Characters: Laden in the Esc menu, timed autosave

- Esc menu: "Exportieren" became "Laden"; it opens the load window, always
  in load mode. In a game every world loads (the current one reloads); a
  "(neu)" world stops the game (cCommand_armaStop) and starts the new one
  without the main menu. The character being played cannot be deleted.
- Silent autosave every sacredK.ini [characters] AutosaveMinutes (default
  10, 0 = off) into the character's autosave file.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

docs/characters.md

@@ -261,21 +261,34 @@ game the character's.
 number). Story autosaves (engine event 0xf subtype 2 with the flag at +0x18,
 noted in `cEngine::ReceiveEvent`) go into the autosave file.
 
+Silent autosave: 10 minutes after the last save of any kind (or the game's
+start), `SaveOnTick` does the direct save marked as an autosave, so it goes
+into the autosave file. While a window is open or a save runs it waits for
+the next tick. A character never saved yet gets its character file from it.
+Interval: `sacredK.ini` `[characters] AutosaveMinutes` (default 10, 0 off).
+
 Direct save (K key, Esc menu "Speichern"): on the next engine tick, as the
 quicksave does (0x618ebb): `cUI_Manager::CanOpenWindow` (0x75a690),
 `cEngine::CaptureScreen` (0x613710, 1), description +0x6a, row +0x68 = 0,
 flag +0x54 |= 0x40. The Esc menu line keeps its action (Show
 `UI_WND_SAVEGAME`); `cUI_Manager::ReceiveEvent` (0x757120) turns that into the
 direct save while a game runs. Its text is patched at 0x6bc1f7 (id 0x41b is
-used by other windows too). Loading is from the main menu only.
+used by other windows too).
 
-The Esc menu has no "Exportieren" (request 2026-10-20): `cUI_EscMenu::BuildLines`
+The Esc menu: "Exportieren" became "Laden" (requests 2026-10-20). The line
-(0x6bb870, called by the constructor and on an event) makes five
+(text id 0x419 pushed at 0x6bc272, now "Laden") keeps its command, which shows
-cUI_StaticText64 lines in the vector +0x158, 0x24 apart; each handles its own
+UI_CHARACTER (the export screen) and hides the menu; in a game
-events. After it the UI_ESC_EXPORT line is removed and deleted, the lines
+`UiManager_ReceiveEvent` turns that into showing the load window. The load
-below move up, and the window (0x108 x 0xc8) loses 0x24 of height, staying
+window always opens in load mode (`cUI_Savegame::Show` vf24 0x71cfb0 picks
-centred. With it the export screen (cUI_Character mode 5) is unreachable;
+save mode in a game; `SetMode` 0x71c4f0 (2) after it). In a game every
-its mod (charexport.cpp, an erase button for export slots) was deleted.
+world can be loaded, the current one too (a reload from its last save; the
+game's in-game load, engine flag 0x200). A "(neu)" world needs a new engine:
+the running game stops as "Beenden" stops it (`cCommand_armaStop`, execute
+0x755b30, vtable 0x88ee2c: posts 0x8001 to the main window, whose handler
+deletes the engine), and when the engine is gone (`OnGameEnd`) the new game's
+start command follows (0x8002), without the main menu. The character being
+played cannot be deleted. The export screen (cUI_Character
+mode 5) is unreachable; its mod (charexport.cpp, an erase button for export slots) was deleted.
 
 ### Migration
 
@@ -286,6 +299,5 @@ kept, the newest file overall is the shared hero.
 
 ## Open
 
-- Silent autosave every 10 minutes.
 - Quickload (row 0) does not know characters.
 - Multiplayer (see `todo.md`).

docs/todo.md

@@ -184,14 +184,22 @@ From the characters rework (`docs/characters.md`, request of 2026-10-19):
   are one byte per difficulty in cStatsManager +0x5704 (read 0x424be0) and
   travel in the save header (+0x88..+0x98) and the hero file. Done
   2026-10-20 (docs/characters.md).
-- **Silent autosave every 10 minutes** (a setting later) into the
+- **Autosave interval in the options window** (now only
-  autosave file, without the busy dialog, like the direct save
+  `sacredK.ini` `[characters] AutosaveMinutes`).
-  (`SaveOnTick`) but marked as an autosave.
 - **Quickload (row 0) does not know characters.** Ctrl+Z saves into the
   current character, but the quickload event (0x116, engine +0x68 = row,
   flag 0x200) loads `GAME00.PAK`, which is not listed; make it reload the
   current character's world (or its newer autosave).
 
