I have started coding on another little program for automated conversion of files between txt & bin formats using the actual convertdata*.exe's and the correct convertdata for the files based on the pathname eg for entrenchment mods/reference files the path should contain "entrenchment" ditto for the next expansions, and for vanilla sins it SHOULD NOT contain any of the expansions names also it will work on all drives in the computer BUT does need the sins installation in the location pointed to by the registy.
it will also be able to make TXTed reference files as easily as converting an entire mod to/from bin
to make your own reference set you first COPY the program files sins folder to another location in the computer like for example 'my documents', then delete FROM THE COPY the appdata,font & sdplugins folders and the dll and exe files in the root of the copy then run the txt binner doing the entrenchment folder first then any other expansions you have and finally the vanilla sins and for each folder note which files have FAILED conversion
a more detailed overview of the program
psudo code outline
get the conversion type
get the location to convert
determine which convertdata to use based on the location (all three expansions will be supported)
scan the location to create a list of all files
for each file in the list use the convertdata to convert each file if it is NOT the type wanted, then test to see if it was converted correctly, if not list it in the failed conversion list, if it was then list it in the success list
end psudo code outline
note additional minor feature if you have a location you want to use as a sins reference files location and want it to be accessably with a single button then create a sinsref.txt in the same folder as the txt binner.exe and have as the first line of the file as the path to your sins reference location eg 'f:\sins reference' note the LACK of trailing backslash the program does not want it
the new versions of the mod updater and TXT BIN GUI use the correct version of the convertdata to do the actual convesion to text/bin eg updateing mods from entrenchment 1.01 to 1.03 the mod updater converts to text with convertdata_entrenchment1.01.exe and updates the entities, then converts back to bin with convertdata_entrenchment 1.03.exe.
I suggest not using the old version files the current is 1.1
the latest version is included in the utility pack that an be downloaded from my mod updater thread
harpo
The mod is located in a folder called Mods v1.17 in the Sins directory, so I assume it's getting what it needs from the path. I'm going to look into it and see what I can figure out. Thanks!
Edit:
Well, I'm stumped. I've tried renaming the mods folder so that it matches what I see in your program files, I've tried moving it into the Sins directory in the Program files, but there's something I'm missing. I'm going to give you as much information as I can, and hopefully that will tell you what's wrong.
Here's the path to the mod: C drive>Users>Me>AppData>Local>Ironclad Game>Sins of a Solar Empire>Mods v1.17>SoA 2 0.03c
I'm on Vista (in case that matters), and have tried renaming the folder to Mods-OriginalSins v1.17 to match your files, but that gave me the same error message. When I copied everthing over to the Sins directory in Program Files didn't get an error message, but it didn't do anything else either when I tried to convert.
Finally, I tested the program with a mod that I'm using with Entrenchment that's also under the first directory but in the Mods-Entrenchment v.1.02 folder. I didn't have any problems converting those files from .bin to .txt. So, could it be an issue with the Sacfirice of Angels mod? Maybe there's a file that's needed and is missing from the folder.
Anyway, I hope I've given you enough information that you can easily figure out what's giving me so much trouble. Thanks again!
I was struck with some inspiration when I took a break after my last e-mail. I moved some of the Sacrifice of Angels .txt mesh files into the entrenchment mod folder that I knew I could convert, and voila! I'm not sure why it worked, but I was able to convert the files that I needed.
It's a roundabout way of getting there, but it's good enough for me. Unless you really want to figure out what the problem is, you don't need to waste any more time thinking about the problem. Thanks for your help!
