I have a couple of questions on PCM '09 DB editing/file structures since I'm getting confused - maybe it's because of the changes, or that it's been a year since the last time or perhaps the brain degrading with old age. Regardless, here goes, and thanks in advance to anyone offering info/simplification:
Given that there are DB related folders/files in the following locations: ...\My Documents\Pro Cycling Manager 2009\Database ...\Program Files\Cyanide\Pro Cycling Manager - Season 2009\Database
I'm curious as to the process when using the PCM DB Editor. If I open the editor and want to make changes to riders/teams etc, then I have the choices of going to File/Open CDB file which takes me to the \Program Files\Cyanide... location or File/Open XML file which takes me to the My Documents\Pro Cycling Manager... location.
So, my take on this is that the XML file could be seen as a 'working on' file, where I can edit information that same as in the CDB, and save as an XML file, but then I need to export back to a CDB file to make a working database file that the game can use, and that each of these should be saved to the same locations as they're found at above, i.e. XML = /My Docs... and CDB = Program Files\Cyanide....\Database etc. Is that correct?
Second to that, since I've installed the PCM Daily Expansion Pack, I notice the presence of a: ...\My Documents\Pro Cycling Manager 2009\Database\Exports\OfficialRelease_V1 folder. Am I right in presuming the .xml file in here is the one I should edit to be editing the PCM Daily Expansion pack rosters/teams before exporting to a new CDB file?
Next, if I want to add teams/riders to the database, am I right in following the below quoted info (from this forum):
2. If I want to add or delete a team, which tables do I need to edit?
Adding a team is done in DYN_team. As with the STA_race, you can find what you need by looking in other tables of the DB. Some of the ones you can't find are value_i_nationalism (1 = not nationalistic, 4 = very nationalistic), which decides whether a team should sign riders from other countries than the origin country, gene_sz_tga_skin, which is what the riders' skin colour will be (can be found in CM_Textures/cycliste/skin) and the equipment tables (copy the ones from a different team, and you should be alright). In general, check a different team when filling in your own.
3. If I want to add or delete a rider, which tables do I need to edit?
Adding a rider is done in DYN_cyclist. Mainly focus on the name tables, country, team, photo, birthday and age, potential and the stats. Copy the rest from the rider above the one you're adding.
There's one column called value_f_current_evaluation. You don't need to fill out this column as it's calculated automatically by the game.
However, if you're adding an entire team, and all of them have 0 in that column, the team will show up with only 1 star in the team selection screen. The way to avoid this is to start a game with your new DB, then open your save game and copy the calculations from the game to the DB.
If so, what's best to use to open and edit the aforementioned DYN_Team?
Is there a limit to the number of teams the DB can contain? For example, if I wanted to add in the region of 12 extra teams and riders to 'staff' those teams, are there known issues with this?
Penultimately, can someone give me a hand with how to add team uniforms/logos/mini shirts etc? I have a bunch of team shirts for the teams I want to add that I used in a large custom DB for last year's game. I'm hoping I can re-use but the structure seems different, somewhat.
Finally, when I do open the CDB file in the official editor, if I click on the Teams tab and then select any team, I get a series of pop-up notifications, along the lines of the following:
The key -125 does not exist in STA_equipment_marques
The value does not exist in STA_equipment_marques_gene_sz_name
The key -94 does not exist in STA_equipment_marques
The value does not exist in STA_equipment_marques_gene_sz_name
It happens for every team, although the number values change, of course. I should add that in the bottom part of the editor's team tab, where the team equipment is shown, none of the images change and every team has La Pierre gear selected. Also, in-game, while everything seems to work correctly, on the team's gear selection screen I have a large list of equipment manufacturers and frame/fr wheel/rear wheel items, etc, but the star value ratings don't change at all. Plus the list of equipment manufacturers lays over the ratings in an ugly way. Are these known glitches? Significant problems? Known fixes?
Again, thanks for any info/help anyone can provide. My aim is to recreate the extensively edited DB I have for the '08 game, focusing on the mid-late 1990's, but I felt a bit in-the-dark looking at the new game's structure.
The PCM.daily DB uses a special way to connect equipment to teams, and that's why those errors show up in the simple editor.
In general, since you plan to add all that stuff, you need to make the changes in the Advanced Editor. I doubt that the Simple Editor can be used for such 'advanced' changes
Okay, thanks for the info on that part. Had some problems with the advanced editor. I used a couple of different ones for the 2008 version but I understand none of those are compatible with 2009 due to some changes in the DB format. I'll try it again.
