Common PolyWorks Problems & Questions

[Laser Guy]

Common PolyWorks Problems & Questions

Problem: I have no palette! (or any other window)
Solution: On top of the window press Window --> Workspace --> Reset Window Locations

Problem: I made my map but whenever I play on it I just fall through the map!
Solution: You probably didn’t compile your map. On top of the window press File --> Compile to PMS

Problem: I don’t have any scenery/textures/maps!
Solution: You probably don’t have PolyWorks configured right. To check if you do, on top of the window press Edit --> Preferences (or hotkey Ctrl + P) and check if under “Soldat” the folder Soldat is installed in is correct.

Problem: I get this error when I try to run PolyWorks: System Error &H8007007E (-2147024770). The specified module could not be found!
Solution: Make sure these files exist in your Windows\System32 folder: MBMouse.ocx, COMDLG32.OCX, mscomctl.ocx, msvbvm60.dll, dx8vb.dll, scrrun.dll. The first three are included in the PolyWorks zip, the others can be found with Google. If putting them in the Windows\System32 folder doesn't work try registering the missing files: start -> run, type in regsvr32 name_of_file.dll_or_ocx.
It will work if a window pops up saying "Registering successful." If this doesn't happen the file is probably corrupted, so download the file from another location and try again.

@Windows Vista users: If you're getting an error that says one of the components is missing or invalid, you can try registering it like this:

Make sure you have administrative rights.
Go to C:\windows\system32, right click cmd.exe, and click "Run As Administrator."
Type in regsvr32 comdlg32.ocx (or whatever the name of the files is).


edit: With version 1.4.0.16, if you get the error that says:

Direct3D initialization failed
Error creating Direct3D objects
ActiveX component can't create object

do the above procedure with the dx8vb.dll file (search for and download it if it doesn't exist on your computer).

Thanks to Dro on IRC for working with me to fix this.

Problem: I can't add scenery. When i go to put in scenery it doesn't appear but the scenery count goes up.
Related: How do I make scenery transparent?
Answer: You probably have opacity set as "0" thus the scenery seems invisible. In order to change opacity either change it in "Palette" window before placing scenery on map, or change it in "Properties" window by entering a value between 1-100  in the “Opacity” box and pressing "Enter" to confirm (0 would make it invisible and it's kinda pointless to do that). Same thing goes for related question.

Question: How can I make polygons transparent?
Related: Whenever I make a polygon it’s just invisible, help!
Answer: When you make a polygon you can either select whole one or just certain vertices. After you selected the pieces you want to make transparent in the “Properties” box enter a value between 0 to 100 in the “Opacity” box and press “Enter” to confirm.

Question: How do I add player and object spawns and colliders?
Answer: Use the spawn tool (hotkey is T). For different types of spawns press right mouse button and select the type you want.

Question: How do I make scenery collide?
Answer: It isn’t really the scenery that is colliding. It’s a collider that’s with the scenery. For different sizes of colliders in “Palette” window enter a value between 4 to 128 in “Radius” box and press “Enter” to confirm.

Question: How do I resize/rotate scenery?
Answer: In the Scenery window check Rotate box for rotating scenery and Scale box for changing size of scenery. In case if you check both rotating comes before resizing.

Question: How do I add animated scenery?
Answer: Make sure you have latest version of PolyWorks.
The only way you can add animated scenery now is as EnEsCe said...

Q. How will us mapmakers implement GIF's into our new maps?
A. The only way to do this currently will be by first creating map using "still" BMP/JPG versions of the animation, and then using a HEX Editor to edit the .PMS file, replacing "youranimation.bmp" with "youranimation.gif" etc.
Q. I don't know how to use a HEX Editor... Why can't you fix this?
A. Everyone uses PolyWorks these days, which is coded in Visual Basic by Anna. Anna was contacted about updating PolyWorks to support GIF's, but she ignored (read but didn't reply) the messages. So people will have to learn how to HEX edit their map until someone takes over PolyWorks and updates it.

Question: How do I add a picture of the whole map?
Answer: Just follow these steps:

• Open the map in PolyWorks
• Click on "Window" --> Hide All so that there are no windows covering the map.
• OPTIONAL: If you want to let people see the properties of the map click on Window --> Properties
• To make whole map visible click View --> Fit on screen
• Now press Shift + Print Screen on your keyboard.
• Open paint or some other picture editor and press Ctrl + V (paste).
• Now save the screenshot in PNG or JPG.
• Upload your picture as an attachment in your post, or upload it to some file hosting site like Photobucket, TinyPic, or ImageShack and include image code in your post.

      

The outcome should look something like this:






Much thanks for chutem and EA who helped a bit.

Screens might come soon!
Other suggestions?

[ZomgProniss]

Problem: I get this error when I try to run PolyWorks: System Error &H8007007E (-2147024770). The specified module could not be found!
Solution: Make sure these files exist in your WindowsSystem32 folder: MBMouse.ocx, COMDLG32.OCX, mscomctl.ocx, msvbvm60.dll, dx8vb.dll, scrrun.dll. The first three are included in the PolyWorks zip, the others can be found with google. If putting them in the WindowsSystem32 folder doesn't work try resistering the missing files: start -> run, type in regsvr32 name_of_file.dll_or_ocx.

wat do u mean buy "resistering"? cuz i have that problem and i checked to make sure that they exist and they do so ...

