GCA4 FAQ - GURPS Character Assistant 4 Frequently Asked Questions

[ericbsmith]

Q: GCA is crashing or appears to be not responding - how can I fix the program?

Note: A common cause of GCA seemingly "hanging" is a window opening off-screen. GCA isn't hanging, the window is simply waiting for a response. A resolution to this proble is answered in FAQ Entry #39.

A: Make sure you've installed both the latest Program Patch and Data Updates (as previously noted). If you've already done so, please try re-applying the updates again. If you're running Windows XP/Vista/7, please make sure to log in with an Administrator Account before trying to install any software (if you don't know what an Administrator Account is, or whether or not your account is one, chances are you're already logged in as an Administrator).

Also, before reinstalling (or running GCA if you're still having problems after a reinstall) please make sure to reboot your computer and then shut down any background applications that may be running - particularly any Anti-Malware programs (e.g. Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs). You'd be surprised how many program errors go away if you simply reboot the computer, and Anti-Malware programs can often times interfere with the installation of software.

If that does not work for you, there is a file in the GCA install folder called gca.ini which saves all the Program Options you've set for GCA. If this file becomes corrupted, either as a result of running the Program Patch or due to random operating system errors, it can cause program crashes or lockups. Deleting this file will reset GCA to the default Options, but will often times solve seemingly random program problems. This file is *NOT* deleted when you uninstall GCA - you have to delete the file to actually remove it.
To automatically delete the file (along with sheetoptions.ini, which saves your Character Sheet preferences) you can run the GCAClearAppData.exe which is normally located in your GCA install folder:
C:\program files\GURPS Character Assistant 4\GCAClearAppData.exe
In 64-bit Windows (7 or Vista) it should be located here:
C:\program files (x86)\GURPS Character Assistant 4\GCAClearAppData.exe

Be aware that this will permanently remove the application data; you will lose all of your personal settings and have to reset them manually.

Alternatively you can manually delete gca.ini. The default folder where gca.ini is located used to be C:\Program Files\GURPS Character Assistant 4\

However, with the latest patches it has been moved:
In Windows XP the file gca.ini should be located in the location:
C:\Documents and Settings\[..USER..]\Application Data\Steve Jackson Games\GURPS Character Assistant 4\

In Windows Vista or Windows 7 the file gca.ini may be located in the location:
C:\Users\[..USER..]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\GURPS Character Assistant 4\
C:\Users\[..USER..]\AppData\Roaming\Steve Jackson Games\GURPS Character Assistant 4\

Note: In either XP or Vista you'll need to replace [..USER..] with the user name you've logged into Windows with.

Clearing the Windows Virtual Store files for GCA may also fix some issues with GCA. A application to removes GCA's Virtual Store Files, GCAClearVirtualStore.exe, is also included in the GCA install folder:

C:\program files\GURPS Character Assistant 4\GCAClearVirtualStore.exe
In 64-bit Windows (7 or Vista) it should be located here:
C:\program files (x86)\GURPS Character Assistant 4\GCAClearVirtualStore.exe



If reinstalling hasn't worked, please follow the procedures for Rebooting, Logging to an Administrator Account, and shutting down background programs. Then uninstall GCA completely and delete the GCA.ini file as instructed above. Then try installing GCA from scratch, followed by applying the latest Data Updates and Program Patches.

GCA appears to be incompatible with DEP (Data Execution Prevention), which is normally only Enabled for Essential Windows Programs but can be enabled for all programs in Windows XP, Vista, or 7. If you have DEP enabled for all programs you must make an exception for GCA. You can alter the DEP settings by going to:
In Win XP
Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced Tab -> Performance/Settings Button -> DEP tab
In Win 7 (and I believe Vista)
Start -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced system settings -> Advanced Tab -> Performance/Settings Button -> DEP tab

There's a much more through discussion of DEP and solving DEP issues in this thread.




Every time I start GCA an installer for another application starts running. Or Windows attempts to find the installer for another program but can't find it. What is going on here?
There have been reports of this happening with a few different programs and GCA, and many reports of this happening between other pairs of programs (such as Windows Messenger installer starting when Adobe Acrobat is started). This actually appears to be a case of Windows itself going slightly mad, and isn't really a problem with GCA per se. The registry entry for the other program's installer has somehow been corrupted and cross referenced with the GCA executable file, so when GCA runs Windows is calling up the other program's installer as well.

The cure for this so far has been to uninstall the other program and reinstall it, or if you already removed the other program you may need to reinstall it then properly uninstall it again (it may not have been properly uninstalled the previous time).

[ericbsmith]

Q: Why is GCA giving me errors regarding missing printer drivers?

A: GCA uses your computers default printer drivers to help draw aspects of the Quick View Tab as well as for use during Print and Print Preview operations. If you do not have a Printer installed GCA may report possible problems from missing printer drivers. This may also happen if your printer drivers are outdated or corrupted. If you have an existing printer you should visit the manufacturers website and try downloading and installing the latest printer drivers.

If you do not currently have a printer you can work around this by installing one of the default printer drivers which ships with Windows (Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Printers and Faxes), just don't print a preview page.

See also the next question for another option on working around the missing printer drivers issue.

[ericbsmith]

Q: Will GCA ever have an Export to PDF feature built in?

A: No, there are no plans to incorporate an Export to PDF feature into GCA. Fortunately, there are several (Free!) virtual printer drivers which will allow GCA (and any other programs) to Print to a PDF file. You can find most of these programs by doing a search on the internet, however one that I personally recommend is Bullzip.

