How To Import FX in FxEditor? [SOLVED]

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Eranthis
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How To Import FX in FxEditor? [SOLVED]

Postby Eranthis » Sat 03 Aug, 2019 6:05 pm

I can't for the life of me figure out how the FxEditor works for Dawn of War 2.

I'm currently in the process of studying the particles in DoW2 and having them replicated in DoW1. I've been doing this by recording gameplay and studying each frame to see how the textures are presented. Not a very efficient method but it's all I got. Having the FxEditor just simply show me what textures are used and how they're displayed would make this process way easier but the problem is the tool made by Santos doesn't allow me to open any bfx files extracted. The open window has a path box followed by another box for the filename but the path never allows any input and remains blank. Every time I try to navigate and manually open a bfx file, it says Failed to load file. I've read here someone opened the files with the tool from a direct download link to the FxEditor but I don't know if the tools are just kaput now or something's changed with the game. Either way, it flat out doesn't work and I need to know if it's at all usable today.
Last edited by Eranthis on Wed 07 Aug, 2019 11:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Impregnable
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor?

Postby Impregnable » Tue 06 Aug, 2019 2:08 am

You will get faster and real time response by asking at the official discord. https://discord.gg/pBCw88v
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Eranthis
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor?

Postby Eranthis » Tue 06 Aug, 2019 5:00 pm

Impregnable wrote:You will get faster and real time response by asking at the official discord. https://discord.gg/pBCw88v

I'll post a question there and see if I get a reply. Thanks.
Eranthis
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor?

Postby Eranthis » Tue 06 Aug, 2019 7:34 pm

Just a reminder, I have not received an answer over on the Discord so if anyone passing by still knows this issue or FxEditor in general, I'm still looking for help.
uncle_anaesthesia
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor?

Postby uncle_anaesthesia » Tue 06 Aug, 2019 11:14 pm

have you extracted all the fx files into your mods folder?

modname/data/art/fx

if so load a model in the settings on the right. eg. bolter.
It has to have a marker attached so it can fire the fx when selected (some fx wont work some will, just pick randomly to see)
to open fx go to. file/open/and pick your bfx.
hit the play fx tab and it should work.

bottom of screen should list all textures involved in the fx. right click on them and locate to find the textures i your mod files.
Eranthis
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor?

Postby Eranthis » Wed 07 Aug, 2019 4:43 am

uncle_anaesthesia wrote:have you extracted all the fx files into your mods folder?

modname/data/art/fx

if so load a model in the settings on the right. eg. bolter.
It has to have a marker attached so it can fire the fx when selected (some fx wont work some will, just pick randomly to see)
to open fx go to. file/open/and pick your bfx.
hit the play fx tab and it should work.

bottom of screen should list all textures involved in the fx. right click on them and locate to find the textures i your mod files.

By default, the editor has: art\race_marine\dreadnought_lascannon_rightarm\dreadnought_lascannon_rightarm.model which doesn't exist in the game's directory. I went and extracted art\race_marine\vehicles\dreadnought\dreadnought.model. However, it crashes every time I try to select the model with the log not specifying why. Tried extracting with both sga reader and cope's toolbox. Made sure to include all the anims and textures just in case.
uncle_anaesthesia
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor?

Postby uncle_anaesthesia » Wed 07 Aug, 2019 4:43 pm

my setup, i have the fx editor stored in :dawn of war retribution/tools/FXeditorBETA folder.
I can open the right lascannon with no issues. it may be your set up in your mod. is your extracted model in
yourmod/data/art/race_marine/vehicles_wargear/dreadnaught_lascannon_rightarm.model
Eranthis
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor?

Postby Eranthis » Wed 07 Aug, 2019 5:02 pm

uncle_anaesthesia wrote:my setup, i have the fx editor stored in :dawn of war retribution/tools/FXeditorBETA folder.
I can open the right lascannon with no issues. it may be your set up in your mod. is your extracted model in
yourmod/data/art/race_marine/vehicles_wargear/dreadnaught_lascannon_rightarm.model

My FxEditor is also in the tools folder. Does the module have to be custom? I don't know specifically how to make a custom mod but I'm running on the default DOW2 module. I assume my setup is correct since opening the model path automatically leads me to the art/race_marine directory I have setup (located under gameassets/data)

Also an update: I've created a custom mod with cope's toobox. The path right now is Dawn of War II - Retribution/(modname)/data/art/race_marine/vehicles_wargear/dreadnought_rightarm/dreadnought_rightarm.model. This right now also still crashes.
Myrdal
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor?

Postby Myrdal » Wed 07 Aug, 2019 9:13 pm

Eranthis wrote:However, it crashes every time I try to select the model with the log not specifying why. Tried extracting with both sga reader and cope's toolbox. Made sure to include all the anims and textures just in case.

Do you have data/shaders extracted? If not this iirc could cause it to crash. Missing textures should not.
Eranthis
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor?

Postby Eranthis » Wed 07 Aug, 2019 10:07 pm

Myrdal wrote:
Eranthis wrote:However, it crashes every time I try to select the model with the log not specifying why. Tried extracting with both sga reader and cope's toolbox. Made sure to include all the anims and textures just in case.

Do you have data/shaders extracted? If not this iirc could cause it to crash. Missing textures should not.

That did the trick, thanks!
I can now import the extracted bfx into the program.
Eranthis
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor? [SOLVED]

Postby Eranthis » Wed 07 Aug, 2019 11:54 pm

Last question I have is does the FxEditor have a timeline I can scroll through to see the particles frame by frame?
uncle_anaesthesia
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor? [SOLVED]

Postby uncle_anaesthesia » Thu 08 Aug, 2019 4:22 am

make sure the overlay and timer icons are on, it will show a timer on top of main screen whilst playing fx. you can basically pause and unpause.
the fx editor before the beta version has an arguably better viewer for doing the same job. you play then pause and just drag the tab at the bottom to the frame you want to see.
Eranthis
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor? [SOLVED]

Postby Eranthis » Thu 08 Aug, 2019 3:40 pm

uncle_anaesthesia wrote:make sure the overlay and timer icons are on, it will show a timer on top of main screen whilst playing fx. you can basically pause and unpause.
the fx editor before the beta version has an arguably better viewer for doing the same job. you play then pause and just drag the tab at the bottom to the frame you want to see.

Are you referring to the track editor? Not sure what bottom tab to be looking for.
uncle_anaesthesia
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor? [SOLVED]

Postby uncle_anaesthesia » Thu 08 Aug, 2019 4:12 pm

yes track editor
Eranthis
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Re: How To Import FX in FxEditor? [SOLVED]

Postby Eranthis » Thu 08 Aug, 2019 6:33 pm

uncle_anaesthesia wrote:yes track editor

Yeah the track editor doesn't actually preview the frames. It only seems to show content related to variables for the fx.
Regardless, I can still work with this.

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