How do you remove features?

[wipo]

hi

making a mod with the DB Editor, I know how to edit/add stuff, but I don't not how to remove things plain and simple

like right now I'm trying to disable the 'fire by rank' drill

I first tried to make a new unit_to_unit_abilities_junctions_tables not to allow fire by rank for a specific unit, but it's not working

I then made a new technology_effects_junction_tables to replace fire by rank with volley fire, but once again it's not working

am I doing something wrong? which is the proper way to remove features?

thanks

[Dionysius the Mighty]

I'm also interested in learning how I might go about removing the ability for the Indian factions to build the Military port tree, dockyards and the like.

[wipo]

ok here's the way to override tables with your own mod, solution's coming right from Jinarik's Guide to Using DBEditor

Guide To Using DBEditor Part 2

Welcome to Part 2, this section will be more of a reference guide than anything else. I'll be covering some of the more advanced and less obvious features of DBEditor using quick examples of more advanced modding goals to showcase them.

Overriding Default Tables & Sorting Columns:

Adding to .pack files it great for changing or adding things in Empire Total War, but what if you want to remove something from the game in your mod? Since custom tables (e.g. \My_units) only add new entries or overwrite existing entries, the only way is to override the default tables. In the following example, we are going to remove Fire and Advance from all units.

1. Use PFM 1.12 to open patch.pack
2. Find \unit_to_unit_abilities_junctions in the \db folder and select it.
3. Click OK for the pop-up that appears telling you PFM can no longer edit this files.
4. Extract the table using Choose A Pack Action --> Extract Selected, make sure the \data directory of Empire Total war is highlighted and hit OK.
5. Create a new .pack file.
6. Import the \unit_to_unit_abilities_junctions table using Choose A Pack Action --> Add Files, it can be found in the data\db\unit_to_unit_abilities_junctions_tables folder.
7. Set the new .pack files as a Mod .pack file using Choose A Pack Action --> Change Pack Type.
8. File --> Save, giving the new .pack file whatever name you choose.
9. Open DBEditor and load you .pack file.
10. Navigate over to \unit_to_unit_abilities_junctions (it should now be bold instead of GRAY). Notice how in the Top bar of the program (bar with minimize and close buttons) it will show that the table was loaded from My_Mod.pack instead of patch.pack (Read-Only from Creative Assembly).
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    
11. Sort the second column "Unit_Ability_IDRef" by Left-Clicking the Column Header.
12. Now find all the "fire_and_advance" entries, and using <SHIFT> Clicking, Delete them.
13. Save the table, don't worry it will save to your mod and will not overwrite patch.pack.

And there we have it, Fire and Advance has been removed! You can follow these steps to overwrite any table you desire. If patch.pack doesn't have the table you want, main.pack most likely does.

[Dionysius the Mighty]

Ok, I followed these instructions to make a mod pack with the building_cultural_variants file, then went into that and deleted all the entries for Indian military ports. Trouble is when I try to run the game with that mod pack file I get a CTD from the splash screen. With the pack not loaded the game runs fine. I extracted the files from patch.pack, should I perhaps have taken them from patch5.pack?

[Dionysius the Mighty]

Apologies for double posting and bumping this up, but I still haven't found an answer as to why this is causing a CTD. I'm coming to the end of my current campaign, and I don't really want to start a new one until I can get this sorted.

Edit - Never mind. I went through the tutorial from scratch again and this time it's worked. Indian factions can now only build Trade and Fishing Ports, not Military ones.