NWNNSSCOMP Command Line Reference - OpenKotOR/PyKotor GitHub Wiki

nwnnsscomp.exe Command-Line Argument Reference

Authoritative list of command-line conventions for nwnnsscomp (KotOR NWScript compiler) across known variants, for building a single unified CLI that can accept or emulate any of them without discrepancy.

Primary source for exact argv forms: PyKotor Libraries/PyKotor/src/pykotor/resource/formats/ncs/compilers.py (KnownExternalCompilers), verified against TSLPatcher readme and community docs.

Placeholders used below

Placeholder Meaning
{source} Path to input file (NSS for compile, NCS for decompile)
{output} Full path to output file
{output_dir} Directory of output (parent of output file)
{output_name} Filename only of output file
{game_value} "1" = KotOR 1, "2" = TSL

Executable is always the first argument (e.g. nwnnsscomp.exe); the tables list arguments only (argv[1:]).

1. V1 (original ~2003, Edward T. Smith / “v1.3 first public release”)

Identification: SHA256 EC3E657C18A32AD13D28DA0AA3A77911B32D9661EA83CF0D9BCE02E1C4D8499D. Reference: PyKotor KnownExternalCompilers.V1 (name: "v1.3 first public release", release_date: 2003-12-31).

Compile

Order Argument
1 -c
2 {source}
3 {output}

Example: nwnnsscomp.exe -c "C:\mod\script.nss" "C:\override\script.ncs"

Decompile

Order Argument
1 -d
2 {source}
3 {output}

Note: No -o flag; output is a positional argument. No game flag; game/version is typically implied by which nwscript.nss is in the working directory or Override.

Alternative / batch style (community docs)

Some readmes and forum posts describe an older or alternate style:

  • Version: -v1.00 (KotOR 1) or similar for game version.
  • Batch compile: -co with positional arguments, e.g. nwnnsscomp -v1.00 -co Override\* Override\
    (compile all NSS in Override\, output to Override\).

This “-v1.00 / -co” form is not the same as the PyKotor V1 config above; it may correspond to an earlier Edward T. Smith build or a different variant. A unified CLI that aims to support “all” forms may need to accept both:

  • Modern V1 (PyKotor): -c / -d with positional source and output.
  • Legacy/batch: -v1.00, -co, and positional path(s).

2. TSLPatcher (tk102 custom, ~2006)

Identification: SHA256 539EB689D2E0D3751AEED273385865278BEF6696C46BC0CAB116B40C3B2FE820. Reference:

  • PyKotor KnownExternalCompilers.TSLPATCHER
  • TSLPatcher’s Official Readme (tk102’s modified nwnnsscomp for TSLPatcher 1.2.7b4+)

Compile

Order Argument
1 -c
2 {source}
3 -o
4 {output}

Example: nwnnsscomp.exe -c "C:\tslpatchdata\script.nss" -o "C:\override\script.ncs"

Decompile

Order Argument
1 -d
2 {source}
3 -o
4 {output}

Notes:

  • Output is specified with -o (not positional).
  • No -g or --outputdir; TSLPatcher places nwscript.nss and NSS in tslpatchdata and calls the compiler from that context. Optional extra parameters can be passed via the INI key ScriptCompilerFlags (Settings section) -- see TSLPatcher’s Official Readme (change log 2006-01-14).

3. KOTOR Tool (Fred Tetra)

Identification: SHA256 E36AA3172173B654AE20379888EDDC9CF45C62FBEB7AB05061C57B52961C824D. Reference:

  • PyKotor KnownExternalCompilers.KOTOR_TOOL
  • SourceForge kotortoolset (nwnnsscomp-kotor 1.02 / 1.05)
  • Fred Tetra, v1.02 (March 2005) added game selection

Compile

Order Argument
1 -c
2 --outputdir
3 {output_dir}
4 -o
5 {output_name}
6 -g
7 {game_value}
8 {source}

Example: nwnnsscomp.exe -c --outputdir "C:\override" -o "script.ncs" -g 1 "C:\mod\script.nss"

Decompile

Order Argument
1 -d
2 --outputdir
3 {output_dir}
4 -o
5 {output_name}
6 -g
7 {game_value}
8 {source}

Notes:

  • --outputdir + -o (output filename only) + -g (game: 1 = K1, 2 = TSL).
  • This variant expects nwscript.nss in Override (or similar); HoloPatcher’s “prepare CompileList” step installs nwscript.nss to Override when using non-TSLPatcher nwnnsscomp for this reason.

