OSFL Setup

[Aston]

I'm re-setting up the league currently myself on a new system, so in the meantime I thought I'd provide some helpful links to new/returning members. If I recall the old instructions were somewhat murky. Hopefully now that I've done this setup a few times I know my way around it well enough to explain.

For reference: everything goes in directories of your FOF data folder (C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Solescimic Software\Front Office Football 2007 for xp or C:\users\user\AppData\Roaming\Solescimic Software\Front Office Football 2007 I think for win7). From now on, I'll refer to the data folder as C:\(FOF DATA)\.

It took me a hell of a long time to figure all of this out, which is why I'm writing this.


I. UNIVERSE FILES

1) Backing up the default NFL universe files: First, navigate to the Universe folder: C:\(FOF DATA)\universe\. There are two files called frfoot.fcy and frfoot.fni. These files define the city affiliations and nicknames for the league's 32 football teams. Create a new folder under \Universe\ called NFL and backup the default city/nickname information by copying frfoot.fcy and frfoot.fni into C:\(FOF DATA)\universe\NFL.

2) OSFL universe files: Universe Files. These are the frfoot.fcy and frfoot.fni files for the OSFL universe. There's also a frfoot.fgr file. I don't think it's important. Create a new directory under \Universe\ called OSFL and copy the files from the .zip into C:\(FOF DATA)\universe\OSFL\.

II. PICTURE FILES
3) Backing up the NFL picture files: Navigate now to the INSTALL directory and find the PICTURES folder. If you run any 32-bit version of Windows, this should be located under:

 c:\progra~1\soleci~1\fronto~1\pictures\

If you run Windows 7 64-bit or Windows Vista 64-bit, they should be located here:

 c:\progra~2\soleci~1\fronto~1\pictures\

Note that not all Win7 and Windows Vista installations are 64-bit. Some are 32-bit. It's not important; point is, find your FOF install directory. It shouldn't be hard

Copy the 33 NFL logo images (they are .bmp files) that should be located under \Pictures\ into C:\(FOF DATA)\universe\NFL. There they will join the NFL universe files from step 1.

If there aren't any images located in this folder, download a custom logo set from here: http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ad.php?t=63429

4) OSFL picture files: OSFL Images - These provide the logo images for the OSFL teams. Put them under C:\(FOF DATA)\universe\OSFL, where they'll join the OSFL universe files from step 2.

III. OSFL LEAGUE FILES

Now for the league-specific files. First, you'll need the End-Of-Season files for every OSFL season to date. As of 1/21/2012, we have completed seasons from 2006 to 2021. Copy all league-specific files to C:\(FOF DATA)\leagues\

5) "OSFL Files" - This .zip file includes End-of-Season files from 2006 to 2011. They go in \leagues\. They don't include any season after 2011 yet and should probably be updated accordingly. Nonetheless, I'll link to the threads that do include the rest:

2012 EOS
2013 EOS
2014 EOS
2015 EOS
2016 EOS
2017 EOS
2018 EOS
2019 EOS
2020 EOS
2021 EOS

These are mainly for statistics/records of the game (i.e, a player's season stats from 2014 won't show without the 2014 EOS file and you'll get annoying popup error messages if it's missing). If you need to be more up-to-date, a forum search for 'End of Season' may yield fruit.

6) The latest sim file. Check the forums for the most recent "(STAGE) COMPLETE" thread and download the .zip file there. This goes into C:\(FOF DATA)\leagues\ as well. It's important that this is the last file you put in your leagues folder, because the End-of-Season files overwrite some of the sim files.

Every time a sim is run, download that file and update the \leagues\ folder with it. This will bring your local copy of the game up-to-date as the league moves from week to week.

IV. Batch Files

Here's the big step. you will never need to start up FOF using the built-in shortcut for the application. Instead, we are going to write two separate Windows Batch Files - one for the NFL, and one for the OSFL. They will copy the universe and picture files for each respective league into the right place and load up the game.

In other words, running the OSFL.bat file will select the OSFL team names and universe, and run Front Office Football 2007, so you'll be ready to go to load up the league.

To create the batch, open up Notepad or any text editor. The two batch files are written like this:

NFL.bat

copy universe\NFL\frfoot.fni universe\
copy universe\NFL\frfoot.fcy universe\
copy universe\NFL\*.bmp c:\progra~1\soleci~1\fronto~1\pictures\
start c:\progra~1\soleci~1\fronto~1\frfoot~1.exe

OSFL.bat

copy universe\OSFL\frfoot.fni universe\
copy universe\OSFL\frfoot.fcy universe\
copy universe\OSFL\*.bmp c:\progra~1\soleci~1\fronto~1\pictures\
start c:\progra~1\soleci~1\fronto~1\frfoot~1.exe

Remember, if you run 64-bit windows, replace each instance of progra~1 with progra~2.

