Steam Update breaks lib.move.jumptostation.pck from Bonus Pack

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Sun, 10. Oct 10, 22:00

Verifying the game cache files in Steam Client for X3:TC will fail upon verifying

lib.move.jumptostation.pck

This file is one of several modified by the Bonus Pack scripts. The result is either:

Updating the game through Steam breaks the bonus pack (or one of the modules), or
Installing the bonus pack conflicts with Steam's update.

Please fix, thanks!

GameValidation.log:

Code: Select all

Starting validation of X3: Terran Conflict
Validation failure: d:\steam\steamapps\common\x3 terran conflict\scripts\lib.move.jumptostation.pck
Validation complete: 874 Total Files, 1 Failed Validation

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Sun, 17. Oct 10, 18:46

What other information is required in order to get this patched on Steam?

Or... is the BP script(s) using that file not going to be compatible going forward with the Steam version of TC?

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Mon, 18. Oct 10, 03:45

Steam installs this version of the file from the 3.0 patch:
Steam version of lib.move.jumptostation.pck

Bonus Pack 4.1.0.1 has this version, from March 23, 2010:
Bonus Pack version of lib.move.jumptostation.pck

The files are incompatible with each other - the BP is incompatible with the current X3:TC and vice-versa. A quick comparison by looking at the contents of the file in a text editor shows at least the first few bytes are different between each.

Someone running CAG from the BP, and having updated X3:TC through Steam (this is automatic by default, and automatic sometimes even if you've turned off auto-updates) will break their CAGs and game. Someone running X3:TC for the first and wanting to try CAGs for their new game will also fail.

I renamed the file extensions for the links above to avoid conflicts for those downloading them to see why they cannot be fixed.

TomWilson · Post by **TomWilson** » Mon, 18. Oct 10, 04:15

.pck files are compressed xml, decompress them with winrar/7zip/whatever and give them a .xml extension to be viewed by your web browser or xml editor.

I compared the two files you supplied with notepad++(plugins/compare) they are identical, could you have uploaded the same file twice?

vr01 · Post by **vr01** » Mon, 18. Oct 10, 13:12

There was an issue with the Steam patch that was subsequently fixed by doing a verify... before Egosoft and Steam resolved the issue.

I'm running Steam, auto updated to 3.0. Did a verify when I saw it mentioned and I have no issues with my CAGs

You are running v4.1.01 of the Bonus Pack?

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Tue, 19. Oct 10, 00:52

TomWilson wrote:.pck files are compressed xml, decompress them with winrar/7zip/whatever and give them a .xml extension to be viewed by your web browser or xml editor.

I compared the two files you supplied with notepad++(plugins/compare) they are identical, could you have uploaded the same file twice?

You didn't compare the files I posted - it is not a binary match (they're not the same files). You can use notepad++ to open the pck directly either with or without the hex editor plugin. You'll immediately see within the first few bytes, at least one difference. Perhaps this is why games got flagged as **modified** after the 3.0 patch?

Steam 3.0:

Code: Select all

 Þ	‡H

BP 4101:

Code: Select all

;¨K

Everything else is the same. And if you do a notepad++ compare of that, it will tell you they are the same with no differences. But your eyeballs say otherwise?

vr01: Now that you've verified GCF, install the BP. Then re-verify. You'll see Steam over-writes the BP version of the file (or vice-versa, depending upon what you start out with).

TomWilson · Post by **TomWilson** » Tue, 19. Oct 10, 01:09

6a2bbcf481a757b3e0fecd10810aa4f3 *BP4101CAG-lib.move.jumptostation
6a2bbcf481a757b3e0fecd10810aa4f3 *Steam30-lib.move.jumptostation
The content within each (although different when compressed) file are as I said identical, as vr01 wrote there should be no issue.

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Tue, 19. Oct 10, 01:41

Ok, so they are different in pck form, and the same when uncompressed. Got it.

If they are the same why will steam report failed validation every single time? Looks like Steam doesn't think they're the same.

But what I do care about is:

Which one should I use? The Steam 3.0 one or the version from the BP?

vr01 · Post by **vr01** » Tue, 19. Oct 10, 13:26

Maybe this file was recompressed for the 3.0 patch so externally the pck has a different signature?

Either way 3.0 is later than the latest Bonus Pack so I would go with the Steam version. Like I said in my previous post, I'm not having any problems. If there was a major problem then this forum would have lit up like a switchboard... (not trying to dismiss your issue)

Just a thought... did the Bonus Pack get integrated into the 3.0 patch? I couldn't find a mention of it but at the same time there was nothing stated that the Bonus Pack had to be reinstalled either...

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Tue, 19. Oct 10, 16:29

I didn't reinstall the BP after the patch - it was a new/clean install. After 3.0, I ran the BP installer. But then Steam failed the file validation and automatically downloaded something. So I checked the GameValidation.log file and saw that one file mentioned. I tracked that file to the BP scripts, and eventually narrowed it down to just the CAG script.

I don't know X3 scripting, but based on the file name, I'd be willing to guess that the only people that might notice an issue are those that are:
* running the BP, and specifically CAG.
* know how to use CAG to the point where they know what to expect - and over the years, there are many people posting here that do not...
* Their CAG pilot has jump drive training, and
* Their CAG-piloted ship has a jump drive.