mystic angel my gui looks to the PATH to determine which convertdata to use eg it the path contains entrenchment it uses the convertdata_entrenchment , bit if it does NOT contain 'entrenchment' or 'diplomacy' or 'third expansion' it uses the convertdata+originalsins*.exe it also looks for a version number in the type folder it then uses the correct version eg entrenchment 1.01 or entrenchment 1.02 or entrenchment 1.03 or originalsins 1.15,1.16 or 1.17 to do the conversions
I have also tested the gui in converting my reference files from bin to txt in f:\sins\reference which contains my reference files for sins of a solar empire 1.00, sins of a solar empire 1.02, sins of a solar empire 1.03, sins of a solar empire 1.04, sins of a solar empire 1.05, sins of a solar empire 1.10, sins of a solar empire 1.12, sins of a solar empire 1.15, sins of a solar empire 1.16, sins of a solar empire 1.17, entrenchment 0.9beta,entrenchment 1.01, entrenchment 1.02, and entrenchment 1.03, and the gui uses the correct convertdata for each of the folders that it has convertdata's for ie sins 1.15,1.16 & 1.17, entrenchment 1.01,1.02 & 1.03,
but unfortunatly I do not have convertdata's for the earlier sins folders, so I have to use them with the current convertdata_originalsins.exe
I have found a bug in the updated code for determining the convertdata to use.
I have fixed the bug and am uploading a new version of the textbin gui & modding utilities with the archive version number 1.181a
Unfortunately, this is what I get when I try to use the most recent textbinner to convert any of 1.041's AbilityBeamBlast.entity / BuffBeamBlastActivated.entity / BuffBeamBlastCharging.entity / BuffBeamBlastDamage.entity files to text format. Any idea what could be causing this?
sorry, but the convertdata's are from ironclad games, but the files included on the rars work for me as they are what I used. I am uploading my 1.041 reference files and will post a link when uploaded
edit the link for my 1.041 refs is http://www.gamingvault.net/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=182 gameingvault closed
Thanks!
This is really starting to piss me off. I downloaded this thing, and I don't even know what half of the crap in there is for. I open up "harpos_SINS_mod_updater.exe", which is the only thing to my eye that looks like I can do anything with, and when I try to do anything with it, it gives me a crash message reading "Run-time error '76: Path not found"
I remember a time where I didn't have to take a fucking computer class to mod this game. You have NO IDEA how bad I wish I could get back to 1.03 and screw all this new patch bullshit.
patriotmining HAVE you extracted ALL the files into a folder in your computer, and then run the mod updater from the folder?
and was it the 1.181 OR 1.181a archive?
your program has a run-time crash when I try to open anything at all. I'd include a picture, but I'm less than tech-savvy. Don't know how to work the forum controls.
Am just about ready to say to hell with modding and play the game. At least THAT is fun....
patriotmining,
what were you trying to do at the time?was it opening the program?is sins installed on the computer you are trying to run the mod updater on?what is the sins/entrenchment versions?
lemme start again. Was pretty annoyed a while ago.
I'm not even sure what it is I'm supposed to do with this. Could you please give me the walk through from start to finish with this example?
Like, if I were to take PLANETMODULE_PHASEORBITALPHASEGATE from the referencedata Stardock gives us on the downloads page, and modify the tactical slots taken by this structure to 1 down from 10, how would I go about using your program to change that from a txt file to something the game could read and use?
the game DOES read and use txt files, it just does load the files a bit quicker when that in BIN.
the reference files on the downloads page ARE FOR sins 1.15/entrenchment 1.01 ONLY and will BREAK(usually causing minidumps) mods based upon them when the mods are loaded into sins 1.181/entrenchment 1.041
to make your OWN reference set these are the steps
1 copy your sins of a solar empire folder out of the \program files\ path. I would suggest creating a folder in the root of a hard drive called 'sins reference' and pasteing the sins folder into it
2 move the entrenchment folder from inside the 'sins reference\sins of a solaer empire' to the 'sins reference' folder
3 in the sins reference folder add the sins version to the end of the 'sins of a solar empire' folder name eg 'sins of a solar empire 1.181'
4 in the sins reference folder add the entrenchment version to the end of the 'entrenchment' folder name eg 'entrenchment 1.041'
5 in the location you extracted the modding utilities to run the 'sinstextbinner.exe' (this is the text to/from bin gui for the convertdata_*.exe's that ironclad have provided
now we get to the point of using one of my utilities
6 assuming you want to convert the files in the new reference area from bin to text click on the txt radio button at the top
7 in the next control which is a drive list box choose the drive that your 'sins reference' folder is on
8 in the third control which is a folder tree view doubleclick on you 'sins reference' folder( the view should change to show you the folders in the folder you clicked on. keep clicking on the folders in you path to the 'sins of a solar empire 1.181' folder and double click on it so that you can see the folders in it eg Gameinfo,mesh,string etc
9 click on the button labeled '3 convert this folder'. this tells the utility that you want to work in this folder that is OPEN in the folder view above
10 click on the button labeled '4 convert the folder NOW'. this will now get the list of ALL files in the folder AND ALL SUBFOLDERS under the folder, and using the correct convertdata attempt to convert all the files to wanted file type ie txt or bin. it lists the files it successfully converts, the files that convertdata fails on and the files already in the wanted file type as it processes them. when it has processed all the files it then creates four report files summary.txt, success.txt, fails.txt and skipped.txt that lists the files that were converted, failed to convert and were skipped and a overall summary of the file counts and converter used.
