How to Edit TE map?

[DRAKO]

Hi all,
I'm new here. Nice forum!

Sorry if I ask something that you already covered but from my search I found nothing.

Here my prob for Falcon AF:

I need to edit the map image schown in the TE
I have to put some lines, boxes and visual points on it (for reference during editing and Briefing and most of all for human Awacs vectoring).

Therefore
I need to edit the image of the zoomable Korea map.
I already edited the kneemap.gif (very easy)

So I need to know:
1) the name of the file that has to be edited (LeadPursuit/Battlefield operations/campaing/ Korea/KOREA.THR or what else)? Sorry, I don't even know what file has to be edited

2) What software is needed to edit that file whatever its extension is and where I can download it (possible free)?

Thanks a lot mates

Waiting for your gentle replies
DRAKO

[Luk]

Perhaps, there is some better post, but here:
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=22349
Search for DoctorX's answer.
There is also my "reserch" how to put both maps (normal + awacs) together. You have to use Perl script for multiple pictures.

So you need TGA image, Perl installed.

Luk

[DRAKO]

many Ttnks Luk,

I'll have a look at it.

[DRAKO]

have I to open the file with perl?

[Luk]

You have to translate TGA image into the CampMap.rsc/idx pair using Perl script.
Here it is:
http://www.pmctactical.org/wiki/doku.ph ... n4:mapflag

Luk

[DRAKO]

Thanks mate
have installed perl and terrainview but

I understand very little of this all (like arabic to me)

Anyway I read the instructions of your last link

Create bmp file with terrainview

I have no BMP file to start from as I need to open the original Korea TE MAP file, modify it and save it again

- load only road, river and city TDF's.

huh?

Convert this bmp file to a TARGA image using following guideline: 8bit uncompressed 2048×2048 - 256 color tga for large mission planner map.

easiest part but first I should reach this point


I'm sure I am not understanding whath you meen and want me to do so
I'm very sorry

but please hep me onother bit

Thanks

[Luk]

it is OK, no problem DRAKO.
The described proces is rather for new scenario, when there is no base map to edit.
When creating a theater, you are loading different datasets and you can convert it into the bmp image, later TGA, and finaly idx/rcs pair...
If you want to modify already existing map, you should "decompile/reverse ingeneer" existing idx/rcs pair, modify it, and finaly put back into the AF readable format (idx/rcs).
So I guess you should locate perl script for reversed process first. Draw you boxes etc in the bitmap editor, then use "wiki" process to put it back.
---------------------------
different aproach:
You can also run Phoenix's thr creator and export a THR file of your theater. You can load THR file into the tacedit (using for campaign creation). There is a function to export a bmp file from tacedit. You can change colours of your new BMP file, make modifications. And finaly again use "viki" proces to convert the solution into the readable format/pair of files.

Sorry for my english, I beleve its terrible...I dont know where I find the courage to post something in this forum
Luk

[DRAKO]

Your english is ok, better than mine (anyway I'm italian and you?)

If you want to modify already existing map, you should "decompile/reverse ingeneer" existing idx/rcs pair, modify it, and finaly put back into the AF readable format (idx/rcs).
So I guess you should locate perl script for reversed process first. Draw you boxes etc in the bitmap editor, then use "wiki" process to put it back.

Yes I want only to edit existing map. I understand now that the map I can see in the Tactical Editor page is the same map I fly in inside the cockpit. I beliewed it was a different map easier to edit

Anyway

So I guess you should locate perl script for reversed process first

How do I do this?

I newer used perl or any programming tool (only dreamviewer) so I think it's a hard time for you trying to help me

different aproach:
You can also run Phoenix's thr creator and export a THR file of your theater. You can load THR file into the tacedit (using for campaign creation). There is a function to export a bmp file from tacedit. You can change colours of your new BMP file, make modifications. And finaly again use "viki" proces to convert the solution into the readable format/pair of files.

seems more difficult this one

[Luk]

I re-red your first post, now I know you want to modify Korea theater. Ok

I understand now that the map I can see in the Tactical Editor page is the same map I fly in inside the cockpit.

I can not confirm this. I dont know.

There are few possibilites.
1)The most lame is to make a screenshoot of your TE map - make it fullscreen set the zoom in cute/clever way and do not touch a zoom button/mouse wheel. Then make for example 4 overlapping screenshots, stitch them in the bitmapeditor, rescale to desired resolution.

