CnC.net + my mod + Ares

chr0nicz420 · Jumpjet Infantry **Joined**: 10 Feb 2016

I'm planning of trying the CnC.net but I want to implement my mod on it with Ares features. I tried checking Ares if there's a way but I couldn't find it or maybe I missed it. I thought it's just simple installing CnC.net then done, you can play YR with your mod via CnC.net.

Can anyone help me on this?

E1 Elite · General **Joined**: 28 May 2013

On fresh YR, install CnCNet client for YR, drop Ares files into the game folder and generic cncnet5.dll from (use whichever works best for you):

Oldest DLL - https://ppmforums.com/post-583984/cncnet-my-mod-ares/#583984
Old DLL - https://ppmforums.com/post-557384/tiberian-sun-client/#557384
Under development - https://ppmforums.com/post-588525/updated-cncnet5dll-compatible-with-ares/

With updated CnCNet client's Resources\ClientDefinitions.ini use :

Code:

GameLauncherExecutableName=syringe.exe
GameExecutableNames=gamemd.exe
ExtraCommandLineParams=-cd -log

With older CnCNet client use:

Code:

GameExecutableNames=Syringe.exe
ExtraCommandLineParams= "gamemd.exe" -CD -LOG

Then drop your mod files in the game folder and run the client with its launcher.

Related:

Old topic - https://ppmforums.com/post-561090/cncnet5-syringe-wont-work/#561090
Diplomacy flag - https://ppmforums.com/topic-44129/pressing-tabdiplomacy-crash/
Client source code/package - https://github.com/CnCNet/

4StarGeneral · General **Joined**: 14 Sep 2006 **Location**: Limbo

Should probably sticky this at this point, it's a pretty common question and this is a very good answer.

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Iran · Pyro Sniper **Joined**: 23 Mar 2011

What does cncnet5.dll do?

E1 Elite · General **Joined**: 28 May 2013

I suppose this one is Ares compatible generic spawner implementation supplied by dkeeton. I would have liked it to be open source but with these DLLs not being so, can't say what other functionality it has. Different YR mods use their own variants.

Iran · Pyro Sniper **Joined**: 23 Mar 2011

lol that''s great (not)

Starkku · Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2020 11:19 pm Post subject:

E1Elite's description is mostly correct, but to clarify (although someone who knows better can correct if I got something wrong):

- It was originally made by hifi, presumably to allow using spawner features together with Syringe & Ares (which is not possible using the regular hacked executable) and probably to help YR mods transition into using CnCnet 5. I believe some spawner features have been altered/disabled because they would conflict with Ares. IIRC it also doesn't interact with Syringe in the same way as Ares DLL does and is more of a hack, but exact details escape my mind.

- It has been maintained and/or built by other people, including (and possibly limited to) tomsons26 and dkeeton/xme. Since it is (to my knowledge) not open source, there are no version numbers and file date info isn't always accurate, it is often difficult to tell from what point in time a particular version of this DLL comes from, how it differs from others and to keep track of these changes/differences.

- There is only one mod-specific variant of the DLL as far as I know (also comes in several different 'iterations' as explained in previous point) which is the one used by Mental Omega. The differences between it and the generic DLL from same 'iteration' are minimal and are there mostly to support the specific file setup (different filenames) MO uses.

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chr0nicz420 · Jumpjet Infantry **Joined**: 10 Feb 2016

I'm completely at loss.

I've installed CnC.net on a fresh YR, installed Ares, edited ClientDefinition.ini, then putting my mod in the folder but still it seems my mod is not successfully implemented. Even if I tried to start the game, the game won't load.

Here's my ClientsDefinition.ini:

Code:

