Managing your project resources
by Gary Preston · in Torque Game Engine · 09/01/2004 (10:00 am) · 2 replies
Hi,
Currenlty I tend to put everything I use for a project all under one directory, so for example if I have a dif file, I'll include the map file needed to build it and any textures.
Same goes for any other resource I used.
However, I'm about to have a go with Quark to build some new map interiors, and the question of where to put stuff crops up. Currently Quark saves everything into the tmpQuark dir.
How do you manage your files when it comes to working with Quark? Do you copy all your textures you'll need into a textures folder in quark, or do you use the make links option? I guess making copies would be the best so that I can have different textures for each project, even if they have the same name. However that brings with it the problem that if you ever edit a texture you have to remember to copy it from the torque dir to the quark dir.
How do those of you who use Quark regularly deal with this?
Also, a similar question for maps. Do you copy your map/dif files into the tmpQuark dir and then proceed to edit them from there finally copying them back to the relevant interiors folder?
I'm trying to think of an easy way to manage all the different resources, so that I don't "misplace/delete" anything in the future that I need.
Currently, I think the way I'll handle it, is to blank the tmpQuark dir before working on any map, then copy over the map and textures. Make any changes and export the map, then move the entire lot back into the torque dir.. Bit of a pain, but does it sound reasonable?
PS If you havn't guessed, I've never used Quark before :P
Currenlty I tend to put everything I use for a project all under one directory, so for example if I have a dif file, I'll include the map file needed to build it and any textures.
Same goes for any other resource I used.
However, I'm about to have a go with Quark to build some new map interiors, and the question of where to put stuff crops up. Currently Quark saves everything into the tmpQuark dir.
How do you manage your files when it comes to working with Quark? Do you copy all your textures you'll need into a textures folder in quark, or do you use the make links option? I guess making copies would be the best so that I can have different textures for each project, even if they have the same name. However that brings with it the problem that if you ever edit a texture you have to remember to copy it from the torque dir to the quark dir.
How do those of you who use Quark regularly deal with this?
Also, a similar question for maps. Do you copy your map/dif files into the tmpQuark dir and then proceed to edit them from there finally copying them back to the relevant interiors folder?
I'm trying to think of an easy way to manage all the different resources, so that I don't "misplace/delete" anything in the future that I need.
Currently, I think the way I'll handle it, is to blank the tmpQuark dir before working on any map, then copy over the map and textures. Make any changes and export the map, then move the entire lot back into the torque dir.. Bit of a pain, but does it sound reasonable?
PS If you havn't guessed, I've never used Quark before :P
#2
From the Defaults.qrk in the base Quark directory:
You could change those directories in the config file, or you could do what I did. I created a batch file that copies the maps and textures into a folder that shares the name of the .map file under a debug directory for testing. Then I run torque and navigate to the debug folder to see if my maps are okay.
09/01/2004 (1:54 pm)
That's one thing that has annoyed me about Quark for a long time. It seems to taunt you with a dialog that doesn't want to change.From the Defaults.qrk in the base Quark directory:
{
Game = "Torque"
Code = "g" // Hardcoded value in Setup.PAS
Program = "map2dif_DEBUG.exe"
[b]Directory = "c:\Torque"[/b]
//CheckDirectory = "map2dif_DEBUG.exe"
MapCommentsPrefix = "//"
// StupidBuildToolKludge = "1"
.
.
.
TextureFormat = ".jpg"
TextureWriteFormat = ".jpg"
BaseDir = "base"
[b]tmpQuArK = "tmpQuArK"[/b]
// AlwaysPak = ""
// PakExt = ".pk3"
// PakFormat = "*.PK3"
.
.
.
}You could change those directories in the config file, or you could do what I did. I created a batch file that copies the maps and textures into a folder that shares the name of the .map file under a debug directory for testing. Then I run torque and navigate to the debug folder to see if my maps are okay.
Torque Owner FruitBatInShades
As for textures and maps i hate the way it handles them but needs must so when i work on a model I clearthe directory of textures and make a new map called working. Then I have a batch file which copys the dif and textures into my torque test mission and runs the mission.
It's a pain but it's simple. When you want to save the map just save it as a new name. The textures are copied over everytime you select 'Export textures' so you can keep clearing the textures directory.
When your happy with the model in the engine just copy and rename the \interiors\working\ directory to \interiors\MyModelName and clear the working directory for your net creation.