2) try to find some additional/enhanced map of F4 Korea over the internet. I guess there would be something in readable format. Make changes, convert it...

3) I belive you can use monsters TE as well - just set the zoom/tile size.

hope it helps.
I must go bath the children, sorry.
Luk (CZ)

[Sherlock]

Yes I want only to edit existing map. I understand now that the map I can see in the Tactical Editor page is the same map I fly in inside the cockpit.

The kneemap gif in the \Korea\campaign folder is the "moving map" you see on the pilots (your) knee when in the 3D world flying the jet. As you said, this particular file is easy to get to (already available in the \campaign folder) as stated. So this "map" is NOT the same map shown in the 2D User Interface view.

The TE theater map that you see when you are in the 2D user interface is a different file contained in the .idx/.rsc paired files just as Luk was stating.

[DRAKO]

Ok, thanks for the info

I have seen that I can use the kneemap file (converted to targa... and it is of the right size) for the TE map, too.
Only I really don't know how to proceed


I put that targa file (named MAP) inside bin directory of pl (is that right)?

I tried to open the file Tga2res.pl and write inside it but nothing happens (no files created)

I wrote
./tga2res.pl MAP.tga resource-id
and tried
./tga2res.pl MAP.tga BIG_MAP_ID

Colud you please tell me what I am doing wrong (assuming I know nothing of pl language)

[Luk]

I did not check your command, but just a note:
do not write your commands inside files. Move your source /data files inside the Perl (root/ or bin?). Run your command line script via the "windows command line" or another command line interface - for example Totalcommander etc.

Luk

[Sherlock]

Ok, thanks for the info
I have seen that I can use the kneemap file (converted to targa... and it is of the right size) for the TE map, too.
Only I really don't know how to proceed
I put that targa file (named MAP) inside bin directory of pl (is that right)?
I tried to open the file Tga2res.pl and write inside it but nothing happens (no files created)
I wrote
./tga2res.pl MAP.tga resource-id
and tried
./tga2res.pl MAP.tga BIG_MAP_ID
Colud you please tell me what I am doing wrong (assuming I know nothing of pl language)

You must unpack an existing .idx/.rsc pair that holds the correct file you want to replace/edit (unpack with perl script). Then copy your edited map file WITH THE SAME NAME AS THE DEFAULT FILE YOU ARE REPLACING (not your madeup filename) over-writing the original filename. The runt the packing perl script to repack all the files back together into the .idx/.rsc pair again.

[Malc]

If you want to replace the planner map with something else (I'll assume you've got Perl installed and have downloaded/extracted the required scripts)...

1. Create your new planner map (making sure you create it as per http://www.pmctactical.org/wiki/doku.php?id=falcon4:ui)

2. Copy the campmap.rsc and campmap.idx from your ../art/resource directory into your ../perl/bin directory

3. Start a command prompt, and navigate to your ../perl/bin directory

4. Type perl procidx1.pl campmap.idx at the command prompt, hit Enter/Return

The output should produce a total of four lines, to tell you it has created two new files, BIG_MAP_ID.tga and BIG_MAP_ID_AWACS.tga

5. Rename your new planner map as BIG_MAP_ID.tga (making sure you created it as per http://www.pmctactical.org/wiki/doku.php?id=falcon4:ui) then copy it to the ../perl/bin directory, allowing it to overwrite the original.

6. Type perl irc2res1.pl campmap.irc at the command prompt, hit Enter/Return

The output should produce a total of two lines, to tell you it has added both files as BIG_MAP_ID and BIG_MAP_ID_AWACS

7. Copy the newly created campmap.rsc and campmap.idx from your ../perl/bin directory to your ../art/resource directory.

Start your chosen version of F4 and wonder at what you've done!

Easy!!

[DRAKO]

Thanks a lot Malk

I already was able to produce the two files opening tga2res.pl downloaded file (located inside perl/bin where I put the created map, named BIG_MAP_ID, too)
and typing
tga2res.pl BIG_MAP_ID.tga BIG_MAP_ID

BUT I was wondering how to create the AWACS MAP, too

Thanks for your instructions

I'll follow them (as soon as my new tga map is ready)
Will let you know the results

Thanks
Gino

[DRAKO]

IT WORKS GREAT!!!
Thanks allot again mate

Those instructions were perfect. TE and AWACS map now updated

cheers