[pdescobar]

A while back, wolf86k suggested that helpers who have v1 of SA might be able to do SnP requests for v2 users if they used the v2 scripts. Eventually, someone listened and ChrisGuy supplied the v2 scripts.
Alternate v2 scripts download link thanks to rubregg &Dutchy3010.
Initial tests were favorable as it allowed the helpers to load v2 saves into v1. Unfortunately, after the game was saved in v1, it wouldn't reliably load back into v2.

Recently someone asked about v2 savegames, and it was brought to our attention that mikeswi's v2 savegames (made on v1 using the v2 scripts like the SnP workaround) also weren't properly loading into v2, so I came up with an idea on how to force them to work. Part of the save file contains a version ID and apparently v2 was rejecting saves which had another ID (while v1 doesn't care.) I have written a small converter program which changes this ID for a save file and preliminary results are promising (MastaCheefa confirmed 4 of mikeswi's converted saves work in v2 and srk38 confirmed a converted SnP save works in v2).

So, I am releasing the conversion program for SnP helpers to use when handling v2 SnP requests. The program can be downloaded from http://pdescobar.home.comcast.net/gta/sa_id_convert.zip The zip is around 96kb and contains only the executable and a README. The short version of the instructions are to simply complete the request like you normally would (including using the v2 script files) and then once you are done, drag the save file onto the converter before you upload it. The long version of the instructions is quoted below.

Note that there was apparently a failure of some kind when ajkhan316` tried to use it for srk38 so I've modified the program slightly to give better output. If you have any questions/problems with this, feel free to PM me or post in this thread.

QUOTE (README.txt for SA ID converter)

San Andreas ID Converter by P. D. Escobar This is a simple program which changes the version identifier of a Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas saved game to be the id of PC version 2.0 It is *not* a general-use file conversion utility and will only be useful when used in conjunction with the version 2 script files. The inteneded users are helpers in the Save N Play area of GTA forums <http://www.gtaforums.com/> who have version one but need to help people who have version 2. USAGE: The easiest way to use this program is to extract it into the SA saved game directory and then drag any files you want to convert onto it. The original save will be backed up with an added ".bak" extension and the new save will be written. For example, if you drag and drop "GTASAsf1.b" onto the program icon, it will create a backup called "GTASAsf1.b.bak" and write out the converted save to "GTASAsf1.b" You may drag and drop multiple saves at once. A command prompt window will spawn with the output summary so you can check for any errors. Simply type [Enter] or [Return] to dismiss the window. You can also call it from the command-line within an existing command prompt window, specifiying the filename of the save(s) to convert as arguments. For example, to convert "GTASAsf1.b" and "GTASAsf3.b" you would open a command prompt window, change to the saved game directory, and enter the command "sa_id_convert GTASAsf1.b GTASAsf3.b". The output when using this method is simply displayed in the command prompt window. EXTENDED USAGE for Save N Play: This assumes that a helper has version 1 of the game and the requester has supplied a version 2 save file. Instructions are for helpers. -- This part of the process remains the same as previous -- 1) Backup original v1 main.scm and script.img 2) Replace them with the v2 main.scm and script.img 3) Download the requester's save 4) Launch the game, load the save, complete the mission. 5) Save the completed mission. -- This part of the process is new -- 6) Extract sa_id_convert.exe somewhere useful like your saved games directory. 7) Drag the save from part 5 onto sa_id_convert.exe 8) Upload the converted save (the .b file, not the backup.) That's it! The additional conversion step should be enough to get the save working on the requester's version 2 game. Please inform PDEscobar of any problems related to the conversion.

Acknowledgements.
This process wouldn't be possible without the work of the following people (and probably more):

• wolf68k for originating the script-switching idea and doggedly pursuing it until we got ahold of the scripts.
• ChrisGuy for being the one to contribute the v2 scripts.
• mikeswi for going back and redoing his saves for v2 and now converting them all as well.
• CyQ for providing the savefile description that prompted me to think of changing the ID and showed me what needed to be changed.
• MastaCheefa for being the v2 guinea pig and testing all the experiments with mikeswi's converted saves.
• ajkhan316` for making sure we got an SnP test done as well.
• srk38 for testing the converted SnP save.
• All the SnP helpers who provide such a nice service in Mission Help which I'm happy to support with this.
• GTAF staffers for the unexpected gift of karma

Edits
- After seeing Mxy's post, I decided to put my own acknowledgements in and also put in the links to the v2 scripts.