+## Two saves in a row (2026-10-20, not reproduced)
+
+Once two real saves ("saved", not "autosaved") went into the same character
+1.8 s apart, about 77 s after loading, with the timed autosave off. Save
+flag 0x40 is set in cEngine::ReceiveEvent at 0x618876 (quicksave),
+0x618f08 and 0x6190c5 (save event 0xf: +0xc row, +0x18 autosave flag). A
+log of the event that sets the flag (dwords 0..9) did not catch it again;
+add it back if it shows.
+
 ## Savegames screen redesign ("Spielen")
 
 Asked 2026-10-20: redesign the load window (cUI_Savegame, the "Spielen"

src/mods/characters.cpp

@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include "mods/hud.h"
 #include "mods/input.h"
 #include "mods/userfolders.h"
+#include "re/config.h"
 #include "re/hook.h"
 #include "re/patch.h"
 #include "re/log.h"
@@ -368,7 +369,11 @@ struct Current {
     std::string file;
 } g_current;
 
-bool g_autosavePending = false;
+// The next cEngine::Save (render thread) is an autosave: a story autosave
+// (Engine_ReceiveEvent) or the timed one (SaveOnTick).
+std::atomic<bool> g_autosavePending{false};
+bool g_inGame = false;  // a game runs (the load window opens from the Esc menu too)
+std::atomic<uint64_t> g_lastSaveAt{0};  // GetTickCount64 of the last save of any kind
 
 std::string Description(const json& meta) {
     return Convert(FromUtf8(meta.value("name", std::string())) + L" - " + ClassName(meta.value("class", 0u)),
@@ -436,7 +441,8 @@ void RebuildList() {
                 highest = std::max(highest, std::min(d + 1, kDifficultyCount - 1));
             }
         }
-        // New games need the shared hero; multiplayer games are not ours.
+        // New games need the shared hero (in a game the running one stops
+        // first, StartNewWorld); multiplayer games are not ours.
         const bool canStart = hasHero && !*reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(kMultiplayer);
         for (int c = 0; c < kCampaignCount; ++c) {
             for (int d = 0; d < kDifficultyCount; ++d) {
@@ -840,7 +846,6 @@ const Row* EditableRow(uint8_t* window) {
 
 // "Neuer Charakter": in the main menu's load window (not in a game, not in
 // multiplayer).
-bool g_inGame = false;
 
 bool NewCharacterAllowed(uint8_t* window) {
     return *reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(window + kSavegameMode) == kSavegameModeLoad && !g_inGame &&
@@ -968,7 +973,12 @@ void __fastcall Savegame_Action(uint8_t* self, void* edx, int action) {
             GameCampaign() = static_cast<uint16_t>(row->choices[row->chosen].campaign);
         }
     }
-    if (const Row* row = action == kSavegameActionDelete ? SelectedRow(self) : nullptr) {
+    const Row* toDelete = action == kSavegameActionDelete ? SelectedRow(self) : nullptr;
+    if (toDelete && g_inGame && toDelete->file == g_current.file) {
+        re::Log("characters: %s is being played, not deleted", toDelete->file.c_str());
+        return;
+    }
+    if (const Row* row = toDelete) {
         const std::string deleted = CharactersDir() + "deleted\\";
         CreateDirectoryA(deleted.c_str(), nullptr);
         for (const std::string& file : {row->file, AutosavePath(row->file)}) {
@@ -1026,6 +1036,33 @@ void StartNewWorld(uint8_t* window, const Row& row, int campaign, int difficulty
     reinterpret_cast<ExecuteFn>(0x00755ac0)(&command, nullptr);
 }
 
