How to use 3rd party addons ?

[oldbear 390]

Having get the new BergHoff production : Tropical foliage, I want to use it on a map and then I understand that I don't know how I can do.

I have read and read again Synide's "ArmA Build Environment-Setuo&Usage" and still I do not understand ... quoting the Master "hopefully that's all as clear as mud".

So I need to know

- where to put the un-pbo 3party addon in P:\

- how can I build my tropical map in my own P:\OLDBR\ map building space

- how I can set project preferences parameters in Visitor

- how I can call the addon in the config ...[ I believe that's the "easy" part ;)] in order to get a playable map

Of course, I need to know the how to, but what is the more annoying for me is not to understand how it works for what I am getting doing experiments are only error messages, frustrating !

Edited December 2, 2009 by Old Bear

[SRS 0]

Try putting the unpoed addon folder in your P:\ca folder.

Then unrap the config.bin files in the addon. If the unpboed folder has subfoldders check and unrap any bin files in those folders

Create the same folder structure in your P:\OLDBR\CA folder and copy just the cpp and hpps created from the unrap. to the foldeer structure you just created.

Then add the path to your addontext folder. also add it to the requiredAddons[] in your CfgPatches.hpp or config.cpp under cfgpatches.

I think that will get it.

Edited December 2, 2009 by SRS

[oldbear 390]

Thanks for the help.

But, well ... I have already get the idea and done such a thing, but as I am still getting errors, so I think that I am doing wrong.

That's the reason of opening this thread.

I want to know the "Why" and the "How to".

[.kju 3239]

What errors do you get?

[oldbear 390]

Here the last one :

Cannot load texture brg_africa\data\brg_bird_lod1.paa

Edit :

I have tested without and with the Data file in the brg_africa subdirectory of my own OLDBR building space along with the un-rapified config and the $prefix$ and the result is the same, I can get the model on the map but not the textures.

Edited December 3, 2009 by Old Bear

[.kju 3239]

On p it needs to look like this:

p:\brg_africa\data\brg_bird_lod1.paa

[oldbear 390]

That's the core of the problem for my understanding :

If the brg_africa is placed in P:\ on the same level as the BIS's CA directory how can I get the link working when in Visitor3 project preferences the Folder-Objects is set as :

P:\ca

[[aps]gnat 28]

I'll say it again in these Visitor forums, unlike many tutorials directly suggest, I don't believe BIS ever intended us to work in these "named spaces" like P:\OLDBR\

Recommend all separate projects folders reside directly in the root of P:

In my case my Project Preferences-Folder-Textures is like "gnt_sands\data" and the other 2 cells are empty.

Edited December 3, 2009 by [APS]Gnat

[.kju 3239]

Do you have to use p:\ca - what about p:\

I am not too familiar with that v3 settings.

Trying to get more info on that.

---------- Post added at 11:55 ---------- Previous post was at 11:46 ----------

@ Gnat:

It is good practise and design to do so (to separate different peoples work).

BI does so with CA for the same good reasons.

They changed the OFP way to ca namespace since a1.

[[aps]gnat 28]

Yes, but I've never seen an addon with custom content ever require / demand any CA prefix or any workspace prefix, so why do the named space thingy for addons? (it even debatable if its tidier)

That, and I've seen too may people with Visitor posts on "Ive got a problem", tripping over the detail trying to do it this way.

Lets face it, Visitor is hard enough as it is, I work on the KISS principle.

[Snake Man 401]

- where to put the un-pbo 3party addon in P:\

If it doesn't use name space, then put it in P:\

If it uses name space, put it in P:\<HisNameSpace>\<addon>

- how can I build my tropical map in my own P:\OLDBR\ map building space

By using Synide's guide, if you have specific parts you don't understand please ask and I'll try to walk you through it.

- how I can set project preferences parameters in Visitor

The folder textures is where your terrain's Layers/ directory is created. So call it like

OLDBR\<TerrainName>\data

That will then create

P:\OLDBR\<TerrainName>\data\Layers

Where the paa/rvmat terrain texture/mask files will be placed.

- how I can call the addon in the config ...[ I believe that's the "easy" part ;)] in order to get a playable map

You don't have to call 3rd party addon used in your terrain, in your config.

Hope that helps.

Try putting the unpoed addon folder in your P:\ca folder.

