Why does this place.txt file not work?

Frostion

I have spent many hours manually making a place.txt file, but when I try to use it, the map just does not load after I press play. It just returns to the launch menu after 1-2 seconds

If I use an auto generated file, it does work. But the auto generated placements are just not optimal and I want to use my own.

This auto made one works: 0_1500503043872_Auto_Works_place.txt
This manually one does not work:
0_1500503054167_Manual_Worksnot_place.txt

What can be wrong?

redrum

@Frostion Can you upload the whole map with the place.txt that isn't working?

Cernel

@Frostion I see that in the manual one "Petsamo" has 0 placement.

I would think the game would be better telling you immediately that some territory has no placements, so I leave it up to you if you want to open a ticket in GitHub about this.
Tho I can't imagine how you would actually end up having no placements in a territory, and not noticing, while manually doing it.

Also, @redrum, I tested with .5785 and I see that the engine doesn't tell you anything upon crashing but, then, if you Engine Preferences/Show Console, you get the info:

java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
	at java.awt.EventQueue.invokeAndWait(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventQueue.invokeAndWait(Unknown Source)
	at javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeAndWait(Unknown Source)
	at games.strategy.triplea.TripleA.startGame(TripleA.java:122)
	at games.strategy.engine.framework.startup.launcher.LocalLauncher.launchInNewThread(LocalLauncher.java:49)
	at games.strategy.engine.framework.startup.launcher.AbstractLauncher.lambda$launch$0(AbstractLauncher.java:51)
	at games.strategy.engine.framework.startup.launcher.AbstractLauncher$$Lambda$276/1719828606.run(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: No where to place units:Petsamo
	at games.strategy.triplea.ui.screen.TileManager.drawUnits(TileManager.java:343)
	at games.strategy.triplea.ui.screen.TileManager.drawTerritory(TileManager.java:279)
	at games.strategy.triplea.ui.screen.TileManager.resetTiles(TileManager.java:195)
	at games.strategy.triplea.ui.MapPanel.setGameData(MapPanel.java:440)
	at games.strategy.triplea.ui.MapPanel.<init>(MapPanel.java:117)
	at games.strategy.triplea.ui.TripleAFrame.<init>(TripleAFrame.java:287)
	at games.strategy.triplea.TripleA.lambda$startGame$0(TripleA.java:124)
	at games.strategy.triplea.TripleA$$Lambda$286/1987199217.run(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventQueue.access$500(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(Unknown Source)
	at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
	at java.security.ProtectionDomain$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
	at games.strategy.engine.framework.GameRunner$1.dispatchEvent(GameRunner.java:325)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)

Is it some intended behaviour that the engine doesn't give you the console directly upon crashing, but you have to go getting it yourself?

Frostion

@Cernel @redrum
Yes. The fault was a territory with no placements. I guess I missed it when making placements for the 270 territories. My bad Thanks to Cernels keen eyes and exceptional knowledge, the territory of Petsamo now has placements also!

Petsamo (Pechengsky) is the pre-WW2 Finnish far-north-eastern territory by Barents Sea. Here is a pic of the now working map.

PS: I don’t think I will make a request-ticket at GitHub about this. But I would say that it can sometimes take a whole lot of time and steadfastness to figure out what is wrong when a map does not load and does not give an error either. Like in this case, and I have also experienced it when for example some files in the flag directory are either missing or not corresponding with the expected national/file names. Maybe TripleA should aim to always give error reports when maps do not load?

redrum

@Frostion @Cernel Yeah the currently error handling and messaging when a map isn't functional isn't great.

sammysleeth

what program did you use to autogenerate your place text?

Frostion

@sammysleeth
I used the one that is built into the Triplea program.

You find it here: Engine Preferences - Run the map creator - Step 2: Map Utilities - Run the Automatic Placement Picker.

If you need tips about how to use it, just ask