How To Equip A Retexture

[chaseh27 10]

I'm pretty sure I have done everything right to make the retexture. Now what I don't understand is how I find it in-game. I used to think that when retexturing an item it replaced the original. Now,and correct me if i'm wrong, I realize that I have to do something to actually use the item. I retextured a Carrier GL Rig (Green) vest and the .paa is called idf.paa. What do I need to do to find this in game? Is there a script that I can use to add it to my inventory or an ammo crate? Thanks in advance. I have been trying to do this for so long:confused:

[Messiah 2]

Did you just add a paa texture to the game files? You need to create an addon.pbo which contains your texture.paa and a config.cpp to tell the game that the plate carrier should use your new retexture. That, and texture's having naming conventions, which you need to adhere to:

https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA:_Texture_Naming_Rules

There's a retexture guide here:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?148130-Arma3-Characters-Modding-Tutorial&p=2331073&viewfull=1#post2331073

[chaseh27 10]

I did make a pbo file with the .paa in it but instead of config.cpp I have a .bin. How do I make a .cpp?

[surpher 1]

Where did you get the config.bin from?

A config.bin file is binarized from a config.cpp files.

[chaseh27 10]

I used elitness to unpack the characters_f.pbo and the config.bin is in there but no.cpp.

---------- Post added at 16:29 ---------- Previous post was at 16:24 ----------

And thanks Messiah for the texture naming link. I was trying to find that before.

[Messiah 2]

bin is post binarization (packing/secure) of the pbo - none of the tools will convert it back to a .cpp. Config files are written as config.cpp. - that would be your next step ;)

[chaseh27 10]

So how do I edit it if I can't convert it back to.cpp.

[max power 21]

http://browser.six-projects.net/

You can use this one to write one that replaces only what you need to replace.

[chaseh27 10]

Thanks, ill try it out when I get home.(posting this from my phone)

---------- Post added at 17:36 ---------- Previous post was at 17:32 ----------

So after I make my .cpp, i pack that into my ad dons.pbo along with my .paa texture and I leave the .bin completely out of the whole thing?

[max power 21]

Use the browser to find the unit you're trying to retexture, then create a config patch that only alters what you wish to alter. If you're unfamiliar with configs, you may have to do some research. The specific tokens you're after is hiddenselections and hiddenselectionstextures.

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/CfgVehicles_Config_Reference#hiddenSelections

You can search that site for the meanings of config tokens.

[Messiah 2]

well, be best if you named it something more useful than addons.pbo, but that's a minor point.

To answer your question - yes - although that assumes a lot of things, like you've named the texture correctly as per my first link, the config.cpp is written correctly, and you've changed the hiddenselectionstextures entry in the config to your texture name/path ;)

No bin required though, correct.

[chaseh27 10]

Thanks a lot guys. I'll try it out later today.

[Messiah 2]

No drama, just post back if you run into issues - first steps into config stuff is always... errr... eventful ;)

[chaseh27 10]

Ok, so I'm at my computer now. How do I actually create the config.cpp or find it?

[zooloo75 834]

Eliteness can convert bins to cpp

[chaseh27 10]

Oh, I didn't realize that. Thanks

---------- Post added 05-04-2013 at 12:10 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-03-2013 at 11:58 PM ----------

I can't find an option to covert back to .cpp in Elitness.

[super-truite 54]

you have to open the config.bin with elitness and then save as config.cpp

[chaseh27 10]

Ok so I've edited my config. the .paa is called IDF01_CO.paa. Does this picture of the edited part of my config look good so far? Also, how do I put this specific vest texture onto a unit? If I wanted to make a unit called IDF Rifleman, what would I edit in the config.cpp to apply this texture to it?

Picture of config link: http://s1315.photobucket.com/user/chaseh27/media/Capture_zpsee7fa94e.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

[max power 21]

If you copy and paste your config snippets into the reply dialogue and surround them with either code or php tags, it will display tabs properly. I, personally, use php because it's colour coded.

[Messiah 2]

Plus, you want to be saving the tga as _co and then converting it via texview - it's not enough to just rename the original .paa (or so I believe)

[Sealife 22]

Out of curiosity is the thing you are trying to retexture not released as an Mlod and if it is , wouldnt it be much easier just to Create your own vest from it and save you over writing pbos etc ?

[surpher 1]

You need a tag for your classes otherwise you will get conflicts.

What's a tag?

An OFPEC tag is a three to five letter identifier that is unique to each designer and is used as a prefix to variables in addons and scripts to avoid global namespace conflicts with other addons and scripts.

All tags will be followed by an underscore (whether you include one or not) and that's how they should be used when naming variables and files: TAG_namespace.

http://www.ofpec.com/tags/

So class V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr: Vest_Base should be something like class yourtag_V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr: Vest_Base. Also the config only needs to contain stuff relevant to your addon.

