[Wiki] Useful Modding-related Programs

[makanyane]

Ah, hadn't thought about web stuff before but as lots of mods do have own sites... my favourites:

BlazeFtp free FTP client, found it easy to use, and as above I'd tried 30day trial of different paid for product and didn't find anything lacking in this afterwards, it's independent of browser type used

EZpad free, very simple (and basic) html editor and viewer

[Maced0n]

I take this list from MSFN forums


Anti-Virus, Anti-Malware, Anti-Spyware

Ad-Aware - http://lavasoft.element5.com/index.php
AVG - http://free.grisoft.com/
Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic - http://www.free-av.com/
ClamWin - http://www.clamwin.com/
Comodo Antivirus - http://antivirus.comodo.com/
HijackThis - http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/p...php#hijackthis
Spybot-S&D - http://www.spybot.info/en/home/index.html
SpywareBlaster - http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
SpywareGuard - http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html
Winpooch - http://winpooch.free.fr/
XPY - http://xpy.whyeye.org/


Audio Players

1by1 - http://mpesch3.de1.cc/1by1.html
CoolPlayer - http://coolplayer.sourceforge.net/
DeliPlayer - http://www.deliplayer.com/
Delphamp - http://www.delphamp.com/
Foobar2000 - http://www.foobar2000.com/
MoolPlayer - http://tinyapps.co.uk/moolplayer/
musikCube - http://www.musikcube.com/
Quintessential Player - http://www.quinnware.com/
SongBird - http://www.songbirdnest.com/download
XMPlay - http://www.un4seen.com/


Audio Tools

Audacity - http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
AutoFLAC - http://legroom.net/modules.php?op=modload&...mp;app=autoflac
BonkEnc - http://www.bonkenc.org/index.php
CDEx - http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/
EAC - http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/
MP3Gain - http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/
Mp3tag - http://www.mp3tag.de/en/


Benchmarking / Hardware Info

CPU-Z - http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php
PC WIZARD 2007 - http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php
Futuremark - http://www.futuremark.com/products/
HD Tune - http://www.hdtune.com/
Nero CD-DVD Speed - http://www.cdspeed2000.com/
Nero InfoTool - http://www.nero.com/nero7/deu/Info_Tool.html
RightMark Utilities - http://www.rightmark.org/
SIW - System Information for Windows - http://www.gtopala.com/


Bittorent Clients

µTorrent - http://utorrent.com/index.php
Azureus - http://azureus.sourceforge.net/index.php
BitComet - http://www.bitcomet.com/
BitSpirit - http://www.167bt.com/intl/
BitTorrent - http://www.bittorrent.com/
Deluge - http://www.deluge-torrent.org/
Halite - http://www.binarynotions.com/halite.php
Rufus - http://rufus.sourceforge.net/


CD & DVD Burning

CDBurnerXP Pro - http://www.cdburnerxp.se/index.php
Burrrn - http://www.burrrn.net/
DeepBurner - http://www.deepburner.com/
ImgBurn - http://www.imgburn.com/
Infra Recorder - http://infrarecorder.sourceforge.net/
Small CD-Writer - unofficial translation - http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=7564


Compression/Decompression

7-zip - www.7-zip.org
ExtractNow - http://www.extractnow.com/
Far Manager - http://farmanager.com/
WinUHA - http://winuha.com
UPX - http://upx.sourceforge.net/
Universal Extractor - http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=62418


Data Recovery

PC INSPECTOR File Recovery - http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/welcome.htm
Recuva - http://www.recuva.com/
Restoration - http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html
TestDisk and PhotoRec - http://www.cgsecurity.org/
Undelete Plus - http://www.undelete-plus.com/


Download Manager

DownThemAll - Firefox extension - http://www.downthemall.net/
FlashGet - http://flashget.com/
Free Download Manager - http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/
LeechGet Personal Edition - http://www.leechget.net/en/
Orbit Downloader - http://www.orbitdownloader.com/
Wackget - http://millweed.com/
Wget - http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/wget.htm
wGetGUI - http://www.jensroesner.de/wgetgui/
WinWGet - http://www.cybershade.us/winwget/



Encryption

FreeOTFE - http://www.freeotfe.org/
KeePass - http://keepass.sourceforge.net/
Steganos LockNote - http://www.steganos.com/?content=locknote&language=en
TrueCrypt - http://www.truecrypt.org/


