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Add optional Windows file caching for GTA IMG archives #5338

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fc7c10a
Remove FILE_FLAG_NO_BUFFERING from GTA SA's IMG archive reads
Xenius97 Sep 8, 2026
c8c7f72
Add to settings
Xenius97 Sep 8, 2026
682e51d
finalize
Xenius97 Sep 8, 2026
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1 change: 1 addition & 0 deletions Client/core/CClientVariables.cpp
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -398,6 +398,7 @@ void CClientVariables::LoadDefaults()
DEFAULT("browser_enable_gpu", true); // Enable GPU in CEF? (allows stuff like WebGL to function)
DEFAULT("browser_enable_video_acceleration", true); // Enable hardware video decoding in CEF?
DEFAULT("process_cpu_affinity", true); // Set CPU 0 affinity to improve game performance and fix the known issue in single-threaded games
DEFAULT("img_file_caching", false); // Preserve GTA's original IMG read behavior unless caching is explicitly enabled
DEFAULT("ask_before_disconnect", true); // Ask before disconnecting from a server
DEFAULT("allow_steam_client", false); // Allow connecting with the local Steam client (to set GTA:SA ingame status)
DEFAULT("use_mouse_sensitivity_for_aiming",
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33 changes: 27 additions & 6 deletions Client/core/CSettings.cpp
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -1720,7 +1720,7 @@ void CSettings::CreateGUI()
vecTemp = CVector2D(12.f, 12.f);
float fComboWidth = 170.f;
float fHeaderHeight = 20;
float fLineHeight = 27;
float fLineHeight = 25;

// Misc section label
m_pAdvancedMiscLabel = reinterpret_cast<CGUILabel*>(pManager->CreateLabel(pTabAdvanced, _("Misc")));
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1906,6 +1906,15 @@ void CSettings::CreateGUI()
m_pProcessAffinityCheckbox->AutoSize(nullptr, 20.0f);
vecTemp.fY += fLineHeight;

// Let users opt into Windows caching while preserving GTA's original IMG reads by default.
m_pIMGFileCachingCheckbox =
reinterpret_cast<CGUICheckBox*>(pManager->CreateCheckBox(pTabAdvanced, _("Enable Windows file caching for IMG archives"), false));
m_pIMGFileCachingCheckbox->SetPosition(CVector2D(vecTemp.fX, vecTemp.fY));
m_pIMGFileCachingCheckbox->AutoSize(nullptr, 20.0f);
m_pIMGFileCachingCheckbox->SetMouseEnterHandler(GUI_CALLBACK(&CSettings::OnShowAdvancedSettingDescription, this));
m_pIMGFileCachingCheckbox->SetMouseLeaveHandler(GUI_CALLBACK(&CSettings::OnHideAdvancedSettingDescription, this));
vecTemp.fY += fLineHeight;

// Auto updater section label
m_pAdvancedUpdaterLabel = reinterpret_cast<CGUILabel*>(pManager->CreateLabel(pTabAdvanced, _("Auto updater")));
m_pAdvancedUpdaterLabel->SetPosition(CVector2D(vecTemp.fX - 10.0f, vecTemp.fY));
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1957,11 +1966,11 @@ void CSettings::CreateGUI()
vecTemp.fX -= fComboWidth + 15;

// Description label
vecTemp.fY += 15.0f;
vecTemp.fY += 2.0f;
m_pAdvancedSettingDescriptionLabel = reinterpret_cast<CGUILabel*>(pManager->CreateLabel(pTabAdvanced, ""));
m_pAdvancedSettingDescriptionLabel->SetPosition(CVector2D(vecTemp.fX + 10.f, vecTemp.fY));
m_pAdvancedSettingDescriptionLabel->SetFont("default-bold-small");
m_pAdvancedSettingDescriptionLabel->SetSize(CVector2D(500.0f, 95.0f));
m_pAdvancedSettingDescriptionLabel->SetPosition(CVector2D(vecTemp.fX, vecTemp.fY));
m_pAdvancedSettingDescriptionLabel->SetFont("default");
m_pAdvancedSettingDescriptionLabel->SetSize(CVector2D(std::max(1.0f, tabPanelSize.fX - 2.0f * vecTemp.fX), 95.0f));
m_pAdvancedSettingDescriptionLabel->SetHorizontalAlign(CGUI_ALIGN_HORIZONTALCENTER_WORDWRAP);

