Extracting Files from SF2 series “cat” files (by MigBuster)

[+EricJ 3,937]

The CATPack no longer works after the SF2 May 2011 Patch and has been replaced by Thirdwires own file extractor - available from Thirdwires download section

<Article left for historical reasons>

 

 

 

 

Extracting Files from SF2 series “cat” files

You can only extract files from files with the .cat extension.

So as an example I want to get the stock F-4D_data.ini file which will be inside a cat file in the objects “folder”.

 

 

Note: the Catpack tool we are downloading works for cat files in the SF1 series also.

 

 

 

1. Download Gerwins CatPack Archiving utility from the SF/Wo* Utilities/Editors section in the CombatAce downloads. Download means “Save” the file when prompted to an area you can find it again like your desktop!!

 

 

 

 

 

2. Find the catpack.zip in the location you selected, right click on it and select Extract to Catpack\ which will stick the extracted files in a folder called catpack:

 

 

 

 

 

3. Now in the folder you have 2 files CatPack.exe and CatPack.txt:

 

 

 

 

4. Now you must find the cat file you need – for that you need to go into the games main install location (so be careful!!!).

Here I make a COPY of ObjectData006.cat (note ive got a merged install – hence loads of objectxxx.cat files) – don’t cut or move cat files what ever you do!!

 

 

 

 

Then I stick the COPY only into the folder with the catpack.exe:

 

 

 

 

 

5. Now drag the cat file onto the catpack.exe file (hold left mouse button down on cat file, move it over the catpack.exe and let go) – it will autoextract all the files:

 

 

 

 

When finished it asks you to press the enter key

 

 

 

 

6. So I can now delete the COPY of the objectdata006.cat file and we are left with a folder called ObjectData006 with all the extracted files:

 

 

 

So open it up and find / copy files as normal

 

 

 

If you don't know - once you have changed the file you need (i.e. F-4D_data.ini ) all you do is put it in the correct folder in the special mod folders. (see section 1 of my guide on converting jets to work in SF2! - or old threads etc)

 

If you have space and do a lot of modding extract all the cats to folders – modding has never been so easy!

[+EricJ 3,937]

Additionally with this topic (one that actually spurned it), is that for SF1 users, the "Flight" folder has to be created in the User\Saved Games\ThirdWire\SF2-Game\Flight. Much like putting Terrains, some of the stuff (Silverbolt's Modded Viewlist.ini for me) I'm used to having can be moved over to SF2.