[Tut] How to (partially) read SCB Files in C#

[GigaToni]

In this tutorial, I will show everybody how to partially read SCB Files in C#. But you can convert my code into any language you want.

First what's the SCB file? It's basically a SCO file but in binary format. So instead of saving everything as text, it saves it as binary values.

So first the structure of the SCB format.

Version - unsigned int
Flags - unsigned long
Name Length - int
Name - /\ char sizeof name length
Pivot - 12 bytes (3 float numbers)

So first create a FileStream using System.IO:

FileStream fs = File.Open("C:\\Models\\Target_01.scb", FileMode.Open);

Now you can create a BinaryReader we use them to read the actual binary file.

BinaryReader br = new BinaryReader(fs);

So now for the actual reading:

As I said earlier, the File Version is a unsigned int. In C# it's uint. Because it's an uint not an ushort, we have to use ReadUInt32. Not 16.

uint fileVersion = br.ReadUInt32();

The File Flags are an unsigned long. In C# it's ulong. Because in 32-Bit C++ a unsigned long is 4 bytes we have to use ReadUInt32 again. Not 64.

ulong fileFlags = br.ReadUInt32();

Now for reading the name length & name. We can't use the method ReadString from BinaryReader because of null terminators. So we have to read the length and then all chars.

// Read the name length
int nameLength = br.ReadInt32();
// Read namelength chars
string name = new string(br.ReadChars(nameLength));

Finally we come to the tricky part. Because Eternity / SCB files use r3dPoint3D to save we have to figure out how big r3dPoint3D is. In this case it's 12 bytes. Because X, Y, Z (3) multiplied by 4 (4 bytes for each float / int). We can easily read 12 bytes then split them up, or we could read 4 bytes at a time.
I'll read 12 bytes and then cut the bytes to 4 individual pieces.

We read 12 bytes:

byte[] buffer = br.ReadBytes(12);

now we create a new variable that is a byte array with 4 bytes:

var x = new byte[4];

and copy the first 4 bytes to our buffer

Array.Copy(buffer, 0, x, 0, 4);

Now the same thing for our 4 next bytes:

var y = new byte[4];
Array.Copy(buffer, 4, y, 0, 4);

And again for the last 4 bytes:

var z = new byte[4];
Array.Copy(buffer, 8, z, 0, 4);

Now we have our x, y, z pivot. We can now convert the byte pivot coordinates using the BitConverter ToSingle method:

System.BitConverter.ToSingle(x, 0)

If you like this Tutorial click the like button . If I should do the rest of the file just lemme know!

 

[wuguoboy1]

Not understand what it means.

 

[The Unknown]

Not understand what it means.

SCB files are in binary format, and they are unable to be read. This tutorial makes it partially readable like an .SCO.

More less: .SCO's are the model file that I:SS reads and uses.

 

[LukasCCB]

Nice thank you
It seems useful

what are the risks? if have a '-'

 

[own_prox]

thanks, this is at least 90% done, i got up to reading material names

c#:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.IO;

namespace Scb_Converter
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        struct ThreeD
        {
            public float x, y, z;
        };

        ThreeD ConvertTo3D(byte[] data)
        {
            ThreeD Data;
            var temp = new byte[4];
            Array.Copy(data, 0, temp, 0, 4);
            Data.x = BitConverter.ToSingle(temp, 0);
            Array.Copy(data, 4, temp, 0, 4);
            Data.y = BitConverter.ToSingle(temp, 0);
            Array.Copy(data, 8, temp, 0, 4);
            Data.z = BitConverter.ToSingle(temp, 0);
            return Data;
        }

        struct TwoD
        {
            public float x, y;
        };

        TwoD ConvertTo2D(byte[] data)
        {
            TwoD Data;
            var temp = new byte[4];
            Array.Copy(data, 0, temp, 0, 4);
            Data.x = BitConverter.ToSingle(temp, 0);
            Array.Copy(data, 4, temp, 0, 4);
            Data.y = BitConverter.ToSingle(temp, 0);
            return Data;
        }

        struct Material
        {
            public int Start, End, Unknown;
        };

