[release] Automate Sysfile Modding

[DarkVageta]

Originally posted by :logiKa?@Jan 13 2004, 10:32 PM

Hello, I would like to know how do i get BatchMod to replace the files.  It gives me an error of not having the replace script.  Maybe I have it setup wrong but any help is greatly appreciated.

u need the replacer script and the reshack program in the TOOLS folder

make sure explore and everything else is closed before u run it

[static]

Great job!

[Goku]

tomorrow I get a day off.

I will try this program and get my pc to look like a mac again.

I didnt get god's pc for nothn.

[JonRicoPa]

OK, forgive me is this is long and waffling, but I really like the idea of this program when it comes to windows modding.

I am currently using Stefankas modified English files that make my PC look rather Mac like. What I would really like to be able to do is to still use windows update and keep my PC looking nice. The Stefanka mod replaces dialog resources as well as the resource types supported by Batchmod.

What I was thinking is that I will keep my system as is with the Stefanka files in system32 and put a copy of the same Stenfanka files in the _SOURCE folder.

Then when I do a windows update I will be replacing some of the Stefanka dlls in system32.

Then when I run batchmod it will copy the resources from the original Stefanka files back over the top of the newly downloaded windows update files thus leaving me with an updated system with the Stefanka look and dialogs.

This is based on the concept that the updates I install (only secuirty updates) wont replace dialog resources.

Does this sound reasonable to those that understand resource modding?

Thanks for any information.

[schaggo]

batchmod takes the files to modify from the _IN folder and replaces the resources of it with those found in the _SOURCE folder, so your concept doesn't work, because the files in the _IN folder are old. you need to copy the latest original XP files into the _IN folder or you will "unsecuritypatch" your system everytime you use batchmod.

I guess most people don't know that.

and since batchmod doesn't replace string and dialog resources, you would get the original windows dialogs but with replaced and oversized bitmaps and icons.

[castroman]

Thanks !!

Aviel.

[JonRicoPa]

Are you sure schaggo?

What I would imagine is this. At the moment my system is up to date bar one ie security patch and running the Stefanka files. When I install the security update I then have an up to date system but some icon and bitmap resources have been replaced. As far as I can see (for this security patch at least) the dialog sizes have not changed from the Stefanka originals.

Now when I then run batchmod for the first time it will take my files in system32 (which are up to date) and extract the resources from them to the _IN folder. I will then use Stefankas resources in the _SOURCE folder to (in effect) just replace the resources that were replaced by the secuirty patch.

This should leave me with an up to date system with all the Stefanka resources.

The next time I patch I delete the old _IN folder, download the patches, and repeat.

Feel free to point out the flaws in that logic.

[JonRicoPa]

Well I can confirm that my plan did work. I now have Stefanka's look and feel completely intact with the latest MS security patches installed.

Basically you need to do this:

1. Start with a windows sp1 installation!

2. Install Stefankas files.

3. When the next windows update is available, install it.

4. Install batchmod and put stefanka files in _SOURCE (and follow all other batchmod instructions.)

5. Run batchmod.

You will now have an up to date windows system with all the Stefanka resources. Security patches will not change dialog sizes (hopefully), so you get all those too.

The next time a security patch is available, install it and then run batchmod again. You should start with a fresh batchmod installation for each security patch downloaded so that the latest files from the windows folder are copied to _IN.

[Skwid]

I am having some probs with BATCHMOD. Everything works great but when I get to a certain file.. shdocvw.dll it says !! Copy Failed. Aborted.

Do I need to be in Safe mode or something before modding?

Skwid

[undefined]

Originally posted by Skwid@Feb 24 2004, 01:42 AM

I am having some probs with BATCHMOD. Everything works great but when I get to a certain file..  shdocvw.dll it says !! Copy Failed. Aborted.

Do I need to be in Safe mode or something before modding?

Safe mode shouldn't be necessary. Try the latest version of Replacer, it may fix your problem.

[schaggo]

I got that problem too. I got the SHDOCVW.DLL replaced in safe mode, but otherwise it aborts the replacement procedure, very annoying...

I got the same problem using GUIReplacer, it has also problems replacing this file, seems to be in constant use and write-locked...

[Cruzn15]

Can I delete the files in Batchmod\_Out, \_Source and \_In (probably not) after I've run auto.cfg and the whole process successfully?

[Cruzn15]

Can I?

[Pe8er]

Sure you can. However it's better to leave files in _Out folder, these are modified files which you can use next time with replace.cmd script.

[Gt_Lithium]

:woot: Great

[amhar]

Has anyone tried crossing Win XP files with Windows Server 2003 files? i'm curious as this would help me out A lot.

[ThePowderRanger]

With BatchMod works very fine .

[wiebeest]

Originally posted by ThePowderRanger@Jul 7 2004, 09:35 AM

With BatchMod works very fine .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Batchmod did wonders for me too!

To be honest, I was affraid to use it because of fear

of not being able to start M$ Windows again.

Had that problem with the Wizard[WA]'s sysmod files recently.

Didn't like the fact that I had to re-install Winblow$ all over again.

:rant:

Then again I want my WinXP to look Aqua. Period.

But Win-update scrwes it. The dillemma being me to want XP to look aqua,

while I also want my sysfiles to be up-to-date, Batchmod seemed to be te next logical episode for "The adventures of WIEBEest in modding world".

And with succes. I just succesfully used Batchmod to inflate the Flyakite 5.1 resources! :smartass:

Free drinks for the creators of Batchmod, Resource Hacker and Replacer!

p.s: Now only if someone would be able to create some kind of 'windows-file-protection-for-Aqua', than life would be one step easier :naughty:

wiebeEST

[franziose]

Would it be possible to add the feature, that also the dialog size would be modded?

[cbw.l4v4]

*Update*

After a looong time of only lurking the forums , I made some small but long overdue changes to BatchMod.

• It now works with recent versions of Replacer which no longer include their own database file. The file is now included with BatchMod. (This fixes the error "Replacer database file not found!" when using BatchMod's copy.cmd with recent versions of Replacer)
  
• Also, long awaited (?) functionality has now been included, namely extracting language-specific (dialog, menu and string) resources from files. Please note that if your system is in another language than the files from which the language resources were extracted, you have to mod the extracted resources yourself (e.g. with ResHacker) to use them with your system! This cannot be automated.
  

The download link for the new version is still the same as in the first post, be sure to read the updated ReadMe included in the .rar file.

Cheers!

[wiebeest]

Great news!

Using dutch version of WinXP myself.

Q: what is a string?

[Pe8er]

It's SO mega cool! Thank you thank you thank you! I'm translating flyakite 6.0 next week

[cbw.l4v4]

Originally posted by wiebeest@Sep 10 2004, 09:41 PM

Great news!

Using dutch version of WinXP myself.

Q: what is a string?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

String resources can contain text used in dialogs, popups, menus etc. Unlike dialog and menu resources, string resources do not contain any layout information.

[Simon]

Excellent, thanks so much for this update. I've been having trouble making it work with Replace for a while now. Much smoother and easier now; thanks!

[fabscher]

I tryed to translate english files to italian

copy.cmd works

extract.cmd works

extract_language.cmd works

modify.cmd works

modify_language.cmd doesn't works

replace.cmd doesn't works

restore.cmd doesn't works

what I'm doing wrong????

:cry: :cry: