Tools: Unit and Building Editors: Caligula & Hadrian

Presenting – Caligula, a unit editor for Rome: Total War, and Hadrian, a building editor for Rome: Total War!

Caligula
Current version (R:TW & R:TW-BI) - 0.6.0 - Download
0.5.x Legacy version (for RTW 1.2, no longer being updated) – 0.5.6 - Download
Hadrian
Current version – 0.4.6 - Download

You can always find the latest versions and news on these programs at;
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=38858
http://www.twcenter.net/downloads/db...mods&cat_id=23

Caligula
Current version – 0.5.6
New in this version –
Bug fixes.

Guides –
Batch Processing (Currently out of date)
Adding New Units

Caligula is a program designed to assist in the creation, editing and deletion of units in various text files used by RTW. But rather then just try to put a prettier face on the already easy to mod files, Caligula is designed to make the process much faster with less repetitive work then otherwise would be possible.
Some examples of how Caligula tries to make things easier in the ability to import model names for using in the units (which tend to be long and annoying), automatic generation of the repetitive enum data, and batch processing of units, helping to make lots of small, similar changes much easier.

Hadrian
Current version – 0.4.6
New in this version –
Bug fixes

Guides –
Adding new buildings
Adding Units to Buildings

What Caligula is for units, Hadrian is for buildings.
I have also attempted to make jobs much easier with Hadrian, simplifying the way in which you can associate units to buildings, as well as easing enum and descriptions, which tie into the game UI.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caligula readme.txt

Caligula v0.6.0

For R:TW and R:TW-BI

By - Samuel Roehr (aka GodsPetMonkey)
sroehr@gmail.com

You can always find the latest version, information and guides @ -
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=38858
http://www.twcenter.net/downloads/db/?mod=245

ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR FILES! Caligula isn’t infallible, indeed, he's kind of unstable, so don’t come screaming if exiles your files to the neither regions of the empire!

Guides - Here are some guides to using Caligula.
http://www.users.on.net/~roehr/RTW/Guides/NewUnits.htm
http://www.users.on.net/~roehr/RTW/Guides/Batch.html

Information - You will need some VB6 runtimes in order to execute this program, at a guess, these would include
- MSCOMCTL.ocx - http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/mscomctl.zip
- COMDLG32.ocx - http://www.ascentive.com/support/new...b/COMDLG32.OCX
- msvbvm60.dll - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en (thanks Soulflame!)

Put the OCX files you get into your /windows/system32 directory. the DLL is in a self installer. It will also work if you place the files in the same directory as caligula.exe

Caligula is a program that is designed to allow GUI editing of RTW's unit file. It also supports the unit model, enums and description files. Caligula is designed for both new and advanced users, and it can be easy to use the more advanced features and cause the game to stop working. Always be mindful of the hardcoded limits imposed by CA.

Batch Processing - One of the biggest weaknesses of the Caligula editor is how it can take forever to make a number of similar changes to many units, and due to the layout of the export_descr_unit.txt file, its hard to do using find/replace functions in common text editors.
To solve this issue, I have started to implement a "Batch Processing" feature in Caligula, and the first stage of this is now ready to be used!
It currently only supports mathematical operations (as they are the easiest to develop, being all very similar in operation, despite the large number of
attributes) but is powerful none the less, and very easy to use.
To use the Batch Processing facilities, just click on the "Batch" tab, select the category of units you wish to process, enter a search string (optional, if
an exact match of the string entered is found in the units "Type" attribute, it will then be processed), select the attribute you wish to modify from the
"Attribute" drop down box, select the effect you wish to apply (at this stage, all mathematical operations, Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide and Equals, in
that order) and finally enter the amount by which you wish to affect the attribute using the effect. When that’s all done, press the "Process Button" and it
shall be so!
A few notes, and warnings. This feature is very much under constant development, so things may change at a later date, its also very dangerous to the
integrity of your export_descr_unit.txt file, Caligula wont stop you modifying attributes to ranges which cause havoc with RTW (no different to editing by
hand, but harder to visually confirm) a classic example here is increasing unit sizes beyond 60. On the other hand, it does fix up attributes with decimal
points that shouldn’t have them, rounding them off to the nearest whole number (several attributes support decimal figures, and this isn’t applied to these).

Revision History -
0.6.0 - Added BI support. BI only options are marked [BI]. These may cause non-BI games to crash if enabled!
Several minor bug fixes
Many minor interface changes

0.5.6 - Fixed up the interface somewhat

0.5.5 - More bug fixes

0.5.4 - Fixed several minor bugs

0.5.3 - Altered the workings of adding a new unit. Clicking the "Add New Unit" button now saves the data currently entered to the new unit. Clicking "Add blank Unit" performs the same action as the old "Add New Unit"
Greatly Expanded the Batch Processing search functionality

0.5.2 - Completely rewrote the batch processing, making it more efficient and much easier for me to maintain and add to it
Added the ability to search by "Class" (eg. light, missile) to Batch Processing. Its just a quick example showing where I plan to take this feature

0.5.1 - Fixed a crash with units that have 3 officers

0.5.0 - Added Batch Processing

0.4.1 - Improved file handling code dramatically

0.4.0 - Fixed up some minor bugs
Some interface changes
Added support for editing unit descriptions
Added unit enum generator
Fixed major bug with cancel button in open/save dialogs
Selecting 'ships' category now works properly
Added ability to import 'mounts', which populates the mounts dropdown box on the 'Unit Details' tab
Fixed up several attribute lists, should now have all of them (I hope!)

0.3.3 - Added several attributes that aren’t noted in the comments at the top of the unit file

0.3.2 - Several interface enhancements
Added "Add New Unit" button and functionality
Added "Remove Unit" button and functionality

0.3.1 - Enabled autocomplete-as-you-type for selected dropdown boxes
Added Unit Category drop down box, now you have to select a category of units, then select a unit from that category

0.3.0 - Added Model Data editing capabilities

0.2.2 - Added listing of all models into the "Soldier and "Officer"s dropdown boxes

0.2.1 - Fixed some minor interface issues

0.2.0 - First public release! Reads, edits and saves RTW Unit Files!

0.1.0 - Testing release, Full read functionality, limited write.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hadrian readme.txt

Hadrian v0.4.6

By - Samuel Roehr (aka GodsPetMonkey)
sroehr@gmail.com

You can always find the latest version, information and guides @ -
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=38858
http://www.twcenter.net/downloads/db/?mod=244

ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR FILES!

Guides - Here are some guides to using Hadrian.
http://www.users.on.net/~roehr/RTW/G...drianGuide.htm
http://www.users.on.net/~roehr/RTW/G...obuildings.htm

Information - You will need some VB6 runtimes in order to execute this program, at a guess, these would include
- MSCOMCTL.ocx - http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/mscomctl.zip
- COMDLG32.ocx - http://www.ascentive.com/support/new...b/COMDLG32.OCX
- msvbvm60.dll - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en (thanks Soulflame!)

Put the OCX files you get into your /windows/system32 directory. the DLL is in a self installer.


Hadrian is a program that is designed to allow GUI editing of RTW's building file. It also supports the enums and description files. Hadrian is designed for both new and advanced users, and it can be easy to use the more advanced features and cause the game to stop working. Always be mindful of the hardcoded limits imposed by CA.

Basic Guide - This guide will help you to enable a unit to be built by a certain structure. You must know the unit you want to use beforehand!
First, fire up Hadrian, then open your export_descr_buildings.txt file, then select the base building complex from the left most dropdown box at the top of the screen. Then select the particular iteration of the building to the right of that. Now select the capabilities tab.
If the building you selected can already build the unit, and you just want to enable it for a certain faction, select the unit from the "Units" dropdown box, and then add the faction by typing its name (or culture) in the editbox below the factions list box (note, you can remove the others by highlighting them and pressing the R button, if there are none in there, it will be enabled for all factions to be built) and press the A button, adding it to the list. Then press the E button below the "Units" drop box, then hit "Save Changes" and finally, press "Save" and select a file to save to. Your done, copy the file and rename appropriately.
If the unit has to be added to the building, proceed to fill out the relevant fields. Make sure you put 'recruit' (ALL lower case!!!) in the "Type" editbox and the "Name" editbox matches the 'type' entry from your export_descr_unit.txt file. When ready, press the A button, then hit "Save Changes" and finally, "Save". That’s it, make sure you copy the file and rename appropriately, and it should work. If the game CTDs, please make sure all your inputs where correct before contacting me about it.

Remember, if you don’t know what it does, leave it as it is!

Revision History -
0.4.6 - More bug fixes

0.4.5 - Minor bug fixes

0.4.4 - Fixed an issue with adding units to buildings with out any units prior

0.4.3 - Added ability to import a list of unit 'Names' (Types) from a export_descr_unit.txt file
Added "Cascade" button to the recruitment section of the building's capabilities. This button will copy the selected recruit into all buildings above this one (by level) it the same complex
Fixed up some bugs with adding building capabilities

0.4.2 - Fixed an issue where a units "Magic Number" wouldn't be displayed when selected in building capabilities
Renamed "Magic Number" to "Starting Experiance"

0.4.1 - Fixed issue with negative figures for bonuses
Increased file handling flexibility

0.4.0 - Fixed several interface issues
Fixed several minor bugs
Added ability to edit /text/export_buildings.txt
Added ability to automatically generate export_descr_buildings_enums.txt from /text/export_buildings.txt
Made some of the file handling more robust

0.3.2 - Fixed an issue that prevented Hadrian from reading the buildings file from RTR 3.0

0.3.1 - Fixed up some UI issues

0.3.0 - Added "Create New Complex" button and functionality
Added "Remove Complex" functionality
Added the ability to add a new building (level) to a complex by use of the "Levels:" listbox
Added the ability to remove a building (level) from a complex by use of the "Levels:" listbox
Many bugfixes

0.2.1 - Added autocomplete-as-you-type functionality for a limited number of dropdown boxes

0.2.0 - First public release! Reads, edits and saves RTW building Files!

0.1.0 - Testing release, Full read functionality.

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does this allows to add new units without overwriting the original ones?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PROMETHEUS

does this allows to add new units without overwriting the original ones?

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Wouldn't be much use if it didn't! So that's a yes.

Of course, your still stuck with the games 300 unit limit, not much I can do about that.

hmm, I am a bit confused as to how to add buildings/units, can you explain this please? Or if you have and I overlooked it a link?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Scipio

hmm, I am a bit confused as to how to add buildings/units, can you explain this please? Or if you have and I overlooked it a link?

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Nope I havent given much info on it, partially due to me spending more time making it then playing with it!

First up, DL the latest version that I just posted, seems like I screwed up the UI somewhat, which would be the start of the problem.

Ok, but first, you need to know what you want to add, I make the distinction between complex and building (sometimes called level, the name given to them in the actual file).

A complex is more the function template, and a level is the actual building built in the game, so a "Large Temple of Mars" is a level, whilst the complex would be Temple of Violence.

If you want to add a new complex, press the respective button, and in the Complex dropdown menu, there the one titled "NewComplex" is the noe you just added, select it and edit away.

To add a new level isn't as obvious, first select a complex from the dropdown menu, then add a new level to the levels listbox (type it in the editbox right below, and hit the "A" button next to it) then press "Save Changes". Now you can select it from the "Building" dropdown box, do so, it will have the same name as the level so its easy to find, and now you can edit it by using the fields on the building and capability tabs.

Remember to save your changes when your done with them, they are lost of you change to a different complex or building! You dont need to save to file untill your all done though, as long as you hit the save changes button beforehand, it'll be saved to the file.

Ah so you did go to the mod forum, but luckily I found it again.
Nice additions, but the two readme files are still called the same, and since I always downlaod them together and unpack them, I keep on renaming the first readme I extract so that I can extract the other one without overwriting the first. Just a readme_caligula.txt and a readme_hadrian.txt would be better.

