How the game can use your files ...
Well, I am not maybe the most appropriate one for writeing tutorials, but because it seems taht nobody from fluently English speaking people ahs not sufficient amont a time to read the posts wher the info is already involved I will write again to this place.
Ther are three possiblities how to sue your file, which you have modded.
The first known between laiks was -mod mymod switch in cfg file.
The second one known after the rteleasing the patch is using chaced files by means of io. -files_first
Now what is less know for most of frequenters of all TW fora:
The third one is my original hexediting approach. You need to hexedit the appropriate file name in the respective .pack file in packs subfolder (in full MTW2 game it is mostly data_0.pack file) and by this way to disable it and game engine then will utomatically search for it in the Data subfolder. If you are not able to hexedit, you can use for this purpose MedBattleSelector by ShellShock (i.e. the tool which have included his origianl TW grep program, which was constructed by ShellShock for purposes of right this kind of data.pack modding to enable unscripted and customised Historical battle in MTW2 Demos, the idea was mine, the creation of this great tool for nontechnical people is nice masterpiece by Shellshock - all credits granted in this). Only "undesired" effect of Shellshocks tool is a need for sufficient space on HDD for back-uped pack file - this is automatic, the respective data pack is patched and backed up after opening the MedBattleSelctor for the first time .... For newbies is this in fact ideal solution, because almost everybody has the 1GB of free space needed on the same partition like the MTW2 isntallation is and it is is preventing the searching to fora for the "origianl pack file" because the non archiving before applying changes ....
It is typical that the community has chosen in reality the most appropriate solution and the theoretically the worst as for the performance .... Inreality it doesnt matter maybe if the performance of comps CPUs is huge but nevertheless, it is typical to do massively things without thinking, and let the already functional and proven and better solutions to be lsot in deepness of forum cemetry section ....
For the people who are only non-informed and have a desire to do things efficiently and smartly it is worth to read my nonunderstandable text furhter....
In fact, the first solution was the option number three, i.e. the hexediting approach. It is the best of all possibles for changing only several files in game.
The reason why I praise it is not that I ahve "created" this approach, but because it is doing the smaaem thing like first_file option, but in the opposite direction.
Well, only minority of people here has searched the forum to find out the meaning the file_first option. This info I have written several times in my posts, but it is not possible to let people listen to when this is a "suggested approach" for usage extracted data files - misleading info released in Readme together with Unpacker in 1.1 patch, patch is good, Unpacker is great and usage of the file_first for - lets say - till 20 files modificated files is nonsense .... The other option the so called mymod switch is useful for modders to release their work, but seems to be fully functional only for some kind of files .... See the "error messages" that this or that modded file is not functional in Data folder in mymod folder ....
What is the file_first for? Well, this is a rather tool for developers, like debug options and logging options. And the logging is now also important - as an evidence taht I am tlaking the truth ... The filefirst is for usage of the cached file, you can read in exe file or "after dumping the info from your memory when the CA exe application is running" to not be harsh to CA copyright ....
I ahve not understand what are the cahed fiels when I ahve used for the first time in demo during my reserch in October this setting in confg file. Then I ahve graped that cached file is for CA any file which is placed in Data folder or its subfolders.... Simple like that, the old known princples from RTW are here, but CA is naming them in somewhat secret manner ... In RTW you colud place the file to Data folder or subfolders to mirror structure of pak fil (not pack file like in MTW2, otherwise the same thing) and the engine used this file when it was not able to find out this dile in pak. It is no secret, it is principle on which are running all modds on RTW platform ... In MTW2 it is necessary to use file_first in cofig file for this type ofbehaviour. When I say this tpy, I mean this category, that it is similar, but it is differnt in one very important way. The engine is seracing in Data folder first always. Yes, always, not only when it is not able to find this file in pack file, always. And if I ahve not meant it still, it is doing it ALWAYS, for each file the game is using ..... And now the evidence by log - se the log with more eloquent form and you will be awed what is your comp doing .... Somebody more smart and with slower CPU colud also remark that this ahs something to do with larger loading times and stuttering the game when he is using the filefirst for his modded files ........
I use the filefirst also, when I wnat to examine some new chnege in soem file which I ahve unmodded yet, it is for thispurpuses there. But for definition which files in Data folder engine sholud use pernmanently I use personally my hexediting approach. Why? Because it is doing the same thing like was possible in RTW - The engine is seraching in Data folder only the files which has not been able to locate in pack file. So, I dont use it because I ahve done it. But because it is more efficient and I have used now myself the MedBattleSelector for this with a nice posiblity to define files which will be used in its .config file. I ahve created this approach not because knew that it will be better, but bacsue I ahve had not known the function of the filefirst in that time, co I ahve used for the "cracking" the Demo the hexediting approach. It is now clear that it is more efficient than the file_first, I ahve show athis and try explain this but nobody cares for ....
The filefirst can be use furhter, no harm to you game isntallation, but huger load of your system is 100% and when the mods will start to be demanding as for CPU (mainly the new AI and mainly the campaign AI, tha CAs one is not able to load anything, neither your system nor your brain) it will be problem - the older ones here will remember the EB loading problems in start of this year for example ....
So, in the end, I can only suggest for anybody who wants to use his several modded files efficeently to sue for this ShellShocks MedBattleSelector, I have released my AI batle system with this approach of installation also - but alot of people is rather confuse when they know that this thing the MUST to do by means of filefirst .....
Bye Sinuhet
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