Another new program: Object Zipper

R Soul on 21/10/2013 at 19:30

Inline Image:

http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/objectzipper/oz.gif
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/objectzipper/readme/readme.html)

Download:
(http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/objectzipper/ObjectZipper12.zip)

Let me know if you find it useful.

LarryG on 21/10/2013 at 20:01

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.

R Soul on 21/10/2013 at 22:13

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.

LarryG on 21/10/2013 at 22:36

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?

R Soul on 21/10/2013 at 23:46

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.

LarryG on 22/10/2013 at 00:33

That would be cool. :)

R Soul on 22/10/2013 at 16:43

Here's an example of a missing texture list:

Inline Image:

http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/objectzipper/mtex.gif

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.

LarryG on 22/10/2013 at 16:48

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 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooltip) tooltip? Can you do those?

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

Weasel on 22/10/2013 at 17:52

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.

R Soul on 22/10/2013 at 19:59

It's a good idea to have a list of crf textures. Telliamed did that with one of his DarkUtils programs.