[Crossbow]

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=90199.0

I don't know how time consuming this task would be, but If any coders here are interested in creating a utility to convert .bx files to .POF or .DAE it would help me reconstruct a few ship models I lost.
I could then release them for the rest of the modding community here.

I am primarily a model creator not a coding specialist so if there are any volunteers who are interested in taking on this challenge feel free to PM me.
Maybe we can work out an exchange...

Thanks.

[Crossbow]

I should also point out that I'm only concerned about the recovery of a models geometry data from the .BX file.
Recovery of a models UV coordinates, or any additional data that is added through PCS2 is not a neccessity.

[Talon 1024]

I may be interested in doing a .bx to .obj converter.

I don't know what the .bx file format is, but I've done some work in the past involving model conversions, particularly to and from the 3D model format used by Wing Commander: Prophecy/Secret Ops.

[The E]

I may have bad news. It looks like the .bx files do not hold geometry, but just the index buffers required for fast rendering.

[jr2]

Jammer, were those model files stored on a hard disk that crashed?  If so, do you still have the hard disk?  If not, how were they lost?  There are a few select circumstances in which it may be possible to recover the model files.

[Crossbow]

Jammer, were those model files stored on a hard disk that crashed?  If so, do you still have the hard disk?  If not, how were they lost?  There are a few select circumstances in which it may be possible to recover the model files.

No it didn't crash, HD is still intact, they were mistakenly deleted a while ago.
Tell me about the 'select circumstances', I'm all ears..

[chief1983]

Basically, if there hasn't been much write activity to the disk since their deletion, a utility like Recuva might be able to locate and restore them by scanning for deleted files in the file table history and seeing if their last known location is still in tact, and restoring them to the file table if so.  If you think that might be the case, install the program to a different drive/partition (attempt to make no further writes, moves, deletes, etc to the drive/partition the files were on) and run it, then scan for any recoverable files.  If none were found proceed to do a 'deep scan' or whatever it calls it, will take a while but it scans block by block instead of just relying on the file table history.  jr2 may be able to suggest some other apps or tips but that's what I've always used in the past.

[jr2]

The way files are deleted, is the entry containing the pointer to their data is marked 'available' (free) on the partition, the data isn't erased directly unless you use specific software designed to do so.

So... If you haven't written files to that partition on the hard disk since the deletion, or if you have, and you were lucky enough to not have other data overwrite the area where the files resided, then you can sometimes successfully undelete them.  CAVEAT: you must (well, should if you don't want to screw up your recovered data) recover the files to another partition or drive (say, a flash drive or external hard disk or another partition on the same disk) -- this is so the files aren't recovered to 'available' space that contains data you want to recover.

DO NOT defragment your drive until you have recovered (or discovered that the data is irrecoverable), for obvious reasons.

Some reviews on free programs can be found here:  http://pcsupport.about.com/od/filerecovery/tp/free-file-recovery-programs.htm

I've included direct links to the ones from that article that i've actually used in the past, in order of recommendation:

https://www.piriform.com/recuva  (<--- they provide a portable edition, so that's good)

http://www.easeus.com/datarecoverywizard/free-data-recovery-software.htm

http://www.pcinspector.de/Default.htm?language=1  (<--- this one is out-of-data and doesn't support Vista (!!!) )

REMEMBER, if you install programs to the partition where you are trying to recover from, it has a chance of overwrite.  Use a portable edition on a thumb drive or something.

(Actually, hopefully the files weren't on a system partition.. Windows writes log files all day long )



You can also recover (sometimes!) deleted / formatted partitions, and data on damaged drives (can involve cooling the drive, heating the drive, replacing the circuit board on the drive... it gets fun.   



EDIT:  ninja'd, and as chief said, Recuva is recommended. 

[chief1983]

Lol he asked this yesterday, and I'm somehow a ninja for answering 5 minutes before you a day later

[jr2]

Fine.  White shadowed then.