[Settings]
;GameLauncherExecutableName=syringe.exe
GameExecutableNames=Syringe.exe
ExtraCommandLineParams= "gamemd.exe" -spawn -cd -log
SettingsFile=RA2MD.ini
ConfigWindowTitle=YR Settings
MPMapsPath=INI\MPMaps.ini
LoadingScreenCount=0
LongGameName=Yuri's Revenge
LocalGame=YR
RegistryInstallPath=YurisRevenge
CnCNetLiveStatusIdentifier=cncnet5_yr
CreditsURL=http://www.moddb.com/mods/the-dawn-of-the-tiberium-age/tutorials/credits
ChangelogURL=https://forums.cncnet.org/topic/5624-cncnet-yuris-revenge-update-changelog/
LongSupportURL=https://forums.cncnet.org/forum/11-support/
ShortSupportURL=forums.cncnet.org/forum/11-support/
MapEditorExePath=Map Editor\Map Editor.bat
FSIniPath=Map Editor\FinalSun.ini
BattleFSFileName=BattleE.ini
SidebarHack=yes
MinimumRenderWidth=1024
MinimumRenderHeight=600
MaximumRenderWidth=1600
MaximumRenderHeight=900
MapCellSizeX=60
MapCellSizeY=30
AllowedCustomGameModes=Standard,Custom Map,Teamgame,Duel,Airwar,Nukewar,Navalwar
KeyboardINI=KeyboardMD.ini
DefaultKeyboardINI=INI\KeyboardMD.ini
MaxNameLength=12
Quickmatch=Qt\CnCNetQM.exe
LauncherExe=CnCNetYRLauncher.exe

Also tried what E1 Elite mentioned:

Code:

GameLauncherExecutableName=syringe.exe
GameExecutableNames=gamemd.exe
ExtraCommandLineParams=-cd -log

But still my mod is not present.

Maybe I am missing something?

XxpeddyxX · Commander **Joined**: 03 Sep 2004

The sides need to be changed manually on the client too. Check gameoptions.ini

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FS-21 · Cyborg Soldier **Joined**: 09 Dec 2002 **Location**: Spain

chr0nicz420 wrote:

I'm completely at loss.

I've installed CnC.net on a fresh YR, installed Ares, edited ClientDefinition.ini, then putting my mod in the folder but still it seems my mod is not successfully implemented. Even if I tried to start the game, the game won't load.

Here's my ClientsDefinition.ini:

Code:

[Settings]
;GameLauncherExecutableName=syringe.exe
GameExecutableNames=Syringe.exe
ExtraCommandLineParams= "gamemd.exe" -spawn -cd -log
SettingsFile=RA2MD.ini
ConfigWindowTitle=YR Settings
MPMapsPath=INI\MPMaps.ini
LoadingScreenCount=0
LongGameName=Yuri's Revenge
LocalGame=YR
RegistryInstallPath=YurisRevenge
CnCNetLiveStatusIdentifier=cncnet5_yr
CreditsURL=http://www.moddb.com/mods/the-dawn-of-the-tiberium-age/tutorials/credits
ChangelogURL=https://forums.cncnet.org/topic/5624-cncnet-yuris-revenge-update-changelog/
LongSupportURL=https://forums.cncnet.org/forum/11-support/
ShortSupportURL=forums.cncnet.org/forum/11-support/
MapEditorExePath=Map Editor\Map Editor.bat
FSIniPath=Map Editor\FinalSun.ini
BattleFSFileName=BattleE.ini
SidebarHack=yes
MinimumRenderWidth=1024
MinimumRenderHeight=600
MaximumRenderWidth=1600
MaximumRenderHeight=900
MapCellSizeX=60
MapCellSizeY=30
AllowedCustomGameModes=Standard,Custom Map,Teamgame,Duel,Airwar,Nukewar,Navalwar
KeyboardINI=KeyboardMD.ini
DefaultKeyboardINI=INI\KeyboardMD.ini
MaxNameLength=12
Quickmatch=Qt\CnCNetQM.exe
LauncherExe=CnCNetYRLauncher.exe

Also tried what E1 Elite mentioned:

Code:

GameLauncherExecutableName=syringe.exe
GameExecutableNames=gamemd.exe
ExtraCommandLineParams=-cd -log

But still my mod is not present.

Maybe I am missing something?

The names you wrote on that "ClientsDefinition.ini:" [General] >Sides= tag are showed in the CnCNet client and the position of those houses is the index value of the houses in-game written in rulesmd.ini>[Countries]
First "side" -> [Countries]>0= ...
Second "side" -> [Countries]>1= ...
Thrid "side" -> [Countries]>2= ...
...

This means that it's possible that you have to re-order the rulesmd.ini>[Countries] list to show all new factions of the same side together (and break the single player campaigns and other stuff)...

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chr0nicz420 · Jumpjet Infantry **Joined**: 10 Feb 2016

Thanks, somehow I managed to fix the UI, particularly on the sides and colors, on the client. However, the game couldn't launch. I couldn't tell why as it does not give me clue why it is crashing.

Is there something that I need to check out first?

G-E · Defense Minister **Joined**: 09 Feb 2015

Would be useful to mention where it is crashing...

