DATpacking NAM36 for Mac

[tariely 4,496]

My companion plays on a Mac. I installed NAM36 on his Mac (completely forgetting I just had to slap my own folders in his plugins !!! But as he didn't want exactly what I have it was OK in the end, I guess.) As expected, we hit the plugins wall and will have to datpack the NAM. I downloaded JDatPacker but am always somewhat squeamish when using a new tool -- especially when said tool comes with a readme that is an electronic book (or at least DLs like one !) Should I use something else ? Whatever I use, are there special warnings, do's and don't's ? (I did take a little walk through forums ; my eyes are beginning to glaze over...)

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

@tariely

I agree this SC4 Mac Users forum seems like the most logical place to ask your question. (For which I don't know the answer.) But, so few peeps peek in here it may or may not get replies. We might want to just toss it over into the Bugs & Techy Issues forum. (I can move it there if you like.)

[matias93 7,535]

FWIW, the only differences on the datpacking task are the different applications and the file limit.

About that last issue, do you really need to datpack the NAM? Maybe nesting folders with common plugins would be enough to get under the limit, avoiding to touch the NAM, that is usually recommended not to be datpacked.

To datpack most of the plugins folder, two main things are useful: 1. to keep a non-packed version of the folder to modify easily and fix occassional packing errors, and 2. to keep packed files under 350 Mb of size, which is the optimal for speedy reading.

[tariely 4,496]

@matias93: It's not for me -- I don't intend to datpack anything any time soon, I'm playing on Windows and it is definitely not recommended for the NAM anyhow, I know ; but Denis really NEEDS it -- and the NAM36 readme does say that it is all but unavoidable for Mac users, like, even obligatory !

@CorinaMarie : please feel free to move that thread where it can be seen better :-)

[rsc204 21,808]

There should be no issue with DAT Packing the NAM, since the process will order the packed files in accordance with the original unpacked ones. Due to the largesse (# of files) the NAM contains, it is pretty much mandatory for Mac users too.

I've never used JDAT packer myself, preferring the Windows version, but of course on a Mac, it's your only option. It doesn't remove or modify the original files, it makes a new set in fewer files. So you are free to mess up, just keep the original folders Network Addon Mod and z___NAM somewhere safe. If when you load the packed versions, something is amiss, you can easily go back and try again.

[tariely 4,496]

(1) What is the Window version ? SC4 DatPacker (on the LEX)? I DLed it and checked the forum but then my eyes got so glassy I became blind. It seems awfully complicated to install and make functional. My good will exceeds my abilities by so far...

(2) Is it absolutely imperative I datpack the NAM on the MAC for the MAC ? CAn't I do it on (a copy of my) NAM in Windows and then just plop it in Denis' plugins (as I could have done with the Install itself) ?

[rsc204 21,808]

1 hour ago, tariely said:

(1) What is the Window version ? SC4 DatPacker (on the LEX)?

Yes.

Quote

I DLed it and checked the forum but then my eyes got so glassy I became blind. It seems awfully complicated to install and make functional. My good will exceeds my abilities by so far...

Well it's really no more complex that installing dependencies for a SC4 mod. In order for it to work, you must have certain .dll files installed on your computer. These files allow applications written in a given language to run on your computer. Sadly, for reasons that don't really make sense, MS never just included the darn things in every machine. Actually, money is the reason, see I know you need said .dll files to make my application work, I also know most people don't understand such things. So, in order to include them with my installer, I have to pay MS a licensing fee or some such. So as a bunch of hobbyists, this simply isn't possible, so you must find/install them yourself. It gets worse, because there are two ways to install such files, system-wide or on a per-application basis. I.e. if you have one installed system-wide, settings in the O/S (Windows), will allow any application that needs them to find them automatically. If you don't however, in order for the application to find them, they must be placed in the root folder where the application is installed. Chances are, you've already got these .dll files, just run a search of your hard drive to look for them. Those you find, copy to the DAT Packer installation directory, those you don't, make a note of and you'll need to find/download them.

