Tutorial; BigFileCreator - HWRM/KarosGraveyard GitHub Wiki
How to Create a ".big" File Using "archive.exe" by jpaugh78, FrankDark, and Mikali. Discussion
Note: at the moment, this tutorial will only work if you have Homeworld 2 installed in a directory that has no spaces in its name (e.g., "Program Files"). You can manually fix this by replacing "Program Files" with "Progra~1". This also means you'll have trouble adding the "build and research" directory to you mod. You'll have to open up the ".list" file and surround any paths with this directory in them with quotes. Don't change any directory names to their short path names if the directories are anywhere in the "Homeworld2" directory.
With some help from other people in the Relic Community, I have put together a small batch file that makes creating a ".big" file a much easier process.
Note: if you did not install Homeworld 2 into "C:\Program Files\Sierra\Homeworld2", then you will need to change all references to it so that they reflect the correct installation directory.
Note: if you've set up your HW2 Root, you can replace all references to the HW2 installation directory with %HW2_ROOT%. See this thread for more detailed instructions.
Okay, before you do this tutorial, make sure you have copied the "archive.exe" tool into your "\Homeworld2" directory. You can find it in "C:\Program Files\Relic Developer's Network\tools\bin".
Note: "archive.exe" comes as part of the RDN Tools package, available for download upon registering with the RDN. The documentation for "archive.exe" can be found here.
You will also need to have copied the "Msvcp70.dll" file into your "Homeworld2" directory. You can find it in "C:\Program Files\Sierra\Homeworld2\bin\release".
Step 1
Create a folder in your "Homeworld2" folder called "Moddata". This folder is where you will be putting your modded folders.
Step 2
In your "Homeworld2" directory, make a new text file and name it "BigFile.txt". In that text file put the following (make sure you leave an extra blank line at the end):
Archive name="Extra Ships 1.0"
TOCStart name="""ExtraShipsData""" alias="Data" relativeroot=""
""FileSettingsStart"" defcompression="1"
Override wildcard="*.*" minsize="-1" maxsize="100" ct="0"
Override wildcard="*.mp3" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="0"
Override wildcard="*.wav" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="0"
Override wildcard="*.jpg" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="0"
Override wildcard="*.fda" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="0"
Override wildcard="*.lua" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.txt" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.ship" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.resource" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.pebble" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.level" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.wepn" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.subs" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.miss" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.events" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.madstate" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.script" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.ti" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.st" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.vp" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
Override wildcard="*.wf" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1" ct="2"
""SkipFile"" wildcard="*emptyfile.txt" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1"
""SkipFile"" wildcard="*.avi" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1"
""SkipFile"" wildcard="keeper.txt" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1"
""SkipFile"" wildcard="*.big" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1"
""SkipFile"" wildcard="*.sfap0" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1"
""SkipFile"" wildcard="C:\Program Files\Sierra\""Homeworld2""\Data\Locale\English\*" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1"
""SkipFile"" wildcard="C:\Program Files\Sierra\""Homeworld2""\Data\Sound\Speech\*" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1"
""SkipFile"" wildcard="C:\Program Files\Sierra\""Homeworld2""\Data\Sound\Music\*" minsize="-1" maxsize="-1"
""FileSettingsEnd""
Step 3
Make another text file and put it anywhere on your computer you'd like. Just remember where it is. Put the following in this text file:
(If you are running Windows2K or XP)
@echo off
cd "C:\Program Files\Sierra\""Homeworld2"""
copy ""BigFile.txt"" compile.list
dir .\Moddata /s /b /a:-d >> ""compile.list""
echo TOCEnd >> ""compile.list""
set /p bigname="Enter a new name for your ".big" file>"
tools\Bin\archive -a %bigname%.big -c compile.list -r .\Moddata -v
exit
(If you are running Windows9X or ME)
@echo off
cd "C:\Program Files\Sierra\""Homeworld2"""
copy ""BigFile.txt"" compile.list
dir .\Moddata /s /b /a:-d >> ""compile.list""
echo TOCEnd >> ""compile.list""
tools\Bin\archive -a ''<New ".big" name here>''.big -c compile.list -r .\Moddata -v
exit
Note: you will have to run this batch file while running Windows.
If you are running Windows9X or ME, replace <New ".big" name here> with a new name for your ".big" file. You will have to do this every time you create a new ".big" file, if you do not want to overwrite any previously generated ".big" files.
When you go to save this file, click Save As and make it a batch file by simply naming it:
"<Whatever you want here>.bat"
Step 4
After your mod is finished, simply run the batch file from Step 3 and your ".big" file will be generated. If you are running Windows2K or XP, the batch file will ask you what you want to name your ".big" file.
Every time you need to create a new ".big" file, simply delete whatever is in the "Homeworld2\Moddata" folder and replace it with your new mod. Then, run the batch file again.
Step 5
Put the ".big" file in your "Homeworld2\Data" folder and create a new shortcut to Homeworld 2 with the following command line:
-mod <Your mod's name here>.big
Example:
-mod cataclysm.big
Afterword
Thanks goes to FinalCat for actually figuring this out...but I helped him....kinda...
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Updated for HWRM? Initial