unpacking a .dat file??

How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can unpack the sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do you need a util to do this?? Dan Leach

Dan Leach <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:S8qr5.44182$[email hidden]... > How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can unpackthe > sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do you need a utilto > do this?? Yes. Surprisingly it's called unpack and pack :-) You should be able to find it at The Pits or somewhere like that. Tony Whitley

On Thu, 31 Aug 2000 11:08:58 +0100, "Dan Leach" <[email hidden]> wrote: >How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can unpack the >sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do you need a util to >do this?? > Dan Leach I'm not sure Dan, but WinMIP has this pack/unpack feature. Perhaps you can do it with this? I'm at work now so I can't try it myself right now. Andre (Hi boss! Yeah, busy as ever! So, where's that raise?)

cheers andre... ill try that... --BTW im working 'really' hard too... ;-) Dan Leach "Andre Warringa" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > On Thu, 31 Aug 2000 11:08:58 +0100, "Dan Leach" > <[email hidden]> wrote: > > >How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can unpackthe > >sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do you need a utilto

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> >do this?? > > Dan Leach > > I'm not sure Dan, but WinMIP has this pack/unpack feature. Perhaps you > can do it with this? I'm at work now so I can't try it myself right > now. > > Andre (Hi boss! Yeah, busy as ever! So, where's that raise?)

As mentioned further down this thread, I believe that pack and unpack are part of WinMIP. However, you really don't need to unpack the existing .dat file to replace any of the sounds or graphics in GPL. Just put the right files in the right folders, and the game will automatically use the replacements rather than the versions in the .dat files. Rick "Dan Leach" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:S8qr5.44182$[email hidden]... > How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can unpackthe > sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do you need a utilto > do this?? > Dan Leach > >

[email hidden] (Dan Leach) wrote in <S8qr5.44182$[email hidden]>: >How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can >unpack the sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do >you need a util to do this?? > Dan Leach The program is PackUnpack, but you generally don't need to do it. Try just putting the .wav file in your gpl\sound folder. The game first looks for .wav files in the folder and if it doesn't find any it then goes to the dat file. Works for me. -- Don Scurlock Vancouver,B.C. GPLRank -5.09 Come see how you rank, at the GPLRank site http://gplrank.schuerkamp.de/

On Thu, 31 Aug 2000 15:28:12 +0100, "Dan Leach" <[email hidden]> wrote: >cheers andre... ill try that... --BTW im working 'really' hard too... ;-) > Dan Leach He he :) Btw, the pack/unpack that tony mentions in the other post are in the winmip directory, so I'm quite sure that the pack/unpack from within winmip will work. Oh wait a minute, I'm home now, let me try: <10 seconds later> Hmm... it doesn't work when I use the unpack option from within Winmap, but when I use the pack and unpack commands in a dos-box it works perfectly... (use "unpack sound.dat" or "pack sound.dat"). Andre

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>"Andre Warringa" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >news:[email hidden]... >> On Thu, 31 Aug 2000 11:08:58 +0100, "Dan Leach" >> <[email hidden]> wrote: >> >> >How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can unpack >the >> >sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do you need a util >to >> >do this?? >> > Dan Leach >> >> I'm not sure Dan, but WinMIP has this pack/unpack feature. Perhaps you >> can do it with this? I'm at work now so I can't try it myself right >> now. >> >> Andre (Hi boss! Yeah, busy as ever! So, where's that raise?) >

