I am announcing a new utility that can copy all of a players MODS AND update the mods to a new patch.
at present it it can update mods in txt form from entrenchment 1.01 &1.02 to entrenchment 1.03 and sins 1.15-6 to 1.17, it works in a similar way to my map updater ie it first copies the files from the source folder( and it does copy ALL files and folders), it then reads in the entity file from the destination folder, re-names the entity to entold, checks to see if it needs the changes and makes the nessacary changes and saves the corrected entity. I have already tested it with manshooters dynamic v0.9b and my own megastarbases mod (both in txt form and it copied and updated both in 33 seconds, but the more mods and the larger the mods and also if the mods ar binned the SLOWER the updating time. eg with celestial bodies v0.8b, ds entrenchment beta 0.7, dynamic 0.9b, firefall 2.2, ms entrench v2.22, requiem 2.2, sins of the 13th tribe v0.4, unknown darkness beta 0.01 and my megastarbases mod (totaling 3.9GB of files) it took 40 minutes to update all of them.
and as the entity files in the mods ARE updated you only need to run the utility when a new patch to entrenchment comes out and I have supplied updated instructions to the program.
the links for old versions have been removed
I have been given permission to include the convertdata*.exe's with my utilities so I am now releasing my utility pack
I have released all of my modding utilities/tools in one archive and INCLUDED the NOW needed convertdata*.exe's from all of the sins versions that my utilities support, ie sins 1.15,1,16 & 1.17 and also entrenchment 1.01,1.02, & 1.03
also I made sure that the correct targetsinsver.txt is included
1/1/2010 the latest version which has the updated program for the textbin gui and diplomacy compatibility is now up at
7/2/ 2010 uploaded the 1.19 release of the utilities including the latest mod updater which is set to ignore the 5 fx files that can cause dumps in entrenchment mods
19/2/2010 latest version of the complete modding utiities with the essentals files incuded is up at
the latest version is up at http://www.filefactory.com/file/b0b3g8a/n/harpo_sins_utilities_1.191_e_d.rar
now also at http://www.filefront.com/15858795/harpo-sins-utilities-1.191ed.rar/
and the dip 1.21 version http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8023186/sins%20mods/harpo%20sins%20utilities%20for%20sins%201.191%2Cent%201.051%2Cd1.21.rar
I have tested this version on 32 bit & 64 bit sins,entrenchment & diplomacy, the only issue is a overflow value with many mods in a mod folder. I will fix this in the next version
just a reminder if you are getting an error stating that sins version found ::: need version 1.1.9 then you NEED the registry keys that point to the sins install folder for 32bit windows
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Stardock\Drengin.net\sinsfor 64bit windows
HKLM>SOFTWARE>Wow6432Node>Stardock>Drengin.net>sins
and they should have a Path string value that contains the EXACT path to the sins game folder
the latest version includes the use of the sinstrinity registry key to find the path to the sins install if the sins path key is blank, and also a probable fix for the error 76 (path not found) error that appears to be caused by having a '\' at the end of the sins(trinity) path, so you do NOT need to edit the registry entries
here is the drop box link
and the file factory link
and now the utility pack with diplomacy 1.3 and trinity 1.3 convertdata btw I do not recommend using the mod updater to update the mods to diplomacy 1.3 as there are a large number of changes in the playerRACE.entity files and the entity manifest, and new and removed pacts compared with diplomacy 1.21
corrected the link above, the above link archive NOW has the diplomacy1.21 convertdata
and the first link for the utility pack with convertdatadiplomacy 1.31(file factory)
utility pack convertdatadiplomacy 1.31 (drop box)
updated the utility pack for the latest patch and the mod updater WILL update original mods to 1.192, entrenchment (still uses the 1.051 folder so no update) and diplomacy 1.3# to 1.33
filefactory link to full utility pack for o1.192 e 1.052 d/t 1.33
18/11/2011 updated the utilities to the latest steam compatable patch ie original 1.193, entrenchment 1.053, diplomacy 1.34, trinity 1.34 AND updated the manifest maker to remove the two entities that diplomacy no longer wants
filefactory latest utility pack for O1.193 e1.053 d1.34 t1.34
harpo
hey, I'm new
ok I just keep getting the "no conversion data available" problem,
I navagate to the folder with the mod, navagate to a destination folder, click convert, and it gives me that msg, Am I missing something?
also , I'm tryign to update dynamic 0.9
i don´t get it. when i choose the modfolder (mods-entrenchment v1.03) i got the messege
runtime error "76" path not found. well there ARE all mods i got
i even tried it with mods-entrenchment v1.04 - same error...
any help?