The thing is, both apps Dat Packer and jDat packer do exactly the same thing, the difference is the later uses Java. Again, you must have Java installed to run applications made in Java, but the key thing is that Java runs multiplatform. Put another way, you can make a Java app, users of Windows, Mac, Linux, whatever can all use this one app. Most Windows tools don't work natively on other Operating Systems. I'd imagine using the Java version would be much simpler if .dlls don't make sense. You probably have Java already, even if you don't know it.

1 hour ago, tariely said:

(2) Is it absolutely imperative I datpack the NAM on the MAC for the MAC ? CAn't I do it on (a copy of my) NAM in Windows and then just plop it in Denis' plugins (as I could have done with the Install itself) ?

The point is you must DAT Pack them, how or where is inconsequential.

[tariely 4,496]

Chapter 2.

DLed SC4DatPacker. I DLed the required three DLLs as per the readme ; I installed them in C>Windows>System32 (I am on Windows 8, that's where I was told, when downloading that it is where they are supposed to go). I start the program.

It won't work because  "the MSCVP71.dll is missing".What ??? I JUST INSTALLED IT, for God's sake !!!

@rsc204 : Robin, you say "Those you find, copy to the DAT Packer installation directory"  ; OK, not System 32, then, but what and where is that ?

[rsc204 21,808]

3 hours ago, tariely said:

I JUST INSTALLED IT, for God's sake !!!

No you didn't, perhaps I'm nitpicking, but there is an important misunderstanding here I think. There is a difference between "adding" a file and "installing" one. The latter uses a program that may create registry entries and other system settings. Refer to my "System-Wide v.s. Per Application" info above. Simply adding a file will never make it work system-wide, how would any applications know where to look for it?

4 hours ago, tariely said:

"Those you find, copy to the DAT Packer installation directory"  ; OK, not System 32, then, but what and where is that ?

Well where did you install DAT Packer?, you would have selected this during installation of the application, the default is "C:\Program Files (x86)\SC4DatPacker 2008".

[tariely 4,496]

I understand the difference between adding and installing (at least that , phew !)  But I am getting more and more confused.

OK.

When I DLed the DLLs, there was a note on the website  saying : (for windows 8) copy them in C>Windows>System32. I did that. There was no "installation" as I understand it from zips or NAM and such.

Are dlls "applications”? When you say "application",  what do you mean ? If  Datpacker, I installed it from the zip and its .exe ; it went to Program Files (x86), as you say.

 If I understand what you are saying (and that a reach ! )  I should have put the dlls in "the root folder of the application", i.e. in the Datpacker folder ("directory" meaning just that) ?

OK, so I'm gonna reinstall everything as per your instructions, and see what gives.

 

[rsc204 21,808]

6 minutes ago, tariely said:

When I DLed the DLLs, there was a note on the website  saying : (for windows 8) copy them in C>Windows>System32. I did that. There was no "installation" as I understand it from zips or NAM and such.

This information doesn't apply to your circumstances.

7 minutes ago, tariely said:

OK, so I'm gonna reinstall everything as per your instructions, and see what gives.

You don't need to re-install anything. Move the .dll files from where you originally put them, into the folder where you installed the SC4 DAT Packer application.

7 minutes ago, tariely said:

Are dlls "applications”?

No, it's a Dynamic Link Library file. All applications are made using programming software and made into executables (.exe files). Some of them require "dependencies" in order to work, in this case that's what these DLL files are for. They allow applications coded using a particular set of tools to run on your machine. Without them, the application can't reference needed code and therefore won't work.

[tariely 4,496]

Well, it gave !  

The program opens, and I'm going to RTFM again. I hope it tells me that even if I datpack my NAM on my windows partition, which sends it to my plugins, I can take it out safely and put it in my Mac companion's plugins ?

.........

and I thought : what if I datpack the NAM copied files in en empty plugins folder ? The Datpacker only datpacks what it is directed to pack, right ?

AND IT WORKED. Well, it looks like it did. Game on MAc doesn't crash, NAM's items functioning as required ; no noticeable shorter time at opening (4 minutes ; then again Denis has a frapload of stuff in his plugins -- there might be some more datpacking in his future.... and in mine !...) but menus open more quickly... It works. I think it works !  (Well, for the time being, it does. Until next crash.)

Thanks again, guys.