A7 Com
AcknexWrapper
VS 2010

I seem to have found a problem with bmap_create, that maybe you
can clear up or explain. I did not want to post in BUGS as it is not really clear if it is.

At first i thought it was a wrapper problem as bmap_create was returning null
but i finaly with Stromausfall's help narrowed it down.

If i put the bitmap in the folder where the executable runs (bin) it loads the
bitmap without problem, but if in a sub folder of the executable folder f.i (bin\textures)
bmap_create will return null.

The paths are added like so:
Path:
public static String textures = Application.StartupPath + @"\defaults\textures\";
and use like so:
water_bump = BMAP.bmap_create( textures + "waves2.tga" );

All other load or create commands load from this type of path fine, but bmap_create does not.

The paths are also added using add_folder().

It just seems strange that bmap_create() alone (at least i have not yet encountered any other)
has this behaviour.

Any ideas?

Hmm... this is interesting find. A year ago I tried using bmap_create to load an unload all my huge background files in the Silas menus from memory before gameplay(instead of just defining them as bmaps). It actually worked very well and I was pleased, except for the fact that there was a problem that made it unusable for me. It would keep returning random Invalid Pointer errors after I created them, even though it would work most of the time. It actually worked about 90% of the time, but that one error here and there made it unusable.

My process was:

BMAP* btimer;

I would switch between these steps below:

btimer = bmap_create("backtime.dds"); - Call before panel is visible in menu

ptr_remove(btimer); - Call after panel is reset and before gameplay

I also used add_folder and the bmaps were in a path. But I guess my problem may be different than the one above. I soon abandoned this method as I thought it was too unstable or I did not properly code it.

The strange thing for me is if bmap is in top folder where
app runs it loads ok, only in a sub folder it returns null.
And it seems to only affect bmap_create().

My problem I believe was related to bmap_create too. But it was a different issue than yours, since it would return invalid randomly and worked other times.

You need two backslashes:

works perfect (A7 com)

Using c# and acknex wrapper here.

but i already tried two backslashes in

public static String textures = Application.StartupPath + @"\\defaults\textures\\";

instead of
public static String textures = Application.StartupPath + @"\defaults\textures\";

with same result.

I have no knowledge about the c# wrapper, but String isn't the same as STRING or char.

Does it automatically convert a String to an engine STRING* or char* ? If yes, then never mind my reply.

just in case you do use it sometime, STRING* is not implemented in wrapper because c# strings are ok to use.

You can read bmaps from any folder. The problem was that you gave an invalid bmap name. File names for engine objects must only contain letters, digits, underscore, and extension - no paths, back slashes, or the like.

sorry i do not understand where you mean there is an invalid character? Do you mean this @ ?

The other commands have no problem with the same path, or are they not engine objects?

please point out where the path/filename is invalid, as i cannot see it right now.