Extracting models from Mega Packs?

[emilin]

Well, that's the question right there: how do I extract models from Mega Pack dat-files so I can reconfigure them in the plugins manager?

[BarbyW]

Wait until the X-Tool is released.  There is no easy way to do it any other way.

[rushman5]

Awww, I've been trying to do this for a loong time.  There really is no simple way to do anything till that X-tool comes out.

[Andreas]

Well, if you want to try the hard way, do this: Open the DAT file with the reader and have a look at the file list. Each model consists of a number of FSH files, S3D files, some preview pics (in BMP/JFIF format) and an XML file - and since usually the SC4Desc file got merged as well, there's also a (prop) exemplar file, along with another XML file. In some cases, preview pics and XML files got removed, since they are not needed by the game.

Most merging tools just dump those files in a row when merging DATs, and in most cases, all files that belong to a model are listed in a row - maybe with the exemplar file somewhere else. If the model was produced by gmax, the different models have different group IDs, BAT4Max models are a bit harder, since the group ID is the same, but the instance IDs differs a bit.

The prop exemplar file can be determined by comparing the Resource Key Type 1 property with the IDs of the other files - and quite often, you can compare the FSH and S3D preview with the exemplar file name in order to get some hints as well. All in all, it's a tedious process, and only feasible if you want to extract a small number of files.

[emilin]

OK. Thank you for your answers. I really don't think I am competent to do what Andreas suggests, so I guess I'll just have to wait for the x-tool.

Thanks!

[emilin]

Hmmm... I actually have a follow up question on this topic: I believe that I have now been able to identify which files belong to the sam model I was looking for (by the way: "a tedious process" must have good potential of becoming the understatement of the year )

Now, what? I mean: what do I actually do to get one model from those files? I also have to point out that there are no available XML-files in this particular pack. There is however an identifiable Exampler file.

[Andreas]

Well, once you figured out which files belong to a model, highlight them all, right-click and select "copy file(s)". Then go to "Files/New" and click on the new empty DAT file in the left pane. Right-click again and select "paste file(s)", then save the DAT under a new name.

[squidi]

thanks andreas, without your post i maybe never had just tryd to use a dat file in pluginmanager
i cant believe that i had never tryd this before