File Tools

A43 File Management Utility - http://www.primitus.us/a43/
Ant Renamer - http://www.antp.be/software/renamer
Directory Lister - http://www.krksoft.com/index.html
ExplorerXP - http://www.explorerxp.com/
freeCommander - http://www.freecommander.com/
LS File List Generator - http://home.a03.itscom.net/tsuzu/programing/en/
ReNamer - http://www.den4b.com/
WinMerge - http://winmerge.org/


Firewall

Comodo Personal Firewall - http://www.comodogroup.com/
Outpost Firewall Free - http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpostfree/index.php
Safety.Net - http://www.netveda.com/consumer/safetynet.htm
SoftPerfect Personal Firewall - http://www.softperfect.com/products/firewall/
ZoneAlarm - http://www.zonelabs.com/


FTP

Filezilla - http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/


Graphics

ArtRage - http://www.ambientdesign.com/
AveIconifier2 - http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/showthread.php?t=15304
Blender - http://www.blender.org/
Gimp - http://www.gimp.org/
hugin - Panorama Tools GUI - http://hugin.sourceforge.net/
InkScape - http://www.inkscape.org/
IrfanView - http://www.irfanview.com/
Jahshaka - http://www.jahshaka.org/
OpenFX - http://www.openfx.org/
Paint.NET - http://www.getpaint.net/index.html
PhotoFiltre - http://www.photofiltre.com/
Picasa - http://picasa.google.com/
Google SketchUp - http://www.sketchup.com/
TuxPaint - http://www.tuxpaint.org/
XnView - http://www.xnview.com/


GUI

Adolix Wallpaper Changer - http://www.adolix.com/wallpaper-changer/
AveDesk - http://www.avedesk.org/
CD Art Display - http://www.closetosoftware.com/
Desktop List View - http://iamwill.com/dev/desktopListView/index.php
Dexpot - http://dexpot.de/index.php?id=home
DM2 - http://dm2.sourceforge.net/
Flickr Wallpaper Rotator - http://www.rushfrisby.com/apps/Flick...r-Rotator.aspx
FlyakiteOSX - http://osx.portraitofakite.com/
John's Background Switcher - http://www.johnsadventures.com/backe...roundSwitcher/
PowerMenu - http://www.veridicus.com/tummy/programming/powermenu/
RK Launcher - http://home.cogeco.ca/~rklauncher/
RocketDock - http://www.punksoftware.com/rocketdock
Tango Shell Patcher - http://vertigosity.benpbrown.com/?page=start
TaskSwitchXP - http://www.ntwind.com/software/taskswitchxp.html
XPize - http://xpero.msfn.org/
VirtuaWin - http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/
Vista Transformation Pack - http://www.windowsxlive.net/?page_id=15


Instant Messaging

aMSN - MSN - http://amsn.sourceforge.net/index.php
Gaim - Multi-Protocol support - http://gaim.sourceforge.net/
miniaim - AIM - http://miniaim.net/
Miranda - Multi-Protocol support - http://www.miranda-im.org/
Trillian - Multi-Protocol support - http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/


IRC Client

Bersirc - http://bersirc.free2code.net/index.php/home/
HydraIRC - http://www.hydrairc.com/
KVIRC - http://www.kvirc.net/
X-Chat - http://www.xchat.org/
X-Chat 2 - http://www.silverex.org/news/


Network Tools

Ethereal - Protocol Analyzer - http://www.ethereal.com/
Knocker - Port Scanner - http://knocker.sourceforge.net/index.php
Hamachi - http://www.hamachi.cc/
OCS Inventory - Inventory - http://ocsinventory.sourceforge.net/
OmniPeek Personal - http://www.omnipeek.com/omnipeek_personal.php
Show Traffic - Traffic Analyzer - [b]http://www.demosten.com/index.html
SmartSniff - http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/smsniff.html
Snort - IDS - http://snort.org/
SoftPerfect Network Scanner - http://www.softperfect.com/products/networkscanner/
The Dude - http://www.mikrotik.com/thedude.php
Wireshark -http://www.wireshark.org/


Notepad Replacements

metapad - http://www.liquidninja.com/metapad/
Notepad++ - http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/site.htm
Notepad2 - http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html


Office

AbiWord - http://www.abisource.com/
Foxit Reader - http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php
Gnumeric - http://www.gnome.org/projects/gnumeric/
Nvu - http://www.nvu.com/index.php
OpenOffice - http://www.openoffice.org/
PDFCreator - http://www.pdfforge.org/


