An Access Database to mod NTW land units

[Hazbones]

Hi folks, this is my first real Tool for modding so I hope it is useful to at least 1 other person besides me.

Unit Modification Database (UMD)

I have created a MS Access 2007 database that right now can mod NTW land units. Sorry but I do not play naval battles (especially in NTW) and so I really don't want to use alot of time creating a tool for naval units. Maybe if I had some gentle nudging I might be tempted to create one to include naval. I have tested the database with my own mod and it works just as good as using straight PFM.

The database is a basic tool that is meant to help those people that prefer a visual step-by-step method of how to create a custom unit or modify stats of units. For me, it helps when doing mass unit modding because you have all the tool features that Access offers to speed up data entry and search/sorting.

What the UMD does NOT do:
>>It does not replace PFM. It is supposed to be used with PFM.
>>It does not mod naval units
>>It does not create new models, flags, or textures

What the UMD CAN do:
>>It can mod land unit stats
>>It can mod the localisation file
>>It can create custom units (minus the new skins and models)
>>It can copy/paste between PFM (1 unit at a time copy/pasting but importing full tables it can do)
>>It can show you a step-by-step approach to creating a unit that will work in game

Using the UMD with PFM:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I am adding these details to help users get their UMD units into their mod using PFM. But first...

The way the database works is you create all units in the database itself. There is no need to use PFM until the end when you are importing the UMD units you create into your own mod pack. In the instruction guide I used a mod frame pack (ModDB). This ModDB file frame is just to help those that need a mod frame to build on and to see how their own UMD units should look in the tables.

1. The following instructions start at the point after you have all of your units created in the UMD:

2. Open your mod pack file in PFM

3. Now click on the PFM units_table. You will see that the columns in PFM and the STEP1 form in UMD are the same.

4. Now on the right pane of PFM you'll see an EXPORT TSV button. Click that button and export the table to your desktop (DO NOT RENAME THE TABLE). Just click export tsv and save it on your desktop

5. Now minimize the PFM window and find the TSV file you saved on your desktop.

6. OPEN the tsv file in EXCEL.

7. Open up the UMD to "STEP 1 Create Unit" (this is the units_table in PFM)

8. Arrange the EXCEL sheet and UMD side-by-side on your desktop so that you can do some easy copy/pasting between them

9. Now go to the line of the new unit you created in the UMD and SELECT the whole row and COPY it

10. Switch over to the EXCEL sheet and click on a blank row and PASTE your UMD unit there.
*Minimize the UMD for now

11. Looking at the EXCEL sheet you will see your custom unit you pasted from UMD. You'll see a gray row with UMD column headers. DELETE the gray row of UMD column headers.
*There is no need to format or adjust column sizes, etc. PFM will figure all that out for you.

12. Make sure that ONLY the units that you want to be in your mod are on this spreadsheet. If there is anything else not intended to be in your mod DELETE those rows from the spreadsheet.

13. Now click on SAVE in the Excel toolbar. A popup will appear... just click "Yes" on that popup.

14. Now CLOSE the Excel spreasheet and when prompted to save changes click "NO" on that popup.

15. Maximize PFM (it should still be open to the units table where you exported the table from.

16. On the right-hand pane of PFM there is a button IMPORT TSV. Click that and select the TSV file on your desktop (units). You should now see your custom unit in your mod pack table.

17. It's as simple as that! Just repeat the process for each step in UMD exporting the tsv file from PFM for the corresponding table in UMD. Copy/paste the unit from UMD into the tsv and then import the tsv back into PFM.

Play!

I would appreciate any feedback on the database to help improve it. This is a basic tool (ver .01) so be gentle with it. Post any problems you run into and we can iron them out.

Permissions:
I have left the database wide open for people to use as they wish. Feel free to modify it and do wonderful things. If you feel inclined you can send me any fixes or additions in your own copy and I can add it to the next version.

Credits:
Thanks to the creators of PFM for without them we could not do what we are capable of with this game.

Files:
I have created a BASE mod frame that you can build a mod on top of. It comes with a test unit to see how your units should appear in the tables:
(download the ModDB.rar)

There are two files in the second rar:
UMD.acccdb (this is the main MS Access DB)
Unit Modification Database.doc (this is the instruction manual w/pics)

Version History:
UMD v.01
UMD v.02 -- fixes some bugs pointed out on Building to Units allowed
UMD v.03 -- made some design and code adjustments. Fixed issues found on abilities and bldg tables
UMD v.04 -- drop down list fixes (maybe upcoming version with loc form separated from the unit card form)
UMD v.05 -- made the loc file form a seperate form. More room to edit text now. VBA code tweaks
UMD v.06 -- drop down list tweaks and form vba code changes
UMD v.07 (current) -- vba code changes

[wangzhen123666]

Database ?

sorry I do not know how to use

[Hazbones]

Database ?

sorry I do not know how to use

Yes, it is a Microsoft Access Database (2007 version). You need that program to use this database. There is a users guide in the .rar file if you can understand the instructions you can use the database.

[Hazbones]

Good news, if you look on the unit card form you'll see the jumbled up mess of text in the .loc file section. Do not worry, I just created some loc entries and imported into my mod and the jumbled text sorted itself out once it was put back into the pack file.

***btw, I have updated the UMD to v.03. Fixed some form design problems and tweaked some vba code.

[Invictus XII]

Excellent, downloading now, will report in a sec! +rep

[Hazbones]

If there is something in the database that isn't clear or needs adjustment please let me know so that I can perfect the database. It was created in a low resolution for those of us without the super duper monitors so that is why the forms are small. Simply knock your screen resolution down one or two knotches to view the forms in all their glory.