Other then that, just keep on going! ~:cheers:

The latest version of Hadrian fxes up some issues it had with the files from the RTR 3.0 mod, and hopefully, it'll prevent issues from happening with other mods where the makers didn't follow the CA format absolutely (its a matter of tabs instead of spaces, and one space instead of 2, pedantic stuff). Thanks to IrishRon for alerting me to the problem!

It also renames the readme as per Soulflame's suggestion. When I release the next version of Caligula, it's readme shall also be renamed.

Well, I have a question about adding buildings.
This editor of yours... does it _really_ add new buildings, or does it only help in adding? Because it seems to me that it takes more than just editing export_descr_buildings... for example, where should I put the graphics for the building, or where do I point to a graphics if I want to use existing ones? A small tutorial for this would be v. helpful.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eadingas

Well, I have a question about adding buildings.
This editor of yours... does it _really_ add new buildings, or does it only help in adding? Because it seems to me that it takes more than just editing export_descr_buildings... for example, where should I put the graphics for the building, or where do I point to a graphics if I want to use existing ones? A small tutorial for this would be v. helpful.

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By your definition, it only helps. To tell the truth, adding was put in there because it was a simple expansion of what already existed (from a data handling point of view, Hadrian is MUCH more flexible then Caligula, partially due to the fact that the file format doesnt have many set restrictions, atleast, that I know of), its main purpose is the editing of whats there, particularly to be more newbie friendly for changing things like faction requirements, and building 'capabilities'.

As for adding a new building entirely, well, its no where near as easy as with units, where all the linking is done in the one file, so its very easy to cheat and assign a new unit an existing battle model and dictionary entry and away you go! Buildings are far more tedious, and if I had the time I would write a tutorial, or better still, expand Hadrian to support the other steps (similar to the battle_model editing in Caligula). Sadly, real life caught up with me, and I need something to pay the bills with, and as much as I would love for that to be RTW, its not really possible. So sadly, you can't expect much beyond emergency fixes for atleast a week. You should be able to use existing guides for such things though.
Adding buildings is very much a feature "to be expanded on soon!" The export_buildings file it generates is very much correct (simply tested by hand removing one building, then using Hadrian to put it back in!). Progress hasn't been helped by most of the focus being on creating new units rather then anything else (check these forums, or the twcenter ones).

Actually, I tell a lie! Only a little one, and it’s the good kind!

I have spent a short amount of time researching what the minimum modifications needed to other files in order to add a brand new building are, and, its all down to 3 files; export_descr_buildings.txt, export_descr_buildings_enums.txt, export_buildings.txt. And out of those, export_descr_buildings_enums.txt isn’t really needed anyway, but it seems to form a link between the entries in export_descr_buildings_enums.txt and those in other files (which take into account such things as builder culture, which is important else where).

By modifying those 3 files, I can add, and then build, a new building on the campaign map! (see http://www.users.on.net/~roehr/newbuilding.jpg and most of its just a copy, paste, simple modification of the existing trade-route chain of buildings, but it is an entirely new entry!). It is INCREDIBLY unlikely that these simple modifications will cause the new building to be drawn on the city view (battle map) as there is a file that specifies the datum for that (like the model, positioning, extras, etc.). But I am also under the impression that it should be fine without these modifications anyway, the building simply wont be rendered on the battle field, like with the trade-route buildings.

As an added bonus, the layout of these files happens to be VERY simple (but rather long), and should be quite easy to include editing capabilities into Hadrian for them, that WILL have to wait until at least this coming weekend, but it’s a start!

I'd love to be able to make a Trade aoeu! ~;)
Something else I'd like to be able to do:
"Batch editing", like adding 1 to defence for all infantry units.
Is there an easy way to do this?

Well, assuming you know Unix scripting and have 2000 or XP, try installing Windows Services for Unix 3.5. Unix is excellent for file manipulation, especially the awk command.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Paul Peru

I'd love to be able to make a Trade aoeu! ~;)
Something else I'd like to be able to do:
"Batch editing", like adding 1 to defence for all infantry units.
Is there an easy way to do this?

