.Col file - What do the numbers mean?

[UnionWarDog]

Hi guys,

What do these color numbers mean and how to you change the color to another color?

I get that the Main BG is the icon color, the BG is the area behind the symbol and the foreground is the symbol color but.....what in the world is this number combo? "2242390" Where do you find that? Is it the Red, Green, Blue color scheme or the Hue Sat Lum combo? That number is a complete mystery to me. Don't seem to find it in the manual either (old manual was for creating custom .bmp/.png Unit files).

Example date from a .Col file (Antietam scenario)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<GAME>
<ICONCOLOR>
<COLOR ID="0" MainBackground="2242390" Background="4612266" Foreground="15724527" Numbers="15527148"/>
<COLOR ID="1" MainBackground="21125" Background="8650752" Foreground="16777116" Numbers="15527148"/>
<COLOR ID="2" MainBackground="21125" Background="255" Foreground="16250871" Numbers="15527148"/>
<COLOR ID="3" MainBackground="21125" Background="16250871" Foreground="0" Numbers="43495"/>

BRD!

[Lobster]

They really need to get rid of the word icon and use counter instead. [:'(]

Go here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4385511

Good luck. Hope your head doesn't explode. [:D]

[UnionWarDog]

Holy Moly, Lobster! You aren't kidding. I printed that link to .pdf and saved it to read several times over. I'm finding as I'm getting older these helpful .pdf files really do the trick.

I did a test from Bob's Antietam blue color set and got it to work but...WOW!...is that a unique way to set a color. Good thing I've got some great editing tools and the MS Windows calculator.

Like you said, I'm finding some interesting landmines while trying to migrate some of my old TOAW3 concepts to create my new ACW TOAW4 scenario. step, step..click..*BOMB!*.. goes the surprises.

[JTFox001]

Don't forget if you give a unit a new colour ID it will effect how other formations interact with.

Cheers

[Lobster]

Regardless of what you change the colors to, the original color is what the game will use. No way to change that.

[JTFox001]

To be clear.

If you change <COLOR ID="0" MainBackground="2242390" Background="4612266" Foreground="15724527" Numbers="15527148"/> to a new MainBackgroud then it will only look different.

But if you change a unit's Colour ID number from "0" to "10" not only will it look different, the "Support Scope" for the formation the unit is in may mean, the cooperation level between this unit and a unit from another formation may change as well.

Cheers