The way I convert files is the hard way, but it always works... If you can find CMD.exe on your computer... If you have XP, you can click Run, and then just type in cmd.exe... Otherwise, you'll have to sift through your windows folder to find it... Once you have it open, you'll have a simple text line... Mine says C:\Documents and Settings\Five Floor Fixer\> _
From here you can type in certain DOS commands into the program, but you wont need to know any.. For the next step, you need a folder that has BOTH the convertdata.exe and the files to be converted in it... I went ahead and threw all my convertdata's into the Mods folder, for easy access.
Now, if this folder isn't the folder read by CMD.exe, you have to change directory to your folder, which is easy. You type in the letters cd followed by the folder path. For instance, to get to my Mods folder, I have to type in cd local settings\application data\sins of a solar empire\mods. You don't need to capitalize anything, but include all spaces, and make sure you spell it right... If done correctly, cmd.exe will read like this: C:\Documents and Settings\Five Floor Fixer\Local Settings\Application Data\Sins of a Solar Empire\Mods\> _
As long as you have the files to be converted in that same folder, you're ready to convert. You just type in which ever convertdata.exe that relates to the version of Sins the file came from (I labled my .exes 'O' for original, 'E' for entrenchment and 'D' for diplomacy), the type of file you're converting (entity, brushes, or mesh), the file name, the file's NEW name, and the output type.. (usually TXT)
For instance. Lets say I was adjusting the TEC race. To read the playertech.entity file, I would type in convertdata_d.exe entity PlayerTech.entity PlayerTech.entity txt The PlayerTech.entity file (as long as I used Diplomacy's file) should now be in text form, ready for editting.
But, as you can see, this is a long and arduous process...
