[0.12.15] [kovarex] Can't interact with anything (Multiplayer)

[Soleceon]

So, I've gone on to a server with my friend and we're trying to get things set up. I've noticed, immediately that I can't:

-Scroll my view distance
-Interact with the UI or place anything in the world
-I can't open anything other than options and my inventory and the production tab

My friend can do all of these, he's currently hosting the server. I've tried on both the 64 and 32 versions and i've tried to reinstall.
I'm running on Windows 8, and before this update it was working totally okay and had none of these problems, so it's something that's just occurred.

[Oxyd]

Can't reproduce. Created a new MP game, connected to it and could interact with everything just fine. Please post steps to reproduce.

[Soleceon]

Can't reproduce. Created a new MP game, connected to it and could interact with everything just fine. Please post steps to reproduce.

Sorry for the long delay on this. There really weren't many steps. I booted the game, joined the multiplayer world of my friend and then I couldn't interact with anything or scroll my view.

[Smarty]

is it fixed?

[GoldenPorkchop80]

I might have possibly found a solution, but I do not know if this will work on windows.

So, I had the same problem, I reinstalled Factorio; didn't work. So I tried again; didn't work, again.
I tried one last time; this time I uninstalled factorio, then took out the saves folder,then deleted the entire data folder located in ~/Library/Application Support/factorio

I reinstalled Factorio, and huzzah! It works again!
Didn't yet see if my saves were corrupted! Will report back when the results are in!

EDIT: Results are in!!! Preforming this operation should not corrupt your files! Game on!

Here is what I did (FOR MACS!)

1: Move Factorio Application to Trash, and empty trash.
2: Go to Finder>Go>Go to Folder, then enter this into the directory box: ~/Library/Application Support/factorio
3: Move your saves folder somewhere you'll remember and where it will be safe.
4: Go up one folder and take the factorio folder, drag it to the Trash, and empty trash.
5: Reinstall Factorio.
6: Run Factorio once, and make sure everything works. (doesn't matter how long you run it, as long as you generated at least one map (you don't need to save the map))
7: Repeat step 2.
8: Take the saves folder currently in the factorio folder and throw it in the Trash. Move the other saves folder that you stored elsewhere into the factorio folder.
9: Launch Factorio, and have fun!

I don't know what to do for windows, since this fix was done on a mac. I guess it might have to do with going to %APPDATA% and deleting the factorio folder there (but remembering to move the saves folder elsewhere)? I don't know. If someone can come up with a windows fix, then go ahead!

[daniel34]

I don't know what to do for windows, since this fix was done on a mac. I guess it might have to do with going to %APPDATA% and deleting the factorio folder there (but remembering to move the saves folder elsewhere)? I don't know. If someone can come up with a windows fix, then go ahead!

It should be the same routine on Windows
- uninstalling the game
- removing [maybe with a backup] the %appdata%\Factorio directory
- reinstalling the game

Could you describe the problem you had any further? Did you have the same problems?

I've noticed, immediately that I can't:
-Scroll my view distance
-Interact with the UI or place anything in the world
-I can't open anything other than options and my inventory and the production tab

Were you able/not able to do any of these things in multiplayer, did it just not work or do you get any error message?
Did it work before or did you change anything that might lead to this behaviour?

I'm asking because Soleceon hasn't been online since Nov 07, so maybe you could tell us what exactly the problem is.

[GoldenPorkchop80]

Were you able/not able to do any of these things in multiplayer, did it just not work or do you get any error message?
Did it work before or did you change anything that might lead to this behaviour?

