SCS on 32-bit Windows machines

[DavidW]

SCS relies on a program called "SSL". This is a Perl script, but it's compiled into an executable (.exe) file for Windows machines. 

The current version of SSL is compiled into a 64-bit version (because the current Windows versions of Perl are 64-bit) and so doesn't run on a 32-bit Windows machine. I've tried to compile a 32-bit version but it's way outside my skill set. 

So, if you are on a 32-bit Windows machine, you have two options:

1) If you know enough about Perl installs to build a 32-bit version, please do so and post it here - I'll include it in the next version of SCS. (The Perl script, ssl.pl, lives in stratagems/ssl.) 

2) If you don't know enough to do that, but know how (or can Google how) to install Perl on your machine, do so, and then change use_perl_natively to 1 in stratagems.ini. (SCS will then use ssl.pl rather than the compiled ssl.exe.)

In either case, you'll also need to replace the 64-bit version of WEIDU that SCS uses with a 32-bit version. To do that, download it here and then rename it to setup-stratagems.exe (replacing the setup-stratagems.exe program in your mod folder).

Two options that won't work are

a) using the 32-bit version of SSL from earlier versions of SCS. The version of SSL in SCS v32 has new functionality not found in earlier versions (that's why I had to recompile it), and SCS v32 scripts won't compile if you use an earlier version.

b) trying to explain to me how to build a 32-bit version. I am moderately computer-literate, know how to Google, and still can't work it out. If you know enough to talk me through the process, you know enough to do it yourself in about the same amount of time!

[AnonymousHero]

Thanks for giving it a shot.

It suppose I'll finally have to update my VirtualBox guest machine away from Windows XP :).

[AnonymousHero]

Hm, just had a look 'round and apparently the "Strawberry Perl" distribution for Windows still has a 32-bit version. I'll try your "use_perl_natively" workaround tomorrow! (http://strawberryperl.com/)

Just in case it could be used to compile a 32-bit ssl.exe which you could include in the download: What's your command/method for turning ssl.pl into ssl.exe? (I'm assuming it's some sort of bundling mechanism, but I know next to nothing about the Perl ecosystem.)

 

 

[DavidW]

I used pp (PAR::Packer) - but it doesn't install properly on 32-bit Strawberry Perl, and working out why is vastly outside my pay grade. (I am by no means a Perl expert.)

[AnonymousHero]

Ah, OK. Sounds like it won't be usable for creating a packaged up EXE, but hopefully it'll be sufficient for doing your suggested workaround. I'll try it later today.

[AnonymousHero]

I can confirm that installing Strawberry 32-bit and setting use_perl_natively=1 appears to work!

I haven't played a full game or anything, but the install proceeds past the first SSL-requiring bit and starting a fresh game looks like it works.

[Jarno Mikkola]

44 minutes ago, AnonymousHero said:

I can confirm that installing Strawberry 32-bit and setting use_perl_natively=1 appears to work!

I haven't played a full game or anything, but the install proceeds past the first SSL-requiring bit and starting a fresh game looks like it works.

Could you attach the compiled 32-bit ssl.exe you made ? As DavidW needs it, so he can attach it to a 32-bit version of the SCS. And were it me that was attaching, I would do it in a .zip archive... 

Edited January 12, 2019 by Jarno Mikkola

[DavidW]

S/he didn’t make an exe, just installed Perl itself. The ‘use_perl_natively’ flag means SCS does AT_NOW “perl ssl.pl ...” rather than AT_NOW “ssl.exe ...”, which will work provided you’ve got Perl installed.

[AnonymousHero]

What DavidW said

[tomasz86]

Just for the record, if you have access to a 64-bit machine, you can install BG with SCS there, and then copy the whole BG folder to the 32-bit machine. This may be easier for some people than trying to install Perl and modifying the INF file, unless you plan to reinstall or modify the BG installation often.