[TUTORIAL] [TOOL] Extracting custom maps

[ferreon]

Hi Modcraft.

The last week I have been trying extract custom maps but I had problems with areaID and arena names as you can see in my lasts post asking for help. So in this short tutorial I will explain how to extract custom maps to see your area name in minimap, zone, /who list and in char selection screen.

This guide is based on a trinity core (november 2013 source )and WoW Woltk Patch rev. 3.3.5a (12340)

Index

1- Map.dbc
2- Areatable.dbc
3- Preparing mpqs for the extractor
4- Running the extractor
5- View logs and warning/error and possible solutions.

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1- Map.dbc
There are many tutorials about map.dbc but well, one more. I recommend use MyDbcEditor to edit it:

The only columns that we need to edit to make the extractor works are:
#0: Unique MapID
#1: InternalName - The name of your custom map folder for example
#11: Name of the map - this will show when you tip .gps ingame

2- Aretable.dbc
Thanks to Amaroth: Do not use MyDbcEditor in this case or if you do, open and save areatable.dbc with taliis to fix problems.

#0 Unique AreaID
#1 MapID
#2 ParentAreaID
#3 Areabit - The most important value - continue with blizz values. Never use more than 4500 (explained below)

Wiki does not have so many information about areabit column, if someone know what that value mean please post it.

Areatable should be like this, where 7001 is the unique id, 2015 the mapid, 7000 the mainarea and 3653, the areabit, continuing with blizz values


I don't know why exactly if you use values more than 4500 or 5000 if I remember correctly, each time you enter/change zone or you move between zones, worldserver display an error with areabit, using values below 4500 worlserver says nothing.

3- Preparing mpq's for the extractor
Here you have two options, I recommend using the first, but if you download my extractor you can use what you want.

First option - Use blizz mpqs:
Areatable.dbc and map.dbcmust be on patch-xxXX-3.MPQ (Data/xxXX folder), replace blizz ones.
WorldMapsYourZoneadts and wdt must be on patch-3.MPQ (Data folder), you have to create a new directory inside WorldMaps with your custom zone name or drag & drop the folde inside the patch.

So your patch-3.MPQ should be like this:


Second option (only if you are going to use my extractor)
Create a patch with name patch-W.MPQ (extractor is edited to allow only W), pack DBFIlesClient and WorldMaps like you do in the step above, all in the same patch, no problem. Continue reading.

4- Running the extractors & 5 View logs and warning/error and possible solutions
First we have to make sure there isn't a maps folder in our wow directory folder, if the folder exists, delete it or change the name.

Then we have to run the mapextractor.exe (as Administrator better) and a window will appear:


A little explanation about the things that you can see when the extractor starts to work:
- Extractor will extract dbc if your wow folder does not contain a dbc folder.
- As you can see in the pic, on reading map file... appears the amount of maps that the extractor has read and the MaxMapId (only in my extractor) to be sure that the extractor has read your custom map
- In MaxAreaID should appear your last areatable id (column 0 in areatable).

I edited the extractor to create a maplog.txt file that shows you:
- The amount of custom maps that the extractor has read.
- The amount of custom areaids that the extractor has read.
- Warnings that the extractor shows and a possible solution.
- Warnings in areatable values that can make your map can't read the zoneid/areaid ingame.
- Extractor is able to read patch-W.MPQ


One row for each custom map/areatable id.


I took lostisles for example, I haven't got areatable done for this zone so area flag can't  be found. The solution, to do correctly areatable.

Once mapextractor has finished press any key (normal mapextractor will close instantly on finish, mine will stop until you press any key, better I think to make sure the last maps are your custom maps). Then you can copy the maps folder into your core, copy areatable and map.dbc in the dbc folder of your core and make a custom patch with your zone and dbfilesclients.

Result!




PD: Sorry for any error in the post, my english is not perfect
PD2: If you have any problem with the extractor or *.map files please post and I will try to help you.

Thanks for reading.
Ferreon.

[slyceR]

Its doesnt work for me i have the same problem now:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8615

http://i.imgur.com/o5OwUkx.jpg

Ah you wrote in your tutorial your mapextractor.exe dont read DBC files! - he do he load dbc folder in my wow client folder with all dbc files.

you send the right mapextractor?

Do you have Skype? - My Name: inzanemusik

[Amaroth]

So the only one damned thing I was ever doing wrong was that AreaBit in AreaTable.dbc? I wanna hang myself.

Going to try it, thanks a lot.

EDIT: Got quite a problem here. I tryed both your and non-edited extractor and this is what I get:

Arathijská vysočina means Arathi Highlands, I have renamed that Zone quite long ago, but never changed anything else than name there. It seems to not be able to read AreaBit... but why?

EDIT2: I was using MyDBCEdtor while you were using Taliiis, so I'm going to try to use Taliis as well, but I don't think it will help.

EDIT3: Its OK now, so, for all other guys, if you use MyDBCEditor, save that DBC once in Taliis to make this actually work. MyDBCEditor seems to be broking a bit both areas and zones, keeping some of the original data from rows you were using if you were adding new rows by copying some old ones. My areas and zones were made as copies of Stromgarde area, Arathi Highlands zone and you can see on screen how it ended while I did this with MyDBCEditor.

[slyceR]

I must using Taliis to fix it or what?