Hey harpo,
Thanks for all the advice so far, tried what you said but I get an error after about 3 minutes with it saying path not found. Now I am guessing I am to do this on the 1.04 mod path correct?
You do make the gui quite nice!
the MAP updater will NOT alter any maps that are mapversion 3 which is for sins 1.15+/entrenchment 1.00+, but it does update maps from map versions 0,1 & 2 to version 3 with all the changes that have been added to the map structure over the year and a half.
assuming you are running sins 1.15 and later you should be able to see the maps that are in the program files\stardock games\sins of a solar empire\galaxy as the map updater also checks the name and if it is an ironclad sourced map it skips the map.
you could look ing the program files\...\galaxy folder to see if the .galaxy files are still there, and open one to check the second line (assuming you have entrenchment or sins version 1.15 and later) reads versionNumber 3
the mod updater WAS DESIGNED to update ALL the mods in the ENTIRE mods-entrenchment v or mods-v folders in one pass, the program uses the version number from the end of the mods folder name to use the correct convertdata to txt the files during updating process.
you DID extract all of the files in the modding utilities 1.181.rar to a folder, then run the mod updater from that folder?
majere007, once you click on the copy and update the entities button the only path that might be used later than immediatly is the path to the convertdata*#.###.exe's which should be in the folder that the mod updater is being run from
the program was written to ONE critical assumption ie that the convertdata_*#.###.exe's are in the SAME FOLDER as the mod updater exe.
I did this so that my programs and their support files are all in ONE LOCATION ONLY and there is NO registry entries for them, so that when they are no longer wanted the entire folder can be deleted without causing any problems or difficulties and the programs can be run from a usb stick OR CD with the only penalty being access speed.
ok here's what I do,
I run the program, I open the entrenchment 1.041 folder and click "set sorce to copy from"
I click "set destination to copy to" (it already has the mod floder selected)
I then click "copy and update the entity files"
at this point I get an error msg that says "sorry wrong folder NO conversion instructions available"
P.S. I did notice that the source window jumps back to the sins main directory when I try to run it
the source is the folder that contains the mods that you WERE using before the update eg mods-entrenchment v1.03 or mods-v1.17 NOT the destination folder which will default to the current mods- folder
the program copies the files FROM the source location(eg mods-Entrenchment v1.01) TO the destination folder if if does not exist(currently mods-entrenchment v1.041) then checks the file to see if it BIN if BIN converts it with the correct convertdata for the SOURCE version, updates the file,then if the file was bin before converts it back to bin with the current convertdata.
if you try to tell the program to update the current mods folder it does NOT know what to do so gives the error that you get as there sis no point in updating the current mods to the current mods.
that´s what i did. i started harpo_sins_mod_updater, chose the directory i told you and got the error message... and don´t know why...
i´m using windows xp.
I directed the updater to my 1.03 entrenchment folder where my previous mods existed, but I get error 76 "Path Not Found". I'm looking to update the Mad Scientist mod.
rancid do you have the convertdata_*.exe's in the same folder as the mod updater exe?
hey don't know if this helps but ----- i discovered if the mods we are converting from; are in a folder named"Mods entrenchment v1.04" it will read them as the source folder. Then the destination folder MUST be the 1.041 folder. I have found that even if I have to create theis folder since i've updated it works. It made me wonder why i have a browse button, since it keys on only these two folders.
But I get no errors, so whats to complain about
This is the only way i have been able to convert mods. I am now testing the SCgalexy and MS 2.5. SG seems to work and MS is next.
PS the "factory" maps disappeared from view after I ran the tools on the galaxy and manifest files. anyone know why, and how to fix?
Yes, all the files I extracted were placed in the same folder.
Edit: Nevermind, I'm a moron. I hadn't run Sins since the hotfix and thus no Mods-Entrenchment V1.041 folder existed. I created the folder and the program ran fine.
Thanks Harp.
hm i get the messege when i try to set the source folder. but there IS the folder i want to use...
Call me whatever the heck you like, but I can't find a decent read-me to go with this. I've looked at the files contained, but I still don't have a clue what the hell it is I need to do to get it to work on the mods in my mod folder. Could someone write a step-by-step guide on how to use this?
