Save file trouble

[Brian]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

I recently got a z-machine on my computer. Problem is, every time I
try to open a save file, the computer tries to open it a a TADS save
file. Any tips?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

"Brian" <pentaquark394@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I recently got a z-machine on my computer. Problem is, every time I
> try to open a save file, the computer tries to open it a a TADS save
> file. Any tips?

I'm guessing you're running Windows, and that when you say that you "try to
open a save file," you're talking about double-clicking on the file from the
Windows Explorer desktop. Am I guessing correctly? If so, I think I can
explain what's going on: Windows figures out which program to run when you
double-click a file by looking at the filename's last few characters. TADS
uses ".sav" as the suffix for its saved games, as do some z-machine
interpreters. Since Windows can only associate one program with each
suffix, the last program installed tends to win out when there's a conflict
like this. There's a way of manually changing the association for a given
suffix in Windows, so you could reassign ".sav" to WinFrotz or whatever -
but this would only reverse the problem you're having, so that when you
double-click TADS saved games, you'd open your z-machine interpreter.

The easiest solution is probably to stop opening saved games from the
desktop, and instead open them from within TADS or WinFrotz. So, open the
interpreter and start the game as though you were going to play from the
beginning, then type RESTORE and select the saved game file.

--Mike
mjr underscore at hotmail dot com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Brian wrote:
> I recently got a z-machine on my computer. Problem is, every time I
> try to open a save file, the computer tries to open it a a TADS save
> file. Any tips?

Are you trying to open the save file directly from Windows (are you running
Windows?)? If so, my tip would be to open the game first, in Frotz or
whatever, and then use the "restore" command and find the save file that
way.

--Jess

 

[Jan]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

pentaquark394@hotmail.com (Brian) wrote in
news:f1017f35.0408061007.7a53e3f8@posting.google.com:

> I recently got a z-machine on my computer. Problem is, every
> time I try to open a save file, the computer tries to open it a
> a TADS save file. Any tips?

In addition to the other replies, here's one that would allow you to
continue using your accustomed "open a savefile by doubleclicking"
method (assuming that's what you're doing, of course): just use
different file extensions for different kinds of savefile, not the
default .sav for both.

I'm sure your Z-Machine will let you save Z-Code savefiles with some
unused extension instead -- .zsave, for example (additionally, you
could rename your existing savefiles that way). I doubt the file
extension actually matters, it's just a crutch for Windows to
identify filetypes. And this you can use to your advantage.

When you double-click your first .zsave file, Windows won't know
what program it belongs to, and ask. Show it the way to your Z-
Machine executable and tick that checkbox that'll make it
"remember".

Alternatively, you could right-click the savefile's icon and select
"Open with..." which will bring up the same or a similar dialogue
box.

(This should work on Windows XP/2K, possibly 9x/ME and others)

Jan
(aka 'Ally')
--
kitzapoo {at} gmx {dot} co {dot} uk

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Jan wrote:
> In addition to the other replies, here's one that would allow you to
> continue using your accustomed "open a savefile by doubleclicking"
> method (assuming that's what you're doing, of course): just use
> different file extensions for different kinds of savefile, not the
> default .sav for both.

That's all very well, but the problem is that no Windows Z-code
interpreter (as far as I'm aware) can cope with being given just a
saved game file at startup. You've got to start the interpreter with
the actual Z-code game, then use "restore" to load the saved game.

David

 

[Jan]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

david_kinder@hotmail.com (David Kinder) wrote in
news:a2998143.0408100019.184e3337@posting.google.com:

> That's all very well, but the problem is that no Windows Z-code
> interpreter (as far as I'm aware) can cope with being given
> just a saved game file at startup. You've got to start the
> interpreter with the actual Z-code game, then use "restore" to
> load the saved game.
>
> David
>

Yes, I noticed that and sent a cancel request, but alas, 'twas too
late. Sorry.