Date Posted: May 22, 2008, 07:13:26 pmoh an btw  i got 1st post yay

Date Posted: May 22, 2008, 07:14:02 pmoh and um does it matter/make a difference if im on vista?
 

Date Posted: May 22, 2008, 07:14:45 pmok so i tried to run as administrator (i cant run soldat unless i do that) then i got a window that popped up and said  "Derect3D initiation failed
Error creating Derct3D objects
active X components can't create objects"

so i clicked ok then another simaler window popped up and said

"Error loading
Error initializing  DInput
Object variable or with block variable not set"

is that because it cant find thos files?

[Laser Guy]

Unluckily PolyWorks ain't compatible with Vista much.

[ZomgProniss]

dam that sux i suppose ill just stick with soldat map maker

Date Posted: May 26, 2008, 07:39:44 pmoh well im planing on downgrading

[Boblekonvolutt]

I have Vista, and it took some work but Polyworks and Soldat run fine.

Here's the solution for the ActiveX problem...
http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=174.msg137607#msg137607

[Laser Guy]

Topic updated, thx chutem and EA

[Keron Cyst]

ZomgProniss, there is a "modify" button in the top-right of your posts. Try that instead of posting multiple times

Good guide.

[chutem]

Sticky?

[Laser Guy]

I found one part missing; I'll get to it as so as I get back to Poland (the part that is missing is about making scenery transparent or having a problem with scenery being invisible... like in here)

[black jack]

thanx dude

its great

Date Posted: August 16, 2008, 10:02:37 pmthanx

now i can play~

[MaVeRiCk/PaT0!]

Hi.
I'm posting here a problem that I've never seen before, and which I didn't find any answer for fixing it yet. Maybe I just didn't know how to search for the answer...

here is the screen link: http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/3567/editorbugadorn6.png

As you can see, windows doesn't show any words. The guy who asked me for help didn't tell me much more about the problem, just that he unzipped PW folder/files on the right place and that PW doesn't show any error message when he runs it.

If somebody could help...

Bye!
Sorry, bad Engilsh...

[Laser Guy]

Hmm... never seen anything like that so I'm not sure... did he try reinstalling? Or maybe restarting the PC?


After thinking, maybe he's missing the fonts... tell him to download the attached file and put the fonts in PolyWorks folder.

Date Posted: August 24, 2008, 08:26:26 pmUpdated (added the part about scenery transparency)

[MaVeRiCk/PaT0!]

Hmm... never seen anything like that so I'm not sure... did he try reinstalling? Or maybe restarting the PC?


After thinking, maybe he's missing the fonts... tell him to download the attached file and put the fonts in PolyWorks folder.

Date Posted: August 24, 2008, 08:26:26 pmUpdated (added the part about scenery transparency)

Thanks for help! =)

Apparently, the problem was solved.
The guy said that when he runned PW on the other day, the words appeared. I've send him this download link but I don't know if he downloaded this file to fix it, but at least here stays a register of this "bug".

Bye!
Sorry, bad English...

[Laser Guy]

*Bump*

Found another thing to add, how to make overvew screenshots. Will get to it tommorow (it's damn 11:50 PM here...)

Date Posted: September 29, 2008, 08:50:16 pmMain post updated, screenshot tutorial added.

[chutem]

Question:How do I add a picture of the whole map?
[b]Answear:[/b]Justo follow these steps:

• Open the map in PolyWorks
• Click on "Window" --> Hide All so that there are bo windows covering the map.
• OPTIONAL: If you want to let people see the properties of the map click on Window --> Properties
• To make whole map visible click Cew --> Fit on screen
• Now press Shift + Print Screen on your keyboard.
• Open paint or some other picture editor and press Ctrl + V (paste).
• Now save the screenshot in PNG or JPG.
• Upload your picture as an attachment in your post, or upload it to some file hosting site like Photobucket, TinyPic, or ImageShack and include image code in your post.

Images removed for quote

The outcome should look something like this:
Image removed for quote
[/list]

Just some fixes you might want so as not to confuse n00bs

[Laser Guy]

Fixed, thank you for help.

[chutem]

After getting polyworks to work on my laptop, i now know two more helpful things to add:

An error message containing ActiveX, Direct 3D and with block variable (will find out what it is exactly later) can be fixed by the registering of dx8vb.dll. (linked by bobblie, but you must have missed it)

If your scenery list won't load up and you get an error message with something like with block tree in it (will get exact later), you need to go into Edit -> Preferences and click on the 3 dots to the right of the soldat text input box, and find your soldat directory, click on it and press ok.

[Laser Guy]

The one about no scenery has been explained already. However the one about ActiveX and the Direct 3D error hasn't...

[ZomgProniss]

how do u delete polies?

[Laser Guy]

Selecet a polly you want to delete and press the "delete" keay on your keyboard.