No, thats BIS name space.

But, well ... I have already get the idea and done such a thing, but as I am still getting errors, so I think that I am doing wrong.

BTW if you join me on IRC, I can walk you through it real time. Just PM me for channel details if you can't find the info on PMC forums.

Visitor3 project preferences the Folder-Objects is set as

I never set the folder objects so far.

I don't believe BIS ever intended us to work in these "named spaces"

What makes you say that?

I don't have the links at hand, but Maruk himself posted that ArmA 2 will start to "feature" the name spaces in UI/scripts and community should learn how to use it properly. I mean... what more do you need to start using name spaces.

I've never seen an addon with custom content ever require / demand any CA prefix or any workspace prefix

Not sure what you mean here, CA is BIS name space and user made addons use their own name spaces.

[[aps]gnat 28]

I'll come at it from a different angle, and ask the question "Why do you REALLY have to use Named Spaces?"

I think you'll find the answer is, "No special reason or mandatory requirement."

Its just a "nice to do", to which I again suggest it just complicates matters for our newer addon making community members who want the simpliest way possible to get into Terrain making.

And just because Maruk may have said its a feature, doesn't make it something us part-time addon makers need to bury ourselves in.

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but I would love to see as many new Terrains as possible, because people found it relatively easy to kick-start a Visitor project.

Visitor is so time consuming with so many mystery errors that the least amount of complication in setup is essential to avoid new users from throwing their arms in the air and shouting "this sux! I give up"

[.kju 3239]

People, new and old, way too easily mess up and therefore break compatibility and cause

issues. Avoiding that is a good thing. Using a namespace for your project does that.

[[aps]gnat 28]

Sorry kju, that sound more like "its the right way because we said so"

You said "break compatibility" ..... so what does not using named space actually break?

meh .... OT. This needs a thread of its own. Sorry

[.kju 3239]

Gnat do know OFPEC tags, right? They were introduced to avoid people overwriting each

other. A namespace is the same and in addition it groups the work of the author to his

domain.

Just because modding is not simple, even less is the use of Visitor as you say,

it is no reason not to use better design and standards.

We dont learn people to put their addons into arma\addons either, just as

modfolders is "complex", do we?

@ Old Bear

You need to recreate the exact same setup of your and author people structure on P.

It is required by the engine and the tools.

You find the structure in the pboprefix.

If there is no such file, use the pboname as folder directly in P.

My understanding is that in v3 you do:

tools - project prefs - folder objects: p:\ (no subfolder).

I will get the-f confirm that later today.

At the same time you can PM Icebreakr and ask him.

After all he is using the very addon you want to use for his world as well.

[SRS 0]

Well I am still working with arma not arma2. I did download an ammo crate addon. It may have been by snake man I remember seeing that name while looking for an addon.

Anyhow I added the addon as I suggested it worked no problems. Then I just dumped it in P: it worked as well. Then I put it in my namespace "stpup_" it worked there also but I had to pack the whole thing not good.

The only difference I can see is the use of P:\ca for the objects folder. I left mine just P:.

I think keeping the folders or namespaces sorted is a good idea though.

Unfortunately it may add to the confusion of many first timers. Not a problem though the community seems very helpful. The tuts for arma2 seem straight forward.

[[aps]gnat 28]

@kju

Yes, of course I know Tags, using Tags is important because it stops problems in the community with user made addons.

Yes, of course using Mod folders avoids problems for addon users

But using a Named Space doesn't actually "do" anything for a released addon .......

You can for example use Tags quite well, without using Named Space.

So I think your comparisons are unrelated.

[.kju 3239]

@ Old Bear

The-f said, just leave folder objects at p:.

You need to provide exact information about your setup and the error(s)

you receive, if you want to allows us to move on from here.

[oldbear 390]

Well, thanks all guys, I have get some Tropical foliage on my map, let's call it "Tropica".

I know I can build the map in my own \OLDBR\ building space because it works and had been working for my previously released or unreleased maps. I know also I can build it outside it in a \Tropica\, I have already done such move for a map-building project done on a team basis.

ATM, in order to get Tropical foliage on Tropica :

- I have put the un-pbo brg_africa addon in P:\ on the same level as CA files,

- I have put the brg_africa directory in \OLDBR\ on the same level as ca.