4. KOTOR Scripting Tool (James Goad / KobaltBlu)

Identification: SHA256 B7344408A47BE8780816CF68F5A171A09640AB47AD1A905B7F87DE30A50A0A92. Reference:

  • PyKotor KnownExternalCompilers.KOTOR_SCRIPTING_TOOL
  • GitHub KobaltBlu/KotOR-Scripting-Tool (GUI around nwnnsscomp)

Compile / Decompile

Same as KOTOR Tool: -c / -d, --outputdir {output_dir}, -o {output_name}, -g {game_value}, {source}.

So: same flags and argument order as Fred Tetra’s KOTOR Tool; only the binary (and thus SHA256) differs.

Summary table (compile)

Variant Compile argv (after executable)
V1 (v1.3) -c {source} {output}
TSLPatcher -c {source} -o {output}
KOTOR Tool -c --outputdir {output_dir} -o {output_name} -g {game_value} {source}
KOTOR Scripting Tool Same as KOTOR Tool

Summary table (decompile)

Variant Decompile argv (after executable)
V1 (v1.3) -d {source} {output}
TSLPatcher -d {source} -o {output}
KOTOR Tool -d --outputdir {output_dir} -o {output_name} -g {game_value} {source}
KOTOR Scripting Tool Same as KOTOR Tool

Unified CLI design notes

  1. Detection: Identify variant by SHA256 of the binary (as in PyKotor KnownExternalCompilers.from_sha256) or by path (e.g. “KotOR Scripting Tool” dir vs “tslpatchdata” vs “Kotor Tool”).
  2. Single CLI that “accepts any”: Either invoke existing binaries with the correct argv for the detected compiler, as in NwnnsscompConfig.get_compile_args / get_decompile_args, or use a unified wrapper that accepts multiple styles such as both -o path and positional output, and both -g 1|2 and --outputdir/-o, then maps them to one internal representation before emitting the form required by the compiler you call.
  3. Game: Only KOTOR Tool and KOTOR Scripting Tool use -g; TSLPatcher and V1 rely on working directory / nwscript.nss location.
  4. ScriptCompilerFlags: TSLPatcher’s INI allows extra command-line parameters for nwnnsscomp; a unified CLI could support an “extra args” option that is appended after the canonical argv for the chosen variant.

Primary sources

  • PyKotor: Libraries/PyKotor/src/pykotor/resource/formats/ncs/compilers.py -- ExternalCompilerConfig, KnownExternalCompilers, NwnnsscompConfig.get_compile_args / get_decompile_args.
  • TSLPatcher: wiki/TSLPatcher's-Official-Readme.md -- nwscript.nss + nwnnsscomp in tslpatchdata, tk102 custom build, ScriptCompilerFlags (Settings), CompileList behavior.
  • Community: Deadly Stream “NWNNSSCOMP versions”; LucasForums/MixnMojo threads on nwnnsscomp -v1.00, -co, batch compile; SourceForge kotortoolset (nwnnsscomp-kotor 1.05); Hazard’s “KotOR Script Compiler Sourcecode”; KobaltBlu KotOR-Scripting-Tool (GUI, same CLI as KOTOR Tool for the bundled nwnnsscomp).

Other variants (no argv in this doc)

  • DeNCS: Same SHA256 as TSLPatcher in PyKotor; commandline={} (decompiler-only or different interface).
  • Xoreos Tools / knsscomp: knsscomp uses -c {source} -o {output} for compile; no decompile. Xoreos has no commandline template in PyKotor.

See also