[SOLVED] Question about adding new items (yes, I've seen DazHaruhi's guide)

[ti1706]

First off, I'm using SerusUriel's v14 Re-pack, and his included Board Fix.

Now on to the issue at hand.

I've been trying to follow DazHaruhi's (the only guide I've found so far on the topic) guid to adding items as closely as I can... but, evidently, (as assumed by his/her choice of words) that guide was written for an emulator... not the Official Files. So, my question would be... assuming that the guide's basic principles still apply... what am I doing wrong, here?

My steps:

1. edit the propItem.txt (using OpenOffice Calc) inserting a new row, duplicating an existing row for a similar item... and changing the PROPITEM_TXTs for its name and description, along with the item's name itself (and occasionally it's "IK3_" grouping, though I always use a group that already exists)

2. Add the appropriate lines to the PropItem.txt.txt file.

3. Duplicate a similar item's row in mdlDyna.inc and pasting it, editing the name of the item (and if it requires a mesh, the first "" of the row).

4. Add the appropriate #define --- in defineItem.h (yes, I'm certain I have the ID, and name, correct)

5. Paste edited files over originals in my Server's resource folder. (I'm not entirely certain of this step... I tried adding them to the client, instead... but as I recall, that didn't work, either)

6. Paste any required .o3ds into the Server's Model folder.

7. Run servers in correct order... Database server registers "CDbManager.LoadPost: duplicate", possibly a result of the Board Fix (it didn't exist prior to that).

8. All servers run successfully, until the World Server (the fixed one) it crashes a second, or two after opening its window... before any of the "WdMadrigal,WdKebaras, etc" is displayed.

Possible Issues:

I haven't tried it yet, because I thought it wouldn't matter... but I'm not bothering to change the icon .dds name in propItem.txt. Since the server had no texture files that I could find, I assumed that it wasn't the cause of the crash.

For most of my tests, I've been editing scrolls (which all use the "SysSysScrBxCom" mesh. Given that I tried following the guide using its Addon Weapon, and the same crash re-occurred... I can't see how the scrolls (probably) non-standard mesh would cause it.

In the guide, DazHaruhi wrote that the files should be placed in the .res files... but since the .res files in the server are already unpacked, I cannot see how that would be an issue (although, perhaps the files aren't supposed to be put on the server?)

Lastly, DazHaruhi said to add the item to the item db in the FRM. I have no idea what that is, but assuming the last two letters stand for Resource Manager, I assume the SQL Resource Manager would work fine. Following that logic, I have NOT added the propItem.txt entries into the database, because the ITEM database has no values (1 row, Null all the way across)... therefore, I assumed that editing it was not needed (since the currently existing items work fine).
... additionally, I've had to re-create my db once... and I wanted to avoid messing it up, again.

So... any thoughts/advice/links to other guides?

Thanks for your time, and I'd appreciate any input.

[MentaL]

[ZuminaSpanky]

Note:

OpenOffice.org is NOT tab delimited. Find microsoft office 2007 Enterprise or something. Excel is tab delimited. The calc function in OpenOffice doesn't work properly.

Remember to have the res files to sync with server files in datasub2, if you want them to be synced.

Also to answer your questions:

1. If I am not mistaken (which I am almost 100% sure) you don't need any texture files (.dds) in the official files. Just load the proper o3d files.

2. Google "Ragezone Res Editor" one person has a french/English version. Thats how to edit res files.

3. Item Database = Item_01_DBF (Correct me if I am wrong) lol.

[ti1706]

Thanks for the heads up regarding OpenOffice, I googled around and found out that (according to them) it CAN save .txt as tab delimited. However, there's a procedure required that I do not think I was following. Quite possibly, that's where my error originates from. I'm going to take a few minutes, and test that theory out.

... in the meantime...

I have the res editor, and am (more-or-less) full versed in how to edit the .res files. However, for my current problem, I don't think using it is necessary(Serus' sever files are already extracted, and I'm not worrying about the client, yet... as my problem is the World Server crashing upon start-up).

Heh, and I know where the Item db is... my question was: Since the item db created using Serus' AllinOne file is empty (excepting the Null row), should I still add the data from propItem.txt into it? At first glance, I wouldn't think so... since the empty table is not affecting any other in-game items.

Thanks, again, for the information on OpenOffice (I'd never heard of "tab-delimited" before).

[langme2009]

You actually can save the propItem.txt file easily with Text Delimiting and the such.

Drag & Drop the propItem.txt into OO and then do this:
Character Type: Unicode
Separated by: Tab
Text Delimiter: > (I use this since > is not used in the .txt file while " is)

Edit your work and then go to Save As:
1. Replace extention csv with txt
2. Make sure Automatic file name extension is NOT checked
3. Make sure Edit filter settings IS checked
4. If it asks, Keep Current Format
5. Options:
Character Set: Unicode
Field Delimiter: {Tab}
Text Delimiter: BLANK (delete the ")
6. Make sure Save cell data as shown is NOT checked (this causes all flying devices to no longer take off after you mount them; aka 0 speed)

I should post this in a guide...*does that later*

[ti1706]

Thanks, langme, for adding that.

The method I had found via google wasn't working (kept saving in .csv, regardless of extension). Hopefully, I'll be able to use your s in the future (when OO didn't work, I took to editing propItem as a text file, it worked... but I had to memorize the column order, heh).

Apparently, my problem was "not following the guide closely enough". I didn't think it would make a difference which program I edited/saved with, so long as it was possible to edit and save in that program (I'd never heard of "tab delimited" before today).

Many thanks to both of you, for helping me realize my oversight.