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chr0nicz420 · Jumpjet Infantry **Joined**: 10 Feb 2016

G-E wrote:

Would be useful to mention where it is crashing...

At skirmish, once I start the game. It won't show the loading screen and YR will start going "Not Responding", hence I will force close it via Task Manager then going back to the client.

FS-21 · Cyborg Soldier **Joined**: 09 Dec 2002 **Location**: Spain

So the game window opens but black...
Any info in the Client>Client.log file and Debug>debug.log ? Syringe had a log file in these cases?

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E1 Elite · General **Joined**: 28 May 2013

Check the Client\client.log for messages from the client and syringe.log in the installed folder for messages of Ares launch.

Looks like the download of CnCNet client for YR is still the old one so use in Resources\ClientDefinitions.ini as:

Code:

GameExecutableNames=Syringe.exe
ExtraCommandLineParams= "gamemd.exe" -CD -LOG

Adding -spawn is not needed as it is appended by the client itself.

If you compile the client from the latest source code then use the entries as I gave in my earlier post in this thread.

UI sides are given in Resources\GameOptions.ini.

Attaching the generic DLL which was downloaded from the link mentioned in my earlier post and works for me. It has to be placed in the installation folder.

GenericCnCNet5DLL.7z

Description:

Download

Filename:

GenericCnCNet5DLL.7z

Filesize:

8.63 KB

Downloaded:

240 Time(s)

G-E · Defense Minister **Joined**: 09 Feb 2015

Crashing during the loading bar is usually a sign of a corrupted mix.... some resource the game expects was found but couldn't be loaded for whatever reason.

One way to test this is to selectively remove 1 mix at a time until the game stops crashing. Of course there is the rare case where more than 1 is bad, but it's something to try.

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chr0nicz420 · Jumpjet Infantry **Joined**: 10 Feb 2016

E1 Elite wrote:

Check the Client\client.log for messages from the client and syringe.log in the installed folder for messages of Ares launch.

Looks like the download of CnCNet client for YR is still the old one so use in Resources\ClientDefinitions.ini as:

Code:

GameExecutableNames=Syringe.exe
ExtraCommandLineParams= "gamemd.exe" -CD -LOG

Adding -spawn is not needed as it is appended by the client itself.

If you compile the client from the latest source code then use the entries as I gave in my earlier post in this thread.

UI sides are given in Resources\GameOptions.ini.

Attaching the generic DLL which was downloaded from the link mentioned in my earlier post and works for me. It has to be placed in the installation folder.

Okay now I'm stuck on the Syringe error with "Syringe cannot be run just like that".

E1 Elite · General **Joined**: 28 May 2013

That means the syringe didn't get its parameters of gamemd.exe with -log and -spawn (also -cd etc.).

chr0nicz420 · Jumpjet Infantry **Joined**: 10 Feb 2016

Code:

[10:12:52] Syringe 0.7.2.0
[10:12:52] ===============

[10:12:52] WinMain: arguments = "-SPAWN "gamemd.exe" -CD -LOG"
[10:12:53] WinMain: No or invalid command line arguments given, exiting...
[10:12:53] WinMain: Exiting on failure.

I'm thinking if it's because the -SPAWN argument is taking place first before the executable, which is why I couldn't launch the game... Otherwise, I'm really clueless.

E1 Elite · General **Joined**: 28 May 2013

ClientDefinitions.ini entries for both old and latest clients were given in my posts. I don't know which client you are using and what your current INI entries are. The spawn parameter problem was also discussed in the old topic (link in my first post).

FS-21 · Cyborg Soldier **Joined**: 09 Dec 2002 **Location**: Spain

chr0nicz420 wrote:

Code:

[10:12:52] Syringe 0.7.2.0
[10:12:52] ===============

[10:12:52] WinMain: arguments = "-SPAWN "gamemd.exe" -CD -LOG"
[10:12:53] WinMain: No or invalid command line arguments given, exiting...
[10:12:53] WinMain: Exiting on failure.

I'm thinking if it's because the -SPAWN argument is taking place first before the executable, which is why I couldn't launch the game... Otherwise, I'm really clueless.

I downloaded the code from github at the end of november or december and I had the same bug... the "-SPAWN" was hardcoded in the source code and unfortunately the execution will never run because "gamemd.exe" must be placed BEFORE the arguments and not between this -SPAWN and the rest of arguments but the launcher does that weird mix... -SPAWN should be added in the ini file, not in the source code.

