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The Definitive IL2 Mat Manager Installation guide - Printable Version

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The Definitive IL2 Mat Manager Installation guide - P/O W. 'Moggy' Cattermole - 23.11.2008

This is intended to be the first port of call for those who can't get Mat Manager to work. I had masses of problems, but i'm fairly sure i know how to make the damned thing work.

Mat manager works with all IL2 versions ins'far as i know, and it certainly works with mods installed. You can install it after your mods, or before; it makes no difference as far as i know.

Preparation for IL2 Mat manager:
*Make sure you have NO mat manager files to begin with. If you have the folder coopreg, delete it.

*Make a copy of il2fb.exe and rename it to il2.exe You need both of the .exe files. You can find il2fb.exe in the installation folder of il2, so my one is: "C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\IL-2 Sturmovik 1946" but it may be different for everyone else. This is where both the .exe files must lie.

*Add the line to your conf.ini [found in the same location as the .exe files] at the bottom of the section "[game]":
"ClearCache=0" [don't add the speech marks as well. Nb: CASE SENSITIVE]

Installation:
*find the installer for mat manager here:
http://www.mission4today.com/index.php? ... ls&id=3117

This one incorporates all of the mat manager versions into one self installing archive. =D it's very good!

*open the archive and install

*go make a cup of tea, or dinner, or learn Sanskrit whilst you wait for it to copy all the files (it takes a very long time, about 30 minutes or so)

*when all the files have copied, mat manager will install a little program. It takes about 20 seconds to do. Grats! Mat manager is now on your PC!

Using the damned thing:
*Open Mat manager. It will immediately demand a path to il2.exe. Remember where you made and renamed the copy of il2fb.exe? Link it up. My one is: "C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\IL-2 Sturmovik 1946" but yours may be different.

*Make and choose any selections you want. Templates are up the top, eg Mats for 1944-45 western europe; russia 1941... etc. It is fully customiseable. Play around with the settings you want.

*when you've done this, find the button on the middle, marked "save". Click it. Now find the button to the right of it, "quit" and click it. (do not click launch, which doesn't seem to work for me. Also, don't press the x in the top right of the screen, it doesn't help, it closes the manager without doing the changes). IL2 mat manager will begin copying the files over to your IL2 folder, ready for use. This could take a while. I'd advise carrying on with the sanskrit lessons. It can take 10 minutes or more.

*Find your il2 1946 icon, or whatever it was you clicked on to launch the game. It will load up as per norm, and hopefully you'll see aircraft markings that don't look terrible. The best change for me was the RAF roundels, which went from attrocious to looking damn good!

*Finally, enjoy the game! =D


These instructions are long winded but fairly simple. Any suggestions or adivce, give it; for those for whom it still doesn't work, post requests for advice on this thread; there are too many Mat Manager threads floating around! Lets keep things tidy! ;D

Cheers, and enjoy!
~ Moggy

--edit--
Editted and updated twice:
1) to remove spelling mistakes and to make grammatical sense
2) to remove a single instruction, on Sandman's advice, which was uneeded.
3) to correct a spelling mistake and update a reason for editing, which upon reading made no sense what so ever. -_-'

--editted 2010--
1) This was made a sticky, I figure it can't hurt to have this easily accessible should anyone expirience difficulties with the matt manager.
2) These instructions worked for me, and various other people. However, it may not work for you -- Matt manager seems to enjoy being difficult.

- Maxisonfire - 23.11.2008

I have something to add to the previous post: DO NOT begin istalling MatManager from the latest aviable MatManager2.36, it just won't work


installation of mat manager

1) Unpack and install MatManager v2.33 > uninstall v2.33 > unpack and install MM v2.34 > uninstall 2.34 >unpack and install MM v2.35 > uninstall v2.35 >unpack and install MatManager v 2.36(latest now)

2) open MatManager, specify il2.exe location

3) change ALL settings, if you won't do this , you'll see default settings in game

4)launch il2, check your settings, exit il2

5) open MatManager again and set settings which you prefer to have in your game

Done ! Good luck !

- P/O W. 'Moggy' Cattermole - 23.11.2008

The file i linked contains 2.33, 2.34, 2.35 and 2.36 versions of mat manager together and extracts all the files at once, then installs propperly. Thats what i used and it worked for me.

Or you can download the individual versions and do it that way; either method ought to work.

- PA_Willy - 23.11.2008

Maxisonfire Wrote:I have something to add to the previous post: DO NOT begin istalling MatManager from the latest aviable MatManager2.36, it just won't work


installation of mat manager

1) Unpack and install MatManager v2.33 > uninstall v2.33 > unpack and install MM v2.34 > uninstall 2.34 >unpack and install MM v2.35 > uninstall v2.35 >unpack and install MatManager v 2.36(latest now)

...

Nah. Latest installer (all in one) is fine and working perfectly here. You don't need to do all damn things (installing/uninstalling each version).

Regards.

