Noob Question About User Pref Files

**Derakon** · April 4, 2019, 15:29

If you only play one character at a time, then when that character dies, you can load their savefile to create a new character whose options and birth settings are all the same as the previous character. That's the easiest way to get those settings set, in my opinion.

**Shalinar** · April 4, 2019, 15:36

Originally posted by Derakon

If you only play one character at a time, then when that character dies, you can load their savefile to create a new character whose options and birth settings are all the same as the previous character. That's the easiest way to get those settings set, in my opinion.

But I don't usually want to play the same character. I just want the birth options set the same every game, no matter what character I'm in the mood to roll.

**Shalinar** · April 4, 2019, 15:41

Starting a new game with Terminal #1 open, I discovered a parsing error is occurring when it reads MyName.prf file. So, this tells me two important things! First, it is actually reading my custom file when I play character named MyName (woohoo!), and second, that the format for my pref file is incorrect.

Currently it reads like the following:

Code:

# Birth options
birth_randarts:0
birth_connect_stairs:1
birth_force_descend:0
birth_no_recall:0
etc...

What's wrong with this syntax?

Side note, currently MyName.prf is living in /lib/customize, NOT /lib/user where customize.txt says it should.

**Derakon** · April 4, 2019, 15:49

Originally posted by Shalinar

But I don't usually want to play the same character. I just want the birth options set the same every game, no matter what character I'm in the mood to roll.

You don't have to play the exact same character type. When you load a dead character you can choose to either play with the same settings or start chargen over -- but in either case your birth settings and other options stay the same.

**takkaria** · April 4, 2019, 17:29

You can save your settings to a file on the options menu. Then you can examine the syntax.

**Shalinar** · April 4, 2019, 17:29

Originally posted by Derakon

You don't have to play the exact same character type. When you load a dead character you can choose to either play with the same settings or start chargen over -- but in either case your birth settings and other options stay the same.

Ah, I see! That's great, that's probably what I'll end up doing.

I'd still like to know what's wrong with my pref file, for future reference.

**Shalinar** · April 4, 2019, 17:42

Originally posted by takkaria

You can save your settings to a file on the options menu. Then you can examine the syntax.

Ok, I tried this. When I opened the file, the relevant part at the top of the file reads like so (copy-pasted here):

Code:

SaveVNLAdescription#Shalinar, L1 Human Warrior, at DL0xrng≠J†*
*p‰∂&#163;;Ô&#239;#Œ&#224;
⁄˙ T6&#195;&#202;`…&#242;&#248;&#200;9!.Nä‰ŒLœ√∞Ωô∫&#236;&#229;Ä'&#234;Ω &#209;ueAT&#202;‰ey*'}L&#177;€,Ô&#187;&#172;†Ízn‘∏ˆy&#248;&#182;/t&#161;e&#210;&#198;◊†&#183;&#242;Á&#210;j&#204;&#162;[~ZΩ&#209;√W‚&#163;E$&#210;&#232;n≈&#209;˚‰5bŒM&#209;c&#161;1&#210;‡zNŒÁMoptions≠•ˆ(nonerogue_like_commandsuse_soundshow_damageuse_old_targetpickup_alwayspickup_invenshow_flavorsshow_targethighlight_playerdisturb_nearsolid_wallshybrid_wallsview_yellow_lightanimate_flickercenter_playerpurple_uniquesauto_morehp_changes_colormouse_movementnotify_rechargeeffective_speedcheat_hearscore_hearcheat_roomscore_roomcheat_xtrascore_xtracheat_livescore_livebirth_randartsbirth_connect_stairsbirth_force_descendbirth_no_recallbirth_no_artifactsbirth_stackingbirth_lose_artsbirth_feelingsbirth_no_sellingbirth_start_kitbirth_ai_learnbirth_know_runesbirth_know_flavorsbirth_levels_persistxxxmessagesAΩj   ====================   Parse error in /Applications/Angband.app/Contents/Resources/lib/customize/Shalinar.prf line 3 column 1: birth_connect_stairs: uParse error in /Applications/Angband.app/Contents/Resources/lib/customize/Shalinar.prf line 3 column 1: birth_connect_stairs: undefined directivexxxmonster memory-No more monstersxxobject memoryî&#213;&#229;

Seeing the giant string of options there, I noticed there were no "1" or "0" values, so I thought perhaps they should be "yes" and "no" values, since that is literally what the birth options menu sets them to, but that didn't work either. I also tried not setting values and instead just including the options that I desired to be "on". Still no dice.

Looking at the parser error, it says column 1 is where it's running into an error, which means the very first non-comment character. So this tells me that the syntax is different from what I thought. However, I can't find any documentation on this.

Does anyone know what the correct syntax is for birth options user preferences?

**Sky** · April 4, 2019, 17:46

Originally posted by Derakon

You don't have to play the exact same character type. When you load a dead character you can choose to either play with the same settings or start chargen over -- but in either case your birth settings and other options stay the same.

that is ... great, but totally counterintuitive. I genuinely had no idea this was a thing.

**takkaria** · April 4, 2019, 21:19

I had a look through the code and there is no way to load options from a savefile anymore. If I recall it was taken out because it made managing pref files too complex. You will need to just use the savefile technique.

PS What you pasted was the beginning of your savefile, not a pref file - that's why it's got all that weird-looking stuff in it.

**Nick** · April 4, 2019, 21:24

OK, first the bad news - you can't save options to a pref file. This possibility was removed "to avoid confusion" about 6 years ago - I don't recall what the confusion was at the time, but there you go. (EDIT: As takkaria just said...)

The best way to achieve what you want is Derakon's suggestion of re-using savefiles.

The thing that bothers me, though, is that you didn't have a lib/user directory. What operating system are you using, and where did you download the game from?

**takkaria** · April 6, 2019, 18:31

Originally posted by Nick

OK, first the bad news - you can't save options to a pref file. This possibility was removed "to avoid confusion" about 6 years ago - I don't recall what the confusion was at the time, but there you go.

I think it was that the interaction between savefile options and pref file options was causing issues. It would probably be fine to reintroduce it on the basis that the pref file just provides defaults for new characters and doesn't affect games loaded from savefiles.

**Shalinar** · April 8, 2019, 14:34

What you pasted was the beginning of your savefile, not a pref file - that's why it's got all that weird-looking stuff in it.

Ah, okay. I looked through the menus but couldn't find anything that looked like saving my preferences to file from an options menu. I don't see a menu called "Options". Here's the menus I have:
File
Settings
Command
(the other menus I didn't screenshot don't have anything related to saving options, I promise

)

**Shalinar** · April 8, 2019, 14:40

Originally posted by Nick

OK, first the bad news - you can't save options to a pref file. This possibility was removed "to avoid confusion" about 6 years ago - I don't recall what the confusion was at the time, but there you go. (EDIT: As takkaria just said...)

The best way to achieve what you want is Derakon's suggestion of re-using savefiles.

The thing that bothers me, though, is that you didn't have a lib/user directory. What operating system are you using, and where did you download the game from?

Thanks Nick, I've been using that method lately. It's a decent workaround.

I downloaded from rephial.org, and I'm on Mac OSX 10.13.6

**takkaria** · April 8, 2019, 15:09

Ah! The UI is counter-intuitive, I agree... you get options if you press the '=' key.

Noob Question About User Pref Files

Noob Question About User Pref Files

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