RSS

FeedReader - http://www.feedreader.com/
GreatNews - http://www.curiostudio.com/index.html
RSSOwl - http://www.rssowl.org/


System Utilities


Auslogics Disk Defrag - http://www.auslogics.com/disk-defrag/index.php
CamStudio - http://www.camstudio.org/
CCleaner - http://ccleaner.com/
Convert - http://joshmadison.net/software/convert/
Event Log Explorer - http://www.eventlogxp.com/
HashTab - http://beeblebrox.org/hashtab/
JkDefrag - http://www.kessels.com/JkDefrag/
Neoshooter - http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=161346
NirSoft Utilities - http://www.nirsoft.net/
Rumshot - http://shellscape.org/rumshot/
Sandboxie - http://www.sandboxie.com/
Sizer - http://www.brianapps.net/sizer.html
Sysinternals Utilities - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysintern...itiesindex.mspx
Unlocker - http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
VirtualBox - http://www.virtualbox.org/
Window Clippings - http://weblogs.asp.net/kennykerr/archive/t...gs/default.aspx


Web Browsers

Firefox - http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
K-Meleon - http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/
Opera - http://www.opera.com/


VoIP

Gizmo - http://www.gizmoproject.com/
Skype - http://www.skype.com/
VoipStunt - http://www.voipstunt.com/
WengoPhone - http://www.wengo.com/


Video Players

GOM Player - http://www.gomplayer.com/main.html
Media Player Classic - http://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/
MoolPlayer - http://tinyapps.co.uk/moolplayer/
MPUI - http://mpui.sourceforge.net/
KMPlayer - http://www.kmplayer.com/forums/index.php
rulesPlayer - http://rulesplayer.lessequal.com/
VLC - http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
Zoom Player (Standard) - http://www.inmatrix.com/


Video Tools

Any Video Converter - http://www.any-dvd-converter.com/
AutoGK - http://www.autogk.me.uk/
BeSweet - http://dspguru.doom9.net/
Dr.DivX - http://labs.divx.com/DrDivX
DVD43 - http://www.dvd43.com/
DVDFab Decrypter - http://www.dvdidle.com/free.htm
DVD-Rebuilder - http://dvd-rb.dvd2go.org/
GSpot Codec Information Appliance - http://www.headbands.com/gspot/
MediaCoder - http://mediacoder.sourceforge.net/
MKVToolnix - http://www.bunkus.org/videotools/mkvtoolnix/
RatDVD- http://www.ratdvd.dk/download.htm
StaxRip - http://www.planetdvb.net/staxrip/
Videora Converter - http://www.videora.com/en-us/Converter/
VirtualDub - http://www.virtualdub.org/

[Amroth]

The first post has been updated with the suggestions that have come in so far (and I have put them in a format I think should be easy to navigate - thanks to Spiff for his link which helped with that).

Large lists of free software is not really what I am looking for, but they are good for checking to see if there is something that might have been missed. The programs that we list should - IMO - be 'tried and tested' programs that modders have worked with for some time and found useful.

Please keep the suggestions coming!

[makanyane]

As we've got other paid for 2d program in:
PaintShopPro- http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satelli.../1155872554948
(I'm assuming that's just new version of older product - though they added 'photo' to name)
PhotoShop Elements- http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelwin/
both above are about 1/4 price of full Photoshop

3d: Gmax is actually still downloadable and free:
http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax
won't export to RTW but I think files can be converted from that if someone else has 3dmax. Not sure if it is similar enough to be used as training tool or not.

Oh, and EZpad is only an editor for HTML not text documents.

[Amroth]

Thanks, Mak. All those have been added, and I moved EZpad down to Miscellaneous.

[Amroth]

Added some archivers/compressors to the list in the first post (WinRAR, WinZip, 7-Zip, IZArc).

[Arakorn]

Umm, MS Office for office suites maybe?

[Monkwarrior]

I use Synchron X to compare folders.
http://www.clickteam.com/fr/synchronx.php

Now I've discovered Pando to share very big files (up to 1 Gb).
http://www.pando.com/download

[Beiss]

I use windows explorer as an ftp client. I realized it could be used for this very recently - just type ftp://username:password@url in the adress field and it shows up like any folder on the hard drive. Used smartFTP for a long time, but it kept crashing. I really like using native software like the windows explorer for FTP, even though I never use it as a web browser. Just a tip.

