FaceTool error questions

[ChuckkieB]

I posted a note in the Mods sections on the Facetool sticky, but it seems that there have been several recent questions that were never answered, several of them similar to the ones I have, so I'm hoping this post gets a few more eyeballs.

I've used the tool successfully in the first year of my league after following the various steps laid out on this thread:

1 - Make sure delimiter is set to semicolon.
2 - Make sure the program is actually installed at c:\Program Files\OOTPfacetool\
3 - If it is, open the file configuration.ini
The second line of that file should read c:\Program Files\OOTPfacetool\

If all three are correct, try the following:

1 - Go to Settings->Control Panel->BDE Administrator
2 - Look for the Alias "FaceTool1", and delete it
3 - Go into c:\Program Files\OOTPfacetool\data and delete everything that's in there except nations.csv and facialhair.csv (basically, delete anything that ends with .db)
4 - Delete the file c:\Program Files\OOTPfacetool\configuration.ini and the file c:\Program Files\OOTPfacetool\errors.txt

For some strange reason, the tool does not work when I try to run it in the 2nd year of the league. This is particularly frustrating because it's already worked once. I've followed the same exact procedures the second time around but to no avail. I am getting an INVALID POINTER OPERATION no matter what I do. I've even atttempted reinstalling the application several times. Does anyone have any insight into this particular error or how to get this tool to work consistently?

This is a phenomenal tool, but based on the comments I've seen on this board, there are many people who are encountering similar errors with the app and it is a shame that so many are missing out on using this great tool. I realize that there is no offical support for this app, but perhaps someone who is well veresed enough can weigh in on this and try to work through the most common errors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[1998 Yankees]

Posting in the OOTP FaceTool sticky thread on the Mods board is what I would have done as well. However, from the looks of this post, Layton is my Homeboy may have checked out for a while. He has not posted anywhere since October 15. Hopefully the community can help you if he has indeed taken a hiatus.

[ChuckkieB]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

Posting in the OOTP FaceTool sticky thread on the Mods board is what I would have done as well. However, from the looks of this post, Layton is my Homeboy may have checked out for a while. He has not posted anywhere since October 15. Hopefully the community can help you if he has indeed taken a hiatus.

Thanks 1998. I saw Layton's post which is why I'm hoping that whatever level of expertise exists out there regarding this tool can be harnassed into offering up some solutions to the issues that exist.

[ChuckkieB]

Is there anyone out there that has any guidance regarding these apparently common FaceTool errors? This program is too good to be unuseable by so many of us.

Also, is there any chance that some sort of face generating tool will be available in the 2007 version of the game?

[ChuckkieB]

I have read and re-read the entire FaceTool thread several times and have implimented every single suggested fix several times over, uninstalled and reinstalled the app AND the Borland Database Administrator several times as well, but I still cannot get the darned thing to work!! This is extremely frustratiing as it actually worked the first time I used it, but not once since! What's even more frustrating is that each time I attempt to run the program, I'm getting different errors!

Are there any computer savy people out there that can attempt to interpret and troubleshoot the many "access vilolation", "invalid pointer operation" and "open/closed dataset" errors that several board members have encountered???

Will it be possible to get some unofficial "official " support of this great tool somewhere down the road?

[neojonas]

Originally Posted by ChuckkieB

Are there any computer savy people out there that can attempt to interpret and troubleshoot the many "access vilolation", "invalid pointer operation" and "open/closed dataset" errors that several board members have encountered???

First thing - is OOTP closed when you try it? I don't know but OOTP might have a lock on some of those files.

Have you tried to create a new league and run the FaceTool on your new league to see if the FaceTool somewhat works?

[ChuckkieB]

Originally Posted by neojonas

First thing - is OOTP closed when you try it? I don't know but OOTP might have a lock on some of those files.

Have you tried to create a new league and run the FaceTool on your new league to see if the FaceTool somewhat works?

OOTP has never been open during any attempt to run the program.

I have created several new leagues with many diffferent parameters and get the same errors regardless.

[MadMax58]

hmm...I dont know if I can help...but out of curiousity, did you get the game before the final patch, then install the facetool program, then update to the newest patch(1.0.3)?? Or have you always had the newest patch, and then installed facetool??

Also, does facetool work at all for you? Does the program even load, or does it give you the pointer error as soon as you click the exe??

[ChuckkieB]

Originally Posted by MadMax58

hmm...I dont know if I can help...but out of curiousity, did you get the game before the final patch, then install the facetool program, then update to the newest patch(1.0.3)?? Or have you always had the newest patch, and then installed facetool??

Also, does facetool work at all for you? Does the program even load, or does it give you the pointer error as soon as you click the exe??

I downloaded the game only a few weeks ago, and I believe the latest patch was included in the download.

FaceTool did not work for me initially, but after sifting thtough the FaceTool sticky thread, I deleted the non csv files in the Facetool data folder, the config and error files, and the FaceTool1 alias in the BDE Amdministrator, and was then able to run the program once for the first year of my league. For what it's worth, the league was on April 1, 1901 and it is a 48 team fictional league with AAA, AA, and A minor leagues. The program created faces for the entire league in about 20 minutes. The program has not worked since. I've attempted to run in at various points in my league but have had no luck. I've literally tried every single suggestion that has been posted on these boards, but still nothing.

[MadMax58]

At what point are you recieving the pointer error?? Is it while the facetool is trying to load, or when you try to load a league??

Also, have you tried to create a new league & see if it will load that?? That would be assuming the facetool actually loads in the first place.

[Twelvefield]

Chuckkie, if you ever figure this out, please consider that you will be the expert on how to fix Face Tool, and that you will be writing the tutorial.

I, too, have followed the sticky, but I can't get the thing to work, and now it looks lik eyou have officially done more than me to try to get it running.

I wish you the best of luck!

[MadMax58]

Chukkie...one more thing. Have you restructured your league recently, like maybe between year 1 & 2, or sometime after the last time you successfully used it?

Just to confirm...are you getting the invalid pointer error, or some other error, or does it just not load the league?

I know I'm asking every question under the sun...but mine works on some of my leagues, and not others which I have used as test out leagues. If I can understand precisely what your error is, I'll try to reproduce it.

[ChuckkieB]

Originally Posted by MadMax58

At what point are you recieving the pointer error?? Is it while the facetool is trying to load, or when you try to load a league??

Also, have you tried to create a new league & see if it will load that?? That would be assuming the facetool actually loads in the first place.

All of the errors I get occur while loading the league file. It seems quite random as to which error appears. I have been getting the "access violation" and "invalid pointer error" with regularity, but last night I created a new fictional league (same parameters as old league), simmed up to opening day, ran Facetool, and it worked (this was after I uninstalled facetool AND deleted all of thr BDE related files, including the registry files). The program successfully created 7000+ images in 25 minutes. I then simmed up through opening day of year 2, and ran Facetool again and got this error:

"Overflow while converting variant of type (double) into type (intiger)"

This is the first time I got this error. Does anyone have any idea what it means?

I created several more new fictional leagues (same paramenters) and can get Facetool to work for the first year every time (after going through the complete uninstall/install process), but get the error above during year 2 every time. I'm starting to think that the program is rejecting something specifically in the league file after year 1. However, other than the addition of newly drafted players (about 700), nothing in the file changes, (except the history, of course). What could it possibly be? Perhaps the file size? Anyone have any theories?


When I get home from work tonight, I'm going to create a variety of different sized leagues, some with real teams, some with fictional, one divison, two divisions, etc.....and see if any of those combinations will get the program to work consistently. If that's the case, then at least I've narrowed down that the specific league file is the problem and could then concentrate on isoltating the root casue.

Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions regarding any of this? Any input could prove very helpful.

If I eventually figure this all out, I will be more than happy to put together a tutorial/troubleshooting guide for the rest of the community.

[MadMax58]

Now have you tried deleting only the .db & .px files in the facetool/data folder associated to your league ("yourleague".db & .px) before you try to load the league again for year 2?

Not sure if you've done this, but I've read others have deleted ALL files in the data folder, except the 2 .csv files. I haven't had to do that, so I wouldn't suggest it. Otherwise it will ask you for all the associated files like the faces, accessories, etc.