11 if there is more areas to convert eg the entrenchment folder then go to step 6
and the text bin gui can process an individual folder with the same method, you just have to navigate down to the folder in step 8
hope this helps
Thanks for the simple instruction Harpo.
Took some time to figure out the version number after the title constraint. Missing spaces, v's, and Mod version numbers caused some problems. That said, my mods are running smoothly.
Thanks again Harpo!
the latest diplomacy compatible version is about to be released WITH the convertdata's including the diplomacy 0.85.
I will post the links asap
edit the filefront location is http://www.filefront.com/14984769/sins-text-bin-gui-v1.181d.rar/
the mediafire link is http://www.mediafire.com/file/wcgnyjn2aem/sins text bin gui v1.181+d.rar
thanks harpo
hey downloaded and works great for diplomacy but now i cant use your tools for entrenchment. When i try and use your manifest maker " all of them for 1.04 and 1.041" your manifest makers include diplomacy stuff . thanks josh
the ONLY program that had ANY alteration was the textbin gui, all other programs are EXACTLY the same and have had NO alterations, but it you want to have the mod updater look at the diplomacy , then you will want to edit the targetsins.txt and change the fourth line to 0.85, but it WILL NOT convert mods to diplomacy
Hey thanks a bunch harpo! Quick question though, when I used this to convert my diplomacy player files to .txt, I got a minidump error saying that a (player relations?) line is missing or set to zero. But when the file is in the "normal" format, it works fine.
i understand that harpo the issue is the manifest maker is inlcluding diplomacy stuff in the entity manifest. Not just sins and entrenchment which is what i checked. Also When i open the program "manifest maker" diplomacy is avaliable and checked. I uncheck the box and only leave sins entrenchment and mod checked yet it still includes diplomacy stuff in the manifest. thanks jtaylorpcs btw HAPPY THANKSGIVING :>
jtaylor, thank you for the further info, I will start chaseing the issue and update the program when I find the cause and fix it
"Text FileArchive missing Label. File: C:\Users\****\AppData\Local\Ironclad Games\Sins of a Solar Empire\Mods-Diplomacy v0.85\DarthVadersPinto\GameInfo\PlayerPhase.entity Label: raceRelationsModCount Line Number:729 Line Contents:raceRelationsModifierCount 0"
Has anyone else been getting this error?
antichaire, the error is a missing line or lines in a playerRACE.entity for a line that has been added to diplomacy and does need to be added to the diplomacy mod playerRACE.entity files.
jtaylor I am going to email you the latest personal build of the manifest maker( it is partially added command line functionallity) and have tested with one of my MOST complex personal mods with the diplomacy cleared and NO diplomacy files were added to the entrenchment manifest, only the extra entities in the mod's folder.
Yeah, after a bunch of blundering around I kinda accepted that and my defeat BUT on the upside, I know it isn't your GUI, its the convert data that ships w/ diplomacy. (Or maybe the entity files themselves are a bit funky,)
After having to use cmd for the first time in a while iI've re-affirmed my view that your GUI rocks socks. Thanks and happy thanks giving!
ok thanks harpo :> your the best . You should have my email but if not is below. Also for more information related to this and your tools . In the past you had me register a file to get your tools working.
jtaylorpcs@live.com
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