Unfortunately, no. Before I deleted the folder, I managed to access the logs. I really didn't find anything out of the ordinary. Here, take a look:

Code: Select all

   0.000 2015-11-20 13:04:04; Factorio 0.11.22 (Build 14011, mac)
   0.000 Operating system: Mac OS X 10.9.5
   0.000 Read data path: /Applications/factorio.app/Contents/data
   0.000 Write data path: /Users/COMPUTERNAME/Library/Application Support/factorio
   0.000 Binaries path: /
   0.214 Graphics options: [FullScreen: false] [VSync: true] [UIScale: 100%] [MultiSampling: OFF] [Graphics quality: low] [Video memory usage: all]
   0.265 Loading mod core 0.0.0 (data.lua)
   0.284 Loading mod base 0.11.22 (data.lua)
   0.517 Loading mod base 0.11.22 (data-updates.lua)
   1.199 Initial atlas bitmap size is 8192
   1.200 Created atlas bitmap 8192x5726
  12.423 Info Updater.cpp:717: Downloading https://www.factorio.com/updater/get-available-versions?username=GoldenPorkchop80&token=<private>&apiVersion=2
  13.865 0 packages available to download (experimental updates disabled).
  13.904 Factorio initialised
 136.691 Loading map /Users/COMPUTERNAME/Library/Application Support/factorio/saves/Seans_world.zip
 136.722 Info Scenario.cpp:158: Map version 0.11.22-0
4219.081 Goodbye

When it happened, I was playing around with a different version of Factorio on a duplicate that I downloaded from the websites, effectively saying I had 2 copies of Factorio: one with the most recent experimental version (OMFG, the art and gfx is stupid amazing!!!!), and one with the most recent stable version. I guess what might have happened was that the two copies were using one folder, and I guess that might be enough to screw it up (which makes sense, because I could see my save files from the other copy onto the experimental copy). Conflicting data, or somthing else. Either way, i'm not a huge enough IT person to read .dat files and understand them (which I highly doubt anyone can, lol), so I would still label this one un-repeatable. Thanks for the reply, though!

EDIT: I did have the same symptoms as the other guy. Except mine happened on singleplayer.

[daniel34]

When it happened, I was playing around with a different version of Factorio on a duplicate that I downloaded from the websites, effectively saying I had 2 copies of Factorio: one with the most recent experimental version (OMFG, the art and gfx is stupid amazing!!!!), and one with the most recent stable version. I guess what might have happened was that the two copies were using one folder, and I guess that might be enough to screw it up (which makes sense, because I could see my save files from the other copy onto the experimental copy).

I don't know about Mac OS X, but on Windows both versions (stable and experimental) use the same data folder (%appdata%\Factorio), so installing 0.12 after uninstalling 0.11 would still show the same savegames, unless you deleted them manually.
The 0.12 will load the older save games, but if you try to load a 0.12 savegame in 0.11 it should throw an error.

[GoldenPorkchop80]

I don't know about Mac OS X, but on Windows both versions (stable and experimental) use the same data folder.

Same for OS X. Both versions used the same data folder, so it would make sense that if they were using the same saves folder.



I might have a solution.
Suspect: crop-cache.dat

Unfortunately, we just hit a roadblock. As any IT guy would know, a .dat file is impossible to read and understand. Not only that, since it's a .dat file, we have no indication of which address to edit to reproduce the problem, so we kind-of just ran out of options.

There is good news though: We solved the bug!

Granted, it's unreproducible and it is caused by unknown circumstances, but we, by definition, solved the bug and have given it an appropriate solution.

There is actually one more thing I wanted to test before this thread is archived.
Even though we solved it, I still am really upset of the fact that the fix is so complicated. I want to test the idea that if someone with the same problem could just remove the .dat file and fix it like that. It would make solving the problem a whole lot easier, but it comes up with another problem: will a new .dat file be generated if the old one is missing? Well, we'll never know, since the bug isn't reproducible!
Oh well!

[kinnom]

well, you CAN test if the .dat file will be regenerated.

[orzelek]

You can safely delete the crop-cache.dat file. It's generated by game and used to speed up load times on next runs.

[GoldenPorkchop80]

Ok, so I have my plans in order.