This post has been edited by cacarla on Monday, Jan 24 2011, 10:04

[Mxyzptlk]

Congrats and thanks to Wolf68k, pdescobar, MastaCheefa, mikeswi and srk38 for rescuing the helpless v2 community! I was following the progress and pdescobar really pulled it all together beautifully.

[ajkhan316`]

You've been a real help to the SA community and this program will surely make it a lot easier for us helpers to do v2 saves. Nice going man.

PS : Congrats on your new karma . - FiJiAn 4 LiFe

[pdescobar]

QUOTE (Mxyzptlk @ Dec 16 2005, 20:16)

Congrats and thanks to Wolf68k, pdescobar, MastaCheefa, mikeswi and srk38 for rescuing the helpless v2 community! I was following the progress and pdescobar really pulled it all together beautifully.

Thanks for the kind words Mxy. After seeing your post I decided I should add some specific acknowledgements of my own in the first post.

QUOTE (ajkhan316` @ Dec 16 2005, 20:28)

You've been a real help to the SA community and this program will surely make it a lot easier for us helpers to do v2 saves. Nice going man. PS : Congrats on your new karma . - FiJiAn 4 LiFe

Thanks AJ. I do hope this works properly; I'm a little concerned about the first save for srk38 not converting right, but maybe it was a one-time thing. Make sure you grab the new version so that you get the output screen the next time you have to do one. The karma was an unexpected and pleasant surprise, as I suppose it should be.

[Plaka]

pdescobar,

Very well done ! thank you for taking the time to create this App it will surely be put to good use. Congrats on your Karma ... it's well deserved

[Tornado Rex]

Very nice work

This is sure to be very useful around here.

Oh, and pinned.

[ajkhan316`]

I tested this out today on a version 2 SnP and I am happy to say that this works 100% .- FiJiAn 4 LiFe

[quartet1977]

Hi, to save helpers from having to do the conversion, is it possible for v2 users to convert their save files to v1 before posting? I hate to give helpers extra steps when they are already being so generous with their time just beating the missions.

[pdescobar]

QUOTE (quartet1977 @ Dec 22 2005, 21:02)

Hi, to save helpers from having to do the conversion, is it possible for v2 users to convert their save files to v1 before posting? I hate to give helpers extra steps when they are already being so generous with their time just beating the missions.

Keep in mind that this is *not* a general use save conversion utility but that it merely fixes the version ID embedded in the save game.

Having the requester change the ID beforehand wouldn't do anything useful; helpers can open the v2 games fine in v1 as long as they use the v2 scripts so conversion beforehand would be wasted effort.

When the helper saves the completed mission using v1, it will always be written with a v1 ID, regardless of what the ID was in the save they loaded. And it is this v1 ID that then must be changed with the converter in order for the original requester to be able to open the file in their v2 game. So the conversion must happen after the helper has saved the completed mission but before the requester loads the completed save. While one could require the requester to do the conversion themselves, I believe it is far less problematic for the helper to do the conversion at that point and I've tried to make it as easy on them as possible by having the ability to drag-and-drop the save to convert the ID.

[quartet1977]

QUOTE (pdescobar @ Dec 23 2005, 08:06)

QUOTE (quartet1977 @ Dec 22 2005, 21:02) Hi, to save helpers from having to do the conversion, is it possible for v2 users to convert their save files to v1 before posting? I hate to give helpers extra steps when they are already being so generous with their time just beating the missions. Keep in mind that this is *not* a general use save conversion utility but that it merely fixes the version ID embedded in the save game. Having the requester change the ID beforehand wouldn't do anything useful; helpers can open the v2 games fine in v1 as long as they use the v2 scripts so conversion beforehand would be wasted effort. When the helper saves the completed mission using v1, it will always be written with a v1 ID, regardless of what the ID was in the save they loaded. And it is this v1 ID that then must be changed with the converter in order for the original requester to be able to open the file in their v2 game. So the conversion must happen after the helper has saved the completed mission but before the requester loads the completed save. While one could require the requester to do the conversion themselves, I believe it is far less problematic for the helper to do the conversion at that point and I've tried to make it as easy on them as possible by having the ability to drag-and-drop the save to convert the ID.

thanks for explaining. again, i was just hoping there might be a way to save the helpers some time and effort. you all are such a big help to people like me, whose flying skills especially are dismal

[tyman1180]

I need help big time i have GTA san andreas V2 and iv downloaded the new saved games for v2 the probelm is when i click the mission i saved it in it has the right name for the next mission and everything it loads and starts the whole game over as if it was a new game and it takes me to the beginning im so frustrated

[pdescobar]

QUOTE (tyman1180 @ Dec 31 2005, 18:27)

I need help big time i have GTA san andreas V2 and iv downloaded the new saved games for v2 the probelm is when i click the mission i saved it in it has the right name for the next mission and everything it loads and starts the whole game over as if it was a new game and it takes me to the beginning im so frustrated

Based upon the number of questions about this, most (maybe all) of the saves in the pinned topic haven't been converted yet. If mike hasn't gotten around to it by the time I finish another project I have going I may just convert them all myself and send them to him.