- fly_zo - 23.11.2008

Wilhelm Heidkamp Wrote:Nah. Latest installer (all in one) is fine and working perfectly here. You don't need to do all damn things (installing/uninstalling each version).

Regards.

+1 .... works with AAA UI w/o any problem/issue

Z

- TSmoke - 23.11.2008

Finally a total idiot proof way to install and use Mat Manager.

However if it requires installing and uninstalling half a dozen versions it isn't worth the drive space it takes up, and the headaches it is bound to create.

I'll try Moggies approach and see if it works. If not then it will only be the tenth time I have tried the dammned thing.

- Dietz - 23.11.2008

Still no joy....did everything by your book....Drat!

- WWSandMan - 23.11.2008

Possible fast fix for those having MM Troubles (usually those with the older multi-install version of MM): Make a COPY of your modded install's "il2fb.exe" file. Rename that copy to "il2.exe". Open MM and set parameters as you like, then open IL-2 to see if your changes have been enabled. Remember that MM was made BEFORE IL-2 Forgotten Battles and still looks for the "il2.exe" file, not the more current "il2fb.exe".

~~~

Note: Don't do this!:
Quote:... delete ... paintschemes/regiments.

Doing that will remove all the game's default regiment .mat and .tga files (which are all those neat unit emblems placed on the noses of many various aircraft), in addition to all the custom versions MM has in there. I know MM has about a billion files in that folder, and you are (likely) safe to delete all the various sub-folders that MM has created.

I implore you not to delete the contents of (files within) the main "regiments" folder.

~~~

For those who have MAT Manager operational on a 4.08m installation folder, but are using a full pristine install of 4.08m from which to experiment with mods, you can get a head-start on using MM on your modded installation copy by:


- P/O W. 'Moggy' Cattermole - 24.11.2008

The advice i recieved was to delete the paintschemes/regiments folder. Since Mat manager worked for me, it made no difference. However, i see the point, if you do delete it and mat manager doesn't work, you're buggered.

I'll update the instructions

- Dietz - 24.11.2008

Moggy ( from Hornet Squadron???)
Did a complete un-install( wiped ubisoft off of C:;saving everything elsewhere) & then reinstalled from disk 4.08 version in C: ( Default) added text line ClearCache=0 line to config.Copied & renamed il2fb to il2.exe & pf.exe. command icons .Re-ran MMv36 ( installing into proper folder -program files/ubisoft/ Il2 Sturmovik 1946 ...l...waited.....hit icon on desktop .....entered path to brand new Il2FB( making sure that it was where Il-2 FB was installed & where new exe's s are)....Nada!
It worked once a while ago now...what the H___ll is going on? :oops:
Dietz

- P/O W. 'Moggy' Cattermole - 25.11.2008

Moggy of Hornet Squadron, yes!

I don't know. I messed about for ages trying to get it to work. It sounds like you've installed it correctly.

When you've made your changes remember to save them;
Quit Mat Manager from the button in the middle, not the 'x' in the top right corner and it should copy all files over to the correct place to use them in IL2
Then launch il2 itself, and hopefully i should work...

The only thing i can suggest is adding
'clearcache=0', as i have this in conf. ini under the [game] setting; if you add it, it may have an effect, and if not, it won't affect the game at all, so best safe than sorry.

I'm sorry the advice hasn't helped, it helped for me, and i had a modded v4.09b1m; it worked for others. I only deleted the mat manager version, i didn't do a full uninstall; the idea of losing my mods...

Of course, i anyone else has advice to chip in, i invite them to do so.

- MR_G - 25.11.2008

I can't seen to get Mat Manager to work correctly on British aircraft. (roundel problem)

With the Hurricane Mk I, whatever roundel I choose in Mat Manager, appears in every position on the aircraft (sides, tops, and bottoms).
With every other british aircraft, I get the same on the sides and bottoms, but get the correct type "B" on the tops of the wings.
Does anyone else have this problem? Did anyone else have this problem.....and solve it?

Thanks.

- US_GRANT - 12.03.2009

Well, I followed your instructions and got it to show up, but with a few big problems.

1. It only displays ONE unit (GQC) period. No matter what squadron you choose.

2. It did not change the location of the unit on the Acft such as the P-47 and P-51D; for that matter on any of the acft. It just replaced the numbers with letters and that not correctly.

3. Did not even attempt to work on the P-51B/C models. They stayed at the default settings.

I was hoping that someone had made a Mat manager that corrected the problems of lettering and numbering, but I have not seen it in this program.

If I'm doing it wrong, then a set of instructions accompaning the program would be most helpful. The ones that were one the M4T website gave you how to install, but that is pretty much it. Your left with, "You'll have to mess with the settings to what works" style comments.

- Guest - 13.03.2009

Got everything working except the Swastikas will not show up on the German planes and I think I have them enabled.Is there some line that I have to add to the config ini?

- Condor345 - 19.03.2009

Thank you very much!