Shadowcove Updater Working with Full Maps Functions
I have now gotten Shadowcove to run well, with just some minor glitches. Do not attempt to run it in "full screen" mode, and occasionally it will crash if you run the "UO AutoMap" program before logging in.
Install into a Win XP bottle. An empty bottle will do.
The basic installation instructions are available here:
http://www.player-realms.com/scdownload.asp
First, download and install Ultima Online Mondain's Legacy. It should install smoothly.
Next, download and install "Shadowcove Updater" from here:
http://www.player-realms.com/scdownload.asp?opt=updater
Do NOT install "Shadowcove.net" -- it will not launch correctly.
Some of the installation screens might be difficult to read. The font may appear garbled. Hit "Enter" to accept the default settings, and it should install successfully.
Next, download and install UOAM from the main download page, and place the "basm.exe" file in the Program Files/UOAM folder. You can open the correct folder by going to "Manage Bottles" application, under the "Advanced" tab, and clicking on "Browse C: Drive".
You should NOT need to launch Ultima Online. Some of the on-line instructions recommend taking certain updates, but it has run fine for me with no updates.
Launch the "Shadowcove Updater". Enter your user name and password (you must register at the web site first). The updater will encourage you to download the ".net" version. Do not follow those instructions -- use the "Updater". The Updater will download and install some updates from the game site. You can click "Continue" to launch the game and log in.
Launching UO Auto Map (UOAM)
UOAM is an essential tool for the game. You will need to create a custom short-cut in your menu to launch it.
In the "Manage Bottles" application, go to the "Bottle" tab and click the "Run Command" button.
Browse for the UOAM folder, and select the "basm.exe" application. Add "-q" to the end of the command line. If you want to automatically log into the server (recommended), add "-q -c" switch at the end of the command line. Create a menu item for this command by clicking the "Create Launcher" button. I put mine under the "Shadowcove Updater" folder, but you can name and place it wherever you like.
Launch this command, and follow the instructions to create your initial maps. This will take some time.
Automatically Launching UOAM With Shadowcove Updater
Shadowcove Updater can launch UOAM as a "helper" application. To configure this, launch Shadowcove Updater, then click the menu item Settings->Run Helpers->Select Program to Run...
You will need to browse for the basm.exe program. Shadowcove Updater will then ask you which command line options you want. Put "-q -c" in the dialog box.
WARNING: I have found that Shadowcove often crashes if UOAM launches before you complete the log-in screen. If you are slow to log in or if UOAM launches quickly on your computer, do NOT configure UOAM to automatically launch. Launch UOAM separately, after you have logged into Shadowcove using the Updater program. Personally, I find I am almost always able to log in quickly and rarely have the program crash.
Full-Screen Issues
If Shadowcove ever goes into "full-screen" mode, you may find that it will not launch properly again. I have not found any fix for this problem. If this happens to you, I recommend reinstalling into a new bottle. If you move the "Desktop" folder within the "Program Files/Ultima Online" folder into the new bottle after installing, your settings should carry over.
If anyone discovers a work-around for this problem, please post!
I have disabled the "enable page flipping", "use GDI" and "use full-screen" options in my own settings, and that seems to have eliminated the problem so far.
Auto Logout Issues
If you are logged out due to inactivity, you will see an error message that the program failed to run. Click OK and launch Shadowcove Updater to get the program back. You might need to shut down UOAM before you can enter Shadowcove again. It is not consistent -- sometimes I see an error message when trying to launch, but other times it launches fine.
