IDE question
 

Are there any tutorials that teach you how to use an IDE ?



* beginner at modding programming

Re: IDE question
 

You just gotta get to know the environment.

You've got your solution explorer which contains all of the files to be compiled for each project.
You've got your build output window which will tell you the progress of your compiles and any errors/warnings that come up.
You've got your main code editor window, this one's pretty easy to figure out =P
And then the search feature, which can search in that file, that project, or the entire solution.

Getting used to an IDE just takes time, so use it however you wish to use it.

Re: IDE question
 

no, the problem is that I don't know how to use it this is my first time deciding to do programming and I don't know how to use the program ?

In the modding field of programming my konwledge is very minimal.

Re: IDE question
 

Do you have the MP SDK? (Source code)

Re: IDE question
 

um sorry i have to ask this question, which source code, the source code of the program or game ?

Sorry again I really really have minimal knowledge in programming.

Re: IDE question
 

For the game. If you don't have it already, here it is:
http://www.filefront.com/7940604/JA-codemp-2005.zip/

Re: IDE question
 

I already have the source code for the game, so do you mean the source code of the program ?

Re: IDE question
 

No... The MP SDK contains source code for the game.
What IDE are you trying to use? The MP SDK assumes that you're going to be using MS Visual C++. You can download a free version of it here:
Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition

Re: IDE question
 

the IDE im using is microsoft visual studio, but the problem is i dont know how to use the program and.... thats why I really wanted to take a tutorial that would teach me how to use the program.

RAZOR, you said it takes some time to get used to using an IDE, so is it really that easy to use, but takes time ?

Re: IDE question
 

You just have to get used to the concept of working with 'projects' in a 'solution', and compiling your code.
It takes time, but once you understand it, things become a lot easier.

Re: IDE question
 

Here's a very good guide to programming in C++: C++ Beginner's Guide.

Re: IDE question
 

Yeah, but, JKA isn't written in C++

Re: IDE question
 

Yup, Razor's right. JKA is written in C. Here's a tutorial for C that looks pretty decent:
Cprogramming.com Tutorial: Introduction to C

Re: IDE question
 

oh thank you thank you tutorials, oh and i found the .exe file for visual studio so basically all i have to do is learn to get used to the program, because mainly i dont want to create my own source code i want to translate programming language to human readable language, IDEs do help me do that right, they do have a decompiler along with them right ?

by the way these tutorials will help me understand C and C++ language to the point in which I will know what the language actually reads out in human readable ?

Re: IDE question
 

There's an intro video on msdn: Introduction to Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition
(assuming that's the version you got).

I haven't checked it out myself, so I don't know if it's really that helpful. Worth a try, I guess.

BTW, I don't think there's a decompiler included. Why would you need one, anyway? Thing is, if the source code is not published, decompiling / disassembling (aka "reverse engineering") is actually illegal AFAIK. Also it's pretty advanced stuff, you will have extreme problems reading decompiled / disassembled code.

Re: IDE question
 

but i thought dissassembled code would be turned into english/human readable

Re: IDE question
 

Not really. Trust me, reverse engineering is not something you want to do at the beginning of your programming career. Just concentrate on working with published source code, like with the JA MP SDK.

Re: IDE question
 

^Which is almost perfectly humanly readable, and you'll get a grasp for computer logic and how things work internally.

I'm only just starting to learn Assembly (The machine code you get after reverse engineering) and I've been programming for probably about 2 years, so try not to get ahead of yourself =P

As I said earlier, feel free to ask questions, we're here to help if you're willing to help yourself too.

Re: IDE question
 

ok well can i ask what programming language is this ?

2\B + Ç  +  É3A - ¯aÑ+ Ç? - FA¯aÑ+ Ç? - FA¯aÑ@ Ç? - ¯aÑ@ Ç?=æ|　　　　dæ|P8C 2
+  ¦8C + ¦8C + 2\B + Ç  +  É3A - ¯aÑ@ Ç? - FA¯aÑ@ Ç?¯aÑ+ FA A Ç?¯aÑ+ A Ç?=æ
:confused:


by the way about decompilers do they only work for specific programming languages or for many ?

and when you mean source code being published do you mean released to the public ?

Re: IDE question
 

I can assure you that that is not any programming language. It looks more like a binary file opened with a text editor. Where did you get that?

Decompilers don't give you the original source code of the program. All of that is lost in the process of compiling.

Re: IDE question
 

to be honest it came from a pak file from another game and to open it i used winrar, in which i thought it to be programming language, ever since I played jka and learned about mods and the different types of modding, ive become obssessed in modding other games i like. so if its not a programming language then what is it really ?

by the way how were you able to tell that it was a binary file opened by a text editor, i thought it was programming language when i used winrar to open the pak file ?

