FlavorText.xml error on game startup

Invalid character, help me find it and correct it

from GalCiv4 Forums

Hi, I have the following error on game startup, and each time I try to reload a game too.

"...\My Games\GalCiv4\Factions\FlavorText\_23300E1E9E76447F83936856068CE620_FlavorText.xml(594,48): error:
invalid character 0x1F"

I validated my game files with Steam, but it keeps happening. It started doing that after a crash.


I've checked the file, but there's a lot of lines, so it's a little like looking at a needle in a haystack.

How can I find that invalid character?

 

I thought it could mean line 594, so here it is:

<Text><![CDATA[The stars are ours to conquer, ! Prepare for subjugation or annihilation, your choice.]]></Text>

 

Edit:

Weird, I can't copy/paste the text.
Here is the image:

 

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Reply #1 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

I would use notepad++ to spot that invalid character. 

Reply #2 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

Should be 48th char on that line. 

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Reply #3 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

I do not believe steam validates files in the "My Games" directory.

You could try renaming the "My Games\GalCiv4" directory to "My Games\GalCiv4_old" and restarting GalCiv4.

I do not have that file at all in my installation or in "My Games\GalCiv4" directory.  So I am wondering if it is a temp file incorrectly generated?

 

 

Reply #4 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

If it's in the Factions folder it's probably from a civ you downloaded, or perhaps created yourself.

Reply #5 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

Quoting Dorian, reply 2

Should be 48th char on that line. 

Yes, I see that, but what do I replace it with?

I have "US", what is it supposed to be?  Do I just deleted it?

Reply #6 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

Yeah, the clue here is that the error comes from "...\My Games\GalCiv4\Factions..." Doing a verify file will not help here. Even reinstalling probably won't either.

What happens if you just remove that file (_23300E1E9E76447F83936856068CE620_FlavorText.xml) entirely from that folder ?

I'm thinking your game should be fine after that.

Normally, there is a name of the custom faction before the _23300E.... but your file doesn't. So that's probably not helping either.

Reply #7 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

Quoting Draver, reply 6

Yeah, the clue here is that the error comes from "...\My Games\GalCiv4\Factions..." Doing a verify file will not help here. Even reinstalling probably won't either.

What happens if you just remove that file (_23300E1E9E76447F83936856068CE620_FlavorText.xml) entirely from that folder ?

I'm thinking your game should be fine after that.

Normally, there is a name of the custom faction before the _23300E.... but your file doesn't. So that's probably not helping either.

I removed the "US" characters and it fixed the problem.  No weird occurences so far.

 

 

Reply #8 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

Quoting Falkoner, reply 7

I removed the "US" characters and it fixed the problem.  No weird occurences so far.
 

Awesome!