Dan... There are a fair amount of posts below with good information about "packing and unpacking" Papyrus ".dat" files. There's also a fair amount of miss-information, unfortunately. Without regard to "who, what, or where" the information below is incorrect......here's a "quick n' dirty" primer on using the pack and unpack utilities for Papyrus ".dat" files (used in all of the NASCAR series sims...and GPL): 1) "pack"....and it's partner file "unpack" are DOS utilities that do not run in windows. They are available at most N2, N3 and GPL "utility" websites...and also at The US Pits. 2) You can simplify using these utilities by placing copies of them in your C:\Windows\command folder. That will allow you to use them from any folder (usually a "temp" or other "working" folder) in your C:\ directory without actually having to copy the pack.exe and the unpack.exe into that folder. Saves you time...and you don't have to remember where you have those little guys stored all the time. 3) WinMip...and (its several derivatives) has a "pack and unpack" feature....but these are for graphic ".dat" files......the "sound.dat" in GPL is not a graphic ".dat" file. Not sure why this should make a big difference...but I've found that it does. 4) The "GPL" dat files do have the capability of using filenames either packed within the .dat file, as well as those outside of the .dat file (but of the exact same name as "a" file in the .dat, as well as it being in the same folder as the .dat). This may be useful for "developers" while working on files to create them. I use this "feature" often when working on the GPL engine sounds in the "sound.dat" file. However, I believe this "feature" is a bit overused by the sim community in producing "patches" and fixes...and track graphic upgrades. Here's the problem.......GPL frame rates are a precious thing (right?).......when you have a file inside the .dat being superseded by one "outside" of the .dat.......that takes some cpu resources....to do this. Multiply these cpu resources...times hundreds of files in a dozen .dat files....and you can see my point. Why consume un-necessary cpu resources when running GPL? I always "pack" a modified or changed graphic or .dat file......when I'm done working on it.....into the appropriate .dat file. I do not recommend you leaving your "modified" file simply in the same folder as it's parent .dat file....but this is your option, of course. 5) The correct use of "pack" and "unpack" from within a DOS window (at a DOS command prompt) is as follows (example is for packing and unpacking the GPL "sound.dat" file.....but this applies to any "yourname.dat" file): To unpack the sound.dat file in GPL.....open a DOS window and change the directory to your temp/work folder that contains a copy of "sound.dat" that you want to unpack. Then type in (the underlined text) as follows: c:\nameofyourtempfolder> unpack sound.dat [hit the "enter" key] This will unpack the sound.dat file....displaying some statistics about the number of files unpacked and giving praise and credit to the program's developer/author (...lol...)! To pack the sound.dat file in GPL (after you have modified one or more files it contains....and have copied it to the folder containing all the files within that ".dat" file that you had "unpacked" above........overwriting the original filename with your new one). Open another DOS window, change to the directory containing your unpacked .dat files and make the following entry as follows (type the underlined text): c:\nameofyourtempfolder> pack sound.pck [hit the "enter" key] This will pack all of the files back up into the .dat file. Note: The file extension for your sound dat file is ".dat" when unpacking it.....and it is ".pck" when packing it....this is very important....the "pack" utility will not work without using ".pck" as the file extension when "packing" a Papyrus ".dat" file! Also.....all the individual files that were packed within the sound.dat file folder....are still listed individually in your working "temp" folder. These are duplicates and they can be discarded if you are packing the sound.dat file for the final time....since they are also now packed within the sound.dat file....which is where you want them. Hope that makes sense? 6) It is very important that any individual file within a Papyrus .dat file/folder ......that you have modified in any way.....maintain the correct properties and format of the original Papyrus file. For graphics files....that is a set of 5 or 6 types of mips, pfb and srb type graphics files, and for sound files, that is the correct properties of several types of .wav files. IF YOU PACK THE WRONG TYPE PROPERTIES FILE INTO ANY PAPYRUS .DAT FILE.....THE "GAME" WILL CRASH WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO RUN IT! .....and it will never run properly until this single "wrong properties" file is replaced with a correct one! This means.....if you don't keep track of your work.....change only one file at time....you'll just about never know which file (out of thousands....and thousands) has been corrupted...or is the wrong properties! Therefore, you are looking at deleting and reinstalling GPL....and then tweaking it back to its present state. Just be careful when doing this stuff! I hope this helps you out.....have fun with your new sounds in GPL........ Regards, Tom Pabst "Dan Leach" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:S8qr5.44182$[email hidden]... > How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can unpack the > sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do you need a util to > do this?? > Dan Leach > >

dooDAT 1.1 is available from double D Software. It allows you to manipulate DAT files for all Papyrus games from the Windows Explorer almost as easy as manipulating archive files with WinZip. URL: http://www.btinternet.com/~deviant/ Stefan Dan Leach wrote: > > How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can unpack the > sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do you need a util to > do this?? > Dan Leach

>3) WinMip...and (its several derivatives) has a "pack and unpack" = >feature....but these are for graphic ".dat" files......the "sound.dat" = >in GPL is not a graphic ".dat" file. Not sure why this should make a = >big difference...but I've found that it does. WinMip(1) just starts the pack/unpack DOS utility. WinMip 2 has a built-in algorithm. It doesn�t matter which type of dat you pack/unpack. The structure is the same for all of them.

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>4) The "GPL" dat files do have the capability of using filenames either = >packed within the .dat file, as well as those outside of the .dat file = >(but of the exact same name as "a" file in the .dat, as well as it being = >in the same folder as the .dat). This may be useful for "developers" = >while working on files to create them. I use this "feature" often when = >working on the GPL engine sounds in the "sound.dat" file. However, I = >believe this "feature" is a bit overused by the sim community in = >producing "patches" and fixes...and track graphic upgrades. Here's the = >problem.......GPL frame rates are a precious thing (right?).......when = >you have a file inside the .dat being superseded by one "outside" of the = >.dat.......that takes some cpu resources....to do this. Multiply these = >cpu resources...times hundreds of files in a dozen .dat files....and you = >can see my point. Why consume un-necessary cpu resources when running = >GPL? I always "pack" a modified or changed graphic or .dat = >file......when I'm done working on it.....into the appropriate .dat = >file. I do not recommend you leaving your "modified" file simply in the = >same folder as it's parent .dat file....but this is your option, of = >course.