[Amaroth]

I can't be completely sure if you have the same problem like me but if you do, download Taliis, open your AreaTable.dbc with it and save it with it. That should fix your DBC. Update it in your MPQ and run extractor again.

[slyceR]

Okay i edit with MyDBCEditor save it, open with Taliis and save it again to repair my DBC-File? - I try it out. Thanks for help.

[ferreon]

So the only one damned thing I was ever doing wrong was that AreaBit in AreaTable.dbc? I wanna hang myself.

Going to try it, thanks a lot.

....

EDIT3: Its OK now, so, for all other guys, if you use MyDBCEditor, save that DBC once in Taliis to make this actually work. MyDBCEditor seems to be broking a bit both areas and zones, keeping some of the original data from rows you were using if you were adding new rows by copying some old ones. My areas and zones were made as copies of Stromgarde area, Arathi Highlands zone and you can see on screen how it ended while I did this with MyDBCEditor.

I don't know what exactly is areabit because I was looking for some information and I couldn't find it. Maybe schlumpf knows, I think the value is coded in source.

Im going to edit post to use Taliis instead MyDbcEditor. Yes, I used taliis to edit myareatable.dbc, but for the rest of dbcs MyDbcEditor works better than taliis I think.

Finally, was your problem solved?

Its doesnt work for me i have the same problem now:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8615

http://i.imgur.com/o5OwUkx.jpg

Ah you wrote in your tutorial your mapextractor.exe dont read DBC files! - he do he load dbc folder in my wow client folder with all dbc files.

you send the right mapextractor?

I didn't realize that the dbc folder was already created in my directory, so the extractor couldn't extrac it .

About your problem, I think its not *.map problem, I think your map.dbc or areatable.dbc aren't correctly edited or maybe you painted the AreaID of the other zone in the map.

Can you post a pic of map.dbc, areatable.dbc and areaid value of the adt? (If you don't know how to see the areaid in the adt post the adts or send me pm if you want.)

[slyceR]

So the only one damned thing I was ever doing wrong was that AreaBit in AreaTable.dbc? I wanna hang myself.

Going to try it, thanks a lot.

....

EDIT3: Its OK now, so, for all other guys, if you use MyDBCEditor, save that DBC once in Taliis to make this actually work. MyDBCEditor seems to be broking a bit both areas and zones, keeping some of the original data from rows you were using if you were adding new rows by copying some old ones. My areas and zones were made as copies of Stromgarde area, Arathi Highlands zone and you can see on screen how it ended while I did this with MyDBCEditor.

I don't know what exactly is areabit because I was looking for some information and I couldn't find it. Maybe schlumpf knows, I think the value is coded in source.

Im going to edit post to use Taliis instead MyDbcEditor. Yes, I used taliis to edit myareatable.dbc, but for the rest of dbcs MyDbcEditor works better than taliis I think.

Its doesnt work for me i have the same problem now:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8615

http://i.imgur.com/o5OwUkx.jpg

Ah you wrote in your tutorial your mapextractor.exe dont read DBC files! - he do he load dbc folder in my wow client folder with all dbc files.

you send the right mapextractor?

I didn't realize that the dbc folder was already created in my directory, so the extractor couldn't extrac it .

About your problem, I think its not *.map problem, I think your map.dbc or areatable.dbc aren't correctly edited or maybe you painted the AreaID of the other zone in the map.

Can you post a pic of map.dbc, areatable.dbc and areaid value of the adt? (If you don't know how to see the areaid in the adt post the adts or send me pm if you want.)

Here is my Patch.MPQ: http://nefarian-wow.com/files/patch-4.rar

[ferreon]

I wrote the tutorial to solve the problem that you have xD.

As you can see in your areatable:

http://gyazo.com/21d7c33905490e3a0b7d12f81fe6bd48

Column number #3 (with value 3617) MUST BE unique, it CAN'T be repeated, so use value 3618 in ID 5000 and use 3619 in ID 5001 for example.

This should solve your problem.

Don't forget to insert your new areatable in patch-xxXX-3.MPQ and reextract the maps, then replace old maps with your recent extracted maps.

Ferreon.

[Amaroth]

Finally, was your problem solved?

Yup, works 100% now. Thanks for tut.

[slyceR]

Finally, was your problem solved?

Yup, works 100% now. Thanks for tut.

Work for me too! - Thank you so much ferreon

[Steff]

Thanks. For great tutorial.

[margosch]

Hey,

Whenever I start the mapextractor.exe , the console starts for 1ms or so ... and nothing else happens.

The MapLog.txt ist empty.


I was able to follow the tutorial to here, but maybe I need to adjust something else?



I would be glad to answer,
margosch


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Hey,

Immer wenn ich die Mapextractor.exe ausführe, startet die Konsole für den Bruchteil einer Sekunde und schliesst sich dann automatisch wieder.

Die MapLog.txt ist dannach leer.

Ich konnte den Tutorial bis zu den Punkt gut folgen, allerdings frage Ich mich ob ich vielleicht noch irgendwo anders etwas einstellen muss?

grüße,
margosch

[Amaroth]

Well thats odd... Have you copied that tool into WoW root folder and started it there? I have nearly no experience with command line scripts and such things, so this is the only one thing which comes into my mind.

[margosch]

Hey,

I put it in the wow root folder and now it works

thx!