Basic "Groups" Question After Reinstall of Game.

[BlitzPig_EL]

I feel like a total numpty, but When I backed up files before I reinstalled, I may not have saved my Groups.  Now the really stupid part... I don't even remember where they were stored in the game directory, so they may be there, but I sure cannot find them in my backup files, and can't remember where to put them if I do find them.

 

Can someone point me to where they should be kept in game?

 

I'm such a moron.

 

[Thad]

I have mine in my Missions folder.

Update: But I do have a seperate backup Groups folder on my desktop.

I just noticed a Groups section selectable from within the editor.

Edited June 23, 2022 by Thad

[Jaegermeister]

If they are in the default location, try looking in here;

 

1C Game Studios\IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles\data\Template

 

I'm sure someone will point out that would not be for a Steam install, but it's under data\template. Look in your recycle bin if you manually deleted the data files or your last backup should have it

 

 

Edited June 23, 2022 by Jaegermeister

[Thad]

I think the Groups under templates come with the game and should have been included in your reload. I hope you find them.

[Gambit21]

Pig - tough lesson.

Always keep a "Missions" folder in a separate place on your hard drive.

I have an  "IL2 Stuff"/Missions folder, and also a "Groups" folder on my storage drive. I back up everything here from time time to time.

 

 

Edited June 24, 2022 by Gambit21

[BlitzPig_EL]

I have all my Missions.   Just can't remember where the Groups are kept.  I remember it seemed to be in an obtuse place.

[JimTM]

37 minutes ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

I have all my Missions.   Just can't remember where the Groups are kept.  I remember it seemed to be in an obtuse place.

 

@BlitzPig_EL, groups that appear in the Groups section of the Objects Library at the top right of the editor (i.e., groups that you can place anywhere on the map) must be kept under the data/Missions folder or a subfolder of that one.  

 

Other groups, such as templates of many airfield objects, city buildings, bridges, etc., are available under data/template, but you can also store them anywhere on your PC and import them using File > Import from file. 

 

Both groups have file suffix "Group".

 

In the editor manual, see:

• Save Objects, MCUs, and Groups (pg. 28)
  Note that the second directory in the first bullet of step 3 is wrong; you cannot store groups in \data\Multiplayer\Dogfight and access them in the Objects Library.
   
• Import Saved Objects, MCUs, and Groups (pg. 29)
   
• Access Saved Objects, MCUs, and Groups in the Object Library (pg. 30)

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2022 by JimTM

[BlitzPig_EL]

Yes, it's the Groups tab at the top right that I am trying to figure out again.  I had several that made making new missions a lot faster. AAA groups for Germany, Russia, and the US, a small ship convoy, auto spawning "patrol" of 2 aircraft that I used as CAP for home bases.  etc...  I did look at the manual, but as these things go, it made me more confused.  

[Sketch]

Sorry you lost your groups. Here's a bunch of templates I created that I use for pretty much every mission I build. It has everything from destroyable bridges to bombers to protected and unprotected airfeilds to static objectives and more. Hopefully it can help you get back on your feet with mission building. If you have questions let me know.

 

 

My personal groups and templates for building missions:

FNF_Templates.zip

[BlitzPig_EL]

Wow, thank you very much Sketch.

 

I am humbled.

[firdimigdi]

16 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

Pig - tough lesson.

Always keep a "Missions" folder in a separate place on your hard drive.

I have an  "IL2 Stuff"/Missions folder, and also a "Groups" folder on my storage drive. I back up everything here from time time to time.

 

It's also handy to use symbolic links for these (mklink /d in a command line prompt), that way in case of a reinstall if the directory gets deleted then actually only the symbolic link is deleted and not the actual directory with the files. And a .bat file with a robocopy mirror (robocopy /mir <source> <backup>) makes quick work of backing them up.

 

16 hours ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

I have all my Missions.   Just can't remember where the Groups are kept.  I remember it seemed to be in an obtuse place.

 

I guess you did try searching for *.group on the drive you have your backup on?

 

4 hours ago, Sketch said:

My personal groups and templates for building missions

 

Hey, thanks for sharing these!

[BlitzPig_EL]

OK, let me put this another way...

 

What is the exact file path where groups go in the game directory?

 

I.E.   data > ??? > ???  

 

Because no matter where I put them so far, when I am working on a mission, nothing shows up in the groups pane on the upper right of the editor.

 

I apologize for being a n00b, but I cannot figure this out.

[JimTM]

...data\Missions or a subdirecory of that.

 

You need to restart your mission editor to see the new groups in the Groups pane.

[BlitzPig_EL]

Thanks again JimTM,  I'm back in business.

 

 

Many things about the Editor are, well, elusive, to a non IT guy like me.  Set up a brace of SU carbs on a series 1 Jaguar E Type, piece of cake. Decipher the Mission Editor, not so much...

 

[Gambit21]

48 minutes ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

Thanks again JimTM,  I'm back in business.

 

 

Many things about the Editor are, well, elusive, to a non IT guy like me.  Set up a brace of SU carbs on a series 1 Jaguar E Type, piece of cake. Decipher the Mission Editor, not so much...

 

 

I'm happy to see you working with it and making progress.

I told you it was doable.

 

So many years of "I CAN'T DO IT!" and now you're building, experimenting, and advanced enough to f&^%k up your groups workflow. Congrats!!

 

 

[BlitzPig_EL]

Thanks.   I'm no where near your level, but, I am keeping my guys happy with missions that grow ever more complex (to the point of overwhelming my PC) and also very engaging and repeatable.

 

I owe a lot to the amazing people in this community.  I'm a nobody really, yet all of you offer your help, unselfishly.  I hope in future we can share some cold ones.

 

[JimTM]

1 hour ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

Thanks again JimTM,  I'm back in business.

 

 

Many things about the Editor are, well, elusive, to a non IT guy like me.  Set up a brace of SU carbs on a series 1 Jaguar E Type, piece of cake. Decipher the Mission Editor, not so much...

 

 

Glad to help EL. Now, can you tell me where I put the SU carbs on a series 1 Jaguar E Type? The only thing I know about carbs is that I consume too many. Cheers!