Texture Viewing Using File Patching

[tibador 10]

I am attempting to change some textures on a few pilot helmets and stumbled across file patching in parameters to allow me to live change the files without needing to repbo,load arma, load the mission repeatedly.

I am unsure on how to get it to work i have the mod in the arma 3 folder not in a pbo and i have a $PBOPREFIX$ file that says   prefix=arma_3\12thACG but i am unsure of how to get it to load into the launcher so i can  test the textures to make sure things line up.

 

Any help would be appreciated or if i am doing it the hard way and you know another way for me to be able to view textures that are on the model so i can line things up easier please let me know thanks

[.kju 3245]

load pbo from anywhere with your stuf

plus arma3\namespace\of\pbo //config.cpp etc in here

plus -filePatching

maybe also dev branch/diag.exe

just link from your P drive to a3game dir

like p:\ww2 to arma3\ww2

[tibador 10]

So i need to add the config.cpp into the  $PBOPREFIX$ i guess i don't understand what your telling me

 

[tibador 10]

I am totally lost I have figured out how to link my P drive but the best info i can find on how file patching works is CMA:DevelopmentSetup and they are talking about double Arma installs and unpacking every pbo in addons and dta folder to P is that necessary ?

also i am confused on the PBOPREFIX the example they use is x\myMod\addons\myAddon is x suppose to be the P drive ?  

[.kju 3245]

forget about PBOPREFIX

 

you need a working P drive in the first place: https://pmc.editing.wiki/doku.php?id=arma3:tools:setup-p-drive

[Dedmen 2728]

19 hours ago, tibador said:

folder to P is that necessary

Not really. You can use something like DokanPbo to get a full P drive without unpacking anything.

https://github.com/Dahlgren/DokanPbo

 

And no you don't need a P-Drive at all. P-drive is more advanced developer stuff, I'd recommend not using it unless you really need it, which you don't.

 

You need to have a pbo with pboprefix which you already have but

23 hours ago, tibador said:

and i have a $PBOPREFIX$ file that says   prefix=arma_3\12thACG

Is wrong.

Pboprefix should contain the prefix.

Thus:

arma_3\12thACG

 

Then make a "arma_3\12thACG" folder in your Arma directory (next to arma3.exe). And put all the files out of your pbo inside it.

Such that you have for example

Arma 3
	arma3.exe
	@12thACG
		Addons
			mymod.pbo
	arma_3
		12thACG
			config.cpp
			$PBOPREFIX$
			other files in your pbo

Then enable filePatching via the -filePatching parameter and load Arma. Arma will now load your files from the directory instead of the pbo.
But you need to update your pbo if you add/remove files.

[tibador 10]

OK thanks ill try that i appreciate all the help you guys are giving me.

[tibador 10]

I think i have this figured out now thanks to both of you, i think i am able to load from the folder and not the pbo but i can only load it once in Virtual Reality editor how do i quickly reload the mission i tried making a new VR mission and placing down a new asset to test the helmet on and it just showed the old one.