Creating rfcmp file to update existing mod

Discussion in 'Component and Mod Packaging' started by BobDobbs, Mar 20, 2022.

  1. BobDobbs

    BobDobbs Registered

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    I haven't done much modding since the days of rF1, so I'm a bit creaky. What I'm trying to do is take an existing (open source, not commercial) mod and alter it for personal, private use only to add some customizations (as a learning project, before I tackle something original). Essentially, I want to edit the DDS and VEH files for certain vehicles, and it will probably involve re-packing a couple of the MAS files to get all of the dependencies satisfied.

    Is it better to re-package this as an update (as you would for league use) since not all of the files are being changed? And that means I only need to package the MAS files which are changed? That's the takeaway I got from the online tutorials. Or is there a simpler way, since I'm not going to distribute the end result?

    FYI I'm using the latest rF2 version on Steam.
     
  2. Woodee

    Woodee Registered

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  3. BobDobbs

    BobDobbs Registered

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    I read that carefully, but it seems to be for people adding a new car to the existing mod - in fact, it says "make sure each team has it's [sic] own uniquely named VEH file". It's not stated, but if the update contains a VEH file with the same name as an existing one, will the game preferentially use the new one? What I'm doing won't work otherwise.

    Also, there are lots of references in the existing docs to updating the JSON files. My mod installation does not have JSON files in the vehicle data directories - in fact, my rFactor installation doesn't have any JSON files except in the ModDev tree. So they're not used any longer?

    Also, I have no upgrades.ini files in my mod (or any of the others I quickly looked at). I understand this is not mandatory for a mod, but the guide says "NEW! IMPORTANT You now must include the upgrade.ini in your update rfcmp"; but again, I assume that's only in the case where one exists in the mod already?

    I'm going to proceed as though my assumptions are all correct...

    Edit: there's also a problem with creating the rfcmp file; the guide indicates that you should rename the ".rfcmp" text file by selecting it and then typing a new name in the "open" box. This causes an error message that the new file already exists - which it doesn't. If I just type an appropriate name into the text entry field, it doesn't give me an error, but it also doesn't create the rfcmp file. I don't want to install it till I've made sure I'm creating it correctly, which it appears I'm not.
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2022
  4. TheTrackAVL

    TheTrackAVL Registered

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    If you're still working on this, this might help: https://github.com/Akashic101/rfcmp-guide

    I've used this guide to successfully create rfcmps with custom liveries. Some of them were missing the ini and veh files and they worked. I just made one without the json file and it worked...

    Unfortunately, it seems there's a lot of black magic in what is actually happens when building these. So we develop rituals that tend to work =).

    Also know that even if you install and updated rfcmp package and it doesn't do what you want, you can uninstall back to the previous version safely!
     
  5. jonno

    jonno Registered

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    Sorry to jump on this chat but im trying to add custom liverys to the btcc cars and i can follow the steps to a tee everything goes together nice it all packages up good but when i load the slevent in server it shows no cars or teams to pick from its completely blank any ideas.??
     
  6. TheTrackAVL

    TheTrackAVL Registered

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    So you made an update package with a new version number according to the guide.

    Did you install that update package that you made in modmgr? Can you verify that modmgr shows the version of the btcc is higher than it was and the version you specified when building the package?
     

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