ZaZ Tools / CSM questions

Ok, first I have carefully gone through the FAQ and searched with google, but I didn't find any answer: I have installed GP4 + patch + Decrypted + GxPatch + ZaZ Tools. The standard, non-modded game runs fine in Windows 7 x64 although it takes 2 minutes to load on my laptop.

What I'd like to do is to start the default GP4 game with CSM because the tool gives me more ways to setup and change the game, for example adding a Damage.ini, editing the Magic Data in a convenient way. Is there a way to do that, for example moving files into \GPSAVES\CARSETS or is there any function in CSM itself?
By the way, how do you deinstall a mod, do you just rip the content of \GPSAVES\CARSETS\[Mod name] ?

Thank you,
XenonS

I think I will go with Tony's 2009 empty Mod, but puh...what a dance

XenonS

First Question:
CSM gives you a tool to build a CSM mod from a GP4 Installation:

CSM -> Extra Stuff -> 'Build CSM Set' Tab'; Check all the boxes except for 'High lods only', 'High res only' and 'Swap gp4.exe'

Click the '...' box to select your GP4 Installation, and then click 'Build'.

This will create a CSM mod with all the default cars, helmets, teams etc, and all the files that CSM needs.
To this, you can add all the 'Configurables' that you see in other mods; Have a look at how other mods do these things.
This is probably the best way to learn how to structure simple CSM mods.

To edit Magic Data for the original tracks using TSM, you'll need to either (I prefer 'b':
a) Create the Tracks in TSM with the original .dats and .wads, and use TSM to insert the Magic Data before you can edit it. (See below)
b) Download the 2001 Trackpack from this page, install it with TSM - TSM, Expand 'Tasks', 'Install Track' ('Copy default tracks' has never worked for me) - and use TSM to insert the Magic Data before you can edit it. (See below)

My preferred method to get the Magic Data for the original tracks into TSM:

1) Configure -> Manage Tracks, and select the track in question.
2) 'Magic Data' tab, 'Import Defaults', select the track in question.
3) Click 'Save' on the 'Magic Data' tab, and then click 'Save' on the left of the TSM window.

Second Question:
Yep, just delete the [Mod Name] folder.

Hope that helps.

---

F1 Graphics Swapper --- Lensdump - Renders and Screenshots --- GP4 Performance Generator

Hello Doug,

thanks very much for these detailed inputs, I will go through your steps, I have totally overseen these "Extra Stuff" functions because I thought they were greyed out, but no!

[EDIT]
Wow, that's wonderful, after applying the 'Build' button all the files are in the right place, the game ready to go, even my GPTweaker settings are transfered and I still can set the game with GPxPatch. Great

I'm following your other steps now. I will download Season 2005 + 2006 plus the tracks on GB4db.com (I've played DTM 2005 years ago, but I do not remember all the install steps of that time).

Greetings,
XenonS



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2016 03:24AM by XenonS.

Hum... not that easy as it appears. When launching my build straight away (with Start), nothing happens, CSM goes through the starting process and then recovers everything. I think CSM has no idea which tracks to use.
After the 'Build' command in the "Other Stuff' section, all the files are build, but the standard tracks are not recognized: In the 'Managing Track' section of TSM I have created a profile, but I don't see how I can add tracks to the 'Tracks in Profile', the upper window part.
However, after creating the profile, TSM has created an empty ini file in the Track folder of GP4 (Standard Game.ini; the name I have given to the profile), but as I can see this ini must point to 17 different ini files within the sub-track directories and it looks like these files must all be created manually

OR: Is there a way to tell CSM/TSM to use the default tracks (or already imported tracks) with a specific mod or built?
I cannot believe that I must create 17 different .ini files and place all .dat files of the standard tracks manually in 17 folders called 'Standard Game' placed in every track-subfolder, There sure must be an easier way !!

