Pre-emptied Scen .DAT files?

[Lasarian]

Hi, as the AE Editor seems to be the only tool to change the DAT files for a scenario, has anyone saved a set of empty DAT files from which to populate and build a new mod? Or is a manual 'cut' of each line in the editor the only way to obtain a clean set of DATs on which to build? I'm sure trying to populate DATs from a set of spreadsheets/csv's is also out of the question?! Thanks for any help.

[LargeSlowTarget]

There is a tool that exports the scenario files into .csv files and back. Look for witpaeload.exe or something similar in the game folders. Can check later when home.

[Lasarian]

It's the 'and back' part of that sentence I'm interested in. It's witploadae not witpaeload apparently :/ Explains why I couldn't find it! Thanks.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Yes, it's witploadae.exe - has been a while I have used it.

Here are some notes on how to use it (I'm not the author, credits go to Symon) :

:quote

It's a DOS program, so DOS rules apply.

I created a work folder and made a batch file that pointed to it.

The Command Prompt comes up pointing to one's user folder, so I put a file named Witpload.bat in my C:\Users\Me folder.

Create a folder C:\matrix games\war in the pacific admiral's edition\stuff

Put a copy of witploadae.exe in the folder.

Make a batch file in your user folder that says cd\matrix games\war in the pacific admiral's edition\stuff

Copy whatever scenario (scenario xxx) you want to play with into the C:\.\.\stuff folder

When you launch Command Prompt, just type witpload <ret> ; that puts you in the right place

Then type witploadae /sxxx /e and it will dump scenario xxx things to csv files in the stuff folder

Do all your nasty.

Then type witploadae /sxxx /i and it will update scenario xxx things from the edited csv files

Then just move the scenario xxx files back to the game Scen folder.

It's a lot easier if the executable and the scenario files are in the same folder (a lot, lot less typing), and it's a lot easier if the folder is not the game Scen folder (there's so many files in there, already).

:end quote

The files gives access to more stuff than the editor, for example the setting of LCU Op stances.

Have fun.