// Set up the events
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -4162,6 +4171,9 @@ void CSettings::LoadData()
CVARS_GET("photosaving", bVar);
m_pPhotoSavingCheckbox->SetSelected(bVar);

CVARS_GET("img_file_caching", bVar);
m_pIMGFileCachingCheckbox->SetSelected(bVar);

// Process CPU Affinity
CVARS_GET("process_cpu_affinity", bVar);
m_pProcessAffinityCheckbox->SetSelected(bVar);
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -4606,6 +4618,11 @@ void CSettings::SaveData()
CVARS_SET("photosaving", photoSaving);
CScreenShot::SetPhotoSavingInsideDocuments(photoSaving);

// Archive handles retain their opening flags, so save the preference and request a restart.
const bool bIMGFileCaching = m_pIMGFileCachingCheckbox->GetSelected();
const bool bIMGFileCachingChanged = bIMGFileCaching != CVARS_GET_VALUE<bool>("img_file_caching");
CVARS_SET("img_file_caching", bIMGFileCaching);

// Process CPU Affinity
bool affinity = m_pProcessAffinityCheckbox->GetSelected();
CVARS_SET("process_cpu_affinity", affinity);
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -4794,7 +4811,7 @@ void CSettings::SaveData()

// Ask to restart?
if (bIsVideoModeChanged || bIsAntiAliasingChanged || bIsCustomizedSAFilesChanged || processsDPIAwareChanged || bBrowserGPUSettingChanged ||
bBrowserVideoAccelSettingChanged)
bBrowserVideoAccelSettingChanged || bIMGFileCachingChanged)
ShowRestartQuestion();
else if (CModManager::GetSingleton().IsLoaded() && bBrowserSettingChanged)
ShowDisconnectQuestion();
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -6122,6 +6139,10 @@ bool CSettings::OnShowAdvancedSettingDescription(CGUIElement* pElement)
strText = std::string(_("Auto updater:")) + " " + std::string(_("Select default to automatically install important updates."));
else if (pCheckBox && pCheckBox == m_pProcessAffinityCheckbox)
strText = std::string(_("CPU affinity:")) + " " + std::string(_("Only change if you're having stability issues."));
else if (pCheckBox && pCheckBox == m_pIMGFileCachingCheckbox)
strText =
_("Off by default to preserve GTA's original behavior. When enabled, removes FILE_FLAG_NO_BUFFERING so Windows can cache IMG game archives in RAM. "
"This may reduce disk reads and loading stutter on SSDs and HDDs. Try turning it off if performance worsens. Requires restarting MTA.");

if (strText != "")
m_pAdvancedSettingDescriptionLabel->SetText(strText.c_str());
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1 change: 1 addition & 0 deletions Client/core/CSettings.h
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Expand Up @@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ class CSettings
CGUICheckBox* m_pPhotoSavingCheckbox;
CGUICheckBox* m_pCheckBoxAskBeforeDisconnect;
CGUICheckBox* m_pProcessAffinityCheckbox;
CGUICheckBox* m_pIMGFileCachingCheckbox;
CGUILabel* m_pUpdateBuildTypeLabel;
CGUIComboBox* m_pUpdateBuildTypeCombo;
CGUILabel* m_pUpdateAutoInstallLabel;
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6 changes: 6 additions & 0 deletions Client/game_sa/gamesa_init.cpp
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Expand Up @@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ MTAEXPORT CGame* GetGameInterface(CCoreInterface* pCore)
pGame = new CGameSA;
g_pCore = pCore;

// Remove FILE_FLAG_NO_BUFFERING to let Windows cache IMG reads and reduce disk I/O.
// Apply this before CdStreamInit opens archives; existing handles require a restart to change their flags.
bool bIMGFileCaching = false;
pCore->GetCVars()->Get("img_file_caching", bIMGFileCaching);
MemPut<uint8_t>(0x406BC6, bIMGFileCaching ? 0xEB : 0x77);

return (CGame*)pGame;
}

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