[EDIT]

Ok, the solution is only half that complicated, but half is still enough =
I have to edit my Standard Game.ini for the exact track order I want, and put in

[Tracks]
Track1=Melbourne\Existing Mod\UseThisTrack.ini
Track2=Le Mans Petit Sarthe\Existing Mod\UseThisTrack.ini
Track3=Suzuka\Existing Mod\UseThisTrack.ini
Track4=SpaFrancorchamps\Existing Mod\UseThisTrack.ini
Track5=Barcelona\Existing Mod\UseThisTrack.ini
(...)

The 'Existing Mod' can be any mod already installed, it doesn't matter which.
Then I create 1 UseThisTrack.ini and copy it in all subfolders of Tracks\Existing Mod
The content is simply:

[Settings]
Wad=The_Track_I_Want.wad
Dat=The_Track_I_Want.dat

At last, I add this in the main mod csm file:
[Settings]
FixedTrackProfile =Tracks\Standard Game.ini

So, yes I will have to create 17 ini files UseThisTrack.ini, one for each track, but I can then use these files again and again

I greatly hope this is right...

XenonS



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2016 06:15AM by XenonS.

What I finally did to transform the standard GP4 game into a CSM mod was the following. Just to note: I'm not a fan of the 2000 season, the available mods like DTM 2005, Season 2005 etc. are WAY better grafically and for what a lot of people have added. I want to honor that. My quest in getting the standard game to run in CSM is only to understand the modding process and how different modding tools are working together. That said, here my steps:

As Doug gently suggested, I build from my GP4 install a custom 'mod' by lauching Build in TSM 'Other Stuff'.
I then manually create new tracks in TSM and pointing to the WAD files in the main GP4 directory; it's the fastest way I know, and all the wad/dat files must be in the mod folder anyway to tell CSM which track to load when a mod starts.
After that, it gets complicated...I haven't fully figured out which ini files in the GPSAVES\Carsets\[your mod]\Settings can be left blank. The GlobalVar.ini is the only one that CAN be left blank, it governs all the mod configuration in CSM, leaving it blank you still can make changes with GPxPatch.
For the CSM.ini, I have simply copied all and pasted from the 2009_Empty_Season. I added my own Damage.ini file.
The swap.ini is very important, here is a good generic content IMO:

[Main]
Format=

[Vars]
; track specfic visors
;visor9 =Montreal

[Swapfiles]
File1 =Tweaker\gp4tweak.ini,gp4tweak.ini
File2 =Tweaker\gp4tweak.dll,gp4tweak.dll
File3 =Tweaker\gp4tweak.bin,gp4tweak.bin
File4 =Menu\tracks\track%tracknum%.bik,MenuData\PC\GP2001\Videos\wheel_lo_blur.bik
File5 =Menu\tracks\track%tracknum%.bik,MenuData\PC\GP2001\Videos\BG_flag.bik
File6 =Menu\tracks\track%tracknum%.bik,MenuData\PC\GP2001\Videos\BG_Rain - Light.bik
File7 =Menu\tracks\track%tracknum%.bik,MenuData\PC\GP2001\Videos\BG_Tyretread.bik
File8 =Menu\tracks\track%tracknum%.bik,MenuData\PC\GP2001\Videos\CornerL.bik
File9 =Menu\tracks\track%tracknum%.bik,MenuData\PC\GP2001\Videos\CornerR.bik
File10 =Menu\tracks\track%tracknum%.bik,MenuData\PC\GP2001\Videos\Straight3.bik

[SwapFolder]
Folder1 =Performance,gpxpdata
Folder2 =GpxPatch,gpxpdata
Folder3 =GpxPatch\pnl,gpxpdata\pnl
Folder4 =GpxPatch\snd,gpxpdata\snd
Folder5 =GpxPatch\gfx,gpxpdata\gfx
Folder6 =Tweaker\gp4tweak_data,gp4tweak_data
Folder7 =%visors%,gp4tweak_data\sprite\visor
Folder8 =%visors%\(visor%tracknum%),gp4tweak_data\sprite\visor
Folder9 =%visors%\%trackname%,gp4tweak_data\sprite\visor
Folder10 =%visors%\dirt,gp4tweak_data\sprite\visor\dirt
Folder11 =Cockpit\StWheels\%team%\Fonts,fonts
FOlder12 =Setups,GPSAVES

