Readout VX Ace Map Data?

[Liak]

Hello!

I just wanted to ask whether there is any way to readout RPG Maker VX Ace map data. For instance, let's say I have a huge map with a lot of events. All of these events call common event number 17 at some point. Now I got rid of common event number 16, which leaves me with a blank common event slot. I could move common event number 17 to position 16, but I would have to go through all map events and change which common event is called.

If I had a text editor capable of reading out the map data, I could change all instances of calling common event number 17 to call 16 instead within a few seconds. So, my question is: Is there any way to do this kind of thing? Or similar things? Basically, is there any way to edit maps other than the editor, to view map data in text form?

 

[Kes]

Shaz has a script here http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/17444-extract-events-to-text-file/ which extracts all events to a text file which you then open in a spread sheet.  Using a search function you can then find all events that use CE 17, so you know exactly what needs to be changed and where they are.  However, this isn't then capable of putting info back into the game data the way you can with DMK files for XP, and Shaz has said she isn't going to try.

However, her script will mean that you can be much more confident that you have found all events affected.

However, a more basic question - why would you want to move the CE and renumber it anyway?  Just use that slot for the next CE you have to create.  Okay, not in strict order of occurance, but is that not a decent trade-off for avoiding an enormous amount of work?

 

[Liak]

Thanks for the script, I'll check it out.

As for your question at the end: I wish it was easy like that. Unfortunately, I love order, so I just know I must go through my maps again at some point to re-establish it.

It's stupid and nobody without this kind of trait will ever understand it.

 

[kerbonklin]

I think the order issue should only matter if Items/Weapons/Armors are taken into account, because those are organized into lists depending on their ID.

Unless you're planning on other people looking into your project? Because if so then ordering things would help. (Thus being unencrypted in the end)

 

[Liak]

It's just for my own peace of soul.

 

[orochii]

I did this. Very specific but anyway. I thought it was fun to do xD.

CE1_ID = 17CE2_ID = 16ary = Dir.glob("Data/Map[0-9][0-9][0-9].rvdata2")print ary;print "\n"ary.each{ |name|  @map = load_data(name)  @map.events.each { |i,event|    next if event==nil    event.pages.each{ |page|      page.list.each{ |command|        if (command.code == 117) && (command.parameters[0] == CE1_ID)          command.parameters[0] = CE2_ID          print "This for that\n"        end      }    }  }  File.open(name, "wb") do |file|    Marshal.dump(@map, file)  end}Right now it is "configured", but if you make another change of mind, you can change the first two lines, where CE1_ID is the "old" common event ID, and CE2_ID is the new one.
Also some extra considerations:

- This script doesn't needs to be always present. You just insert it, run the game, CLOSE the editor (if open from there), check changes, and then erase the script.

- As mentioned, you need to close the editor. Why is that? Because if not, changes made by the Game player will not be reflected, and if you save, the editor will update accordingly to what he has on RAM (like making changes to an image with Paint, opening it simultaneously on Photoshop, then saving in Paint and after that in Photoshop. Changes will be lost, because Photoshop will overwrite it with what it has).

Anyway, I'm feeling like digressing, I better stop, salut,

Orochii Zouveleki

 

[Liak]

Wow! That piece of script is just great! Thank you so much! I would really suggest you elaborate on it (with options for switches, variables or other stuff, too), because I think it's extremely useful.

(Or maybe it's possible already? I don't have that much knowledge about scripts. If it is possible by changing a few things, please let me know what I need to do. )

EDIT: Oh, one thing that would be extremely useful was the ability to shift a range of CEs by 1 up or down. If I have 100 common events and I want to insert one at position 21, I could just move 21-100 down by 1 instead of running the script 79 times. So, if that can be done by some simple changes to the script, please let me know, too.