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
ok thank you for the reply, i was wonder after i converted all the folders i need i noticed that the diplomacy has less files in its GameInfo how do i get the files i need to change to work or do i have to extract all the files and edit them there as well and then diplomacy will make the changes it need from those files or do i need to move them all into the same GameInfo Folder. thanks again in advance.
diplomacy uses the entrenchment/sins files for the other ships/structures/planets/abilities/buffs/stars.
I use the model of a mod stack of
diplomacyentrenchmentvanilla sins
with the diplomacy listing what is needed with it's manifests, looking in the diplomacy if it does not find it then it looks in entrenchment, then in vanilla sins till it finds the required files. this is also the structure that my manifest maker assumes, and so far the manifest maker has not failed me
ok assuming im on the right track and would like to combine them into a mod with out changing the main files do i leave them as you stated for example.
in the Mods-Diplmoacy 1.00 folder do i put in all three folder, or do i put all the Game Info Files Inside one Game Info Folder so that all vanilla+entrenchment+diplomacy files go into one GameInfo File the reason i ask is that im basing this question on how ive seen mods set up this way
you would put the files you want to change into a folder in the Mods-Diplomacy v1.00 folder in your userspace with the entity files in a gameinfo folder in your mod, and the other filetypes that you want to change in their respective folders
eg mods-Diplomacy v1.00>mod name>gameinfo> entity files >textures> teture files mostly dds
etc...
sins/entrenchment/diplomacy REQUIRE the same folder layout as you see in the games folders/files, but with the manifest system you only need the files you change in the mod as the manifest WILL tell diplomacy/entrenchment to look through the mods in the mod stack, then the game(diplomacy OR entenchment) then if diplomacy then the entrenchment and lastly the vanilla sins.
and if you want the mod to be the top mod in the stack then it SHOULD have a manifest, and if you ADD new files then YOU NEED the manifests otherwise you will collect minidumps.
hope this helps
thanks that helps very much so i need the manifest and then i can create a mod base on the same file format as the main game folder it self, im sorry to be taking up your thread for my own personal questions.
the manifests list the files of the type or the mod, and if a file that IS in the manifest refers to a file NOT in the manifest, then minidump, so it is a good idea to create the manifests just before testing so as to minimise the chances of minidumps. I did not relise how VITAL the mnifests actually are when i wrote the manifest maker, but it is the most benificial, yet undernoticed of my utilities.
ok thank you i think i can create my own mod now based on the info youve given me i should be able to make one without a hitch
From my own experience:
Some files are already in text (e.g. Game constants) so no worries.
In other news, try to covnert diplomacy / entrenchment / vanilla in seperate folders. It makes it far more smoother that way.
As a precaution, i have 3 copies of the gameinfo.
One binary is in the installation folder, for the game to run.
Another is backup in case my mods screw with my game info.
The last is a converted text one where i pull out files from to mod them, then insert into wherever i want.
I also have a folder of "modded files" so i know whats modded and whats not.
Ok, I must be a freakin' idiot... Does SoaSE have to be on C: drive to edit, because it's on an external, and I've tried everything... cmd.exe doesn't reach to 'H:' drive, so I can't use convertdata that way, and your program tells me that convertdata?originalsins0.exe isn't there, so it's not working either... What am I doing wrong?
Your COPY of sins can be in ANY drive/folder, but my converter needs the sins version number in the folder name, eg sins 1.19, entrenchment v1.05, diplomacy 1.00.
without the version number it will give the exact error you are getting.
I have run the textbin gui from a usbstick against COPIES of sins on d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l and even network drives.
Thank you for the prog! I copied the files into my Sins Trinity Folder, but when i start the Prog and try to Convert a Game Info Folder in the Mod Path it tells me
Convert Data.exe not found for the expansion choosen?
Edit:
So here is already the answer by myself for all who dont get it!
I hope this is right.
1: Extract the Converter Program to a Random Folder of your choice.
2: Now for instance you want to edit Diplomacy go into your Sins Original Folder and Copy Paste the Diplomacy Converter.exe from there to wherever your Converter Program Folder is located.
3: Rename it to:
ConvertData_OriginalSins0.exe
4: Tada! Yout got yourself a working Converter Program!
5: Convert stuff and be Happy.
6: Thank the creator.
7: And of course Never do take original game files.
omicron2k5, for my utilities you NEED the version number of the sins expansion at the End of the folder name, the kludge you are useing of re-naming the current convertdata to originalsins0 ONLY works with the no future thinking methods ie not giving yourself a seperate folder for each of the expansions and the orginal sins, the main problem with this method is that the convertdata's ONLY work with the expansion and version they are for.
or converting MODS to/from txt/bin the mod folder DOES have the sins version number in the folder name
and worst of all is that the CURRENT version does NOT need the kludge to convert/update files in the mods folders.
I will be uploading the latest versions soon
How soon until we get a version for Diplomacy 1.01?
spadason21, it IS in the modding utilities packs, and has been available since diplomacy beta 0.85, and the version in the latest modding utility pack v1.19d1.01 is the most current that I am using as the latest myself, and the old versions from bfore diplomacy beta were able to work with diplomacy at the start of the betas
Ah okay.
You can make the utility compatable on your own reletively easily. Just copy the convertdata from your install folder and paste it with all the others that are in your Sins Ref. folder. Copy also, the diplomacy folder from the install diplomacy folder to your sins ref. folder. Make sure you have the name of the covertdata as ConvertData_Diplomacy1.01 and your Diplomacy folder named Diplomacy 1.01. Once you have it set up like this it should convert the new Diplomacy 1.01 folder.
It doesn't seem to want to work for me. I get to the point were it says ConvertData_Diplomacy1.01 is not found, but I have a copy of it saved there and saved as ConvertData_Diplomacy1.01. Am I somehow doing something wrong here? I have a copy of my files in another folder outside of the installed directory and I can't convert them.
It seems like I've done everything that everyone said to do. Did I miss something??
goberon, which version of windows are you attempting to use the textbin gui on?
also the latest version of all on my utilities is in
fileturbo http://www.filefactory.com/file/b02a935/n/harpo_sins_utilities_1.19d1.01.rar
and
filefront http://www.filefront.com/15620229/harpo-sins-utilities-1.19d1.01.rar/
No matter what I do I always get the ConvertData not found for expansion chosen...
I was trying it to use it on my home computer which has windows vista. I'm not sure if I had your latest version of textbin gui.
Thanks harpo99999 for the superfast response. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try it again sometime after school and work this weekend.
RYu-no-0 see reply 143, also check that your folder structure has the expansion name AND version in it, and a BIT more info about the error message can help, you are only listing the first part that does not change, but the expansion AND version are also very important.
I have tried that... The error still comes up... It's looking for ConvertData?originalsins0.exe
i found to make it work just copy every thing in to your mod folder with the files that you want ot convert then it works the entire program that harpo has made
ryu-no-o,
the error message suggests that you do not have the version number in the folder name eg 'sins 1.19', 'entrenchment 1.05', "diplomacy 1.01'
piratekillingcyborg,
that is a simple way of forcing the version number into the folder name, but I think it woud be a good idea to have the reference files away from the mods area.
ALL
and as I am tired of having to answer the same issue I am adding to my development version the ability to work with unVERSIONED folders and use the latest convertdata's from the sins install folder (ONLY FOR UNVERSIONED folders0
my mods are made out side the orignal mod folders i build them first on my desktop then transfer them to the mods folder when i go to test them
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