here is how to create your OWN copy of the texted game files.

1 copy the program files\sins FOLDER to  for example c:\sins\reference\sins of a solar empire 1.181

2 copy the entrenchment folder from inside the copied folder to the reference folder and re-name it entrenchment 1.041

the reason for the version number at the end is so that the gui can use the correct convertdata to convert the files to text mode

3 download my modding utilites1.181a.rar and winrar or 7zip(both can be found by googleing)

4 install winrar/7zip

5 extract the modding utilities 1.181a.rar to a folder (somewhere on your computer OR a usb memory stick)

6 run the sinstextbinner.exe navigate to the sins\reference folder then doubleclick on the sins folder, then click on the 'convert this folder' button then click on the 'convert the folder NOW' button then do the same for the entrenchment folder

congratulations you have created your OWN reference set

harpo

I have a download for the text files at my web site. When you get there go to the "Sins Extras" page scroll down and look under the "Files" header.

Link http://ricksgalaxy.homestead.com/ 

Thanks for this, I was looking for a zipped copy.

the folder NEEDS the sins/entrenchment version number AT THE end of the folder name

eg sins 1.16, entrenchment 1.041,sins of a solar empire 1.181,entrenchment 1.03

the reason for this is that I found that the later convertdata's have problems converting files binned by EARLIER versions of convertdata, and that using the version that originally converted the file to bin successfully converts BACK to text.

I use this method for the MOD updater as well as the textbin gui and it also has a sideeffect for modders in that they gain a copy of EACH versions reference files which can help them when manually tweeking/updating/creating mods

harpo