[Hazbones]

Updated with v.04

>Fixed some drop down lists that weren't updating after unit changes were made in the table.

I have started work separating the localisation form from the unit card form. I think the loc form warrants a space of its own.
Try out the new version and see if you like it.

*Remember that you can easily copy/paste your units from one database to another as new versions come available.

[Hazbones]

Updated with v.05

>Separated the Loc form into its own space. Now there is more room to edit text.

There seems to be issues with the Building_to_units_allowed form in the Unknown field. The value is supposed to be "FALSE" in that column for all records. If you are having trouble importing that file into your own pack then make sure that the unknown field has "FALSE" for all records.

[klesh]

Hey this tool is great. I dont have alot of Access experience, but this tool looks really easy to use. I'm having a crack at it now, might try putting together a new unit over the weekend. Nice work!

[Hazbones]

If you run into any problems using it, don't waste hours trying to make it work, just ask and I can pretty much figure out any issues with the database.

[cr88ping_d8ath]

Very nice, just had a look at it and it looks like the dbeditor. Whether or not it works, I don't know, haven't tested it yet but well done, nice job.

[Hazbones]

It works great. I am using it to create my mod and so far no big problems. There are a few minor tweaks I am making after each set of units I create. Not that there are any big issues, they are minor things that I am fixing like how drop down lists are displayed and such and other form design changes but the functionality has been perfect since the first release. All of the units I have made so far work in game. I am trying to keep the tool as simple and useful as possible to help the new people with creating their own units. If you have any suggestions to make it better please post.

[erasmus777]

Nice work

[Hazbones]

Thanks erasmus

Updated to v.06

>made some drop down list and form vba code changes. These are just form functionality issues I am tinkering with but the database itself is fully functional for creating units.
>Also made some additions to the instruction document to describe some of the quirks with Access that you need to be aware of.

[klesh]

Okay, I am a super novice here and tried my best.
I am towards the end, but the instructions are getting spotty here, I think they presume I'm supposed to know more than I do. This is the spot I'm at:

Next, open PFM and open the pack file that you want to add the table to. Note that I have only one unit in my mod pack units_table. (Page 21)

I have no idea what to do here? Where do I want to add the 10 files I just exported? It looks like you're editing up an existing .pack (ModDB.pack), but I dont have that obviously.

I want to add one new unit I (hopefully) created properly, but I'm sort of lost as to what to do next. Could anyone offer some advice?

[erasmus777]

Okay, I am a super novice here and tried my best.
I am towards the end, but the instructions are getting spotty here, I think they presume I'm supposed to know more than I do. This is the spot I'm at:



I have no idea what to do here? Where do I want to add the 10 files I just exported? It looks like you're editing up an existing .pack (ModDB.pack), but I dont have that obviously.

I want to add one new unit I (hopefully) created properly, but I'm sort of lost as to what to do next. Could anyone offer some advice?

I believe the general idea is that you create a mod using the steps you'll find in the various tutorials. Do everything but edit the values in the tables. That's your "frame". Export your data to Access and use it to do all your editing. Then put everything back in into your framework. If you don't have a framework but you've done all of your editing in Access, create a mod with just the tables you've edited. Then copy over the data with your changes. Hope that helps.

[klesh]

Hi Erasmus! Heh, you're the same guy that assisted me in the ill-fated Minutemen unit attempt. You're always a helpful guy.
Indeed, I am looking at some other tutorials now, and kind of trying to figure it out along the way.

A question remains, how do I create my pack with the 6-10 files I need, and have it match the folder structure in the game's data.pack for example?
All of these files are in data/db/*, but I dont know how to bundle my assorted files to have that same path.

If you don't have a framework but you've done all of your editing in Access, create a mod with just the tables you've edited. Then copy over the data with your changes. Hope that helps.

Thats pretty much where I'm at I think. I dont know how to create a mod that had pulles the (lets say 7) relevant files from the data.pack which I then can delete all the info out of and add my one line of info for my new unit.


I'd love to look at a finished .pack file that adds simply one unit following these steps to see if what I have in my files matches what's in the "properly done" files. Hazbones, could you maybe upload a completed mod.pack following the steps in your directions so we can see what the end result should look like?


In an effort not to derail this thread, feel free (anyone) to pm me if you feel like helping a fella out. I wont ask anymore questions here.

Or, stop by the thread I made for help.

[Hazbones]

Okay, I am a super novice here and tried my best.
I am towards the end, but the instructions are getting spotty here, I think they presume I'm supposed to know more than I do. This is the spot I'm at:



I have no idea what to do here? Where do I want to add the 10 files I just exported? It looks like you're editing up an existing .pack (ModDB.pack), but I dont have that obviously.

I want to add one new unit I (hopefully) created properly, but I'm sort of lost as to what to do next. Could anyone offer some advice?

[EDIT]-- much easier way to do this. See first post in this thread

[Hazbones]

I have updated the UMD to v.07

>>Just some minor drop down list changes... can't seem to get them perfect the way I want them but I think this might be the last tinkering I do with them.

*NOTE: if you have trouble importing the Buildings to units allowed table into your mod let me know and I can give you some tips to get it to work. There is an unknown column in that table that Access is having trouble identifying and it might give you issues when importing from the database into your mod pack using PFM. I can pretty much figure out the problem if you just drop a line here and tell me what error you are getting.

[Iutland]

Nice work Hazbones +Rep