Notepad not opening correctly?

Because it is in Binary form not Text

https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/322559

go here to download something that will convert the Binary to Text

Yeah, by default the game files come look like that because they are in binary format, and that is notepads representation of it. To mod the game you need to have the files in TXT format (not just a text file), which for SoaSE/Entrenchment 1.181/1.041 I recommend Harpo's GUI converter, which should be downloadable from a thread in the mods section. As I assume you are just starting out, I recommend making a copy of the gameinfo folder on your desktop, convert them to txt with Harpo's tool, and then cope and paste the files you want to change into a new mod folder (Since sins 1.16 you only have to have the files you changed in the mod folder). Also, if you're modding entrenchment you will probably want Harpo's manifest creator tool as well (you new modders are sure spoiled )

haha yea im just starting out. 

Will I have to convert the txt files back into Binary format when I am done with them?

Thanks for the replys

drag~

Hey,

both of the downloads dont seem to be working for me.... is there another converter out there?

Drag~

what is the problem?

the entity files DO NOT NEED to be in bin they work perfectly in txt, which helps with debugging the mod

harpo

Well when I try to run the Herpo's tool I get this:

http://i35.tinypic.com/oqd8pe.jpg

Drag~

I understand that they need to be in text, but for some reason my computer keeps opening the .entity files in binary format and I cant get them to be legible (read first post for example of what I get when I try to open the file)

Drag~

Is there some problem with vista that could be causing this?

Also I keep running into this error

http://i37.tinypic.com/hwii5s.jpg

dragonfir731, the problem with the convertdata not working is STILL an issue, the second error is suggesting that you do NOT have the sins/entrenchment version in thepath above the folder(s) you want to convert, if you are trying to  convert a copy of the game files to text I suggest the following folder structure which also has the advantage that you have an archive of the versions of sins you have created or updated mods for

f:\sins reference\sins 1.181
f:\sins reference\entrenchment 1.041
f:\sins reference\sins 1.17
f:\sins reference\entrenchment 1.03
f:\sins reference\diplomacy 0.01

note the version number at the end of the folder name AND the expansion name, with this format of the folder name my textbin WILL convert any and all files that convertdata can convert

harpo

ps the diplomacy line is an example line as no one outside of ironclad games does have a copy YET

ok... so just set up that folder structure on someplace like my desktop, and put the files I want to convert into the folder of the game that I have (entrenchment 1.041)

Ill try it and get back to you.

Drag~

EDIT: Ok, I tried the layout and this is again what happened:

http://i37.tinypic.com/sm6i3s.jpg

Is the path right yet? I have the files at:

C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\Sins Reference\entrenchment 1.041\GameInfo

the path is fine, it is unfortunatly an issue with the convertdata's that they stop working, instead of converting the file, the only advice is to click on the close on the message, and this exact issue is the reason I test each file before and after the converting to see if it converted and list the fail to converts in a seperate listbox and also the not needed to convert and the successfully converted fules have the own listbox and reports, and the convertdata's are the ironclad games original files with the version number that they are from added to the filename

harpo

ok... so you are saying basically try to convert only the files you are planning to edit because some others might not work? And what about the files that dont open, wouldnt someone need to edit them sometimes?

Drag~

the gui uses the convertdata from the correct version to convert all the files in the subfolders of the folder the user specified between txt & bin, BUT if the converter stops working the file is not converted, and both myself and blair fraser have not been able to figure out WHY the convertdata's stop working, and as blair has the source for them and I do not, he is the final autority on the convertdata's, but it IS VERY frustrating as a programmer, personally if the convertdata's did NOT fail then I would not have to test each file before and after to see if the file was successfully converted.

harpo

ok... well I just ran it with an auto clicker pressing "close" and every time it did another file was processed. When it was done 20 files had converted and the rest had not.

There must be someone out there that has a full list of converted files that he can upload so we dont have to do this, and how do the people who mod the game get all their files converted (if you open a downloaded mod file, they are converted and open normally).

Drag~ 

Try.

http://www.filefront.com/14782047/TextRefFiles.rar/

^ that. I wish Harpo's program just had a folder select and a dropdown box for what version of Sins it was, that seems like it would be a lot simpler.

There is a problem with the convertdata? I got my entire entrenchment gameinfo folder converted just fine. 

Is it only a SoaSE issue?

yes goafan there is an issue with  the convertdata's (ON VISTA only) stopping working usually only on 3 capitals in SOASE, the latest version of the convertdatas work in my experience on xp and 7.

carbon16 it would be possible to write another version of the gui to do what you want, but the problem with the listbox idea is that the CODE would have to be altered for each patch of SOASE/entrenchment, and being a programmer that does not like to change working code without a GOOD reason, I do not want to do it this way

harpo

Would setting the convertdata exe to XP compatibility mode fix it, even if it's launched by another program and not directly?

really? I tried on my XP and it wasnt working either.

Do the files need to be converted back to bat if you want to use them in a mod?

Drag~

No. The engine reads plaintext - the reason to convert to bin is that it's smaller and that it runs slightly faster.

I was under the impression the only reason the folder name thing was in effect was that it provided info to the program regarding which version the files were for, but if that's not the case I doubt making regular updates to the program with each patch would get annoying fast. Still (just wondering) why does the program need to be updated with new versions in the first place? Can't it just parse all the extensions, use the appropriate convertdata arguments (mesh/entity/whatever) and spit out the appropriate bin/txt version? I must be missing something but that's how I'd do it manually, and assuming that process works I imagine I could even write a batch file to run at the root of a folder that converts everything over for me.

edit:

I guess this is the answer to my question, must be because I've been using the old convertdata exe for ages.