Component Manager and Track editing step-by-step tutorial

[Luiz De Boni]

Sorry to ask this, it must be written somewhere but I just can´t find it:
Is there a tutorial (.doc or something...) on how to edit AIW/SCN/GDB/TDF files, as well as how to change Loading/Thumb screens in rF2?
Do I need to use the Component Manager to do that? Mine seems to not been working...
Thanks!

[Cristian Why]

you want to edit an existing track?

[blakboks]

Afaik, no, there isn't. I find this business with all of them referencing things to be a bit of a headache, myself. It would be a good exercise for someone to create a batch script or something to set up all of the naming and references.

[Luiz De Boni]

Yes @Cristian, I need to edit some features from every track we race in our league, and indeed @blakboks, it´s been a terrible headache for me trying to figure out how to do it by myself...it would really be nice to have a tutorial for "normal" pals to learn how to do it...

What I ususaly edit in a track is:
1. GDB file: change the event´s name, set new grid speed limit to 60 mph and rename the settings folder to our standards.
2. SCN file: change the path to the track according to our special Locations folder directory order (our league releases trackpacks througout the season to have them displayed in progressive order in a special folder inside the Locations folder)
3. TDF file: edit some values to suit our standard grip values (RoadDry/Gravel/Grass..)
4. AIW file: edit grid positions, garage and pit locations to suit our regular 42 cars events
5. New Loading and Thumb screens with our league´s logo and special infos for the event...

What I´ve found out so far to edit SCN/GDB/TDF and LOADING/THUMB SCREENS:
1. Need to copy the track I want to edit to the ModDev/Locations folder.
2. Unpack the "xxx_MAIN.mas" file from the track with the MAS2 soft to open the files I need to edit.
3. Looks like after editing the files I need to re-pack them as a new "xxx_MAIN.mas" file

What I do not know how:
1. RE-PACK the edited files: do not know how to...
2. AIW EDITING!
2a. Do I need to use an "opened" AIW file or can I edit it directly in ModDev/Locations without having to unpack it?
2b. I had success entering some tracks in Developers mode, both with an opened AIW or not, but the commands I use for editing AIW in rf1 don´t work on rF2...for example: in rF1 I press pause and my car "becomes" my editing mouse: I can press Shift+Control+Alt plus Arrow keys and move my car all around the track even thru walls and fences and place the car in the position where I want to have, for example, a new grid location. These commands do not work for me on rF2, so I have to "drive" the car to the place I need edited...
2c. Not sure why, but some track can be accesed via AIW editing program at Develpoers mode, while others just don´t ever show up in the tracks list, no matter what I do...

Anyway i did some improovements in the last weeks, but it would really be nice to have an official "How-to-Edit-Tracks-in-rF2" from ISI...

[Jka]

Luiz,

You have lots of work on your hands, if you are going to edit SCN, AIW, TDF and icons/loading screens.

Basically this means, that you have to extract all masses to dev mode, edit what you need, test it carefully and repack whole thing. This is mandatory, if you edit ANYTHING which is layout specific (AIW,SCN, icons etc.). This cannot be done through component manager update - function.

While doing this, you need to take care of all search paths etc. to make track loaded (or even shown) succesfully in dev mode.

ISI's Packaging Tutorial is very well written, and all necessary information can be found there. Component manager isn't actually not so complicated after you used it couple of times. Actually I like it nowdays. Releasing track is much more simplier and organized than before...

I found myself that sometimes AIW editing in rF2 is somewhat annoying, if you got used to rF1 editor. Basically it works same way, but make sure you have NumLock turned off and game paused when moving car with alt+shift+arrows. If you need to convert rF1 AIW to rF2, in most cases simple re-saving AIW is enough. And yes, sometimes driving car to right position is only way to mark some spot accurately enough...

While you are doing this kind of pretty big editing on exsisting track, it's good manner to ask permission of original author...

Cheers!

[Luiz De Boni]

Thanks for the tips Jka! Specially about that NumLock and path search commands, I´ll check it!
The point is that in rF1 I´d simply open the AIW editor, do the changes and - voilá - track was ready.
Same for the SCN/GDB and TDF files...
Now this packing/unpacking thing costs me much more time than before and is not 100% failproof...at least not for an old dog like me...