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Thread: Another new program: Object Zipper

  1. #1
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2001
    Location: 28245 Cells

    Another new program: Object Zipper


    This program makes it easy to zip up one or more objects along with the required textures. For each texture mentioned in the .bin file, the program will disregard the extension and look for texture.dds, then texture.png etc.

    It makes it easy to share your own objects because you don't have to root through all of your textures or even look inside the bin file. You can also take an object from another FM (remember to get permission).

    Readme:
    http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/object...me/readme.html

    Download:
    http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/object...ctZipper12.zip

    Let me know if you find it useful.
    Last edited by R Soul; 3rd May 2015 at 19:39. Reason: Program update

  2. #2
    Member
    Registered: Aug 2007
    Location: LosAngeles: Between Amusements
    Will do. Thanks!

    You don't mention this in the readme, does it search through the directories in install.cfg and darkinst.cfg as well as the local TXT and TXT16 directories, stopping when it first finds a texture? I believe that Newdark uses the directory precedences from the cfg files only when the local directory doesn't have the right base name. For example if the base texture name is xxxxx and there is a xxxxx.gif in TXT16, it doesn't take xxxxx.png from a lower precedence directory. But if xxxxx.gif and xxxxx.png are both in the same directory, it takes the png.


    Edit: The readme says it is for Object Remove not Object Zipper.
    Last edited by LarryG; 21st Oct 2013 at 17:08.

  3. #3
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2001
    Location: 28245 Cells
    For textures it just looks in the local directories. The directory precedence thing is not something I'm keen to investigate.

    Thanks for mentioning the readme error. It was just the title that was wrong, and it's been corrected.

  4. #4
    Member
    Registered: Aug 2007
    Location: LosAngeles: Between Amusements
    OK. So if you use an expansion pack texture or OM texture and it isn't replicated in the local directories, it won't make it into the zip. Got it. Not unreasonable. Nice to know for sure. Thanks. Does it report textures not found?

  5. #5
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2001
    Location: 28245 Cells
    If it did, you can be sure I wouldn't keep it a secret. I'd put the info in a box for all to see. I could add that feature.

  6. #6
    Member
    Registered: Aug 2007
    Location: LosAngeles: Between Amusements
    That would be cool.
    Last edited by LarryG; 21st Oct 2013 at 22:13. Reason: typo

  7. #7
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2001
    Location: 28245 Cells
    Here's an example of a missing texture list:


    I'm not sure if that's the best way to present it. In most cases, those textures were not found because they're in obj.crf, and I don't want the user to think anything is amiss.

  8. #8
    Member
    Registered: Aug 2007
    Location: LosAngeles: Between Amusements
    Looks good to me, and your readme should make it clear what the list is about. Maybe spend a few more letters in the heading for the list? "Missing textures (may be in obj.crf)" Or a tooltip? Can you do those?

    Another thought is to have a button for the readme. That would be handy.

  9. #9
    Member
    Registered: Sep 2002
    Location: Pennsylvania
    I agree that it doesn't seem necessary to make the utility search for those textures in the crf files and standard directories, but what if the utility had a pre-made list of all standard object textures, and it used that to identify them? They could either be indicated differently in the "missing textures" list or omitted from it.

  10. #10
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2001
    Location: 28245 Cells
    It's a good idea to have a list of crf textures. Telliamed did that with one of his DarkUtils programs.

  11. #11
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2001
    Location: 28245 Cells
    The next version is up now:
    http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/object...ctZipper11.zip
    It now reports missing textures, excluding those in any of obj or mesh crf files.

    Refresh this page and the screenshot in the first post should update.

  12. #12
    Member
    Registered: Oct 2008
    Location: Finland
    very useful! Thanks R Soul!

  13. #13
    Member
    Registered: Aug 2007
    Location: LosAngeles: Between Amusements
    Found a Bug:

    Object Zipper does not collect animated object / mesh textures. It only takes the texture actually referenced in the .bin and not all the others needed. For example, the object refers to BLwtr_.gif. This should mean that all textures named BLwtr_1.gif through BLwtr_nn.gif are used, but Object Zipper does not add them to the zip.