Now comes the most important part: the edition of the [your mod].csm file. I use UltraEdit texteditor for convenience. This file must be completed where some iomportant entries are blank with = followed by nothing. Otherwise CSM will launch the mod but GP4 will crash and you will not realize it because CSM will immediately restore everything (you won't see any crash screen of GP4 or similar). There is also another reason why GP4 may crash, but for this later.
First if CSM tells you "blah blah, you need a higher version to start", then simply edit the "MinimumVersion" entry to be lower, otherwise no go.
Then, your [F1gstate] must look like this:

[F1gstate]
Track =%racenum%
Difficulty =%difficulty%
Racetype =%racetype%
Driver =%driver%

in the [Files] section, everything in your mod should point to an existing config.ini with the path before, for example

TeamArt =Teamart,Teamart\config.ini
Helmets =Helmets\config.ini

Now, the [Settings] edit:
Very important the 2 entries here below must point to [your mod].ini in the GP4 Track folder. In my case this is

FixedTrackProfile =Standard Game.ini
TrackProfile =Standard Game.ini

Then, EVERY one of the basic ini file in the GPSAVES\Carsets\[your mod]\Settings folder must be pointed as here below.

SwapINI =swap.ini
PatchINI =Patch.ini
CSMINI =CSM.ini
GlobalVars =globalvars.ini

That's it ok? NO
Two important things to do still:

a)
You must tell CSM which tracks to load with your mod. Launch TSM, gp om 'Manage Profiles', create a profile with the exact name of your mod, click once in the first row of the section above (which should all be empty), then select tracks from below which will be the exact track order when you start the game.

b)
I have taken hours to figure out this, you MUST get your GPxPatch files into your mod files. The TSM built has not done it for you. Go in your main GP4 directory and copy the entire content of the gpxdata folder into GPSAVES\Carsets\[your mod\Data\GpxPatch. If you skip this GP4 will simply not launch (again, you won't realize it). If still GP4 crashes for some reason, then re-copy the decrypted GP4.exe into your main game dir.

You are done, you can launch the standard game with CSM. The standard tracks that you have painfully created can be handy for you everytime you don't have a track for your mod - or to use as a replacement track.

XenonS



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2016 11:04PM by XenonS.

It sounds like you've got it all figured out, but some suggestion/question from me:

Track stuff:
>I then manually create new tracks in TSM and pointing to the WAD files in the main GP4 directory

When you create a New Track in TSM and select your WAD/DAT/Loading Screen etc, these all get copied automatically to the Track's actual folder:

[Root GP4 Folder]\Tracks\TrackName

So, what ends up happening is that TSM actually points to the files in the Track's folder.

>...and all the wad/dat files must be in the mod folder anyway to tell CSM which track to load when a mod starts.

While this will work there is a much easier way to tell CSM which Tracks to load:
1) Open CSM, select your Mod
2) Mod's Configurables -> Select your TSM Track Profile from the dropdown list on the right of Screen.

The lines:

FixedTrackProfile =Standard Game.ini
TrackProfile =Standard Game.ini

Will actually accomplish this for you; 'FixedTrackProfile' will mean that the selected profile can't be changed, 'TrackProfile' will automatically select that profile if it exists, but will allow you to change it.

So, from what you've written there, it sounds to me like the following is happening:
1) You WAD and DAT files are in the Mod's folder, and are being copied into the Root GP4 Folder when you load the mod.
2) Because a Track Profile is selected in CSM, the Track Profile is then being loaded (In the CSM window, you'll see be seeing messages like 'Talking to CSM', 'Loading Track 1 of 17' anyway?

Other Stuff:

[F1gstate]
Track =%racenum%
Difficulty =%difficulty%
Racetype =%racetype%
Driver =%driver%

This will only have an effect if you have Configurables for Track, Difficulty, Racetype and Driver selection in your GlobalVars.ini
Anything written inside of two '%' is treated by CSM as a Variable.

