[?] modifying PR_MemeAtlas?

[temexter]

Is the only way to modify PR_memeAtlases to edit memeatlasX.dds and PR_MemeAtlas.tai as in [R-DEV]Sniperdog's tut?

https://www.realitymod.com/forum/f388-pr-bf2-community-modding/71248-hud-how-hell-do-you-make-atlas.html#post1200412

"Been there, done that", but only couple of flags. As there are lots of stuff to put there, just wondering if there's some more convienient way.

In folder \bf2\mods\bf2 i found MemeEdit.exe. Is it only for vBF or can it be used for PR?

[Rhino]

There are a bunch of scripts to recompile atlases.

The simplest way if your just adding new HUD stuff is just to compile a new atlas, and load it on top of the old ones (while still loading the old ones)

[temexter]

There are a bunch of scripts to recompile atlases.

The simplest way if your just adding new HUD stuff is just to compile a new atlas, and load it on top of the old ones (while still loading the old ones)

Ty Rhino. But could you or someone enlighten me how to do that?

Or is there maybe a tut or some documentation around? Didn't find any...

[Rhino]

Usi Mod Compiler (gui Version Now Available&#33 - Official BF Editor Forums

I believe that packer has a menu atlas packer with it.

[Sniperdog]

One way to do it if you only want to edit a few files is to use the MemeAtlasExclude.lst in the menu/atlas folder. To use it simple add files you want to take off the atlas one line at a time like so:

Code: Select all

Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\healthContainer.dds
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\healthContainers.dds
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\psw_AirToGroundmisile.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\psw_APC.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\psw_Automatcarbine.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\psw_bomb.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\psw_HeavyMissile.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\psw_missile.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\psw_Tank.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\psw_Vireguided.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Bars\sprintContainer.dds
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Minimap\flags_Captured.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Minimap\ingameMap.dds
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Minimap\map_CombatArea32.dds
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Minimap\map_commanderCombatArea32.dds
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Minimap\me_minimapRadar.tga
Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\Minimap\Icons\Airdrop.tga

Then you can simply put in your new textures as plain .dds files which can just be put right in your menu_client.zip outside of an atlas and then referenced in the files.

If you want to figure out atlas's try out the link rhino gave you and let us know how far you get. This link may also be helpful:

Index of /bf2/files/tools/packing

Those are the original tools Rexman gave the first devs 5 years ago that was the base for all the tools we have now. Be sure to read the readme in there.


PS: The link above to my little instruction was how I did it before I knew how to use atlases properly (and before I was a dev ) so I wouldn't suggest doing it that way. It does give some nice insight into how the texture atlases actually work though.

[temexter]

Thanks [R-DEV]Rhino and [R-DEV]Sniperdog.

I took a sneak peek to scripts (source) and USI Compiler. Looks good. Both generating Atlas and building zips. I'll begin with making a new repo (move to Google Code) and put my "initial" build - a working one - of faction there and then continue with HUD icons.

Anyroad i'll wait for 0.95 until start working. Just in case of modifications to e.g. init or some other scripts etc...

[temexter]

Decided to give it a go. No luck at all.

BF2_Menu_Builder.exe has Win32:Trojan-gen according to Avast.

Rexxman's scripts work, but not for PR 0.91 at least if ran according to directions:

Code: Select all

1) Extract the \mods\bf2\menu_*.zip files to your mod's empty \menu\ folder
2) Place your menu images in your mods: \Menu\HUD\Texture\Ingame\ folder (.tga or .dds)
3) 
To build your menu atlas and pack the menu_*.zip files run this .bat file:
    '\_BF2_Pack\pack\Pack_Menu.bat'

Menu zips are created to mods\"mymod" folder instead of mods\"mymod"\ menu folder - as in vBF2 -and no PR's memeAtlasX.dds files are generated.

e: i did edit folder name to __MODNAME.cmd

So stuck again (if not continuing to edit PR_MemeAtlas.tai and MemeAtlas_0 _1 and _2.dds by hand, which doesn't sound alluring at all).

e: tried it once with success, but some clever tools would make work sooo much more convienient

[temexter]

Not happy. Some clarifications:

Also Ad-Aware Total Security reports Trojan.Clicker.Agent.CG in BF2_Menu_Builder.exe. And it is wiser, it halts the download at once.

