Finding & Editing model textures - Novice - MDL Editing

06-27-2007, 06:34 PM

Step 1: Get The Model.

For this tutorial, I will be using my tainted despoiler

Step 2: Convert the model.

You need to use a .mdx to .mdl file converter. MDLX converter is a good example.

Open your model file with the converter and convert it to .mdl format.

Step 3: Find the textures.

Open the .mdl version of your model. It should open in any text editing program.

Scroll down, or choose the Edit | Find command or press Ctrl+F, to find the textures.

If you use Find, type in 'tex'. It will find the textures section. Close Find.

The Textures section should appear similar to the following (or identical if you are using the Fiend model):

Code:

Textures 5 {
    Bitmap {
        Image "Textures\gutz.blp",
    }
    Bitmap {
        Image "Fiend.blp",
    }
    Bitmap {
        Image "",
        ReplaceableId 1,
    }
    Bitmap {
        Image "Textures\Peasant.blp",
    }
    Bitmap {
        Image "Textures\Satyr.blp",
}

Most textures appear as Bitmap { Image "Imagepath.blp", }.

You have now found all the textures used by this model.

Step 4: Editing a path.

To change the path of a texture you simple edit the part between speech marks ("). For example, change:

Code:

Bitmap {
        Image "Textures\Satyr.blp",
}

Into:

Code:

Bitmap {
        Image "FiendHorns.blp",
}

Step 5: Convert the model back.

If you edited the model you will need to convert it back to .mdx format.

Again, you need to use a .mdl to .mdx file converter.

Open your model file with the converter and convert it to .mdx format.

###
Note, it is possible to view texture paths without converting the file to .mdl. Simply open an .mdx model file with a text editor and search for '.blp'. The composition of the file will be mostly gibberish, but the texture paths do appear:

Code:

TEXS<      Textures\gutz.blp                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Fiend.blp                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Textures\Peasant.blp                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Textures\Satyr.blp

Additionally, Warcraft 3 Viewer can display skin paths by pressing Ctrl + [M].

07-01-2007, 09:46 PM

PitzerMike

As for editing paths directly in the mdx: I suggest using a hex-editor. It helps getting the padding zeros right.

A very good collection of tutorials, Whitehorn!
I'd approve all of them right away, but the images are all hosted at other sites, which is a problem because it breaks the tutorials if the other sith goes down.
Please attach them to the posts.

Oh well, I'm sure you already know our rules :)

07-02-2007, 09:03 AM

Whitehorn

Quote:

Originally Posted by PitzerMike

A very good collection of tutorials, Whitehorn!
I'd approve all of them right away, but the images are all hosted at other sites, which is a problem because it breaks the tutorials if the other sith goes down.
Please attach them to the posts.

I was under the impression that hosting filespace was not so infinite as before.
I'll see if i can get Vex to upload an entire folder so I can quickly replace the links.

Bear in mind this one has no attachments.

07-04-2007, 05:31 PM	#4
PitzerMike	Yes, I'll approve them all for now. We can update the images later, when all parts of the site are back up and running.

07-05-2007, 06:47 PM	#5
Guesst	For people looking for the easiest way to get a path changed you might want to mention that Magos' editor (right?) or this program can do it for you.

07-05-2007, 09:03 PM	#6
Whitehorn	Guesst, you trivialized MDL editing. Half the skill was manually editing these ugly models back in the day :P

07-07-2007, 10:03 PM	#7
waaaks	if i do this method, will the model work without the texture imported in WE? im finding a method where your model uses your skin and in WE the skin file is not needed...how to do this?

07-17-2007, 12:42 PM	#8
Pyritie	If the skin is a custom skin, it must be imported in WE.