Identifiying that strange file format: coderz out there, we needz u.

**Ketzerfreund** · March 04, 2009, 04:13 PM

Hello out there,

there are several threads in here now that ask for how this or that or yonder can be changed.
Unfortunately, almost all relevant text files are not really pure text files; not even xml.
The directories under ..\data\db\, for example, contain some of the most relevant files regarding gameplay mechanics. So far, the files look like this in text editors (in this case Textpad; Notepad++ looks even more messed up, because it uses a genuine symbol for nul-characters (00 in hex), which is far broader and renders this stuff completely illegible.

Now, I've got a Linux install besides my WinXP on my disk and I handed one of those files under the ..\db directories to the file command. To those that don't know: It's a Unix command that identifies file types.
So, file spits out this:

Code:

~> file ./factions 
./factions: 370 XA sysV pure executable  not stripped - version 116 - 5.2 format

So, anyone out there knows how to "strip" (and re-unstrip) those files?

If these files are in fact some kind of engine-internal executable, might there be a way to decompile them?

Or am I completely off-track here (which I deem quite possible, if not even probable)?

Thanks, for any insight given,
-Euer werter Ketzerfreund.

**Captian Barbossa** · March 04, 2009, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by Ketzerfreund

If these files are in fact some kind of engine-internal executable, might there be a way to decompile them?

Short answer:

No.

IF they are, as you propose, internal game engine executable files, (compiled source-code) then "stripping, editing then un-stripping." is basically reverse-engineering the game's core files.

Which, as we all know, is not only a no-no of any modding community, but is also illegal, since all (or most) EULAs that you have to agree to when installing software (including games) state that editing such files is a legal no-no. (and can land you in court if you're found out.)

IF however, they are files for containing unit stats and such, and are meant to be edited, then I'm sure CA will give us some tools soon, they said they would.

**Kaelic** · March 04, 2009, 04:52 PM

Except it won't be compiled C++ will it? What are they unlinked object files they decided to throw in that they'd link and build a new exe on the fly? Umm..no. They are almost certainly binary data files used for faster parsing of information, we do something similar at our studio in some projects.

Additionally the EULA isn't worth a damn legally. Surprise, a company can't actually put whatever it wants in a contract and expect it to be legal. EULAs don't stand up in court. Stop trying to pointlessly scare someone that knows slightly less than you do.

**DeadlyBlowfish** · March 04, 2009, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by Captian Barbossa

Short answer:

No.

IF they are, as you propose, internal game engine executable files, (compiled source-code) then "stripping, editing then un-stripping." is basically reverse-engineering the game's core files.

Which, as we all know, is not only a no-no of any modding community, but is also illegal, since all (or most) EULAs that you have to agree to when installing software (including games) state that editing such files is a legal no-no. (and can land you in court if you're found out.)

IF however, they are files for containing unit stats and such, and are meant to be edited, then I'm sure CA will give us some tools soon, they said they would.

Ahem... Fair Use.

**Ketzerfreund** · March 04, 2009, 04:46 PM

[/sigh]

Glad, however, that you spared me the long answer.

**Captian Barbossa** · March 04, 2009, 04:50 PM

The first part of my post WAS the long answer.

**Ketzerfreund** · March 04, 2009, 05:06 PM

Don't worry, Kaelic, I haven't felt scared. But thanks for caring.

My problem is, if any kind of decompilation is needed for those files, changing them and re-releasing them to the world might carry the same legal implications that changing and re-releasing an *.exe would. And for proper executables to be hacked and distributed to be illegal, no EULA is even needed. As far as I know, that's covered by the ordinary copyright mumbo-jumbo. Or is it?

**Kaelic** · March 04, 2009, 05:21 PM

My problem is, if any kind of decompilation is needed for those files, changing them and re-releasing them to the world might carry the same legal implications that changing and re-releasing an *.exe would. And for proper executables to be hacked and distributed to be illegal, no EULA is even needed. As far as I know, that's covered by the ordinary copyright mumbo-jumbo. Or is it?

But they're not compiled. At best they're byte compiled, in that it's something like a binary lua which is not going to be covered by any kind of copyright. I'm surprised nobody has even checked to see if they were binary lua files.

**IndoPruss** · March 04, 2009, 05:22 PM

I think DB table is not an executable, only it's a binary file so we can't read it with plain eyes.

**Serben** · March 04, 2009, 05:25 PM

Like that other guy said, fair use laws apply here. As long as nobody makes a profit off any tools they make to modify those files it's legal. Now someone hurry up and make a tool that lets us edit them!!!

NAO!!!!

alpaca, us unwashed peasants of the forum need you to deliver us from the darkness of ETW un-modability!

**DeadlyBlowfish** · March 04, 2009, 05:28 PM

here here!

**Ketzerfreund** · March 04, 2009, 07:20 PM

Kaelic, the only LUA decompiler available on The Net that I could find is LuaDec, it's targeted at a specific Lua version, and, well, doesn't work on those ..\db files.

You seem to be ~knowing~ of such matters, so, what other promising approaches can you offer?

**Lord Maximus** · March 05, 2009, 05:55 AM

It looks like there are some special separator/identifier characters used.
Hopefully the mailman plays nice and delivers my copy of E:TW today so I can take a better look at those DB files with a HEX editor.

It could very well be its some kind of custom serialization format used to deflate/store objects to disk and inflate/read objects from disk.

I don't know why this data is not in xml or basic lua format like the rest.
But it could very wel be that storing it this way helps performancewise.

**LtChambers** · March 05, 2009, 02:03 PM

Why didn't you just look at the existing "db editing" threads? Because you were too lazy to search and bump the existing threads, all these people are confused. I will bump the good threads that explain the db files and why editing them is nothing but a short-term hack.