I would only delete the 2 files associated with the league your trying to create pics for.

[ChuckkieB]

Originally Posted by MadMax58

Now have you tried deleting only the .db & .px files in the facetool/data folder associated to your league ("yourleague".db & .px) before you try to load the league again for year 2?

Not sure if you've done this, but I've read others have deleted ALL files in the data folder, except the 2 .csv files. I haven't had to do that, so I wouldn't suggest it. Otherwise it will ask you for all the associated files like the faces, accessories, etc.

I would only delete the 2 files associated with the league your trying to create pics for.

I've always deleted ALL of the files except for the 2.csv files. I will try out your suggestion tonight.

[ChuckkieB]

Originally Posted by MadMax58

Now have you tried deleting only the .db & .px files in the facetool/data folder associated to your league ("yourleague".db & .px) before you try to load the league again for year 2?

Not sure if you've done this, but I've read others have deleted ALL files in the data folder, except the 2 .csv files. I haven't had to do that, so I wouldn't suggest it. Otherwise it will ask you for all the associated files like the faces, accessories, etc.

I would only delete the 2 files associated with the league your trying to create pics for.

FYI...I tried this and it didn't work. I got an "access voilation" error.

[ChuckkieB]

After extensve testing last night, I am absolutely convinced that my specific league file is the root cause of Facetool not working beyond the first year of the league. I was able to create and sim several other leagues and successfully used FaceTool before each new season began.
The difference bewtween my orignal league and the new test leagues is that my original league is extensively customized and the other test leagues were not (other than league size). I'm not sure that this has anything to do with it, but I am going to find out.

To that end, I plan on re-creating my original league, this time adding one variable at a time (customized team names, logos, uniforms, particular game settings, etc...) and simming to year 2 and beyond running FaceTool each time. Hopefully this trial and error process will signal out the root cause of the problem. Or........it will be a complete waste of time.

I don't know why this has become so important to me to figure out, but it has. I might not have any programming skills, but damn it, I'm determined..... and hopefully that will be enough!

In the meantime, if anyone can muster up an explanation/theory for any of the various FaceTool errors listed in this thread, it would really help this process along.

CB

[ChuckkieB]

Well, after a weekend of extensive testing, I am completely befuddled. No matter what type of league I create, no matter how many teams, no matter how the variables are set, I am unable to run Facetool more than once for any league. The initial setup works without any issues, but any second attempt to run Facetool whether it's a week later in that season or on the day of the beginning of season 2, I end up getting the various "access violation," "invalid pointer operation" and "open/closed dataset" errors no matter what.

Is there anyone out there that can possibly figure how to get Facetool running withoout any issues??? Please help! I am about to pull my hair out.

[StyxNCa]

Have you gone to the desktop icon for facetool and typed "C:\Games\OOTP FaceTool" into the "start in" box?

Naturally the folder for you may not be "c:games", so put in whatever folder you installed to (c:\*\OOTP FaceTool).

I was having a lot of problems at first, but once I did this I have had no problems since.

[ChuckkieB]

I FINALLY figured it out!!!!!!!!! After many days of endless testing I am finally able to run FaceTool on a consistent basis through multiple years of my leagues without getting ANY errors!

I am no programming expert. In fact, I don't know how to program at all. However, through very crude trial and error, I am able to say the following with absolute certainty about my particular situation:

There is a bug in FaceTool which prohibits it from recognizing a modified NATIONS.txt file after the first use in a game.

This his been extensilvely tested. Every single game I was running previously had a modified nations.txt file (modified only once before ANY test leagues were created). I never bothered to check it before because Layton is my Homeboy, the creator of this awesome tool, had stated in his 1.0 release notes that the tool was able to support a modified nations.txt file. While this might be the case in other instances for other people, in my particular case, it definitely is not. It's all good, though. After restoring the original nations.txt file, I am now able to utilize this absolutely incredible tool without any issues.

To those people out there who are still getting the various errors I have described in this thread, restoring the original nations.txt file (if you are using an amended version), might just do the trick. Good luck!