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Human readable easy to understand no fuss examples how to use Mikero Tools.

How to unpack addons to your P:\ drive.

ExtractPboDos is the command line tool which is to be used with batch (.bat) files.

Unpack config.cpp and all models:

@echo off
extractPboDos -P -F=config.bin,*.p3d C:\WhateverPath\addons p:\
pause
exit

Note that the '=' on -F parameter was introduced in 2019 for pay tools and we don't know if its on the latest free tools as well (don't have free tools to test). If you get error with “-F=filename” parameter then simply remove the '=' heh.

Unpack EVERYTHING:

@echo off
extractPboDos -P C:\WhateverPath\addons p:\
pause
exit

Updated for pboProject v2.45

Exclude from pbo file name list:

*.xcf,*.psd,*.psb,thumbs.db,*.txt,*.h,*.dep,*.cpp,*.bat,*.bak,*.tga,*.png,*.log,*.pew,*.hpp,*.lbt,*.tpp,source

For those who build many addons or frequently update some addon, there is no better way to run pboProject that from dos batch file using command line.

First you need to configure pboProject using the normal graphical user interface. The values are saved (like exclude dirs/files etc) and used when you run it from command line.

Command line:

@echo off
echo Start time: %time%
pboproject -w=p:\ +mod=C:\ArmA3Mods\myTerrain p:\tag\tag_myTerrain
pboproject -w=p:\ +mod=C:\ArmA3Mods\myTerrain p:\tag\tag_myTerrain_cfg
echo End time: %time%
pause
exit

When you get error, look at the pboProject console window and also the log directory which is P:\temp\ which contains two logs or at least one, depending did you manage to get through binarize phase. Check these logs and read what the error says, if you don't know what the error means, google it as there is very likely possibility that someone has already asked about the error in forums etc.

Note for v2.45: some versions earlier the pause option in console was added, you need to add -P parameter for “no pause” and then pboproject works again in batch mode without pauses. With -P if you get error it will be written to pboproject console… which will be immediately closed leaving you no time to see the error (you have to check logs in p:\temp\ directory). You should use “if errorlevel 1 goto PboError” in your bat file to stop at errors on long batch files.

Most common errors are missing files (wrong paths) or class Land_ stuff.

The above .bat also lists starting and ending time, which is nice stats for those larger projects (especially terrains) :)

Killing binarize_x64.exe causes pboproject to abort and cleanly return \source\ dir to its original location. I assume same happens if binarize crashes on itself.

DeP3D scans useful information from a model P3D.

Geometry Properties:

dep3d -P -G model.p3d

Files Used:

dep3d -P -FL model.p3d

LOD Properties:

dep3d -P -LP model.p3d

Named Selections:

dep3d -P -S model.p3d

Fully working batch file to run arma3 sample character models info into _p3d_properties.txt file:

@echo off
set A3SAMPLEDIR="<steamPath>SteamApps\common\Arma 3 Samples\Addons\Test_Character_01"
set MIKEROD3P3D="C:\Program Files (x86)\Mikero\DePboTools\bin\dep3d"
%MIKEROD3P3D% -P -G %A3SAMPLEDIR%\A3_character_example.p3d >_p3d_properties.txt
%MIKEROD3P3D% -P -FL %A3SAMPLEDIR%\A3_character_example.p3d >>_p3d_properties.txt
%MIKEROD3P3D% -P -LP %A3SAMPLEDIR%\A3_character_example.p3d >>_p3d_properties.txt
%MIKEROD3P3D% -P -S %A3SAMPLEDIR%\A3_character_example.p3d >>_p3d_properties.txt
pause
exit

You need to replace <steamPath> with your full steam directory path.