+// A new world from a running game: the game stops as the Esc menu's "Beenden"
+// stops it (cCommand_armaStop, execute 0x755b30, thiscall, plain ret: posts
+// 0x8001 to the main window, whose handler 0x811fa6 deletes the engine), and
+// the new game starts once the engine is gone (OnGameEnd): its start command
+// (0x8002) is handled right after the stop, without the main menu.
+struct PendingStart {
+    uint8_t* window = nullptr;
+    Row row;
+    Choice world;
+} g_pendingStart;
+
+void StopGameThenStart(uint8_t* window, const Row& row, const Choice& world) {
+    g_pendingStart = {window, row, world};
+    re::Log("characters: stopping the game for a new world of %s", row.file.c_str());
+    struct StopCommand {
+        uint32_t vtable;
+    } command{0x0088ee2c};
+    using ExecuteFn = void(__fastcall*)(void*, void*);
+    reinterpret_cast<ExecuteFn>(0x00755b30)(&command, nullptr);
+}
+
+void StartPendingWorld() {
+    if (const PendingStart pending = std::exchange(g_pendingStart, {}); pending.window) {
+        StartNewWorld(pending.window, pending.row, pending.world.campaign, pending.world.difficulty);
+    }
+}
+
 // A new character in `campaign`: the game's character creation, as the main
 // menu's campaign entries opened it (window command show UI_CHARACTER, the
 // campaign set first); its first save makes the character file.
@@ -1091,7 +1128,11 @@ void DialogChoose(uint8_t* window, size_t index) {
         Savegame_Action_original(window, nullptr, kSavegameActionRescan);
     } else if (const Row row = g_rows[g_dialog.row]; row.choices[index].newWorld) {
         CloseDialog();
-        StartNewWorld(window, row, row.choices[index].campaign, row.choices[index].difficulty);
+        if (g_inGame) {
+            StopGameThenStart(window, row, row.choices[index]);
+        } else {
+            StartNewWorld(window, row, row.choices[index].campaign, row.choices[index].difficulty);
+        }
     } else {
         g_rows[g_dialog.row].chosen = index;
         GameCampaign() = static_cast<uint16_t>(row.choices[index].campaign);
@@ -1337,8 +1378,8 @@ uint32_t __fastcall Engine_Save(uint8_t* self, void* edx, const char* path);
 RE_HOOK(0x00619c90, Engine_Save);
 uint32_t __fastcall Engine_Save(uint8_t* self, void* edx, const char* path) {
     EnsureFolders();
-    const bool autosave = g_autosavePending;
+    const bool autosave = g_autosavePending.exchange(false);
-    g_autosavePending = false;
+    g_lastSaveAt = GetTickCount64();
     const std::string work = WorkDir();
     DeleteFileA((work + kWorkWorld).c_str());
     const uint32_t result = Engine_Save_original(self, edx, kGameWorld);
@@ -1390,16 +1431,35 @@ constexpr size_t kEngineSaveDescription = 0x6a;  // char[], "QUICKSAVE" for quic
 constexpr char kSaveDescription[] = "SAVE";      // not shown: the list shows the characters
 std::atomic<bool> g_saveRequested{false};
 
+// Silent autosave (request of 2026-10-19: every 10 minutes, a setting later):
+// the same save, into the autosave file (Engine_Save with g_autosavePending),
+// sacredK.ini [characters] AutosaveMinutes (default 10, 0: off) after the
+// last save of any kind. While a window is open or a
+// save runs it waits for the next tick. A character never saved yet gets its
+// file from it (the list shows character files only).
+constexpr int kAutosaveMinutesDefault = 10;
+
+uint64_t AutosaveIntervalMs() {
+    static const int minutes = re::ConfigInt("characters", "AutosaveMinutes", kAutosaveMinutesDefault);
+    return minutes > 0 ? uint64_t(minutes) * 60 * 1000 : UINT64_MAX;
+}
+
 void SaveOnTick(uint8_t* engine) {
-    if (!g_saveRequested.exchange(false)) {
+    const bool requested = g_saveRequested.exchange(false);
+    const bool autosaveDue = GetTickCount64() - g_lastSaveAt >= AutosaveIntervalMs();
+    if (!requested && !autosaveDue) {
         return;
     }
     auto& flags = *reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(engine + kEngineFlags);
     uint32_t* ui = game::UiManager();
     if (!ui || !game::UiCanOpenWindow(ui) || (flags & kEngineSaving)) {
-        re::Log("characters: no save now (a window is open or a save is running)");
+        if (requested) {
+            re::Log("characters: no save now (a window is open or a save is running)");
+        }
         return;
     }
+    g_autosavePending = !requested;
+    g_lastSaveAt = GetTickCount64();
     using CaptureFn = void(__fastcall*)(void*, void*, int);
     reinterpret_cast<CaptureFn>(0x00613710)(engine, nullptr, 1);
     std::memcpy(engine + kEngineSaveDescription, kSaveDescription, sizeof(kSaveDescription));
@@ -1408,69 +1468,68 @@ void SaveOnTick(uint8_t* engine) {
 }
 
 // cUI_Manager::ReceiveEvent (vf00 0x757120, thiscall (event), ret 4) routes
-// window commands by name (game/ui/windows.h); in a game, showing the save
+// window commands by name (game/ui/windows.h). In a game:
-// window (the Esc menu line) saves instead. The main menu's load window
+// - showing the save window (the Esc menu's "Speichern") saves instead;
-// still opens.
+// - showing UI_CHARACTER (the Esc menu's "Laden", the former "Exportieren"
+//   line, whose command shows the export screen) opens the load window.
+// The main menu's load window opens as before.
 constexpr size_t kUiEventCode = 4;
 constexpr size_t kUiEventSubtype = 8;
 constexpr uint32_t kUiEventWindowSubtype = 5;
 constexpr size_t kUiEventWindowName = 0x48;  // char[0x20]
+constexpr char kCharacterWindowName[] = "UI_CHARACTER";
+
+thread_local bool g_openingLoadWindow = false;  // our own Show of the save window passes
+
+bool IsShowCommand(const uint8_t* event, const char* window, size_t size) {
+    return *reinterpret_cast<const uint32_t*>(event + kUiEventCode) ==
+               static_cast<uint32_t>(game::WindowCommand::Show) &&
+           *reinterpret_cast<const uint32_t*>(event + kUiEventSubtype) == kUiEventWindowSubtype &&
+           std::strncmp(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(event + kUiEventWindowName), window, size) == 0;
+}
 
 int __fastcall UiManager_ReceiveEvent(void* self, void* edx, uint8_t* event);
 RE_HOOK(0x00757120, UiManager_ReceiveEvent);
 int __fastcall UiManager_ReceiveEvent(void* self, void* edx, uint8_t* event) {
-    if (g_inGame && *reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(event + kUiEventCode) == static_cast<uint32_t>(game::WindowCommand::Show) &&
+    if (g_inGame && !g_openingLoadWindow) {
-        *reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(event + kUiEventSubtype) == kUiEventWindowSubtype &&
+        if (IsShowCommand(event, kSaveWindowName, sizeof(kSaveWindowName))) {
-        std::strncmp(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(event + kUiEventWindowName), kSaveWindowName,
+            RequestSave();
-                     sizeof(kSaveWindowName)) == 0) {
+            return 1;
-        RequestSave();
+        }
-        return 1;
+        if (IsShowCommand(event, kCharacterWindowName, sizeof(kCharacterWindowName))) {
+            g_openingLoadWindow = true;
+            game::SendWindowCommand(static_cast<uint32_t*>(self), kSaveWindowName, game::WindowCommand::Show);
+            g_openingLoadWindow = false;
+            return 1;
+        }
     }
     return UiManager_ReceiveEvent_original(self, edx, event);
 }
 
-// The Esc menu's line "Spielstände" (built by 0x6bb870, text id 0x41b pushed
+// cUI_Savegame::Show (vf24 0x71cfb0, thiscall (shown), ret 4) picks load mode
-// at 0x6bc1f7; the id is used by other windows too) reads "Speichern".
+// (2) in the main menu and save mode (1) in a game (0x71cfd2). Saving is
-constexpr uint32_t kEscMenuSaveLineText = 0x006bc1f7;
+// direct now: the window always opens for loading (SetMode 0x71c4f0,
-constexpr uint32_t kSavegamesText = 0x41b;
+// thiscall (mode), ret 4; it also disables the hidden "Speichern" button).
-
+void __fastcall Savegame_Show(uint8_t* self, void* edx, char shown);
-// The Esc menu without "Exportieren" (request of 2026-10-20; exported heroes
+RE_HOOK(0x0071cfb0, Savegame_Show);
-// are gone). cUI_EscMenu::BuildLines (0x6bb870, thiscall, plain ret; called
+void __fastcall Savegame_Show(uint8_t* self, void* edx, char shown) {
-// by the constructor 0x6bae60 and on an event, 0x6bc497) makes five
+    Savegame_Show_original(self, edx, shown);
-// cUI_StaticText64 lines (constructor 0x753470) in the vector at +0x158, 0x24
+    if (shown && *reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(self + kSavegameMode) == kSavegameModeSave) {
-// apart (y 8 .. 0x98); each line handles its own events. The window is
+        using SetModeFn = void(__fastcall*)(void*, void*, uint32_t);
-// 0x108 x 0xc8, centred (0x6bae9b). The export line goes, the lines below it
+        reinterpret_cast<SetModeFn>(0x0071c4f0)(self, nullptr, kSavegameModeLoad);
-// move up and the window loses one line's height, staying centred.
-constexpr size_t kEscMenuLines = 0x158;
-constexpr char kEscExportLine[] = "UI_ESC_EXPORT";
-constexpr int kEscLinePitch = 0x24;
-constexpr int16_t kEscMenuHeight = 0xc8;
-
-void __fastcall EscMenu_BuildLines(uint8_t* self, void* edx);
-RE_HOOK(0x006bb870, EscMenu_BuildLines);
-void __fastcall EscMenu_BuildLines(uint8_t* self, void* edx) {
-    EscMenu_BuildLines_original(self, edx);
-    bool removed = false;
-    for (uint8_t* line : game::ControlsIn(self, kEscMenuLines)) {
-        auto& rect = *reinterpret_cast<game::UiRect*>(line + game::kControlRect);
-        if (removed) {
-            rect.y -= kEscLinePitch;
-        } else if (game::ControlNamed(line, kEscExportLine)) {
-            game::RemoveControl(self, kEscMenuLines, line);
-            game::DeleteControl(line);
-            removed = true;
-        }
-    }
-    auto& window = *reinterpret_cast<game::UiRect*>(self + game::kControlRect);
-    if (removed && window.h == kEscMenuHeight) {
-        window.h -= kEscLinePitch;
-        window.y += kEscLinePitch / 2;
-    }
-    if (!removed) {
-        re::Log("characters: Esc menu has no %s line", kEscExportLine);
     }
 }
 