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Shhh, don't let out all my secrets!

Ok yes, its something I have actually been thinking about for some time, mainly because the big weakness of my editors is that is that its still a pain to do a large number of simple edits, so yes I plan on batch processing one day.

Hadrian 0.4.0 is here, and with it, finally we have full building creation!

Yes, you can now add an entire complex, and its buildings from scratch, and edit the 3 files needed for it to appear and operate in game! (Don't know how the AI will handle it though).

Because there are a few steps involved, and its not that hard to screw up your data files, I have also made a quick pictorial guide! find it @ http://www.users.on.net/~roehr/HadrianGuide.htm

As usual, any problems, tell me and I'll try to fix them ASAP! I'm expecting some issues, but as long as you do things the right way (following that guide is a good start) you shouldn't have any major issues.

There seems to be something wrong with the way Caligula saves model_battle. I loaded up caligula, loaded up the files, pressed save unit data. A choose file thing came up and I pressed cancel. I exited. Now I was left with a 2x bigger descr_model_battle and it didn't work! Luckily I had a backup of Rome and copied it from there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tombom

There seems to be something wrong with the way Caligula saves model_battle. I loaded up caligula, loaded up the files, pressed save unit data. A choose file thing came up and I pressed cancel. I exited. Now I was left with a 2x bigger descr_model_battle and it didn't work! Luckily I had a backup of Rome and copied it from there.

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You didn't keep a copy of the messed up file did you? If you did, I would like to have a copy, it will help me track down the problem (Caligula hasn't gotten much attention recently, but I'm working on it right now).

I've worked out the problem: save unit data saves it as an descr_model_battle.txt file when it is actually saving the export_descr_unit.txt file. Save Model File is permanently disabled.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tombom

I've worked out the problem: save unit data saves it as an descr_model_battle.txt file when it is actually saving the export_descr_unit.txt file. Save Model File is permanently disabled.

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I'm pretty sure I have solved it, the dialog boxes remember the last file opened/saved, and it seems the cancel button was broken in a few places (it would still save the file despite clicking cancel!)

New Caligula very soon, with enum and description support like in Hadrian.

After updating Hadrian, it was Caligula's turn, and now, a new version is out!

Caligula 0.4.0 is a combination of minor fixes, a few major fixes, and new features similar to those in Hadrian. You can now edit the unit data, the unit enums, the unit descriptions and the data pertaining to battle models for units!

There have been alot of fixes in this version, so grabbing the new version is vital! Hopefully all the major bugs for the current feature set have been dealt with, but undoubtably minor ones will appear.

See the first post for the download link. If I get some time, I shall write a quick guide for Caligula as well.

After adding a new cavalry unit I got a new unit with a "peasant" icon. Could you please tell me how to change the icon?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alex Kit

After adding a new cavalry unit I got a new unit with a "peasant" icon. Could you please tell me how to change the icon?

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The icon is an interesting matter as its not actually linked in a file, so its hard to set up the editor to be able to do anything about it. But its not to hard to fix up anyway. To make my life easier, I'll take a post already made on the subject from elsewhere in the forums.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by itkotw

Now, lets talk about the unit cards and unit info screen. First thing we have to do is unpack some of the image files that the game uses. The game has a few compressed files which it uncompresses when the game starts up. So, what you have to do is download the Xpak program, which is discussed in this link - https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=37626 . After you follow the directions in the program, it will unpack the files and create a few new folders. The xpak program unpacks the files and creates the new folders within the /Data/packs folder, but you are going to leave most of the newly unpacked files and only copy the one or two that you need (this will seem a little clearer once you unpack the files).

