Repeated Graphics Tiling - New Java Update?

Java just updated today again and it is still doing it.

Same problem here.

Java version 8.65, Java Heap set to 2048 MB and less than 400 MB Physical memory used (Resource Monitor).
Test done on both Win 7 and Win 10 (64bit) with at least 6GB RAM.

Processing images tiles seems unavoidable, every time I load a Module.

SOLVED!!!

I downgraded Java version from 8 to 7 and the problem disappeared…

Where do you download the older version of java from? The tiling is driving me crazy…

I’m going to try something - if you look at the OP’s first messages, he “solved” the issue by editing the module on another computer and saving it. The one module that is doing the repeated tiling is one that I had just finished editing on my Win7 desktop. I was testing out some changes so would edit, exit, open (re-tile), edit, exit, (re-tile) dozens of times on that computer so I’m thinking that has something to do with it looping the tiling. I’m going to edit the module however slight on another PC, save and then copy it to my desktop to see if the issue goes away. I’ll let you all know.

Yes, I did originally post that after editing the module on my XP system, it stopped tiling on my Win 7 system. However, the module is now tiling every time I start it on my Win 7 system regardless of what machine I edit it on. Haven’t had any problem with repeated tiling on my XP system.

I don’t particularly want to downgrade Java to fix this.

I figured out something that worked. I don’t know why it worked, it just did.

First, I messed with the mod in several different ways on the Win 7 system to no avail …it would still tile graphics whenever I started it. So, I tried the following:

All my computers have a common DropBox folder so any changes made to the mod is transferred over to the other systems.

I opened the module on the Win 7 system, let it tile its graphics, and then closed it.

I went to my Win XP system and opened the module in the editor. I went to the main game properties, deleted the version number, and then re-typed it. Basically, I’m not making any change at all, really. Then I saved it.

I let the module finish it’s transfer through DropBox and tried to open it on the Win 7 system. It opened right up without tiling. Weird, huh?

I have the same problem with 2 mods I created and use frequently, so I explored.

WHAT I DISCOVERED. I opened both mods with 7-zip. I noticed that all the images had a modification date of dec 31, 1969, which is probably a zero. The creation dates were rational.

So I extracted all the images. I then forced them to have valid modification dates. I have Windows 10, so to do this, I selected all image files, and then rotated all of them left then right, which caused them to be modification-stamped with the current time. (After selecting images, choose “Manage” on the toolbar, and the rotate option buttons appear.)

This works for pngs and jpegs but not gifs. (I still use gifs for images with partial transparency because I’ve had problems with pngs and some users.) For gifs, I had to recreate them as new. I then put everything back into the mods. Result? It worked. No more incessant tiling after the first time.

WHAT CAUSE THIS. I have no fricking idea. It was in 2 mods I’m currently using, and the 2 I most currently edited. I randomly checked some old modules (including the newish Victory in Europe) and saw no problems. If it were me, I’d look at the vassal editor first because I think it should be the only app that does not open files readonly.

I can confirm that new Java + old timestamps do indeed cause repeated tiling upon startup.

By changing the timestamp on all images I was able to circumvent the problem.

Any update on this?

I have been able to get around the issue by copying all the files in the image directory to a temporary one, and then overwriting the original files with the copied ones, but obviously I would like to avoid this annoyance.

Thanks

Isn’t there already a solution, namely to fix the image file modification times?

I’d call that a workaround, not a solution.

Thus spake wargamerx:

namely to fix the image file modification times?

I’d call that a workaround, not a solution.

Maybe I don’t understand what you want, then. What would a solution
look like for you?


J.

To be able to save a module in the module editor with images files with correct dates, so that tiling doesn’t occur every time the module is opened.

As it is now, you need to unzip the completed module, manually copy the image files to another directory, copy them back and rezip the file.

Thus spake wargamerx:

To be able to save a module in the module editor with images files with
correct dates, so that tiling doesn’t occur every time the module is
opened.

As it is now, you need to unzip the completed module, manually copy the
image files to another directory, copy them back and rezip the file.

How did they get incorrect dates in the first place?


J.

Apparently something in the editor is changing the dates. I changed the image modified date from 31-Dec-1969 to the present then re-zipped the module. The graphics only tile the first time the module is opened. However, If I open the module with the editor, change nothing, save it, then un-zip it, the image modified dates are back to 31-Dec-1969. Then it’s back to tiling every time.

No idea how or why the editor would change the dates, but that’s seems to be what’s happening.

Thus spake rbrook1:

Apparently something in the editor is changing the dates. I changed the
image modified date from 31-Dec-1969 to the present then re-zipped the
module. The graphics only tile the first time the module is opened.
However, If I open the module with the editor, change nothing, save it,
then un-zip it, the image modified dates are back to 31-Dec-1969. Then
it’s back to tiling every time.

No idea how or why the editor would change the dates, but that’s seems
to be what’s happening.

I created a new module just now, added, one image, and saved it. This
was with my development version, which has no modifications to the
ZIP handling code over 3.2.15, so should not differ from it in behavior,
and the JRE from OpenJDK 1.8.0_71.

  • What are the minimal steps to take for recreating the problem?

  • What version of Java are you using?


J.

For me, the minimal steps are to create or modify any module with my existing configuration.

I can take an existing module that was working fine, load it in Edit Mode, press save without making any changes, and the tiling problem will occur whenever I load it after that.

My Java version is 1.8.0_73-b02. I’m on Windows 10, VASSAL 3.2.15.

Thanks,
Jeff

I’m using VASSAL 3.2.15 on a 32-bit Windows 10 Pro computer with Java Version 8 Update 73 (build 1.8.0_73-b02).

Thus spake wargamerx:

For me, the minimal steps are to create or modify any module with my
existing configuration.

I can take an existing module that was working fine, load it in Edit
Mode, press save without making any changes, and the tiling problem will
occur whenever I load it after that.

Does doing that reset all the file timestamps, or only some?


J.

After checking further, not all images change modified dates after editing. I’m working with the module for ‘The Kaiser’s Pirates’. All images are png files.

Images that changed dates are:
Card faces - But only one of the three backs (???)
Card mask
Charts
Player Hand board images
Private Window board image

Images that didn’t change dates are:
About Module
Main Board
Symbolic Dice
Various toolbar images
Markers

Hope this helps.