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            OpenFileDialog d = new OpenFileDialog();
            d.DefaultExt = ".scb";
            if (d.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
            {
                using (FileStream fs = File.Open(d.FileName, FileMode.Open))
                using (BinaryReader br = new BinaryReader(fs))
                {
                    if (br.ReadUInt32() != 4208721976)
                    {
                        MessageBox.Show("Scb file not supported!", "Version Mismatch", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
                        return;
                    }
                    ulong fileFlags = br.ReadUInt32();
                    int nameLength = br.ReadInt32();
                    string name = new string(br.ReadChars(nameLength));
                    ThreeD CenterPoint = ConvertTo3D(br.ReadBytes(12));
                    int Verts = br.ReadInt32();
                    ThreeD[] VertexPositions = new ThreeD[Verts];
                    TwoD[] VertexUVs = new TwoD[Verts];
                    ThreeD[] VertexNormals = new ThreeD[Verts];
                    ThreeD[] VertexTangents = new ThreeD[Verts];
                    char[] VertexTangentWs = new char[Verts];
                    for (int i = 0; i < Verts; i++) VertexPositions[i] = ConvertTo3D(br.ReadBytes(12));
                    for (int i = 0; i < Verts; i++) VertexUVs[i] = ConvertTo2D(br.ReadBytes(8));
                    for (int i = 0; i < Verts; i++) VertexNormals[i] = ConvertTo3D(br.ReadBytes(12));
                    for (int i = 0; i < Verts; i++) VertexTangents[i] = ConvertTo3D(br.ReadBytes(12));
                    for (int i = 0; i < Verts; i++) VertexTangentWs[i] = br.ReadChar();

                    int NumIndices = br.ReadInt32();
                    uint[] Indices = new uint[NumIndices];
                   // for (int i = 0; i < NumIndices; i++) Indices[i] = br.ReadUInt32();
                    //int MaterialCount = br.ReadInt32();
                    int faces = NumIndices / 3;
                    Material[] mat = new Material[faces];
                    for (int i = 0; i < faces; i++)
                    {
                        mat[i].Start = br.ReadInt32();
                        mat[i].End = br.ReadInt32();
                        mat[i].Unknown = br.ReadInt32(); // not sure why
                    }
                    br.ReadBytes(12); // 12 bytes of useless data ????
                    int nameLength1 = br.ReadInt32();
                    string name1 = new string(br.ReadChars(nameLength1)); //weirdly have to load the name after the array
                    MessageBox.Show(name1);


                   // ThreeD[] Test = new ThreeD[faces+1];
                    //for (int i = 0; i <= faces; i++) Test[i] = ConvertTo3D(br.ReadBytes(12));
                  //  for (int i = 0; i < Verts; i++) MessageBox.Show(VertexPositions[i].x + " " + VertexPositions[i].y + " " + VertexPositions[i].z + " " + VertexNormals[i].x + " " + VertexNormals[i].y + " " + VertexNormals[i].z + " " + VertexTangents[i].x + " " + VertexTangents[i].y + " " + VertexTangents[i].z + " " + VertexTangentWs[i]);
                   // MessageBox.Show("Material Count: " + MaterialCount);
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

c++:

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <Windows.h>
#include <stdint.h>

struct ThreeD
{
	float x, y, z;
};

struct TwoD
{
	float x, y;
};

struct Material
{
	int StartIndex, EndIndex, Mat;
	char* MatName;
};

struct SCB
{	
	uint32_t version, * Indices;
	DWORD flags;
	int NameLength, Verts, NumVertices, NumIndices, NumMatChunks;
	char Name[128];
	ThreeD	CenterPoint, *VertexPositions, *VertexNormals, *VertexTangents;
	TwoD*   VertexUVs;
	char*	VertexTangentWs;
};

