of the Axis Base records.It makes the new "surrounding" type frontline.In this case the program @ makes a box (really diamond) around the Axis Base1 then one around Axis Base2 then join these to make the completed Frntline.dat. You should be aware that your selection of the Airbases are important as much as if the Allied Airbase or Bases fall within the Axis Frontline your Allied Airbase will not be usable, and usually you will CTD.Even if it works offline for some years it will not work Compatibly Online! So make a check of this prior! -The program does not ever edit Griddat.dat nor Tardata.dat.So for offline , when you see Bases that you did not select as an Airbase do not elect to try to fly the Mission from them, or use them as Mission Target for attack! - Online this will not be a problem as the launch occurs automatically.
-Start with a usable Scenario you know works prior to recoding.Or use Default EAW.
-The program makes a crosscheck from Targets.dat to Airfield.dat to make sure the TCodes and ACodes for the Bases Selected match.If not it warns you and aborts without making the new files.If so you either picked a non-codable Base (i.e. not an Airbase), or there is a coding error in your files.
-If you attempt to mix and match files from unknown working / mixed Scenarios and use this program, Please do not ask me to support or Make Posts like "problem with SMF" to the SimHQ!!If you experiment do it on your own or within your own development group site to avoid confusing all as to the use of the program. O.k. If you have trouble with above do not read this.It is not needed to be known by the none-geek (lol!) The Program codes @ by the following method and @ in the following order.First it reads Targets.dat and gets the Acode and the #tmods present bytes then it jumps to Airfield.dat and gets the Tcode, then crosschecks it.Then it gets the airbase 3dz codes for yrs. and the side code.If the base was previously toatlly deactivated it will code airfield 03 3dz for all the yrs.Otherwise it just codes any valid one it can find to any inactive (i.e. FFFF'd) year. It repeats the same sequence for all Selected Axis then Alled Bases. After all that it runs a code to zero all the Targets.dat #tmods present bytes.Then runs code to FF FF all 3dz years bytes.Then it replaces the valid data for each selected Base read above.Then, it makes the frontline.Last is when it actually writes the files to disk,releases memory buffers and exits. Basically in other words it does all that Scorpian's "Mission Editor" did , performs Bomber Fix, and makes a "surrounding" type Frontline.
The Program was Inspired by Scorpian's "EAW Mission Editor" Program:
RAF_Roy 1/2005
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