How much are the raw files needed?

[PaulBlay]

I'm using an old computer, apart from the guy who still has Windows 98 (zaimoni?) probably one of the oldest still being used by people here. Even so the time taken to load and process the \edit\*.txt files (when .raw have been deleted) is negligible.

Apart from saving time during game startup is there any real need for the *.raw files, or could we do without them?

Well, yes, it does look like I broke the *.raw file system in JBand, why do you ask?

[Magnate]

Originally Posted by PaulBlay

I'm using an old computer, apart from the guy who still has Windows 98 (zaimoni?) probably one of the oldest still being used by people here. Even so the time taken to load and process the \edit\*.txt files (when .raw have been deleted) is negligible.

What are you using? My 100MHz i486 has just died (worn out keyboard connector), but my 133MHz Cyrix-686 is still going strong ...

Apart from saving time during game startup is there any real need for the *.raw files, or could we do without them?

The .raw files are not needed at all, provided that ALLOW_TEMPLATES is defined, and that all the text files are shipped undamaged with the game. Distributing the .raw files (and turning off ALLOW_TEMPLATES) allows the game to ship without the text files, thereby slightly reducing the size of the executable and dramatically reducing spoilage and cheating possibilities. I don't know any distribution that actually does this, but IMO it's a nice facility to have.

But yes, it hasn't made much difference to the startup time since the days of the 286 ...

[PaulBlay]

Originally Posted by Magnate

What are you using? My 100MHz i486 has just died (worn out keyboard connector), but my 133MHz Cyrix-686 is still going strong ...

OK, I shall have to retract my claim to second oldest computer in Oook.

[PaulBlay]

Actually it occurs to me that (seeing as I seem to have broken the existing system ) it might be easier to start from scratch with a real database library. What do you lot think?

[zaimoni]

Originally Posted by PaulBlay

I'm using an old computer, apart from the guy who still has Windows 98 (zaimoni?) probably one of the oldest still being used by people here. Even so the time taken to load and process the \edit\*.txt files (when .raw have been deleted) is negligible.

The Win95 system isn't that old; it's the OEM CD-ROM that's superannuated. And it predates Product Activation, so I don't have to worry about it turning into supergoo on the next computer.

To be precise, the Win95 system started out as a from-parts 700 Mhz Cyrix-III in Jan. 2001, and was boosted to some flavor of Intel 1 GHz in 2004 (CPU replacement). It will have to be reformatted to a *NIX once its from-parts replacement arrives (hard drive is wonky according to XCom Apocalypse).

The 75MHz prefab Win95 system died in 2007. The Win3.1 system is still alive, but is rather unstable hardware-wise.

Originally Posted by PaulBlay

Apart from saving time during game startup is there any real need for the *.raw files, or could we do without them?

They are completely disposable, yes.