I see you have an SnP request going, but just in case you still want to use a save, try one of these:

QUOTE (mikeswi)

Ok, give these files a try and see if they work with version 2 http://www.mikehealan.com/gta/v2_mission_saves/1test.zip http://www.mikehealan.com/gta/v2_mission_saves/30test.zip http://www.mikehealan.com/gta/v2_mission_saves/60test.zip http://www.mikehealan.com/gta/v2_mission_saves/90test.zip

If they work, then you can run the converter on any of the version 2 (and only the version 2) saves in mike's collection. If they don't work, I'd like to know more info about your install of SA, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

[tyman1180]

Well i tried all of the saves and all of them work flawlessly, but i tried the ones mikewi's made and they for some reason dont work they act as a new game. Any help

[pdescobar]

QUOTE (tyman1180 @ Jan 1 2006, 22:09)

Well i tried all of the saves and all of them work flawlessly, but i tried the ones mikewi's made and they for some reason dont work they act as a new game. Any help

Do you mean the four I posted in my last reply (which are also mikeswi's ) worked flawlessly but the ones in the pinned thread take you to the start of the game?

If so, do the following
1) download the id converter program.
2) unzip that into your GTA San Andreas User Files directory (where your saves are.)
3) Download whichever of mikeswi's saves (version 2 section) you want.
4) For each of mike's saves that you download, unzip it and then drag-and-drop the save file onto the id converter program.
That should fix them so they load.

If you meant something else, please be a bit more specific and detailed.

[jones555]

HEY pdescobar

SEND ME SOME END OF LINE SAVED GAMES FOR GTA SA V2 CAUSE I CANT RUN THE CONVERTER IN MY PC

[jones555]

QUOTE (pdescobar @ Jan 2 2006, 03:18)

QUOTE (tyman1180 @ Jan 1 2006, 22:09) Well i tried all of the saves and all of them work flawlessly, but i tried the ones mikewi's made and they for some reason dont work they act as a new game. Any help Do you mean the four I posted in my last reply (which are also mikeswi's ) worked flawlessly but the ones in the pinned thread take you to the start of the game? If so, do the following 1) download the id converter program. 2) unzip that into your GTA San Andreas User Files directory (where your saves are.) 3) Download whichever of mikeswi's saves (version 2 section) you want. 4) For each of mike's saves that you download, unzip it and then drag-and-drop the save file onto the id converter program. That should fix them so they load. If you meant something else, please be a bit more specific and detailed.

PLEASE SEND ME SOME V2 100 PERCENT

[pdescobar]

QUOTE (jones555 @ Jan 6 2006, 09:22)

HEY  pdescobar SEND ME SOME END OF LINE SAVED GAMES FOR GTA SA V2 CAUSE I CANT RUN THE CONVERTER IN MY PC

Take a look at this post and try the End of the Line save linked there. I would appreciate feedback on whether any saves you try load ok.

QUOTE (jones555 @ Jan 6 2006, 09:23)

PLEASE SEND ME SOME V2 100 PERCENT

There are no 100% saves for version 2 currently available on this site. You'll have to do some Google searching or something for that because I have no idea where any are.

Also, some notes on forum etiquette:

Please don't double-post; you asked two similar questions a minute apart and it would have been preferred had you simply asked both in the same post. Avoiding double-posts keeps threads smaller and reduces the load on the backend database making the forum run better for all of us. There is an Edit button in the upper-right of each of your posts which you can use to tack on extra information if you need to.

Please turn off the CAPS LOCK. Posts in all caps are harder to read than mixed-case posts and are generally considered to be the forum equivalent of shouting.

Thanks.

[CygnusX]

That is awesome. I only just noticed this. This should solve the problems on the 'Save files forum' of gta-sanandreas.com. Lots of cookies to pdescobar & helpers.

[Plaka]

QUOTE (CygnusX @ Jan 13 2006, 16:33)

That is awesome. I only just noticed this. This should solve the problems on the 'Save files forum' of gta-sanandreas.com. Lots of cookies to pdescobar & helpers.

Hi,

I posted a confirmation in your new Topic @ GTA-Sanandreas ... I did wonder if you were still around man, glad to see you back here

[CCPD]

Great job! It will help a lot of people!