No Need To Insert Files Into Map Every Time When Testing

Everybody seems to believe that you need to insert files into a map each time it is saved to test out custom skills, skins, etc. While that is indeed one way to do it, there is another that I find much easier to use when testing a map.

If you edit the registry key "Allow Local Files" under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Warcraft III (which is a dword) and set it to 1, warcraft 3 will load the files directly from the folders just like the editor does. That way, you can just spread the files around your warcraft 3 folder and both the editor and game will load the files.
Of course, when you want to distribute your map, you still need to insert the files, but for testing and debugging this method is a lot less work.

Note that when playing on battle.net, you should disable this feature by setting the key to 0 or you will desync and get disconnected from every game you join.

In the zip file are two .reg files, one that sets the key to 1 to make warcraft load files from the folders (Allow Local Files.reg), and one that sets it to 0 to make warcraft only load files from the mpq and map(DisAllow Local Files.reg)

Wow, nice find. :D I knew textures and some models worked in WE without injection everytime, but always had to do it when I wanted to see the map in the game.

Extrarius this a long since found discovery, it was found first by Yobguls during 1.02 I originally posted a registry for lazy winXP users like myself somewhere on war3pub upload center which was then updated by GoldenUrg and he add compatibility to Non XP users.

Allow Local Files became Taboo However once realizing they ****ed with the ROK installation and seem to cuase error with sempq based worldeditors.

Whatever it nice that you have it up here.

I know it was found out a long time ago, I just forgot to mention that, and I forgot where I first read it.
I was just reposting it as most people didn't seem to know it.

Didn't know it caused any problems with anything - I've been using it for a while testing my map without incident. The only problem I have is that I forget to turn it off before I go play on battle net so I get desynced my first game.

BTW my signature is just a joke in response to some info I read about copyright laws in the US =-)
Enjoy

Another way would be to create a MPQ2K batch file and run that to import everything. I've never tried it, but I've heard it sumwhere.

I have done the batch file thing and it works. Also been using the registry thing. It's nice, been using it since Warcraft III came out although many people probably don't know.
DKSlayer

I just use custom war3patch.mpqs that contain all my modified files. I want to test my map, I place my file in the Warcraft III directory. I want to play War3 then I place the real one in the Warcraft III directory. It's easy and doesn't take very long to do.

I've got a DOS batch file (.bat) that I run after I save a map. I use a different batch file for each type of map I am working on. I've got one batch file for lotr maps, one for front line maps, and others for other kinds of maps.

Each file has multiple lines like this:

mpq2k a %1.w3m c:\games\war3\units\abilitydata.slk units\abilitydata.slk

In place of units\abilitydata.slk would be .blp files, .txt files, whatever that particular type of map needs.

So after I save in WE I close the map, switch to a dos box, then run the appropriate batch file on the map like this:

lotr lotrtest

Assuming lotr is the name of the batch file (lotr.bat) and lotrtest is the war3 map (lotrtest.w3m).

Then I load the game up in bnet and play. Drawback is I have to reopen the file in the WE to resume editing. This is fine for small maps, but for my 480x480 lotr map it takes about 2 minutes just to load. Bleh.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my method.

Take care.

You can do this a lot easier with my tool War3Config. Get it at my website.

Help please, i didn't find the correct Dword in the registry and the .zip file you post is empty ... :(
Thanks for your help.

You couldnt find it because it doesn't exist - you have to create the entry =-)
And I guess the file got deleted when forums were changed because it used to have something in it. You can download the zip from http://extprotect.psychosanity.com/.../allow_local_files.zip

Great ! thank you !