  14. #14
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2001
    Location: 28245 Cells
    I'll look into it.

  15. #15
    Member
    Registered: Oct 2003
    Location: Eagle, Idaho
    If OZ can find objects and associated textures, I wonder if you could modify it to get rid of objects and textures not found in the mission but still residing in the directories?

    Early in a mission's design, I decide to use a bed object with 8 different textures. Later on, I trash the bed and delete it from the folder (or maybe I forget that part). The txt16 folder still has the 8 textures. Who can remember what textures go with what object?

    After a year of working on the thing, I've got a bunch of unused objects and textures. Tracking them down is a pain, and deleting anything is always iffy.

  16. #16
    Member
    Registered: Aug 2007
    Location: LosAngeles: Between Amusements
    Enhancement request: Make the TXT and TXT16 folders created as sub-folders to OBJ and MESH instead of at the same level as OBJ and MESH. Sure it's easy to drag them where they belong, but it would be nice for them to be created where they belong.

  17. #17
    Member
    Registered: Oct 2004
    Location: Slava Ukraini!
    Quote Originally Posted by Ricebug View Post
    If OZ can find objects and associated textures, I wonder if you could modify it to get rid of objects and textures not found in the mission but still residing in the directories?

    Early in a mission's design, I decide to use a bed object with 8 different textures. Later on, I trash the bed and delete it from the folder (or maybe I forget that part). The txt16 folder still has the 8 textures. Who can remember what textures go with what object?

    After a year of working on the thing, I've got a bunch of unused objects and textures. Tracking them down is a pain, and deleting anything is always iffy.
    Before your request gets implemented, what you can do is use OZ to zip all the objects and textures used, delete all the files from your working folders and unzip the contents from your zipped file back to your working folders.

  18. #18
    Member
    Registered: Aug 2007
    Location: LosAngeles: Between Amusements
    But only if OZ is 100% verified to capture every texture needed. See post above re. animated textures as an example where it currently doesn't. Are there any other possible cases?

  19. #19
    Member
    Registered: Oct 2004
    Location: Slava Ukraini!
    Yes, before anything is deleted, OZ must be verified.
    What about replacement textures - does it look for them too? (my guess is not, as that info would be in the .MIS file)

    edit: I might be getting the idea of this program a bit wrong. It's meant to be for objects only, not objects used in a particular mission, is that correct?

  20. #20
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2001
    Location: 28245 Cells
    Here's version 1.2 with animated texture support:
    http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/object...ctZipper12.zip

    It also finds mtl files when they're in the same folder as the textures. The mtl readme says for animations it need only match the name of the base, so I assume that means "thing_.mtl".

    Quote Originally Posted by PinkDot View Post
    It's meant to be for objects only, not objects used in a particular mission, is that correct?
    That's correct. I can't automate everything

  21. #21
    Member
    Registered: Aug 2007
    Location: LosAngeles: Between Amusements
    Worked like a charm for me. I don't do .mtl files (yet to have a need) so I can't check that.

    Thank you!


    I think that the texture replacement issue shouldn't be an issue for OZ. The object that you would be zipping doesn't include those textures. In my opinion they are part of the installation choices the authors make. For example, look at the bunk bed I made with replacement textures for the covers. I'm not making the covers and shipping them with my object. What the covers look like is up to the mission authors.
    Last edited by LarryG; 3rd May 2015 at 22:43.

  22. #22
    Member
    Registered: Oct 2004
    Location: Slava Ukraini!
    That sounds good. I was also curious if you look at the .mtl files.

    On the other hand, it would be nice to have some general resource collector, which would be used to make sure that we ship all the assets required with the mission - nothing less and nothing more.
    RSoul - if you've been given an accurate documentation on where to look for such info in the .mis file, would you be interested in expanding your application? At some stage I want to get deeper into the .mis file format.

    BTW. What language did you use for this program?

  23. #23
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2001
    Location: 28245 Cells
    I don't know how to search inside mis files, but there is a way to get a list of all bin files:

    http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140652
    (ignore part 8)

    I'm currently adding a feature that lets you load a list of objects from a text file, so the list generated with the above method can be used with OZ.

    This program is written in C#.

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