+// The Esc menu (cUI_EscMenu::BuildLines 0x6bb870): "Spielstände" (text id
+// 0x41b pushed at 0x6bc1f7; the id is used by other windows too) reads
+// "Speichern"; "Exportieren" (text id 0x419 pushed at 0x6bc272, its command
+// shows UI_CHARACTER and hides the menu) reads "Laden" (request of
+// 2026-10-20).
+constexpr uint32_t kEscMenuSaveLineText = 0x006bc1f7;
+constexpr uint32_t kSavegamesText = 0x41b;
+constexpr uint32_t kEscMenuExportLineText = 0x006bc272;
+constexpr uint32_t kExportText = 0x419;
+
 // The load window's second line of a row showed the (preview) file name; it
 // shows the level and the chosen difficulty instead. Row texts are set every
 // frame (0x71d830): line 1 the save's name (+0x204), line 2 the file name (+4,
@@ -1529,14 +1588,22 @@ void Startup() {
     re::RedirectCall(kRowFileNameCall, kStaticSetText, reinterpret_cast<const void*>(&SetRowSecondLine));
     static const uint32_t kSaveText = game::RegisterText(L"Speichern");
     re::PatchPushImm32(kEscMenuSaveLineText, kSavegamesText, kSaveText);
+    static const uint32_t kLoadText = game::RegisterText(L"Laden");
+    re::PatchPushImm32(kEscMenuExportLineText, kExportText, kLoadText);
 }
 
 struct Init {
     Init() {
         userfolders::SetGameSaveSubfolder(kGameSaveSubfolder);
         game::OnEngineTick(&SaveOnTick);
-        game::OnGameStart([] { g_inGame = true; });
+        game::OnGameStart([] {
-        game::OnGameEnd([] { g_inGame = false; });
+            g_inGame = true;
+            g_lastSaveAt = GetTickCount64();  // the autosave counts from the start
+        });
+        game::OnGameEnd([] {
+            g_inGame = false;
+            StartPendingWorld();
+        });
     }
 } init;
 

tools/names.txt

@@ -334,10 +334,13 @@
 0x0061b790 cEngine::Load                      # (path, quiet), ret 8: reads a GAME.PAK
 0x00619c90 cEngine::Save                      # (path), ret 4; render thread, engine +0x54 & 0x40
 0x0060dc00 cEngine::InitGame                  # (int), ret 4: new game, start hero
+0x0071c4f0 cUI_Savegame::SetMode              # (mode), ret 4: 1 save, 2 load (+0x75c)
+0x0071cfb0 cUI_Savegame::Show                 # vf24 (bool), ret 4: picks save mode in a game
 0x0071c520 cUI_Savegame::Action               # (action), ret 4: 2 save, 4 load, 8 delete, 10 rescan, 0xb default
 0x0071e330 cUI_Savegame::Scan                 # (dir, multiplayer), ret 8: "./SAVE/*.PAK"
 0x0071be90 cUI_Savegame::SendSaveLoad         # (kind, row): engine event 0xf
 0x00755ac0 cCommand_armaPlay::execute         # posts 0x8002 (mode, argument) to the main window
+0x00755b30 cCommand_armaStop::execute         # vf04, plain ret: ends the game, posts 0x8001 to the main window (engine deleted, main menu)
 0x007d7c40 Session_Instance
 0x007d7cf0 Session::SetHeroClass              # (class) -> +0x44, ret 4
 0x00417e50 GameSetup_Instance                 # 0x12e6c bytes; +0 set by both character-screen starts