Re: IDE question
 

A .PAK file is a type of archive file. Basically, it's like a .ZIP file, but not (I'm not sure what kind of compression algorithm it uses, if any). Same with A .PK3 file, except it's literally just a renamed .ZIP file.

All binary files (.exe, .dll, .zip, .pk3, etc.) when opened in a text editor look like a bunch of random ASCII characters put together. Occasionally there's a readable string of text in there, but only if it's in the program.

Re: IDE question
 

wait so, if its not programming language, is there any other way to acquire the programming language ?
:confused:
are pak files like binary files ?

Re: IDE question
 

.PAK files are stored in a binary format, yes.
Eh? I think there is great miscommunication going on here. What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

Re: IDE question
 

ok, im trying to mod this ps2 game, i opened it, seeking to mod the skins of the models of the game, however models and skins are only found in pak files and there was only one pak file found inside the game, but no pak extractor is able to open it, i used winrar and thought I opened a file with a certain programming language, but just learned ended up opening a binary file filled wich i should say binary language, what im trying to do is access the models, skins, and animations of the game, thats why i thought a decompiler was needed to translate that language i saw, but now after learning what i just learned i dont know where to go, i thought what i saw was programming language and thats why that this type of job i was trying to do was in the modding branch of programming ?

before im told what im trying to do is illegal, i read the leagal statements made by the creators of the game, stating that modification to the game or source code is allowed provided that i give them credit and dont commercialise the modified product.

Re: IDE question
 

What game is it?

And where do you find these legal statements??

Re: IDE question
 

the game is called Mortal Kombat Armageddon, its a ps2 game, once put in your cd drive of your computer youll see the files of the game, one of which is and only pak file, and the leagalities are on a .txt file inside the game,

I know it may not have anything to do directly with jka, but eversince i made my own mods for jka ive become obssessed in modding other games i liked and what i was trying to do required programming skill so i did much research as i could to acquire knowledge a modding programmer would have, and when trying to know how to access the contents of the pak file i stumbled accross binary language, that i had mistakenly believed to be programming language, being the reason why i was trying learn how to use IDEs. And since many jka modding programmers use IDEs, i thought i could ask help from them. Now my search is taking me to an unexpected path.

Re: IDE question
 

I doubt you'll find information about modding ps2 games here. Why didn't you state your intentions at the beginning, instead of sending us on a ride trying to help you out with programming resources, when programming is quite likely the least useful skill for this modding venture of yours? It sounds like asset modding is what you're after, not programming. What you need first obviously is a utlity to open that pak file (if there is such a thing as a common ps2 pak file format, that is), so why not search for one? But not here, mind you.

Now, do you have any questions about JK3 modding or not?

Re: IDE question
 

I apologize for not stating my full intentions earlier its just that when i opened that pak file i was under the impression that what i saw in it was programming language and thats why i thought an IDE would be needed since it is usually used with programming situations and being the reason why i sought the help of the jka community.
Once again i apologize for the miscommunication and the inconvenience.

If its not a problem can i ask what is asset modding ?
is it a totally different branch of modding, being which it is completely diffrent from programming ?

also if pak extractors are the utilities you meant, there are none.

Re: IDE question
 

Are you just trying to open and veiw a .PAK file? If so, you could just open it with this program: Pakscape, Jedi Knight 3 Downloads, Jedi Knight 3 Modding Tools It can open PK3s, Paks, Vols and Zips. They are all different kinds of zip file really. So your original quetion was not on programming, but on opening unknown file types.

Re: IDE question
 

I tried that alread it doesnt work, very time i try to view the file with that program I find and see absolutely nothing. it always keeps saying error reading pak file.

by the way what is asset modding Ive never heard of that type of modding before ?

Re: IDE question
 

Well with asset modding I meant exactly that: modding the assets, which is more or less the artistic content that a game is composed of: levels/maps, models, animations, textures/skins, sounds, music, cutscenes etc.
Modding those requires different skills than programming does (well for the most part, at any rate).

As for the pak file, my advice is to search the web for something like "ps2 pak file" (or maybe even specify the game - I don't know if the pak file format is common among all ps2 games). I did a quick google search but didn't find anything useful in the top hits, and frankly, I can't be bothered to dig more thoroughly as I don't even have a ps2. Anyway, good luck.

BTW, sorry for getting a bit worked up. It's actually not a big deal, really. Guess I had a bad mood, is all. But seriously, I bet there a better places to find support for ps2 related stuff than here.

Re: IDE question
 

thank you for the forgiveness, but it was still my fault for miscalculating the minimal knowledge i had in programming, im going to start a new thread on asset modding since ive now learned that my modding quest does not follow in the path of modding programming.

once again my apologies to the jka community for all inconveniences and i thank you for the knowledge ive just been given.