Advice needed on converting bin to txt

from Sins Forums

Hi I have been trying to convert an entity from a mod, advertised to work with entrenchment, from binary format to text. Unfortunately, the data converter, which usually works like a charm, crashes when ever I try to do this.

my command line is as follows:

convertdata_entrenchment entity test_bin.entity test_txt.entity txt

The mod has definitly been reported to work. Also this problem occurs with every other file from the mod so I doubt the file is corrupt. I have also tried the original sins converter but it leads to the same problem.

Any ideas what else I could try?

modding
10,470 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/377772

If you're running in Vista/Win 7 may require compatibility mode and "run as administrator".

Simple GUI, works like a charm--just check your format selections to make sure they are correct before you hit "convert"

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

you will also have this issue if the entity is for one version, and you are using a convertdata for a different version.

I had this issue while developing my mod updater, which is why I have to supply all  the convertdata's with the mod updater and other utilities.

harpo

Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Harpo's utilities are extensive and quite good.  BCXtreme's is a little more "for idiots"...but both require you to manually select what game version and file type you are converting from and to.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

simperium, with my all of utilities that work with the convertdatas, they look at the FILE path to determine the converter to use, so if you have the expansion AND release version number in a folder name(eg diplomacy v1.2, entrenchment v1.011 etc) in the path to the mod then it is  automatic.

I did design the utilities more for inplace in the modding folders work than work in other areas of the system, but if you follow the pattern of folder names of the mod folders, then they will work with minimum difficulty.

harpo

 

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Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

I think it's Ironclad's "in-place" execution that complicated it for the more uncomplicated amongst us.  Sometimes people install in a different directory or modders might have alternate directories, etc.

You mod utility pack is indispensable and has features no one else has--period and all of your utilities work flawlessly (to my own experience).  Good coding and highly recommended.

But I can feel the pain of new people and some times we forget some of these questions might come from someone who is young and never tried anything like modding before.

I gave up on modding for about six months after I began because of several frustrating factors:

  • Dated instruction/examples on the forums that were broken.
  • Incorrect examples/advice on the forums.
  • Game file corruption from bad mod installs/downloads.
  • Undocumented syntax conditions for various files.
  • Incomplete directions.
  • Broken user made utilities.

I have a business, kids, a dog and a wife and trade sleep for fun usually--with occasional down-time where I might have a few days straight to dig a little.    So I can relate to wanting the "quick and easy" answer...and in Sins, sometimes you need that because the path to correctness can be so multi-layered that it isn't immediately obvious and a mistake in one area can break all your efforts in several areas.  You may have 9 out of 10 right and that one mistake can make all ten not work.  So it can be very frustrating.  I asked about editing a particular file for about  three months and got all sorts of advice and finally when someone answered it, all that was required was editing one value--a single number.  Some people ask their questions at the breaking point and if they get one more "you need to learn to do this" it can be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

I started out in the days of command lines but I hate command lines.  I script HTML and flash action script but I hate scripting.  Give me a gui with buttons any day.

The modding advice on the forums now is extremely helpful and much more current and accurate than a lot of older posts.

What would help a lot of people is an "Idiot's Guide to all things Sin's"--with lots of step  by step pictures and line by line examples.

...and I want a real space pony still.

Harpo's utilities are not hard to use and you will have to use them when you start getting fancy in your modding.  Well worth the effort--but I still think he stole all that karma when no one was looking.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

I use some version of the Sins Mod Helper for converting bin to txt and got it to work with Ent. Of course I didn't get it from there (as the links are dead). I'll re-upload it at some point I guess, just it's a bit annoying to convert from different versions of Sins, as that requires you to rename the correct convertdata file or whatnot.