This might be why the "forums aren't lit up", but rather only a handful of posts that might be relevant are showing up, including complaints about the patch flagging the game as **modified**, or complaints that CAGs have stopped and all needed to be restarted, or complaints that the CAGs aren't jumping.

There are other possible explanations for all those issues, of course.

But one thing that definitely should not be happening is Steam Client failing a GCF verification for that one file. That does need to be fixed. There is no excuse for it, even if you unzip the pck and they're the same - the file should not fail validation.

Since you've demonstrated for me that the script language itself is the same, but the compression is causing a conflict in versioning, the solution to this is to do one of two things:

Replace the version distributed by Steam with the version in the BP, or
Replace the version in the BP with the version distributed by Steam.

In both cases, Valve needs to confirm or update their GCF database so that correct file verification is ensured. In one case, Egosoft needs to update the BP.

Shootist · Post by **Shootist** » Tue, 19. Oct 10, 16:50

Aesir wrote:But one thing that definitely should not be happening is Steam Client failing a GCF verification for that one file. That does need to be fixed. There is no excuse for it, even if you unzip the pck and they're the same - the file should not fail validation.

It could be, simply, that the unpacked file had a stray white space, compared to the one in the BP.

If you really want an answer you might consider getting Level 3 access (if you don't already have it), and post your findings in http://forum.egosoft.com/viewforum.php?f=99

TomWilson · Post by **TomWilson** » Tue, 19. Oct 10, 17:16

TomWilson wrote:6a2bbcf481a757b3e0fecd10810aa4f3 *BP4101CAG-lib.move.jumptostation
6a2bbcf481a757b3e0fecd10810aa4f3 *Steam30-lib.move.jumptostation

The two (xml files inside the package) have the same md5 sum they are identical, there is no extra white space, there is no difference, it does not matter what one you use, and if steam wants to replace it then let steam replace it... This will have no effect on your game.

Shootist · Post by **Shootist** » Tue, 19. Oct 10, 17:26

TomWilson wrote:
TomWilson wrote:6a2bbcf481a757b3e0fecd10810aa4f3 *BP4101CAG-lib.move.jumptostation
6a2bbcf481a757b3e0fecd10810aa4f3 *Steam30-lib.move.jumptostation
The two (xml files inside the package) have the same md5 sum they are identical, there is no extra white space, there is no difference, it does not matter what one you use, and if steam wants to replace it then let steam replace it... This will have no effect on your game.

The two files don't have different checksums when compressed?

TomWilson · Post by **TomWilson** » Tue, 19. Oct 10, 19:24

6a2bbcf481a757b3e0fecd10810aa4f3 *DVD-lib.move.jumptostation
4faecf4014f941f886efd61a01099427 *DVD-lib.move.jumptostation.pck
6a2bbcf481a757b3e0fecd10810aa4f3 *BP-lib.move.jumptostation
3980227a7c21f72f362d10710fe127dd *BP-lib.move.jumptostation.pck
6a2bbcf481a757b3e0fecd10810aa4f3 *Steam30-lib.move.jumptostation
4faecf4014f941f886efd61a01099427 *Steam30-lib.move.jumptostation.pck

For whatever reason on 3/23/2010 lib.move.jumptostation was re-compressed and included in the bonus pack, that re-compression is causing steam to reject the file, the content of said file is the same as the original from 8/28/2008. The best solution to Aesir request (that can think of) would be to exclude lib.move.jumptostation.pck from the bonus pack, or have steam allow the checksum of both pck's...

vr01 · Post by **vr01** » Wed, 20. Oct 10, 13:01

Or just let Steam replace the file and be done with it. It isn't impacting the game in any way...

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Wed, 20. Oct 10, 17:03

vr01: I get that you don't think it's a problem - and that's ok.

But suggesting that Verify GCF functionality be left as is for this game is silly. Fix the issue, that is all. If this isn't really the source of problems relating to CAG or modfied games, then I'll look elsewhere for cause. But leaving a broken GCF database is a stupid suggestion that should never had been made.

aka1nas · Post by **aka1nas** » Wed, 20. Oct 10, 23:54

Aesir wrote:vr01: I get that you don't think it's a problem - and that's ok.

But suggesting that Verify GCF functionality be left as is for this game is silly. Fix the issue, that is all. If this isn't really the source of problems relating to CAG or modfied games, then I'll look elsewhere for cause. But leaving a broken GCF database is a stupid suggestion that should never had been made.

IIRC, the modified tag would only be set off in such a case if one of the versions of the file in question is unsigned. That shouldn't be an issue.

vr01 · Post by **vr01** » Thu, 21. Oct 10, 13:03

Aesir wrote:vr01: I get that you don't think it's a problem - and that's ok.

But suggesting that Verify GCF functionality be left as is for this game is silly. Fix the issue, that is all. If this isn't really the source of problems relating to CAG or modfied games, then I'll look elsewhere for cause. But leaving a broken GCF database is a stupid suggestion that should never had been made.

I've re-read this entire thread and I'm struggling to understand what issue with CAG's or modified games that you are trying to solve? Right now there is only 1 thread about a game going modified and no threads about CAG problems on the first page of the Tech Support Forum. Are you trying to solve a particular problem that you are having?

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Tue, 26. Oct 10, 07:13

You can stop your struggling. At this point, I just want Steam Client to successfully verify the GCF for this game. That's all. Easy to do.