The content of this directory is : $prefix$ and un-rapified config.cpp

- In Visitor3, Tools>Project Preferences>Folder-Objects left blank as P:\

So that's great for I can get the object on map and have a look in Buldozer without error.

Next step will be to write well the CfgPatches.hpp part with something as :

class CfgPatches {

class Tropica {

units[] = {"Tropica"};

weapons[] = {};

requiredVersion = 0.1;

requiredAddons[] = {brg_africa};

};

};

and try to get the whole in game ..., it will be the next move

Edited December 3, 2009 by Old Bear

[Alliexx 10]

Hi,

I have put my "xxplants" folder at the same place as the source and data folder,

So : P:\XX\Entebbe\xxplants

Inside xxplants is the normal "data" folder with all textures.

The trick is that you manually edit the P3D file in oxygen, the "paths" that is.

So in ogygen the paths to the textures need to be correct for your setup.

I'm talking about "open" p3d addons files !

This will give you the option to "pack" your custom addons with your island, people will only get an "island.pbo" from you.

*********************

If you have binarized addons (NOT OPEN) you are not able to replace the paths of the textures, then you have to put the whole extraced addon folder in the P:\CA folder, this is then just a regular addon, and will be used the same way as all other addons in the CA folder on your P drive.

When you now use addons from that addon, you have to give people that addon too, so they get an "island.pbo" and a "addon.pbo" from you.

Hope his helped.

Alphons

Edited December 7, 2009 by Alliexx

[bushlurker 45]

I've been trying to include a custom model or two - with only partial success so far...

I decided I'd try retexturing a stock Arma2 plant and include it inside the main island .pbo as a test... I'm already using a custom pond object with no problems...

Here's my folder structure...

My namespace is Bush and project folder is LFA14 so...

p:\Bush\LFA14 - in here I have an Obj folder and inside there is the single .p3d pond object... that works fine in bulldozer and in-game...

So - I created a plant folder - p:\Bush\LFA14\Plant - and inside that, a Data folder...

inside Plant I copied the relevant tree.p3d, and also copied the relevant .paa textures and .rvmat for that tree into Data

So far, so good...

I then hex-edited the tree.p3d so all texture paths were Bush\LFA14\Plant\Data\ and edited the .rvmat with the same path...

Into Visitor - added the tree - places in Bulldozer fine with it's nice new texture - everything great! Green instead of Brown!...

However - on binarizing binpbo crashes with an error in binarize.exe... the log file shows the process getting as far as that tree.p3d then stopping...

Now I figured of course this is a binarized arma2 model - it probably doesn't want binarized again, so I added *.p3d to the "copy directly" section of BinPbo... sadly - still the same crash early in the binarizing process when it hits that model...

Anyone have any ideas? Am I missing... as always... something blindingly obvious?? As far as I can tell I've followed all the general principles in the posts above - the only obvious difference being that this is a binarized model going thru the binarizing process again as part of the island build... shouldn't the exception be all that's needed for that?

Any suggestions would be appreciated as always...

I guess I could go the external .pbo route and avoid the issue entirely, I was kinda hoping to keep everything self-contained though..

B

Edited December 11, 2009 by Bushlurker

[.kju 3239]

Best to split into several pbo containers.

In case of updates, they will be a lot smaller.

[bushlurker 45]

Hi Kju...

Yup - just tried a seperate bushplants.pbo... worked fine first time, in-game with no problems... might try a building next ;)

Guess I'll just go with that...

Thanks for the reply!

B

[Snake Man 401]

p:\Bush\LFA14 - in here I have an Obj folder and inside there is the single .p3d pond object...

Don't put them in the terrain pbo, just make new pbo for your objects.

I then hex-edited the tree.p3d so all texture paths

No need to hex edit, use Mikero's MoveObject instead.

However - on binarizing binpbo crashes with an error in binarize.exe... the log file shows the process getting as far as that tree.p3d then stopping...

I assume the tree was ODOL, therefore binarize crashes. You need to get it in MLOD format.

[bushlurker 45]

Hi Snake_Man....

Yeah - ODOL format was the culprit... works fine in an external .pbo though... I'll check out Mikero's MoveObject though, I've seen Kju talking about that as well - sounds good...

Thanks

B

Edited December 11, 2009 by Bushlurker