Why should CPU cycles be used when having a file not packed into the dat? GPL looks first into the folder for the file and then into the dat, every time when loading, if there is a seperate file or not. When the track has been loaded it also doesn�t matter; for then it takes the files from the RAM re. VRAM. Klaus H�rbrand http://members.aol.com/winmip

thanx for everyones advice.. ive got it sorted now -- in fact ive so many sounds i dont know what to choose now.. :-))) one thing id like to know is -- with the carsound util -- should i now re-pack the sounds into the .dat file or delete the .dat file to save on cpu power...? Also - does anyone know where i can get really good 'growly' engine sounds ... most of the ones ive got are a bit thin (ive tried most of the ones from theuspits... cheers Dan Leach "Tom Pabst" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:2hxr5.152719$[email hidden]... Dan... There are a fair amount of posts below with good information about "packing and unpacking" Papyrus ".dat" files. There's also a fair amount of miss-information, unfortunately. Without regard to "who, what, or where" the information below is incorrect......here's a "quick n' dirty" primer on using the pack and unpack utilities for Papyrus ".dat" files (used in all of the NASCAR series sims...and GPL): 1) "pack"....and it's partner file "unpack" are DOS utilities that do not run in windows. They are available at most N2, N3 and GPL "utility" websites...and also at The US Pits. 2) You can simplify using these utilities by placing copies of them in your C:\Windows\command folder. That will allow you to use them from any folder (usually a "temp" or other "working" folder) in your C:\ directory without actually having to copy the pack.exe and the unpack.exe into that folder. Saves you time...and you don't have to remember where you have those little guys stored all the time. 3) WinMip...and (its several derivatives) has a "pack and unpack" feature....but these are for graphic ".dat" files......the "sound.dat" in GPL is not a graphic ".dat" file. Not sure why this should make a big difference...but I've found that it does. 4) The "GPL" dat files do have the capability of using filenames either packed within the .dat file, as well as those outside of the .dat file (but of the exact same name as "a" file in the .dat, as well as it being in the same folder as the .dat). This may be useful for "developers" while working on files to create them. I use this "feature" often when working on the GPL engine sounds in the "sound.dat" file. However, I believe this "feature" is a bit overused by the sim community in producing "patches" and fixes...and track graphic upgrades. Here's the problem.......GPL frame rates are a precious thing (right?).......when you have a file inside the .dat being superseded by one "outside" of the .dat.......that takes some cpu resources....to do this. Multiply these cpu resources...times hundreds of files in a dozen .dat files....and you can see my point. Why consume un-necessary cpu resources when running GPL? I always "pack" a modified or changed graphic or .dat file......when I'm done working on it.....into the appropriate .dat file. I do not recommend you leaving your "modified" file simply in the same folder as it's parent .dat file....but this is your option, of course. 5) The correct use of "pack" and "unpack" from within a DOS window (at a DOS command prompt) is as follows (example is for packing and unpacking the GPL "sound.dat" file.....but this applies to any "yourname.dat" file): To unpack the sound.dat file in GPL.....open a DOS window and change the directory to your temp/work folder that contains a copy of "sound.dat" that you want to unpack. Then type in (the underlined text) as follows: c:\nameofyourtempfolder> unpack sound.dat [hit the "enter" key] This will unpack the sound.dat file....displaying some statistics about the number of files unpacked and giving praise and credit to the program's developer/author (...lol...)! To pack the sound.dat file in GPL (after you have modified one or more files it contains....and have copied it to the folder containing all the files within that ".dat" file that you had "unpacked" above........overwriting the original filename with your new one). Open another DOS window, change to the directory containing your unpacked .dat files and make the following entry as follows (type the underlined text): c:\nameofyourtempfolder> pack sound.pck [hit the "enter" key] This will pack all of the files back up into the .dat file. Note: The file extension for your sound dat file is ".dat" when unpacking it.....and it is ".pck" when packing it....this is very important....the "pack" utility will not work without using ".pck" as the file extension when "packing" a Papyrus ".dat" file! Also.....all the individual files that were packed within the sound.dat file folder....are still listed individually in your working "temp" folder. These are duplicates and they can be discarded if you are packing the sound.dat file for the final time....since they are also now packed within the sound.dat file....which is where you want them. Hope that makes sense? 6) It is very important that any individual file within a Papyrus .dat file/folder ......that you have modified in any way.....maintain the correct properties and format of the original Papyrus file. For graphics files....that is a set of 5 or 6 types of mips, pfb and srb type graphics files, and for sound files, that is the correct properties of several types of .wav files. IF YOU PACK THE WRONG TYPE PROPERTIES FILE INTO ANY PAPYRUS .DAT FILE.....THE "GAME" WILL CRASH WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO RUN IT! .....and it will never run properly until this single "wrong properties" file is replaced with a correct one! This means.....if you don't keep track of your work.....change only one file at time....you'll just about never know which file (out of thousands....and thousands) has been corrupted...or is the wrong properties! Therefore, you are looking at deleting and reinstalling GPL....and then tweaking it back to its present state. Just be careful when doing this stuff! I hope this helps you out.....have fun with your new sounds in GPL........ Regards, Tom Pabst "Dan Leach" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:S8qr5.44182$[email hidden]... > How do you unpack the sound.dat file for GPL. I've heard you can unpack the > sound.dat file and replace the sounds then re-pack it. Do you need a util to > do this?? > Dan Leach > >