Arrggh! I can't get the bin to text converter to work for the gameinfo folder. I select the correct folder and press the buttons but no files are changed. The other mod tools work fine.
edit: xp home all updates installed
I keep getting the error 52- bad file name or number with the mod updater.
It doesn't like SoA OR Volumetric Explosions, giving that error for both.
I selected the mod files in the 1.03 entrenchment mod folder, and set the 1.041 as the destination.
Converting the entire 1.03 folder skips over those mods.
I ran the manifest maker for Volumetric Explosions and it still minidumps at the point of incompatability.
Help?
EDIT: also, cannot get it to convert Bailknight's graphic mod- tells me "sorry, wrong folder, NO conversion data availiable". Then the manifest maker gives me an error 52 for it.
any ideas, harpo?
my utilities do NOT make new version folders.
admirial teridoc if you want to force the mod updater to re-update a mod, just in the estination folder, rename the mod's folder or delete it then run the mod updater again as the mod updater ONLY copies files if ther do notexist in the destination
for those of you that are getting the error 52 opon selecting a folder, did you doubleclick on the folder to open it and see the names of the folders that contain the mods??
sgt scum, I did have a bug in the textbin gui but found it and have uploaded a new version of both the textbin gui and the complete modding utilities with the version number of 1.181a. the link to the textbin on its own is in the textbin thread
Yes. Yes, I did double click. I made that mistake the first time I used the updater, and every other time have made very sure to properly select the folder in question.
And the problem is I cannot get the mod updater to update these mods because it gives an error 52 when I select them individually or skips them if I update the whole 1.03 entrenchment mod folder.
I have cleared out the 1.041 mod folder each time the transition has failed, so they are not ignoring files already in place.
Edit:
Having read more of your posts, you've said that the mod updater is intended to upgrade a whole version folder at a time, and not individual mod folders. Okay, the error 52 issue might be because of that, but there remains the issue:
The mod updater ignores about half the mods I have when it updates. It takes three of them (Mad Scientist, Homeworld for 1.03, Requiem) but it completely ignores the others (SoA2, Volumetric Explosions, Sins of the 13th tribe v0.8) it is currently working on BailKnight's graphics mod, and I will test and edit this post when I determine its funcionality.
I have also tried converting the 1.03 entrenchment folder in the textbinner as well, which appears to work, and then using the mod updater on the converted 1.03 entrenchment folder. No change.
No success with the newest standalone bin2text converter and I also already had the latest mod tools so it wasnt that either.
Ok here is what I am doing. I open the converter and navigate to the main sins\entrench\gameinfo folder and press the buttons to convert it. Nothing happens regardless if I try to convert them to bin or text and no error messages appear.
AdmiralTeridoc you need to make sure the mod you are converting to 1.041 is in the 1.04 folder. Trying to udate from the 1.03 folder to 1.041 folder is what is throwing the error from my experience.
sgtscum the textbin gui is designed to NOT convert ANY files in the program files path to protect your game files. if you want to make a set of reference files COPY the sins folders to a different path, edit/create a sinsref.txt file in the same folder as the textbin gui's exe the file should contain the path to the root of the reference files area on the first line
the second line should be the path to the latest sins reference folder tree
the third line should be the path to the latest entrenchment reference folder tree
the fourth line is for the path to the latest diplomacy folder
the fifth line was for the third expansion's reference folders.
adminral teridoc, I have updated all of the mods that you list from the mods version folder that they were originally released in to the current. on one of my machines I have most of the available mods in the mod folders and use that computer for the compatibility testing/ updating functionality testing OF the mod updater and other utilities of mine.
if you want an updated soa_2 0.03e101 updated to 1.041 here is a link that I did at the request of major stress
Aha. SgtScum was correct: I had to take it from 1.03, to 1.04, then to 1.041, after converting the 1.03 folder to text with the text-binner.
So:
Problem: Selecting the mod's folder for updating results in error 52
Solution: The updater is intended to be used for the entire version's mod folder at once, not individual mods.
Problem: Mod updater skips over mods
Solution: convert the entire origin version's mod folder with the Text-Binner, then update from the version where it works to the next version up. Once converted, convert again to the next version up, and continue until you hit the most recent version.
The missing mods were succesfully converted.
adminralteridoc,
the mod updater does the conversion to text DURING the updating and only the files THAT NEED to be converted ARE with the old convertdata, then updated and are then converted back with the NEW convertdata.
I had converted most of the mods from the original version as part of the testing of the mod update process.
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