Author Topic: How to make a VP file?  (Read 8308 times)

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Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
  • 29
How to make a VP file?
Hey all!

I'm trying to package the working copy of my mod into a vp file for distribution. I used to use VPMage over a year ago, but it no longer works for me (it fails to recognize any of the files as "valid vp files")

What do you guys use to set up vp's, and how do I use them?

Thanks!

  

Offline Colonol Dekker

  • HLP is my mistress
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    • My old squad sub-domain
Campaigns I've added my distinctiveness to-
- Blue Planet: Battle Captains
-Battle of Neptune
-Between the Ashes 2
-Blue planet: Age of Aquarius
-FOTG?
-Inferno R1
-Ribos: The aftermath / -Retreat from Deneb
-Sol: A History
-TBP EACW teaser
-Earth Brakiri war
-TBP Fortune Hunters (I think?)
-TBP Relic
-Trancsend (Possibly?)
-Uncharted Territory
-Vassagos Dirge
-War Machine
(Others lost to the mists of time and no discernible audit trail)

Your friendly Orestes tactical controller.

Secret bomb God.
That one time I got permabanned and got to read who was being bitxhy about me :p....
GO GO DEKKER RANGERSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
  • 29
Re: How to make a VP file?
Yes, I looked at the page on VP files.

VPCS produces a vp file that did not work properly. I can't figure out how to use QuickVP, VPMage, or Maja. VPGUI would not install.

Basically I need an explanation of how to use VPMage, QuickVP, or Maja.

 

Offline mjn.mixael

  • Cutscene Master
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Re: How to make a VP file?
If you're looking to release something, Knossos will take care of packing your mod into VPs automatically upon upload/release.
Cutscene Upgrade Project - Mainhall Remakes - Between the Ashes
Youtube Channel - P3D Model Box
Between the Ashes is looking for committed testers, PM me for details.
Freespace Upgrade Project See what's happening.

 

Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
  • 29
Re: How to make a VP file?
If you're looking to release something, Knossos will take care of packing your mod into VPs automatically upon upload/release.

That would be nice, but I'd like the mod to be available for people who don't use the Knossos launcher... Could I use the launcher to package it once and then redistribute the package in my release topic?

 
Re: How to make a VP file?
I'm on windows and I use VPT (volition package tool) by luke of wcsaga.org it's a command line packer/unpacker really easy to use and fast!

 

Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
  • 29
Re: How to make a VP file?
I'm on windows and I use VPT (volition package tool) by luke of wcsaga.org it's a command line packer/unpacker really easy to use and fast!

Sounds great, could you please give me a link and instructions on how to use it?

 

Offline ngld

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  • Knossos dev

 

Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
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Re: How to make a VP file?
Thanks a bunch! I will get back to this thread when I test it out.

 

Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
  • 29
Re: How to make a VP file?
I'm not actually sure how to run this. I open the .exe and the window just appears for a split second and disappears.

 

Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
  • 29
Re: How to make a VP file?
Okay, I opened it by typing the exe's path into the command line, but now the program won't follow commands. I typed in the create command exactly how it was in the example, with my own file path substituted, and it said that "VPT" was not a valid command.

 
Re: How to make a VP file?
The best way to use it is to create a batch command file  (there's examples with the download).

For example this will pack everything from "src_folder" to the "vp_name" file

Code: [Select]
@echo off

rem -------------- SETUP BEGIN --------------
set src_folder="e:\Freespace 2\custom_mod\data"
set vp_name="e:\core.vp"
rem -------------- SETUP END --------------

set start_time=%time%

VPT.exe a %vp_name% * %src_folder%

echo.
echo Start: %start_time%
echo Stop : %time%

:end
echo.
pause
exit /b
« Last Edit: January 24, 2018, 12:39:50 am by krevett62 »

 
Re: How to make a VP file?
I forgot to add, if you want a GUI it is compatible with Total Commander plugin "Multiarc" but I can't help how to setup this as I don't own Total Commander.

