My MDL import/export plugins for MilkShape3d

It's a tool package for modifying WC3 model。With it, you don't need to manually editing the mdl file again.

here

Now, this tool package can only be used for modifying WC3 model,maybe in next or next next... verion, I can let it CREATE model for WC3.


1. Prepare tools:
1.1 Install MilkShape3D(1.7.0 or Upper), copy "msWCMDLExporter.dll"(Export Plugin) and "msWCMDLImporter.dll"(Import Plugin) to the MilkShape3D directory.
1.2 Prepare the WC3 model viewer: "Warcraft 3 Viewer.exe"
1.3 Prepare the mdx/mdl convertor: "War3FileConverter.exe"

2. Create working directory:
For example: c:\workspace\wc3\model\, later I'll call this directiry as "YourWorkDir"

3. Prepare model's mdx file:
Run "Warcraft 3 Viewer.exe", select the model which you want to edit, select "Current File"->"Extract MDX" to export the model's mdx file into YourWorkDir

4. Convert the model from mdx to mdl format:
Run "War3FileConverter.exe", press "Load File" to open the mdx file, press "Convert to MDL", then a mdl file with the same model name will be created under YourWorkDir

5. Prepare the model's texture files:
Run "Warcraft 3 Viewer.exe", select the model which you want to edit, select "Current File"->"Show used textures names" to list which texture files are used for this model.
Select "BLP" on window "TreeView", find these texture files and select "Current File"->"Extract (and convert) BLP" to export them into BMP files,ATTENTION:IT"S BMP,NOT BLP.
The exported files must be saved to special directory with the same tree structure as it in "TreeView".
An example:you need to export /Units/Human/Uther/Uther.blp, before that, you need to create the directory: YourWorkDir/Units/Human/Uther/,then export Uther.bmp into it.
At last, the YourWorkDir/Units/Human/Uther/Uther.bmp must be renamed to YourWorkDir/Units/Human/Uther/Uther.blp


6. Editor the model in MilkShape3D:
Run MilkShape3D, select "File"->"Import"->"WarcraftIII MDL(Roam)",and import the mdl file.
After you modified the model, select "File"->"Export"->"WarcraftIII MDL(Roam)",and export the mdl file.

Attention:
6.1 Don't change Model's Comment,which saved the original mdl file's path and will be used in Export Plugin.
6.2 After you import the mdl into MilkShape3D, don't modify the mdl file, don't delete it, don't change it's dir,because the Export Plugin need it.
6.3 Don't change Group's name.Currently the Group's name strored the index of each group for mdl.
6.4 This version of plugin doesn't support :add,change,delete Material,But you can change Material's UV
6.5 This version of plugin doesn't support :add Group
6.6 This version of plugin doesn't support bones

7. Convert the modified model from mdl to mdx format:
Run "War3FileConverter.exe", press "Load File" to open the mdx file, press "Convert to MDX", then a mdx file with the same model name will be created under YourWorkDir


8. View the result:
Run "Warcraft 3 Viewer.exe", select "File"->"Open" the latest mdx file.