[TopAce]

The thread's name is not so ideaful, but let me explain what I want:

I want to tell FRED_open to save in FRED_open version ONLY when a change was made that is only readable for FRED_open like texture replacing, new sexps, etc.

[Goober5000]

I can hardly understand what you said...

FRED2 cannot open missions that FRED2_open creates, so there's no need to worry about compatibility errors.  It just displays e.g. "Cannot open this mission file" and aborts.

[Grey Wolf]

That's only because Fred2_Open adds "+Flags2: ( )" to every ship.

[StratComm]

I actually see what TopAce is saying; if possible, you should have FRED2_Open use a different extension (and FS2_Open as well, obviously); it should be able to open normal FS2 missions as well but normal FRED2 would not let the user even select the FS2_open-only missions.  Think Starcraft, with I think .scm for StarCraft Map and .scx for StarCraft Expansion map.  So perhaps instead of .fs2, use .fso if it isn't already taken.  Shouldn't even take all that much modification I don't think, except that you would have to add the line to look for both extensions in every location that you might want to open/link to FS2 mission files.

[Bobboau]

actualy I think he is asking if FRED2_open would make some sort of effort to have files compatable with vanila FS2.

[StratComm]

Originally posted by Bobboau
actualy I think he is asking if FRED2_open would make some sort of effort to have files compatable with vanila FS2.

Well, yes, but this offers several difficulties; namely that the missions will not build correctly with missing SEXP's (if one is skipped in loading, but linked to by a pre-source SEXP) and so this would only have limited functionality at best.  I still think that a different extension is the way to go, but not for the exact reasons stated by TopAce.

[TopAce]

Well, I meant that if it would be possible, may FRED2_open evade using +Flags2, and any of its special things if none of them are set, allowing normal FRED to read and understand all missions that were made by FRED_open, but they are not using any options that only FRED_open can read.

so in a word, after saving in FRED2_open, it is certain that normal FRED won't be able to read it after all, despite changes were made or not that are only in FRED_open.[/b]

[Inquisitor]

Why would you want to do that?

[Grey Wolf]

So the mission will be able to run in standard FS, perhaps? Or maybe so they can switch to the standard FRED if FRED2_open is being stupid?

[Goober5000]

What would be best is a Save As Regular FS2 choice on the menu, which would ignore the SCP enhancements.  (More than just Flags2, mind.)

[TopAce]

Originally posted by Goober5000
What would be best is a Save As Regular FS2 choice on the menu, which would ignore the SCP enhancements.  (More than just Flags2, mind.)

of course in the case none of these enhancements are used

[Taristin]

But then you lose all of the nifty enhancements... Nuts to that! If you wanna make a plain mission that will work in FRED2, use FRED2...

[Goober5000]

But FRED2_open has the bugfixes and the special sexp menus.

[Taristin]

Ehh... yeah...

What bug fixes though?

[Goober5000]

Offhand I can only think of the fix for Mission Specs clearing everything.

Bah.  Use original FRED2 and put up with the bugs.

[Taristin]

Originally posted by Goober5000


Bah.  Use original FRED2 and put up with the bugs.

[TopAce]

OK, here's another point why to do the thing I have told: Original FreeSpace(the GAME) cannot read missions done by FRED2_Open. This one is a bug of SCP things in my book.
So you can eat my socks

(to be a bug in my book = expression learnt by Black Wolf)
[/b]

[Taristin]

Original Freespace, as in FS1?

Either way (FS1, or FS2) No, it won't. But if you plan on making a campaign for the original FS2, you might as well use FRED2, because who's to say if you make a mistake in the open version and use one of the newer sexps? Then the whole campaign is worthless for vanilla (bob's word) users...

[StratComm]

Originally posted by TopAce
OK, here's another point why to do the thing I have told: Original FreeSpace(the GAME) cannot read missions done by FRED2_Open. This one is a bug of SCP things in my book.
So you can eat my socks

(to be a bug in my book = expression learnt by Black Wolf)
[/B]

This is exactly why I'd like to see a new mission extension, so that vanilla FS2 doesn't even try to open FS_Open exclusive missions.  Eventually a checker for new SEXP's or other Open-specific settings could be implimented, and if none are found the option given to save with the .fs2 extension with no extra flags or anything thrown in, but that would require a lot more work than is worth it IMHO.  I'll refer to it again, the StarCraft campaign editor had this feature worked out as best as I've seen it (on save command, it checks for Brood War exclusive units and events, and lists what versions of the game can run the mission file and what format it can be saved in) but that's a lot of work that is not really needed right now.