I'm gonna try gmax now, sounds like fun. Does anyone know if google sketchup is any good for game 3d model editing?

EDIT: the gmax installation file installs microsoft journal viewer, not gmax. wtf?

[makanyane]

EDIT: the gmax installation file installs microsoft journal viewer, not gmax. wtf?

Link works for me - you should get to Turbo Squid site then select Gmax 19.2 MB free download. Which gives gmax12.exe downloaded file, what did you end up with?

Note anyway, Gmax can't export .cas to game, or render without further software (and I'm not sure yet if it will load textures) - and it looks horribly complicated

[Arakorn]

I use windows explorer as an ftp client. I realized it could be used for this very recently - just type ftp://username:password@url in the adress field and it shows up like any folder on the hard drive. Used smartFTP for a long time, but it kept crashing. I really like using native software like the windows explorer for FTP, even though I never use it as a web browser. Just a tip.

Yes, my father taught me that. And the later days I've been having problems in starting up SmartFTP 2.0 too, I click the exe but it won't just start.

But problem with Explorer is that it's hard to save any info and so...

[Beiss]

makanyane - I run the file gmax12 from my hard drive and it tries to install microsoft journal viewer. I think my file system must be messed up...

Arakorn-eir - what do you mean by "save any info"? If you mean log-in info - you can always make a shortcut to the ftp site. Go to the desktop and make a new shortcut. Enter this is the field:

%windir%\explorer.exe "ftp://username:password@url"

Clicking this shortcut will now open up the ftp folder like any folder on the computer.

You can also go to "my network places" in your computer and click "add a network place", if you prefer.

The only limitation I know of is that you can't decide whether to use binary or ASCII file transfer, but I'm guessing it's using binary at all times, being explorer. I don't think windows normally uses ASCII file transfer when moving files around on the hard drive.

In all honesty, what do you need extra FTP software for? What can it do that windows explorer can't? This isn't a rethorical question - I'm genuinely interested in knowing. Why do people make and sell FTP applications that people buy for money when the ability is already built-in with windows?

[makanyane]

Beiss, re: ftp software, I suspect a lot of people don't realise you can do that in explorer (I didn't but just tried and see what you mean) certainly looks as though you can do all file management functions that way. I think I still prefer using BlazeFtp though, just for convenience of having two windows side be side for comparing HD files with ftp site contents - that's free though I haven't been tempted to pay for one.

[Arakorn]

You can do that in Explorer too. Just open up multiple dir's, and with the other one go to your FTP, the other shall remain on your HD.

It is a pity (IMO at least) that the new IE 7 does not base itself on the old explorer (aka Win explorer), so you can't go to FTP's with it. (Maybe you can with a tool/add on, I don't know).

[WImPyTjeH]

You can do that in Explorer too. Just open up multiple dir's, and with the other one go to your FTP, the other shall remain on your HD.

It is a pity (IMO at least) that the new IE 7 does not base itself on the old explorer (aka Win explorer), so you can't go to FTP's with it. (Maybe you can with a tool/add on, I don't know).

I stick with Firefox atm => I'm addicted to the wondeful addons like DownThemAll, Fasterfox and Adblock Plus :wink:

W

[Bonny]

I don't know if it already has been mentioned but filemon can be a helpfull program if you search for CTDS. It gives you a list of all files which are used by a specifikated .exe. It tells you if there was a succes or an error in the file or if the file wasn't found. You get a massive output for RTW, but if you search you may find something usefull.
as an RTW example, you get a pre battle CTD with certain faction, which sometimes happens and sometimes not, you can't really find the source (units correct, sprites corect), you use the program and find out that around the time of the CTD several terrain featuers produce errors. All you have modded in this area are new grass textures. After putting them into the root data folder the CTD vanished completey. You need to think abit for yourself but this program may give the missing hint to the CTD source,

ttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/FileAndDisk/Filemon.mspx

it is free

[Halie Satanus]

Thread stuck.

[Amroth]

Thread stuck.

Thanks!

Added SynchronX, Pando, and Filemon to the list.

[Turk]

Again Gmax 12 is free?!
as far as i know we need a cas exporter or sth for it right?

[makanyane]

Turk, gmax is free but a .cas exporter to get models into RTW does not exist for it (or is ever likely to). You can import model using Vercengetorix's script to view it and I believe if you have friend with 3ds max you can send models changed in gmax to them for conversion. It may be useful from that point of view, or for learning about some aspects of modelling but that is all you can do with it unfortunately.