You can try downloading the Client source code and in ClientGUI->GamePrecessLogic.cs remove the string "-SPAWN" when is placed before the variable extraCommandLin and compile (only that string tag, not the line!) because it will collide with Ares arguments. Those 2 lines of the function StartGameProcess() looks like:

Code:

if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(extraCommandLine))
QResProcess.StartInfo.Arguments = "c=16 /R " + "\"" + ProgramConstants.GamePath + gameExecutableName + "\" " + additionalExecutableName + "-SPAWN " + extraCommandLine;

and:

Code:

if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(extraCommandLine))
DtaProcess.StartInfo.Arguments = " " + additionalExecutableName + "-SPAWN " + extraCommandLine;

Don't forget to put the "-SPAWN" in the ini file where it belongs because you removed it in the source code.

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E1 Elite · General **Joined**: 28 May 2013

ClientDefinitions.ini entries given in my first post is for the latest client. And in my later post it is for the older client which is still the version available for download.

Complexity of changing the source code and compiling is not compulsory. It takes only a few minutes to do this setup.

E1 Elite · General **Joined**: 28 May 2013

Updated the reply in my first post with updated CnCNet DLL link.

JarJarRey · Vehicle Drone **Joined**: 28 Dec 2019

FS-21 wrote:

chr0nicz420 wrote:

Code:

[10:12:52] Syringe 0.7.2.0
[10:12:52] ===============

[10:12:52] WinMain: arguments = "-SPAWN "gamemd.exe" -CD -LOG"
[10:12:53] WinMain: No or invalid command line arguments given, exiting...
[10:12:53] WinMain: Exiting on failure.

I'm thinking if it's because the -SPAWN argument is taking place first before the executable, which is why I couldn't launch the game... Otherwise, I'm really clueless.

I downloaded the code from github at the end of november or december and I had the same bug... the "-SPAWN" was hardcoded in the source code and unfortunately the execution will never run because "gamemd.exe" must be placed BEFORE the arguments and not between this -SPAWN and the rest of arguments but the launcher does that weird mix... -SPAWN should be added in the ini file, not in the source code.

You can try downloading the Client source code and in ClientGUI->GamePrecessLogic.cs remove the string "-SPAWN" when is placed before the variable extraCommandLin and compile (only that string tag, not the line!) because it will collide with Ares arguments. Those 2 lines of the function StartGameProcess() looks like:

Code:

if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(extraCommandLine))
QResProcess.StartInfo.Arguments = "c=16 /R " + "\"" + ProgramConstants.GamePath + gameExecutableName + "\" " + additionalExecutableName + "-SPAWN " + extraCommandLine;

and:

Code:

if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(extraCommandLine))
DtaProcess.StartInfo.Arguments = " " + additionalExecutableName + "-SPAWN " + extraCommandLine;

Don't forget to put the "-SPAWN" in the ini file where it belongs because you removed it in the source code.

Which exactly is the "source code" file where im supposed to remove the "-SPAWN"?

McPwny · Chem Warrior **Joined**: 29 Jan 2018

i cant get it to work properly. what i do:
- install ra2 and yr into a folder
- install cncnet into the folder
- go into the clientdefinitions ini and add:

Code:

GameLauncherExecutableName=syringe.exe
GameExecutableNames=gamemd.exe
ExtraCommandLineParams=-cd -log

what happens when i do this is when i launch cncnet yr, go to skirmish, and launch the game, the
act of launching the skirmish map just launches the vanilla game's menu.

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E1 Elite · General **Joined**: 28 May 2013

Your steps doesn't say which cncnet you have installed. CnCnet download gives old one which needs update. It also doesn't say whether you installed Ares and cncnet5.dll.

McPwny · Chem Warrior **Joined**: 29 Jan 2018

ares files are in the folder (it would be kind of hard to expect ares to run without ares), the cncnet version is whatever version
is on the cncnet website with latest patches (it says 8.6). i dont see any .dll files under the name cncnet5 in the folder.

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E1 Elite · General **Joined**: 28 May 2013

I don't know how cncnet update works but github repository of it is kept updated -
https://github.com/CnCNet/cncnet-yr-client-package

You need Ares compatible cncnet5.dll -
https://github.com/CnCNet/cncnet-for-ares/releases

Also there is Starkku's github repo which has a sample of this for modders -
https://github.com/Starkku/cncnet-client-mod-base

McPwny · Chem Warrior **Joined**: 29 Jan 2018

it was the absence of the cncnet5.dll that was causing the problem, ive got it
functional now. thanks again e1elite

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