Creating OAW - type EAW Missions - Page 3 - ver.1



~ Setting Active Airbases and the Airfield.dat ~

If you haven't done so yet take a quick look at Moggy's techairfields.htm on Airfield.dat


There is little you need to do as far as editing the file for basic mission purposes.The main point is understanding the part about Bytes 20 to 27 (at bytes 21 to 28 if counting from 1 - 32 bytes) is They govern the occurance of the airbase in each of the 4 EAW "years" or periods.

As Moggy states, " 'FF FF' means the base doesn't appear on the map in that year."
This means it is easy to remove any unwanted bases - just code FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF in those bytes.

~ Scorpian's EAW Mission Editor ~
This program is available from my site in the Missedit.zip

You can do the editing by hand , but it is easier to use Scorpian's (Neil Vennard) creation.I never saw him since post coming to EAW ; I guess he moved on, but he left us a great legacy with this tool!
(On side note; I found he also created an EAW Rip - Ladder tool for ECAO and some FM files)

The only caveat about this is the Mission Editor only codes 2 bases for each side as active and deactivates all others.This is O.K. but presents a problem if you need more than that.Never-the-less it can be a big time saver if you need only a few more.I can show how.But first to the use of the tool:

Hmm.. I just found some errors with the Airbase.txt!
The supplied Airbase.txt is an editable file that the program uses, at least for listing.While looking for Peenemunde, I found it was not present.Also that Leipheim was listed twice, using it's Airbase code which is 62 and also Airbase code 5F which is the proper code for Peenemunde.The solution is to edit the file.I added in a line for Peenemunde using 5F.Apparently there was not any problem as far as the program code itself.But also I found the other errors as follows:

Corrections to the airbase.txt file:
Lechfeld: was 60 should be: 61
Leipheim: was listed twice, as 5F and 62 no removed the 5F copy
Neuberg: was 61 should be: 60
Peenemunde: was not listed, added it and, should be: 5F

..Ah, that seems to have solved the problem :)
Save a copy of this text FYI - or anyway I'll include it in a new Missedit.zip
Interesting in doing this is that I just realized the Airbase codes are arrived at by a similar method to the T-codes.The formula is:
Example ; Caen - Airbase code 7B - address 5412:
5412 / by 44 the length of individual records
= 123
Converting 123 to hexidecimal = 7B
Just goes to show that you learn something new every day in EAW :)

Here's a look at Scorpian's EAW Mission Editor

Here I've choosen Rattlesden and Knettishall vs. Berlin and Peeemunde
(push "Save Selection" to execute, use the x to close)

Now to check the file with a hex editor:

Here's the Airfield.dat at the 6644 address for Knettishall
The addresses are listed in the EAWK3wdb.html
For this example I've "stripped off" the 4 byte header of the file and have set XVI32 to show 22 Columns.


The bytes shown in red and coded as 09 00 09 00 09 00 09 00 are the 8 bytes that set the airbase to appear in each of the 4 periods.And these are the bytes to FF FF for each period you do not want the base to be active.To assure active bases you need to check here, as some bases are not always coded by default for all years.
FYI; highlighted at the cursor is 43 - the T-code Not the Airbase code which does not appear in the file.

After checking the rest and finding it O.K. its time for a test
(But first replacing the A2 00 00 00 header)

Here it is.I selected takeoff from Peenemude to sweep Knettishall.All the other airbases not chosen have been successfully deactivated by the program.
The hardest part of editing is not spending all the time flying the missions when I need to be working!

~ Now about reactivating more bases ~

Use a default copy of the file open in one instance of XVI32 while editing the new file with another, if you wish to duplicate the original coding.You can copy and paste 'as hex string' from the edit, clipboard menu, hold shift and use keyboard arrows to move the cursor to hightlight, or use block 'n' characters
(Or just code by hand ;) The numbers of the Airbase 3d's are shown on Moggy's techairfields.htm.

~ In Conclusion ~

I can't think of any other matters involving Airfield.dat except to say I gather from reading Dominique LeGrand's "To campaign makers.txt " that it is possible there are campaigns out there with Airfield.dats that contain customized Airbase codes.In that case, you would have to check the files closely and I'm unsure whether you could use Scorpian's EAW Mission Editor with these by altering the Airbase.txt file or not.

Also, IMHO there really doesn't seem to be a need to alter airbase locations via changing Airbase codes since moving them is easily done with Targets.dat.I think the former method probaly was used prior to the revealing of the coordinates system.

Next.. on to more fun in Page 4..
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