Will ofp resistance manage addons better?

For those that don't know it yet, OFP seems to build information about all addons during the phase when OFP is started. That means that the more addons you have, the more memory OFP is going to use to retain definitions of these addons, even without playing any missions.

This has lead to memory shortage errors for some players with large addon collections and the solution has been to remove addons until the problem does not reoccur.

BIS, any changes in the works to reduce addon related memory usage?

Maybe a command line argument that lets us decide wether or not we want to load the addons upon starting OFP?

Also, if we started a missions with addons in it, OFP would load the necessary addons at that point.

Not so simple. Addons are not referenced by their file names in missions. For example, in a single PBO file, there may be multiple addons.So, in order for OFP to know in which file the addons specified in a given mission are located, it has to read all of the addon files.

A command line argument for someone with 100 addons? I don't think so.

Read all the addon files again every time you start a mission? Very inefficient and who knows how much time that would take till each mission started.

Rather, I think the solution would be to read all the addon files at startup and generate some very elemetary database file, with the addon name as the key and a pointer to the actual file containing the addon. That would eliminate most of the memory requirements.

This would require some more execution once at startup and also at the start of a mission but not as much as having to read all of the files over and over again.

I'm just postulating.

What is needed is an external application which manages the addons, similar to the type used by many flight sims. I suppose it would work by you choosing the mission/campaign before entering OFP, the app would read the relevant config/description files, see what was needed, then bung everything else in a subfolder out of the way.

Any programmers out there want a little job?

That idea is the lesser of all evils. Obviously, having to write scripts, listing which addons you want and this having to be done in advance and you have to exit OFP if you change your mind or want something else - ugh!

Hoping for a response from BIS here.

no wonder why my ofp is loading slower! i have a zabilzilion add ons.

bump

what about the way the rainbow 6 series handles mods and addons. There is a mods menu where you can activate and deactivate mods

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (timmy @ June 06 2002,18:35)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">what about the way the rainbow 6 series handles mods and addons. There is a mods menu where you can activate and deactivate mods<span id='postcolor'>

Both your suggestion and mine require code changes by BIS.

My suggestion, however, is totally dynamic, most efficient in as far as memory utilization goes and leaves the guesswork out of the hands of the player.

It may be possible to build a prg which will read the mission files without them being entered by the user, just an extension of the idea of checking what is needed and transferring it out of the way.

Of course, the user would stil have to decide which mission he wanted outside of OFP, but Hey, think positive; this may encourage decisive thinking.

Then again, it may not.

Good thread. This really needed addressing and I always forgot to bring it up. I have so many addons that I get memory errors when I have other things running and go to start ofp.

Dear mum, I think u should tell bis, even thoe I am scared that it is too l8 to come with resistance, as they probably shipped already all the cds. Maybe 4 a patch after resistance

wooohhhhhhoooooooooo!

spam time!

anyway, 2nd post gave me some idea.

if BIS wants quick, temporary fix, they could try this.

have a patch that accepts another argument at the end of exe file, like '-nomods'.

if htat is present, OFP, upon loading, will ignore addons. if not, it'll read all addons.

however, in long run, i would support Avon's suggestion.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ale2999 @ June 07 2002,04:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Dear mum, I think u should tell bis, even thoe I am scared that it is too l8 to come with resistance, as they probably shipped already all the cds.<span id='postcolor'>

Dear Son,

Yes, I know that already. I would still like to know if they incorporated anything like this in the Resistance version.

Don't forget your lunch.

Mom

no I wount mom, I wish that they made it.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ June 06 2002,09:25)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ale2999 @ June 07 2002,04:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Dear mum, I think u should tell bis, even thoe I am scared that it is too l8 to come with resistance, as they probably shipped already all the cds.<span id='postcolor'>

Dear Son,

Yes, I know that already. I would still like to know if they incorporated anything like this in the Resistance version.

Don't forget your lunch.

Mom<span id='postcolor'>

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ale2999 @ June 07 2002,04:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">

no I wount mom, I wish that they made it.<span id='postcolor'>

You think BIS do packed lunches too?

4: TAKE MESS KIT, 2 O'CLOCK

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ June 07 2002,10:03)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">4: TAKE MESS KIT, 2 O'CLOCK<span id='postcolor'>

An hour later.................

OH NO, 4 IS DOWN

Mom

I know a great and friendly doctor you can visit

m00000

Hmm,

How about in the addons having two directories.. Shared and Specific or something like that.

Shared always gets loaded ie. sound mods etc but under specific it lists the mission name as a directory and in that lists the addons it needs. Those missions that dont have directories just use the default addons in shared but those missions that are listed, whatever addons in the directory gets loaded.

And to stop duplication, if there are many missions that require the same addon, just put it in shared?

It's a weird idea but if it's tweaked might be able to work.

OR another idea would be to have sub-directories in Addons ie vehicles, weapons, sounds, uniforms etc and putting the addons in those directories and then load ofp with no mods and before the mission is loaded... it would go throuhg the directories if any addons are needed. This idea is slightly better because there are directories such as sounds, uniform so it doesnt go through a 1000 file directory. Only what is needed for the mission is checked (if applicable).

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ June 06 2002,12:04)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">3--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ June 07 2002,103)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">4: TAKE MESS KIT, 2 O'CLOCK<span id='postcolor'>

An hour later.................

OH NO, 4 IS DOWN<span id='postcolor'>

No MRE's with the mess kit

2 O'Clock: Mom, 200

4: Engage, Mom.

4: Oh no, for is down.

what about if the addons/mods were server-side? such as, you join a dedicated server, and the mods are loaded from the specific mission to your computer for the duration of the game? then if you wanted a mod for single player you could only install the ones you absolutely need, maybe each mod in a different folder and it loads it as you open that specific mission file?

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (NavyEEL @ June 11 2002,07:03)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">and it loads it as you open that specific mission file?<span id='postcolor'>

That's essentially what I said to begin with.

Hello

The suggestions are good .

I specially like the one about an option no mod/mod which can force the OFP program to make a difference between official BIS addons and custom ones.

If i decide to play a campaign which didnt require addons, i think memory management can be improved if i select the no mod option, but if i know a campaign require addon, a simple "mod" option on will allow unofficial addon to be loaded before the missions is checked.

But as our dear Ofp Mom said, it will involve code changes from the developers.

That is why i really hope someone from BIS will read this topic, if this kind of suggestions is good for them or if they dont want to change this with the resistance upgrade.