 

Offline Colonol Dekker

  • HLP is my mistress
  • 213
  • Aken Tigh Dekker- you've probably heard me
    • My old squad sub-domain
Re: How to make a VP file?
Command line driven are best used at the command prompt or using batch files
Campaigns I've added my distinctiveness to-
- Blue Planet: Battle Captains
-Battle of Neptune
-Between the Ashes 2
-Blue planet: Age of Aquarius
-FOTG?
-Inferno R1
-Ribos: The aftermath / -Retreat from Deneb
-Sol: A History
-TBP EACW teaser
-Earth Brakiri war
-TBP Fortune Hunters (I think?)
-TBP Relic
-Trancsend (Possibly?)
-Uncharted Territory
-Vassagos Dirge
-War Machine
(Others lost to the mists of time and no discernible audit trail)

Your friendly Orestes tactical controller.

Secret bomb God.
That one time I got permabanned and got to read who was being bitxhy about me :p....
GO GO DEKKER RANGERSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
President of the Scooby Doo Model Appreciation Society
The only good Zod is a dead Zod
NEWGROUNDS COMEDY GOLD, UPDATED DAILY
http://badges.steamprofile.com/profile/default/steam/76561198011784807.png

 

Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
  • 29
Re: How to make a VP file?
The best way to use it is to create a batch command file  (there's examples with the download).

For example this will pack everything from "src_folder" to the "vp_name" file

Code: [Select]
@echo off

rem -------------- SETUP BEGIN --------------
set src_folder="e:\Freespace 2\custom_mod\data"
set vp_name="e:\core.vp"
rem -------------- SETUP END --------------

set start_time=%time%

VPT.exe a %vp_name% * %src_folder%

echo.
echo Start: %start_time%
echo Stop : %time%

:end
echo.
pause
exit /b

Thanks! Call me silly but I just want to make sure thatI do this right. So I open the VPT.exe in the command line, then type this "batch" in and go?

 
Re: How to make a VP file?
No, you just create a text file with notepad and type this batch, then rename it *.cmd and run this cmd file.

 

Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
  • 29
Re: How to make a VP file?
So I've got this:

Code: [Select]
@echo off

rem -------------- SETUP BEGIN --------------
set src_folder="e:\Games\Freespace 2\Lost\data"
set vp_name="e:\Lost.vp"
rem -------------- SETUP END --------------

set start_time=%time%

%VPT.exe_path% a %Lost.vp% * %e:\Games\Freespace 2\Lost\data%

echo.
echo Start: %start_time%
echo Stop : %time%

:end
echo.
pause
exit /b

But the program looks for the source folder in an entirely different location than the path specified - it looks for "data" in a folder on my desktop, and says that it can't be found. What's going on?


 

Offline ngld

  • Administrator
  • 29
  • Knossos dev
Re: How to make a VP file?
Try this:

Code: [Select]
@echo off

rem -------------- SETUP BEGIN --------------
set src_folder="e:\Games\Freespace 2\Lost\data"
set vp_name="e:\Lost.vp"
rem -------------- SETUP END --------------

set start_time=%time%

VPT.exe a %vp_name% %src_folder%

echo.
echo Start: %start_time%
echo Stop : %time%

:end
echo.
pause
exit /b

 
Re: How to make a VP file?
Yes indeed I should have added that ^^
The only lines you need to change in the batch are:

set src_folder="e:\Games\Freespace 2\Lost\data"
set vp_name="e:\Lost.vp"

other lines must remain untouched ;)

Edit: If you want I attached two simple batch files, one for packing and the other for extracting vp files. Just edit with notepad the lines between "Setup begin" and "Setup end" and leave the rest as is! Of course these batch files must be in the same folder as VPT.exe when you run them.

[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]
« Last Edit: January 26, 2018, 02:40:53 am by krevett62 »

 

Offline HLD_Prophecy

  • PVD_Hope in a former life
  • 29
Re: How to make a VP file?
Quote
Of course these batch files must be in the same folder as VPT.exe when you run them.

There. That's why it wasn't working this whole time, the batch was in a different folder than the .exe.

The revised version handed to me by ngld did not work, but the original batch from krevett does! Thanks guys!