How to unpack something specific from the .pack files

[Ishan]

Specific Unpacking

Hello everyone i recently saw that a lot of users really like to to just extract some files that they need to mod rathar then unpack the whole game so i thought it would be helpful to make a small tututial over it.

Anyways here are simple steps on how to do that:-

• First create a New Text Document.txt file in the unpacker folder of your game and paste this command inside it:-
  

  unpacker --source=..\..\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=*.txt

  ^The red part is just an example and will vary with what you need. In this example it will extract all the .txt files that in game .pack files.
  
• After pasting this line just save the document and change it's extension to .bat file.
  
• Now double click the newly created .bat file for execution and enter "y" for yes 3 times or simply "yyy" without quotes to begin the extraction.
  
• After that your extracted files will be inside C:\packs\.... folder and it's relevant sub directories inside it.
  
• So similarly for eg. you can extract all the .tga or .dds files like this:-
  

  unpacker --source=..\..\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=*.tga

  unpacker --source=..\..\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=*.dds

So lets say you want some specific files not just alll the relevant extensions types like say:-
descr_sm_factions.txt or say export_descr_unit.txt

So just remove the *(the things highlighted in red above^) in the part and put the actual file name and save and run the .bat file:-

unpacker --source=..\..\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=descr_sm_factions.txt

unpacker --source=..\..\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=export_descr_unit.txt

And you will get the files there.

For every code you can put them in a single .bat file and it will go about 2 times in a single run if having 2 files. For 4 files it will run 4 times that enter "y" 12 times.

We can't extract entire folders though only extensions or a single or multiple files by providing their accurate names.
For getting exact names in your unpacker folder there is one .bat file(list_contents.bat) that will produce a .txt file inside it that contains all the file names.

So this is pretty much about it also i have attached a .rar file containing a few .bat files that will extract the following:-

• All text files
• All .bin files
• All .tga files
• All .dds files
• All .xml files
• All .mesh files
• All .texture files

For Kingdoms Expansion

For specific unpacking Kingdoms one needs to change the filepath for their .pack file and nothing else:-

For Crusades

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\crusades\packs\*.pack --destination=..\..\ --verbosity=1 --base_pack_path=mods/crusades/data/

For example it's EDU can be extracted from this command:-

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\crusades\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=export_descr_unit.txt

For Teutonic

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\teutonic\packs\*.pack --destination=..\..\ --verbosity=1 --base_pack_path=mods/teutonic/data/

For example it's EDU can be extracted from this command:-

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\teutonic\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=export_descr_unit.txt

For Britannia

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\british_isles\packs\*.pack --destination=..\..\ --verbosity=1 --base_pack_path=mods/british_isles/data/

For example it's EDU can be extracted from this command:-

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\british_isles\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=export_descr_unit.txt

For Americas

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\americas\packs\*.pack --destination=..\..\ --verbosity=1 --base_pack_path=mods/americas/data/

For example it's EDU can be extracted from this command:-

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\americas\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=export_descr_unit.txt

Hope this helps.

Unpacking(Steam Issue)

There seems to be some issue for steam users while specific or unpack all the data from the .pack files.
This issue was resolved by RubiconDecision, how to:-

• Right click on the game within the Steam library.
• Go to properties.
• Click on local files.
• Click on verify integrity of game cache.
• It will take a little while. If there are errors then it deletes the local content, and re-downloads it from scratch.

[Ascarona]

Hey man thanks for these tutorials, they're real handy for a starting modder like me.

[Squid]

Damn you Ishan!! I'd posted yesterday, or maybe the day before that I was going to write a tutorial about this!! Nicely done!!

[Ishan]

Hey man thanks for these tutorials, they're real handy for a starting modder like me.

Glad to help bro.

Damn you Ishan!! I'd posted yesterday, or maybe the day before that I was going to write a tutorial about this!! Nicely done!!

Hehe, I know but i got the same notion from here a few days back.
And thanks Squid.

[EmperorRasputin]

Cheers Ishan, just to clarify when I say want to extract The dismounted norman knight tga file I would use this?
unpacker --source=..\..\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=#dismounted_norman_knights.tga
But when I then click on the .bat file there is nowhere where I can type yyy, its just continuous reams of text?

[Ishan]

Cheers Ishan, just to clarify when I say want to extract The dismounted norman knight tga file I would use this?
unpacker --source=..\..\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=#dismounted_norman_knights.tga
But when I then click on the .bat file there is nowhere where I can type yyy, its just continuous reams of text?

Yes that's the way to do it if the filename is correct it will be extracted otherwise simply put *.tga and it will give you all the .tga files there are in the game.
y means yes it's a confirmation it will ask you three times you either type y 3 times or a single yyy to avoid annoyance.

[Mr. Bundy]

when i run the document, it runs as said, and finishes, but there are no files.


EDIT: oh wait found it, sorry

and thanks for the tutorial

[aljonzc]

Hey it didn't w0rk f0r me... I f0ll0w your nstructi0ns but the unpack_all ( just f0r Example ) it just said no files found ok...
And there's n0 c:packs folder in my computer... I w0nder f this doesn't w0rk n win7..

----------------------------
Nothing is true, Everything permitted

[Ishan]

I have windows 7 this works & i'm not so sure what's the problem in your case. Do you get any sort of error?

[irishron]

Did you unhide all files and folders in Folder Options and search your users folder?

[Ishan]

Thanks for attaching a screenshot, says it can't find the pack files and it looks like you got the unpacker in the main directory not sure that's the reason for it.

[aljonzc]

( I have windows 7 this works & i'm not so sure what's the problem in your case. Do you get any sort of error? )



No, theres no error its just didn't w0rk...

[Ishan]

I said that unpacker in not in the right location it should be in tools\unpacker folder, put it there and then run it.

[aljonzc]

Did you unhide all files and folders in Folder Options and search your users folder?

Yes I unhide all files and folders in Folder Options and theres no c:packs

I said that unpacker in not in the right location it should be in tools\unpacker folder, put it there and then run it.

I already run it in tools folder but still it doesn't work..

[Ishan]

See that file in Caps .dll one, copy paste that file (from the main directory of the game) in the unpacker folder as it's required for the unpacker.exe to run.

[aljonzc]

See that file in Caps .dll one, copy paste that file (from the main directory of the game) in the unpacker folder as it's required for the unpacker.exe to run.

now it run but C:packs folder is no where to be found?

after the xtracti0n I view its Dstinati0n but theres no xtracted files...

[Ishan]

Atleast it unpacked so we are getting there.
If the folder is not created there then i think windows is playing with you check the Virtual store folder found in C:\Users\Your user account name\AppData\Local\VirtualStore

or else do a search for .dds files in your computer.

[aljonzc]

Atleast it unpacked so we are getting there.
If the folder is not created there then i think windows is playing with you check the Virtual store folder found in C:\Users\Your user account name\AppData\Local\VirtualStore

or else do a search for .dds files in your computer.

YEAH!!!!!!!!! I found it in virtual store!!!! Tnx a l0t br0h!

Mabuhay! Ishan!

[Ishan]

Congrats & Glad to help bro.

[aljonzc]

yaiks! an0ther pr0bs, After I edit s0me files, Evry tym a go to battlefield it encountered errors..

I wonder f th0se edited files needed to repack??

And f so, how can I repack files???
( I'm new in modification )