SCB Load(char* Filename)
{
	SCB s;
	s.version = -1337;
	FILE * f = fopen (Filename , "rb");
	if (f==NULL) return s;
	fread(&s.version, sizeof(uint32_t), 1, f);
	if(s.version != 0xFADC0038)
	{
		printf("Incorrect Version: %d, Wanted: %d\n", s.version, 0xFADC0038);
		return s;
	}	
	fread(&s.flags, sizeof s.flags, 1, f);
	fread(&s.NameLength, sizeof(s.NameLength), 1, f);
	memset(s.Name, 0, sizeof(s.Name));
	fread(s.Name, s.NameLength, 1, f);
	fread(&s.CenterPoint, sizeof(ThreeD), 1, f);	
	fread(&s.NumVertices, sizeof(s.NumVertices), 1, f);
	s.VertexPositions = new ThreeD[s.NumVertices];
	s.VertexUVs = new TwoD[s.NumVertices];
	s.VertexNormals = new ThreeD[s.NumVertices];
	s.VertexTangents = new ThreeD[s.NumVertices];
	s.VertexTangentWs = new char[s.NumVertices];
	fread(s.VertexPositions, sizeof(ThreeD)*s.NumVertices, 1, f);
	fread(s.VertexUVs, sizeof(TwoD)*s.NumVertices, 1, f);
	fread(s.VertexNormals, sizeof(ThreeD)*s.NumVertices, 1, f);
	fread(s.VertexTangents, sizeof(ThreeD)*s.NumVertices, 1, f);
	fread(s.VertexTangentWs, sizeof (s.VertexTangentWs[0]) * s.NumVertices, 1, f );
	fread(&s.NumIndices, sizeof(s.NumIndices), 1, f);
	//s.Indices = new uint32_t[s.NumIndices];
	//fread(s.Indices, sizeof(uint32_t)*s.NumIndices, 1, f);
	int Faces = s.NumIndices / 3;
	printf("Faces: %d\n", Faces);
		int a, b, c;
	for(int i = 0; i< Faces; i++)
	{
		fread(&a, sizeof(int), 1, f);
		fread(&b, sizeof(int), 1, f);
		fread(&c, sizeof(int), 1, f);
	}
	
	fread(&a, sizeof(int), 1, f); // Read 4 bytes of crap????
	fread(&b, sizeof(int), 1, f);// Read 4 bytes of crap????
	fread(&c, sizeof(int), 1, f);// Read 4 bytes of crap????
	int len = 0;
	char test[128];
	fread(&len, sizeof(len), 1, f);
	memset(test, 0, sizeof(test));
	fread(test, len, 1, f);
	printf("Material Name: %s\n", test);
	return s;
}

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
	SCB* s = &Load("F:/RivalZ/bin/Data/ObjectsDepot/Weapons/asr_ak74_fps.scb");
	if(s && s->version != -1337)
	{
		printf("Flags: %d\n", s->flags);
		printf("Name: %s\n", s->Name);
		printf("CenterPoint: %f - %f - %f\n", s->CenterPoint.x, s->CenterPoint.y, s->CenterPoint.z);
		printf("Vertices Count: %d\n", s->NumVertices);
		printf("Indices Count: %d\n", s->NumIndices);
		printf("Faces Count: %d\n", s->NumIndices/3);
		//printf("Material Name: %s\n", s->MatChunks[0].MatName);
	} else printf("Failed to load .Scb File\n");
	system("pause");
	return 0;
}

just a tiny bit left for people to do



someone else can release the rest i believe i have provided enough

 

[JonnyTruant]

Thanks Giga! It would be cool if you figured out how to extract .bin files in C#, or any .Net language. Looks like they use zlib compression.

 

[GigaToni]

Thanks Giga! It would be cool if you figured out how to extract .bin files in C#, or any .Net language. Looks like they use zlib compression.

And that would be accomplish what exactly? We already have the QuickBMS Script to extract..

 

[MadScripter]

Thanks Giga! It would be cool if you figured out how to extract .bin files in C#, or any .Net language. Looks like they use zlib compression.

zlib is used indeed. You'll need to use P/Invoke too (GetSystemInfo, CreateFileA, CreateFileMappingA, MapViewOfFile, UnmapViewOfFile, CloseHandle, GetAdaptersInfo, SHCreateDirectoryExA, PathCompactPathExA)
There's a C++ source out there that extracts these .bin files, if you want to convert it to C#
Or you can use my app: https://forum.ragezone.com/f790/release-ss-archive-extractor-1001853/