After you unpack the files, you need to create a couple more folders. These new folders are needed because of the way the game organizes the factions image files. Create a new folder in the "Rome - Totalwar/Data/" folder, called "UI". Then, within the "UI" folder, create a folder called "UNIT_INFO". Now under the "UNIT_INFO" folder, create another folder called "Gauls". Next, you will have to make another folder in the "UI" folder, called "UNITS". Finally, make a new folder in the "UNITS" folder called "Gauls". To recap on the folders we have just created, they should look something like this - "Rome - Totalwar/Data/UI/UNIT_INFO/Gauls" and "Rome - Totalwar/Data/UI/UNITS/Gauls". The next step is to copy some of the unpacked images into these folders.

Now, look in the unpacked folder named "DATA/UI/UNIT_INFO/Germans/" (remember, this is not the normal "data" folder, but the newly unpacked one), technically the location is this - "Data/packs/DATA/UI/UNIT_INFO/Germans/". Find the file called "WARBAND_AXE_GERMAN_INFO.tga" and copy it to the folder you just created called "/Data/UI/UNIT_INFO/Gauls/". Now go into the unpacked folder called "/DATA/UI/UNITS/Germans/" (the technical location is "/Data/packs/DATA/UI/UNITS/Germans") and find the file called "#WARBAND_AXE_GERMAN.tga" and copy to the folder you just created called "Data/UI/UNITS/Gauls/".

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(Taken from https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...01&postcount=5 )

The pricipal is the same for anything, if there is an icon in game you would like to reuse, just find it after unpacking and copy it to the respective folders. Of you want to just use ones of your anw making, you dont even have to do the unpacking!

Hmm it doesn't load the export_descr_buildings file, ie. it does nothing after opening. The file is not original, it's modded by me, could this be the reason?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eadingas

Hmm it doesn't load the export_descr_buildings file, ie. it does nothing after opening. The file is not original, it's modded by me, could this be the reason?

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Most likely it is the cause of the problem. Would it be possible for you so send me the file? if RTW loads it fine, I'll adjust Hadrian so that it has no problems with it as well.

Hadrian 0.4.1 is now out, it now supports negative numbers for things such an Bonuses, thanks to eadingas for pointing this out! I honestly didnt know you could use negatives in there!

I also relaxed the rules for file reading a little, hopefully not so much that odd things start happening, but nothing showed up during testing.

I'm also looking into what to do as my next project? Any suggestions?

Cool, everything's working now! Great :) Hmm next project? How about campaign editor - editing descr_strat and other files in campaign directory?

New versions of both Caligula and Hadrian.

For Hardrian, its just a bug fix, but for Caligula, its a huge improvement in file handling, something I have been planning to do for some time but never got arround to, untill now. After playing arround with export_descr_unit.txt, trying to see what RTW will still launch with, and what it wont, I think its got pretty much every working configuration supported. This is especially important for those who have modded files, which dont adhear to the spacing arrangement of the original.

GodsPetMonkey - do u want the source code for a prog i designed to edit the "descr_regions.txt" files. You're probably much more experienced at programming, so u could prob merge it with your current progs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NaeBlis

GodsPetMonkey - do u want the source code for a prog i designed to edit the "descr_regions.txt" files. You're probably much more experienced at programming, so u could prob merge it with your current progs.

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If your willing to part with it, I'll take a look, and if I use it, you will ofcourse get full credit!

PM or email me about it.

A new version for Caligula taking it to 0.5.0, and it somewhat marks a change in focus in my development on these 2 tools, rather then adding more and more supported files, its about makeing whats there easier to use. Well really its just implementing features which appeal to the lazy person inside me (so expect them for Hadrian too!)

But this time, its the final coming of the long ago mentioned "Batch Processing", there is a basic guide in the readme, and I plan on making a more visual (but short) guide for it as well, but for now, its a little gem!
Actually, the guide is done, its pretty simple, but its a pretty simple system anyway!
http://www.users.on.net/~roehr/Batch.html

A request also, what kind of lazy modding features would you like to see in Caligula and Hadrian? This includes more things you can do with the batch processing!

hey both of these things are awesome, they help eliminate all the stupid errors like typing a key on accident when trying to hit something else.

screw tylenol, this thing fixed my headache