>>>>>IMPORTANT!!!<<<<<

This is a message to ANYONE WHO HAS THIS PROBLEM!!!

I want your .dat files!!!

Yes, because this problem only happens randomly and without warning, if you have this problem, I want you to send your .dat file to me!!! Doing so will help the devs and me fix and understand this bug much better!!!
"So, what will I gain out of this?"
Well, I don't know! Whatever the forum admins see fit! I'm not god of these forums, so don't ask me! This is just for science!

Send me your files at redrouster2000@aol.com
I know AOL sucks, but hey, it's my spam email. I don't want to risk random people sending me junk mail in my good address, so yeah!

[GoldenPorkchop80]

Hey again!

I just want everyone to know that I managed to reproduce the problem! I don't know how the hell I did it, but I did...
Anyways, I have attached the [corrupt] files in the post here. Hopefully a mod can come and figure out the problem!

Hopefully...

Anyways, if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

(I had to compress it into a .zip file, so make sure you have WinRAR or 7Zip or somthing like that to view it.)

[kovarex]

I tried to use the crop cache you provided, and it worked without a problem.

[GoldenPorkchop80]

I tried to use the crop cache you provided, and it worked without a problem.

Hey, thanks for replying! I honestly didn't know if this topic was dead or not. Sorry about the late reply as well. I've been busy with lots of things.

Anyways, thank you for testing to see if my theory was correct. Unfortunately, since it wasn't, I'll have to investigate some more. If any of the other staff at Factorio HQ can give me some insight about what might be causing this, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again!

[EightBitRanger]

I noticed I had this problem myself in single player this morning. When exploring my Factorio folder, I'd noticed a SpecialK folder presumably from the Special K Install Manager I had used for a Tales of Symphonia fix. When I disabled the Special K (Global Injector), my problems in Factorio were resolved. Not sure what the relationship between SKIM, Steam and Factorio are but whatever it was, I don't have the in-game problem anymore.

[GoldenPorkchop80]

I noticed I had this problem myself in single player this morning. When exploring my Factorio folder, I'd noticed a SpecialK folder presumably from the Special K Install Manager I had used for a Tales of Symphonia fix. When I disabled the Special K (Global Injector), my problems in Factorio were resolved. Not sure what the relationship between SKIM, Steam and Factorio are but whatever it was, I don't have the in-game problem anymore.

Hey, that's great that you were able to solve your problem, but this topic is over a year old. Reviving a topic this old is called Necroing a topic, and is usually frowned upon in most forums.
To prevent necroing, look at the last post that was made, and find the "posted on" date. Anything over 6-10 days old is usually dead, and should be left to die in peace.

[Jap2.0]

I noticed I had this problem myself in single player this morning. When exploring my Factorio folder, I'd noticed a SpecialK folder presumably from the Special K Install Manager I had used for a Tales of Symphonia fix. When I disabled the Special K (Global Injector), my problems in Factorio were resolved. Not sure what the relationship between SKIM, Steam and Factorio are but whatever it was, I don't have the in-game problem anymore.

Hey, that's great that you were able to solve your problem, but this topic is over a year old. Reviving a topic this old is called Necroing a topic, and is usually frowned upon in most forums.
To prevent necroing, look at the last post that was made, and find the "posted on" date. Anything over 6-10 days old is usually dead, and should be left to die in peace.

It's a bug in the pending forum. In practically almost any other forum, I would agree with you - but you're basically saying they shouldn't help the developers fix this problem because it's been around for a while.

[GoldenPorkchop80]

but you're basically saying they shouldn't help the developers fix this problem because it's been around for a while.

Not true. The reason i'm saying that this topic shouldn't be revived is because this is for version 0.12.15. The latest stable is 0.15.34, so you can see that this topic is a bit, uhhh, outdated?
It's literally in the topic's title.

If you want to file a bug report, submit a new topic and someone will eventually respond. Please don't bring back old posts.