Select "save as" (any file type) and name them NFL.bat and OSFL.bat. Save them under C:\(FOF DATA)\.

These batch files are run just like any executable. For ease of use, create shortcuts (right click, 'create shortcut') to both of them and put them wherever is easiest for you to access. For instance, you can put the shortcuts in the Start Menu or on your Desktop.

OSFL Multiplayer Setup

Basically, put everything where they are supposed to go. End of season files need to be in the leagues folder, as does the latest sim. The batch files take care of the rest: images go in the installation directory's \Pictures\ folder, and universe files go in the data directory's \universe\ folder.

Start up FOF, click on the Multiplayer Controls (the face icon, next to the '?' help icon on the top left of the window). Select 'Enter New Career'. Select your team, choose 'Begin without Draft', and enter the league name: OSFL2007 in our case.

It'll tell you to send some file to the commissioner but you should be set up already and won't have to do that. Instead, click the 'open' folder on the top left menu. Select the game file with the league ID (=OSFL2007) and your team name. The first time, you'll need to enter your password. Once you do, you're all set.

[Lintyfresh85]

Great work, Nutah!!!

I've stuck to the top of the forum.

[Spear]

Thanks for the setup guide.

I've already run into early problems. Do I have to create the universe folder myself?

I'm running on Vista and went into Program Files\Solescimic Software\Front Office Football 2007 and couldn't find the universe folder?

I can't find another Solescimic Software folder elsewhere?

[Matt]

Mine wasn't in the Program Files folder either...it's all in this one.

C:\Documents and Settings\user(mine is my last name)\Application Data\Solescimic Software\Front Office Football 2007

It is a hidden folder so I had to unhide my Window's folders. Now I did add a Universe folder in the Program Files folder and copy it over there as well. Honestly I don't even know which folder the game runs out of, nor if the Universe was needed in the Program Files folder. I hate the fact that it goes through a hidden folder after the patch but oh well.

[Spear]

Ah, found it.

Thanks Matt.

[Spear]

Do we overwrite the files in the league folder after each year? or do we keep a folder separate for each season?

[Matt]

Just keep overwriting every week in the /leagues folder.

[Aston]

Yeah, sorry. I should probably highlight this point more, everything goes under the FOF Data folder (except custom images - which go in the install directory but are the lone exception):

For reference: everything goes in directories of your FOF data folder (C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Solescimic Software\Front Office Football 2007 for xp or C:\users\user\AppData\Roaming\Solescimic Software\Front Office Football 2007 I think for win7)

There doesn't need to be a universe folder in the install directory because the game only looks under Application Data.

I think it's a weird place to put things too, but you can make it easily accessible with shortcuts.

[Guest]

Everything worked out fine (though I had to tweak the batch file for my own purpose), except I just did a clean install on my laptop and I don't have a frfoot.fcy file. I ran through the preseason and a few games with the Ravens, but doing that never created an fcy file.

When I run the OSFL.bat file it puts the frfoot.fcy file from the OSFL directory into the universe folder. Then when I run the NFL.bat it doesn't replace the frfoot.fcy file because I don't have the "original" fcy file in the NFL folder since I never had one in the first place.

That's a mess of insanity to explain. The question is: What do I have to do in the base game to get it to create the frfoot.fcy file?

[Guest]

It's in the 'Universe Files' zip above.

[Aston]

I think he means for the default rosters. I'm not sure it matters if it's there or not, not sure what it does. If it is critical the game would generate it on its own. I'll look around and see if I have it.

If so, I'll upload it.

[Guest]

[Aston]

OK, I took my copy which I *think* should be correct and uploaded it to the first post.

I am not sure where it came from but use it for the CFL, which does have Atlanta swapped out with Los Angeles. Let me know if that happens, but I wouldn't know how to fix it.

[Guest]

OK, I took my copy which I *think* should be correct and uploaded it to the first post.

I am not sure where it came from but use it for the CFL, which does have Atlanta swapped out with Los Angeles. Let me know if that happens, but I wouldn't know how to fix it.

I'll give it a shot and let you know.

I thought I'd move my file from my desktop, but I don't have it here either.

All I'm trying to do is preserve my SP campaigns on my laptop, but if it comes down to it I'd rather just be able to play MP on my laptop and any SP I'll do here on my desktop.

Thanks for your help!

[Aston]

Hang on, is this one of the files that tells the 32 teams' city names? If so, you could move the OSFL frfoot files out of the folder, load up a new career in SP that will have the default names. Go in and make some changes (i.e, 'New England Colonials' to 'New England Patriots'), save, and two of those files should be there (.fcy, .fni). I believe it's the .fgr file that isn't but I don't think that one matters.