FOF 2004 File Information

[Solecismic]

In response to questions about multi-player league management, I'm listing files that FOF saves and how this affects the FOF universe.

You have four directories now where saved information can be placed: universe, leagues, import and export.

For the most part, import and export are temporary.

Import is only used by the commissioner of a multi-player league. This directory should only contain files sent by participants related to the current stage of the game. After these files are imported, they can be archived or discarded.

Export is used by both participants and commissioners. It only contains stage files and game files that need to be sent (either from participants to commisioner, or from commissioner to participant). IMPORTANT: When you export from within the game (either as participant or commissioner), the first thing the game does is empty this directory. If commissioners want to archive stages of the game, back up the contents of this directory prior to each export.


Universe contains files related to single-player saved games, as well as global saved information.

Leagues contains files (for the commissioner) related to multi-player saved games.

Now, to the files themselves...

The following files are found in the universe directory (single-player) or the leagues directory (multi-player):

.frc and .fga: These files contain most current league information (.frc is primarily the league record book, .fga contains just about everything else). In a single-player game, these files have numerical prefixes, like 00000014.frc and 00000014.fga. In a multi-player game, these files have the prefix of your league name, like XLeagueX.frc and XLeagueX.fga.

.fbo and .flo: These files have the same prefixes, and contain the box score and game log managers. If you're not saving this information, the files won't be present.

.year: These files have the same prefixes, and a suffix indicating the year. XLeagueX.2003 would contain 2003 information for that league. There is one file for every past season. They aren't created until the year is over. For multi-player leagues, this is only exported after the season has ended, and at no other time. If participants are getting messages about lost statistical information, you might want to make sure they have all the past season files.

.flg and .fbx: These files have separate numerical prefixes (like 00001239.fbx) and contain individual box scores and game logs, in text form.

The following files are always found in the universe directory:

frfoot.fff: This manages single-player saved games in your universe.

frfoot.fgr: This manages global information in your saved universe. Some of these variables are important to running a league, but you do not send this file to participants (unless you want to screw up their single-player saved games).

frfoot.fni: This contains team nicknames and initial city assignments for each team. It is created the first time you edit this information.

frfoot.fcy: This contains city names and abbreviations. It is created the first time you edit this information.

For a multi-player league, you should send (ONLY) frfoot.fni and frfoot.fcy to league participants, so that they all have the same team names and nicknames. They can back up their own files, and replace them when they want to run their own games.


The following files are related to multi-player games:

XLeagueX.YYQ: YY is a two-digit number from 0 to 31. This is a league entry file. It is created when a participant selects the option to enter a new league. It contains the team number and draft preference information (if this is a draft league). This file should be kept in the leagues directory of the participant's installation. It also should be exported to the commissioner and placed in the import directory when starting a new league. If this file is lost, it can easily be recreated by the participant, with no risk of losing information.

XLeagueX.0YY: YY is a two-digit number from 0 to 31. These are stage files, and are exported from participants. The commissioner should place these files in the import directory before processing a stage. Once used, these files can be discarded or archived.

XLeagueX.fmk: This is the commissioner's league placeholder file. It is created when beginning a new league and is stored in the leagues directory. It doesn't contain any information, but its presence alerts the game that you can open this league in commissioner mode. If you lose this file, don't recreate it through the game (like you can with the league entry files). Just create a new file with that name and place it in the leagues directory.

[RPI-Fan]

Thanks, and now go take a freaking vacation!!!

[sjshaw]

Thank you, Jim.

[lighthousekeeper]

I know the answer's no, but I'm askin' anyways - can we get the structure of the *.fga file.



Now I feel dirty for asking.

[Fido]

Originally posted by lighthousekeeper
I know the answer's no, but I'm askin' anyways - can we get the structure of the *.fga file.



Now I feel dirty for asking.

At least it wasn't me who asked.

[Ben E Lou]

Linking to this in the main thread, but I'm gonna sticky this one through the beginning o' the week.

[Alf]

What are the size of the necessary multiplayer league files exchanges ?

[Simms]

The main file that the commissioner makes available starts at around 1 MB and gets larger as box scores and game logs are added.

The stage files you send to the commissioner to import are about 2k.

[Alf]

You rock !

[Ben E Lou]

bump...unsticky

[Ben E Lou]

Confession time. I wrote Jim an e-mail with a problem that I could have fixed myself by checking this thread. Pretty embarrassing to have him refer me to this thread via the Reference Thread. Yeah, the reference thread that I created and maintain myself.

--Ben

[fantastic flying froggies]

Did you PM the question to yourself as well???

[Ragone]

hmm, i'd be more worried if he responded to the pm to himself.. or made another thread complaining about people not using the reference thread in response to his own pm..

my head hurts