Legacy GM Problem with external functions

[ECEngineering]

I started working on a new game in GameMaker:Studio about 8 months ago and I was using the P3DC dll for 3d collision detection. After a couple of months I have paused the development of the game. A month ago I wanted to send the binary game file, along with the source code to one person so I compiled the game, tested the binary (It worked) and ziped it together with the source code so I could send it.

Now, one month later (today) I opened the project and tried to run it but as soon as the game starts, the error splashes telling me that there is an error in the external function (I was calling p3dc_init). I kept on clicking "ignore", so I can see which lines of code are problematic. After I went to see the code behind p3dc_init, I noticed that not all external code lines were reported in the error log, but only some of them. I tried restarting the computer and even reloading the latest working backup-source file (The one I ziped a month ago), but none of it helped. I know it is not my computer that is causing the problem because I can open the binary file from a month ago without getting any errors.

Since the last time I succesfully compiled the game (One month ago), there were few GM:S updates, so I figured that they might be the source of the problem.

If this means anything to you, these are the lines of code getting reported by the game (red ones):

n="P3DC_v6.0.1.dll";

//**Model Creation
global.p3dc_bdm = external_define(n,"bdm",dll_cdecl,ty_real,0);
global.p3dc_edm = external_define(n,"edm",dll_cdecl,ty_real,0);
global.p3dc_apm = external_define(n,"apm",dll_cdecl,ty_real,4,ty_string,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_stm = external_define(n,"stm",dll_cdecl,ty_real,1,ty_real);
global.p3dc_brm = external_define(n,"brm",dll_cdecl,ty_real,1,ty_real);
global.p3dc_erm = external_define(n,"erm",dll_cdecl,ty_real,0);
global.p3dc_bs3 = external_define(n,"bs3",dll_cdecl,ty_real,6,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_mat = external_define(n,"mat_exported",dll_cdecl,ty_real,9,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_apw = external_define(n,"apw",dll_cdecl,ty_real,6,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_apf = external_define(n,"apf",dll_cdecl,ty_real,6,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_apb = external_define(n,"apb",dll_cdecl,ty_real,6,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_apc = external_define(n,"apc",dll_cdecl,ty_real,8,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_apo = external_define(n,"apo",dll_cdecl,ty_real,8,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);

//Overwrite
global.p3dc_obd = external_define(n,"obd",dll_cdecl,ty_real,2,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_oed = external_define(n,"oed",dll_cdecl,ty_real,0);
global.p3dc_opt = external_define(n,"opt",dll_cdecl,ty_real,9,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_opw = external_define(n,"opw",dll_cdecl,ty_real,6,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_opf = external_define(n,"opf",dll_cdecl,ty_real,6,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_opb = external_define(n,"opb",dll_cdecl,ty_real,6,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_opc = external_define(n,"opc",dll_cdecl,ty_real,8,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_opo = external_define(n,"opo",dll_cdecl,ty_real,8,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);

//**Return Values
global.p3dc_gmn = external_define(n,"gmn",dll_cdecl,ty_real,0);
global.p3dc_gmt = external_define(n,"gmt",dll_cdecl,ty_real,1,ty_real);
global.p3dc_gms = external_define(n,"gms",dll_cdecl,ty_real,2,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_gtr = external_define(n,"gtr",dll_cdecl,ty_real,1,ty_real);
global.p3dc_gtm = external_define(n,"gtm",dll_cdecl,ty_real,0);

//**Collision Detection
global.p3dc_mcs = external_define(n,"mcs",dll_cdecl,ty_real,8,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_mcr = external_define(n,"mcr",dll_cdecl,ty_real,11,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_mc3 = external_define(n,"mc3",dll_cdecl,ty_real,4,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_mrs = external_define(n,"mrs",dll_cdecl,ty_real,10,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_mrf = external_define(n,"mrf",dll_cdecl,ty_real,7,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_mr3 = external_define(n,"mr3",dll_cdecl,ty_real,6,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_mrr = external_define(n,"mrr",dll_cdecl,ty_real,10,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);
global.p3dc_smr = external_define(n,"smr",dll_cdecl,ty_real,3,ty_real,ty_real,ty_real);

I hope that someone will be able to help. Thank you!

 

[rIKmAN]

External define is the nasty way of using DLL's that I used to use. Had no end of issues with this, especially when making cross platform libraries.

It is much nicer, cleaner, and reccommended by YYG themselves, to import the DLL using the Extension system.

All of my extensions are now scriptless and the functions look and behave like they are native to GMS.

Give that a go. You'll never look back.

Hey wolff, I'm going to be looking at extensions in the next couple of weeks, are there any links you would recommend, anything else that would help or any other reading you would recommend other than these 3 links?

https://docs.yoyogames.com/source/dadiospice/001_advanced use/extensions/creating extensions.html
https://docs.yoyogames.com/source/dadiospice/001_advanced use/extensions/ios extensions.html
https://docs.yoyogames.com/source/dadiospice/001_advanced use/extensions/android extensions.html

 

[FrostyCat]

This is an ongoing bug: 0023281: Extensions: Problem with passing more than 4 arguments in extensions

If you need to get this working on a short notice, get 1.4.1757.

 

[rIKmAN]

This is an ongoing bug: 0023281: Extensions: Problem with passing more than 4 arguments in extensions

If you need to get this working on a short notice, get 1.4.1757.

Awesome thanks FrostyCat - I'm using 1757 anyway because of all the trouble I've read people having with 1763 and Android/iOS, and also the Spine black screen bug with HTML5.

 

[ZAK!]

Is there still a fix to this? Using GMS 1.4.1757 and I'm also having this bug. Just inquiring. Thanks.

Also happens with ver 1.4.1763

 

[cambalinho]

i don't have sure, but it's similar with i had before.
so i have 1 question for you: the Target(Combo Box) have 'Windows' selection?
it's easy to change these without notice. is just a thot, but maybe it's your problem. because your game was working before.
and if you change the P3DC DLL version, please change, too, the scripts, because it can have a little diference.