[ericbsmith]

Q: Will Data Updates for future books be free?

A: Absolutely. We already have complete data files for many of the current GURPS 4th Edition books available, and continue to work on data files for other books.

Be aware that the people working on these files are doing so as volunteers. This means that there is sometimes a lag between when the book is released and when the file is created. Please be patient.

[ericbsmith]

Q: How come GCA doesn't have a trait or template creation wizard, or some other feature I like to see in the program?

A: GCA was shipped as a fully functional character creation program, and it is that. There are plans to add trait and template creation wizards into the programs in future updates, but it was deemed more important to release the official GURPS character creation program than to include every feature we'd all like to see added. We are working on adding new features. Again, please be patient.

[ericbsmith]

Q: I just downloaded the update and all the spells from GURPS Magic (or all the templates from GURPS Fantasy, or...) were not included.

A: First, check the update page again and make sure you've downloaded and installed both the GCA 4 Patcher and the GCA 4 Data Update. Without the data update the new files for new books will not be installed, and without the latest program patch the new Data Files may not work.

Next you need to make a new Data Set which loads the new book information. To make a new Data Set, open GCA, use the menu to go to Tools -> Options -> Data Sets (tab) -> Browse (button). From the window that pops up you can create a Data Set with the new files included. Click OK, then Load Now to load the new files.

It is worth noting that Data Files within Data Sets are loaded in order, from top to bottom, replacing or adding to information from Data Files loaded earlier in the set. This means that you will almost always want to load the Basic Set file first, followed by any official book files you wish to use, followed by any official variant files you wish to use, followed by any unofficial or personal files.

You should load only those files that you wish to use in your current campaign; you can then create a different Data Set for each campaign with a different mix of Data Files loaded in each Data Set. Many Data Files contain information which is specific to the game world presented in the Worldbook(s), and even make changes to the way some of the standard traits work or remove some traits altogether. If you load all of the Data Files you may see seemingly odd behavior which is intended solely for a specific game world. In particular, any Data File with the phrase Remove Unnecessary Traits removes many traits from being displayed within GCA, as per the suggestions in that particular rulebook. There are files like this in the Variants folder as well as for several Worldbooks, including GURPS Dungeon Fantasy and GURPS Monster Hunters.

Q: In what order should I load the data files in a data set?

1. GURPS Basic Set 4th Ed.--Characters.gdf must be first (unless you're using GURPS Lite 4th Ed.gdf instead)
   
2. After that you can load any non-worldbook data files (the files in the base folder) in any order you desire, with a couple of specific exceptions the order really doesn't matter.
   • GURPS Power-Ups 3 Talents - Alt Cost.gdf requires that GURPS Power-Ups 3 Talents.gdf be loaded before it.
   • GURPS Power-Ups 2 Perks 4e - Charms.gdf and GURPS Fantasy 4e - Fixed Magic.gdf require that GURPS Magic 4e.gdf be loaded before them.
   • GURPS Supers 4e.gdf requires GURPS Powers 4e.gdf
   • GURPS Martial Arts 4e - Gladiators.gdf requires that GURPS Martial Arts 4e.gdf be loaded before it.
3. Next you will want to load any worldbook files you will be using, and if there are more than one worldbook file for the gameworld you are setting up you should load them in increasing numeric order (that is, if you are loading a Dungeon Fantasy game you should load GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1 - Adventurers.gdf first, then you'd load GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 2 - Dungeons.gdf, etc.). Then you can load any miscellaneous files for the worldbook, such as the GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Pyramid.gdf file.Last you'd load the the Remove Unnecessary Traits for the worldbooks, assuming there is one (e.g. you'd load GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Remove Unnecessary Traits.gdf after all the other Dungeon Fantasy files).
   NOTE: Worldbook files are oftentimes destructive; that is, they make campaign level changes to the way that traits work. You should only load data files from ONE gameworld at a time to avoid errors and conflicts.
   
4. Next you'd load any homemade or downloaded non-official data files.
   
5. Last you'd load any Variant data files - those data files found in the Variants folder. Again, order doesn't really matter here, although you will want to load Variants which make changes before you load destructive Variants. For example, if you are loading a Variant file which changes Equipment to Metric you will want to load that before you load the file that removes Equipment above TL 4. The reason for this is more pragmatic than necessity; GCA unfortunately slows down loading dramatically if it is trying to make changes to traits that are no longer present in memory, so if you remove a whole lot of traits or equipment then try to make changes to those same traits and equipment the load times will balloon for no real gain.

Note that the data files have an ordering built into them; they know which files must be loaded before them in the data set order, and will pitch an error if you try to load them out of the expected order.

[ericbsmith]

Q: I see that some alternate character sheets are available. How can I use them with my characters?

A: First download and save the alternate character sheets to your GCA character sheets folder. The default location is:
Windows Vista / Windows 7:
%USER%\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 4\sheets\
Windows XP:
%USER%\My Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 4\sheets\

When downloading from a webpage make sure to Right Click on the link and select Save Link As... If you open the file in your browser and then attempt to save it the formatting may be damaged and GCA may not be able to properly read the file.

Next, within GCA you can either do a Print/Print Preview Using... command, which will allow you to select an alternate character sheet for the current print/print preview, or you can go to Tools -> Options -> Default Character Options and select a different default character sheet which will be used every time you do a Print/Print Preview.