Originally posted by karajorma
Actually I forgot to mention you should backup the data drawer and make sure all the folders apart from players are empty cause otherwise .tbl files from in that drawer will superceed anything in the .vp you just added.
Actually.
There is more to it than that.
1: as you wrote
Non-packed files will be used over packed files, if files are identical in regard to the filename.
2: if files are identical regarding the filename and are packed in two separate VP files, and rule #1 does not apply, then it will use the file found in the pack witch filename comes lexicographically first.
Example
File AAA.vp in directory freespace2/ has file in it called ships.tbl
&
File BBB.vp in directory freespace2/ also has a file called ships.tbl
Then it will use the ships.tbl found in AAA.VP
This is the main reason why we can drop VP files into the mod directory and have FS2 use what ever in there over the default VP files that in a full install would be
root_fs2.vp
smarty_fs2.vp
sparky_fs2.vp
sparky_hi_fs2.vp
stu_fs2.vp
tango1_fs2.vp
tango2_fs2.vp
tango3_fs2.vp
warble_fs2.vp
If any mod/custom vp file’s filename comes lexicographically after one of the original Volition pack filenames above, and the Volition pack in Question contains a file identical to a file in the mod Vp file, in regard to the filename. Then fs2 will use the file found in on the original Volition pack.
Don’t understand yet.
Try and take a mod vp file like the fs1port.vp can and rename it to XXX.vp.
And start fs2.
See, it does not use anything found in that file. BUT: it does read it however. It just doesn’t add the files or stores them.
The fs2.exe searches and reads files in like this
Search 1 root FS2 directory: all files found here will be used, except .plr and Squad logos. VP files are scanned later in search 3.
Search 2 Subdirectories: files here must be in their assigned folder, like textures has to be in subdirectory MAPS
Search 3:VP file scan: now it reads the packs, lexicographically, first file found will be used, if not found in search 1 or search 2.
Search4:Cd_rom scan: if one of the original fs2 cd_roms are in the drive, then scan for files & scan VP files not found in search 1 or 2 or 3.