Tested anyway with Objects\Common:

• Pack_Common.bat finds files only when common_client.zip and common_server.zip are extracted to same folder in mod folder (not to mod\objects folder)
• That folder name can be changed to e.g. common-zip, but in that case:
• -> folder name must of cource be changed to Pack_Common.bat
• -> zip files created are accordingly named common_clent-zip.zip and common_server-zip.zip
• Pack_Common.bat does not pack any new files to common_client.zip
• After running the script, zips have to be renamed (remove -zip) and moved to mod\objects folder to be able to run test in local.

Now there is "Something's rotten in Denmark" (quoting Hamlet).

Above described procedure is per se quite ok, regardless surplus renaming and copying. If Pack_Common.bat does not pack files to common_client.zip, it's quite useless.
Just wonder how no one has caught that trojan or is it still false alarm? Three different engines catch it.

The bottom line is: i'll suspend usage of these tools till BF2_Menu_Builder.exe is safe and i've got first hand info about usage and required changes to scripts.

[temexter]

Not happy. Some clarifications:

Also Ad-Aware Total Security reports Trojan.Clicker.Agent.CG in BF2_Menu_Builder.exe. And it is wiser, it halts the download at once.

Also AVG reports Trojan clicker.
Some posts in BF2Editor.com suggest this a false alarm.

Tested anyway with mymod\Objects\Common:

edit: in fact mymod\common

• Pack_Common.bat finds files only when common_client.zip and common_server.zip are extracted to same folder edit:
  
  edit: like it should zips are working, but sizes do not match
• Folder name can be changed to e.g. common-zip, but in that case zip files created are (edit: of cource)accordingly named common_clent-zip.zip and common_server-zip.zip
• Pack_Common.bat does not pack any new files to common_client.zip
  
  edit:Not true
• After running the script, zips have to be renamed (remove -zip) and moved to mod\objects folder to be able to run test in local.
  
  
  edit: naturally

Pack_Menu.bat extracts file, but zips don't work

Scripts seem to be made for old directory strucrure, e.g. objects in one zip

Now there is "Something's rotten in Denmark" (quoting Hamlet).

Above described procedure is per se quite ok, regardless surplus renaming and copying. If Pack_Common.bat does not pack files to common_client.zip, it's quite useless.
Just wonder how no one has caught that trojan or is it still false alarm? Three different engines catch it.

The bottom line is: i'll suspend usage of these tools till BF2_Menu_Builder.exe is safe and i've got first hand info about usage and required changes to scripts.

Like said...

[J.F.Leusch69]

for a comfaction we usually do keep the old structur for the objects (in objectsfolder) (all clients in objects_client; all servers in objects_server). makes it easier to maintain for such 'small' mod-mods

[temexter]

for a comfaction we usually do keep the old structur for the objects (in objectsfolder) (all clients in objects_client; all servers in objects_server). makes it easier to maintain for such 'small' mod-mods

Okay. Thanks Leusch.

Anyway, I'm starting to feel stupid after all MacGyvering with these scripts. Spent a lot of time with them and trying to generate \menu\Atlas\memeatlas_1 and _2.dds's.

create_common.bat packs and local seems to work, but zips are diffrent size than original (packed with original files). create_menu.bat packs, does not regenerate memeAtlas_x.dds files and local does not work. Neither work if separate client and server folders.

By now, I would have migrated the changes i've made to 0.91 to 0.957 and have a working initial build of faction in 0.957 (as it's ready and working in 0.91).

I would love to use these scripts, but as either i'm too stupid to use them or they need modifications to work with PR (and particularly version 0.9->), which i am not aware of, i'll continue my work "by hand".

In fact it's not a problem for me as the procedure is quite straightforward. Even for other guys putting new models and textures in. To ease distributing modded files, i'll put zip files back to repository (which i originally considered too heavy method for version control) as in that way we'll all have up to date executable version.

As soon as the usage intructions and possible modded versions of Rexman's (or other) scripts are available, i'll be happy to deploy them.

[temexter]

Still no luck with PR_MemeAtlasX.dds regeneration.

I tailored Rexman's build scripts a bit. Tested and working: https://www.realitymod.com/forum/f388-p ... ost1475507