Your config will end up looking something like this (includes a unit wearing the vest).

enum {
destructengine = 2,
destructdefault = 6,
destructwreck = 7,
destructtree = 3,
destructtent = 4,
stabilizedinaxisx = 1,
stabilizedinaxesxyz = 4,
stabilizedinaxisy = 2,
stabilizedinaxesboth = 3,
destructno = 0,
stabilizedinaxesnone = 0,
destructman = 5,
destructbuilding = 1
};

class CfgPatches {
class yourtag_A3_IDF_F_BLUFOR {
	units[] = {"yourtag_B_Soldier_GL_F"};
	weapons[] = {"yourtag_V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr"};
	requiredVersion = 0.1;
	requiredAddons[] = {"A3_Characters_F", "A3_Characters_F_BLUFOR"};
};
};

class cfgFactionClasses
{
class yourtag_IDF
{
	displayName = "IDF";
	priority = 3;
	side = 1;
};
};

class CfgVehicles {
class B_Soldier_GL_F;

class yourtag_B_Soldier_GL_F : B_Soldier_GL_F 
{
	faction = "yourtag_IDF";
	displayName = "Grenadier";

	linkedItems[] = {"yourtag_V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr", "H_HelmetB_paint", "NVGoggles", "ItemMap", "ItemCompass", "ItemWatch", "ItemRadio"};
	respawnLinkedItems[] = {"yourtag_V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr", "H_HelmetB_paint", "NVGoggles", "ItemMap", "ItemCompass", "ItemWatch", "ItemRadio"};
};
};

class cfgWeapons {

class ItemCore;
class ItemInfo;

class Vest_Base;
class VestItem;

class yourtag_V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr: Vest_Base
{
	scope = 2;
	displayName = "Carrier GL Rig (IDF)";
	picture = "\A3\characters_f\Data\UI\icon_V_plate_carrier_2_CA.paa";
	model = "\A3\Characters_F\BLUFOR\equip_b_vest01.p3d";

	hiddenSelections[] = {"camo"};
	hiddenSelectionsTextures[] = {"\yourpboname\data\IDF01_co.paa"};

	class ItemInfo: VestItem
	{
		uniformModel = "\A3\Characters_F\BLUFOR\equip_b_vest01.p3d";
		containerClass = "Supply150";
		mass = 60;
		armor = "5*0.6";
		passThrough = 0.75;
		hiddenSelections[] = {"camo"};
	};
};

};

Edited May 4, 2013 by surpher
Added example config

[chaseh27 10]

With the tag, all I have to do is insert something like ch27 into the correct spots? Thanks surpher for making that config.

Ok, after using surpher's config and putting in a key, i got an error loading up the IDF unit.

Screenshot: http://s1315.photobucket.com/user/chaseh27/media/2013-05-04_00001_zpsda980e05.jpg.html

Can I just make my own tag or do I need to download it from that site?

Edited May 4, 2013 by chaseh27

[surpher 1]

Choose your own tag and register it on that site if its not already taken, you don't have to register the tag it just good practice to do so.

In the path to your texture do you have .pbo, if so remove it. If you don't post your config so we can take a look.

[chaseh27 10]

I did have .pbo in my .paa path but i deleted it.

---------- Post added at 02:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:02 PM ----------

enum { 
   destructengine = 2, 
   destructdefault = 6, 
   destructwreck = 7, 
   destructtree = 3, 
   destructtent = 4, 
   stabilizedinaxisx = 1, 
   stabilizedinaxesxyz = 4, 
   stabilizedinaxisy = 2, 
   stabilizedinaxesboth = 3, 
   destructno = 0, 
   stabilizedinaxesnone = 0, 
   destructman = 5, 
   destructbuilding = 1 
}; 

class CfgPatches { 
   class ch27_A3_IDF_F_BLUFOR { 
       units[] = {"ch27_B_Soldier_GL_F"}; 
       weapons[] = {"ch27_V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr"}; 
       requiredVersion = 0.1; 
       requiredAddons[] = {"A3_Characters_F", "A3_Characters_F_BLUFOR"}; 
   }; 
}; 

class cfgFactionClasses 
{ 
   class ch27_IDF 
   { 
       displayName = "IDF"; 
       priority = 3; 
       side = 1; 
   }; 
}; 

class CfgVehicles { 
   class B_Soldier_GL_F; 

   class ch27_B_Soldier_GL_F : B_Soldier_GL_F  
   { 
       faction = "ch27_IDF"; 
       displayName = "Grenadier"; 

       linkedItems[] = {"ch27_V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr", "H_HelmetB_paint", "NVGoggles", "ItemMap", "ItemCompass", "ItemWatch", "ItemRadio"};
       respawnLinkedItems[] = {"ch27_V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr", "H_HelmetB_paint", "NVGoggles", "ItemMap", "ItemCompass", "ItemWatch", "ItemRadio"}; 
   }; 
}; 

class cfgWeapons { 

   class ItemCore; 
   class ItemInfo; 

   class Vest_Base; 
   class VestItem; 

   class ch27_V_PlateCarrierGL_rgr: Vest_Base 
   { 
       scope = 2; 
       displayName = "Carrier GL Rig (IDF)"; 
       picture = "\A3\characters_f\Data\UI\icon_V_plate_carrier_2_CA.paa"; 
       model = "\A3\Characters_F\BLUFOR\equip_b_vest01.p3d"; 

       hiddenSelections[] = {"camo"}; 
       hiddenSelectionsTextures[] = {"\mod\data\IDF01_co.paa"}; 

       class ItemInfo: VestItem 
       { 
           uniformModel = "\A3\Characters_F\BLUFOR\equip_b_vest01.p3d"; 
           containerClass = "Supply150"; 
           mass = 60; 
           armor = "5*0.6"; 
           passThrough = 0.75; 
           hiddenSelections[] = {"camo"}; 
       }; 
   }; 

};