So, for example, a Configurable for Track Selection inside the GlobalVars.ini:
Notes are written in Red, leave these out of your file.

[racenum]             ------> Variable
Allowchange	=1 ------> Allow user to change
Name		=Grand Prix of ...      ------> Name of Option in Configurables menu
Name Icon	=Files\Icons\gp2.ico ------> Icon next to name (Not required)
VarCount		=17 ------> How many options there are
Var1			=1   ------> The value that will be assigned to the Variable
Var2			=2
Var3			=3
Var4			=4
Var5			=5
Var6			=6
Var7			=7
Var8			=8
Var9			=9
Var10		=10
Var11		=11
Var12		=12
Var13		=13
Var14		=14
Var15		=15
Var16		=16
Var17		=17
VarName1		=Australia - Melbourne ------> How the value will be presented to the user in the drop down menu.
VarName2		=Malaysia - Sepang
VarName3		=Brazil - Interlagos
VarName4		=San Marino - Imola
VarName5		=Spain - Barcelona
VarName6		=Austria - A1 Ring
VarName7		=Monaco - Monte Carlo
VarName8		=Canada - Montreal
VarName9		=Europe - Nürburgring
VarName10		=Great Britain - Silverstone
VarName11		=France - Magny-Cours
VarName12		=Germany - Hockenheim
VarName13		=Hungary - Hungaroring
VarName14		=Belgium - Spa-Francorchamps
VarName15		=Italy - Monza
VarName16		=USA - Indianapolis
VarName17		=Japan - Suzuka

So, for example, with this mod:
1) I'll go to the Configurable's tab, and select the 'Grand Prix of ...' Configurable
2) I then go down and select the race I want:
- If I select 'Australia - Melbourne', the Variable 'racenum' will be '1'
- If I select 'Europe - Nürburgring', the Variable 'racenum' will be '9'

When CSM loads the mod, it will pass the 'racenum' Variable to the 'f1gstate.sav' file, and the race I selected will be the one selected for me on the race menu.
This isn't needed however, and is usually added for only one of two reasons:
1) Convenience
2) Track specific carshapes/liveries/helmets/drivers etc

'1' is self-explanatory, but, for '2', I could, for example, have a line in my cars.ini:

Dir1	=Ferrari\Car\%racenum%

In my Cars\Ferrari\Car folder, I could have numerous folders - '1', '2', '3', '7', '15' etc. that each have different car models and/or textures in them.
If I selected, in this example, 'Monaco - Monte Carlo' (7) as my racenum, the Ferrari would be loaded from folder '7'; If selected 'Italy - Monza' (15) as my racenum, the Ferrari would be loaded from folder '15'.
At this point, you can probably see how this might be useful.

You might do the same sort of setup with Driver selection to control which External Steering wheel is loaded for example.

A really good mod - both for it's content and for how it handles things like this - is Kedy89's 2002 Mod.

---

F1 Graphics Swapper --- Lensdump - Renders and Screenshots --- GP4 Performance Generator

Hi Doug,
that's awesome, thanks very much to explain a faster way for tracks. I realize of course that the GlobalVars.ini is important too: you can make all sort of choices in CSM before starting the mod. I have only skipped it because I didn't need it to launch the vanilla game. My main problem was not getting the GPxPatch files into the Data folder (it only had 1 ini file with nothing else!), so in my Windows task manager I could watch GP4.exe starting for a few seconds but not GPxPatch.exe. It runs fine now, all object icons, fotos, menus etc. show correctly.
I have downloaded the 2005 Season, inclusive track packs and installed them. Going through the file structure is very instructive as for knowing how a mod is made up.
I'm having a lot of fun playing this 2005 mod. Currently I do some funny experiments with my Damage.ini file to get the meaning of the car part numbers. It's not a F1 anymore, but a sort of GP4 'Flipper' game where my car is bouncing in all direcetions of the 3D world...If it gets out of the 3D limits the game crashes But this file has nothing to do with 'Damage', it's a pure probability table to decide if you get out of the race by triggering a motor shutdown. I must investigate that further, it's interesting...

Bye,
XenonS