[Release]MapRender (minimap viewer)

[VX2]

yes, you can view minimaps in Cartographer and it more suitable and more informative. but with Cartographer you can view only basic maps, and only from compatible versions of WoW.

MapRender allow you:
- view any possible minimaps include closed areas (like development, EmeraldDream GMIsland minimaps etc.)
- you always can see XY worldport coordinates with enough accuracy positioning
- you can view minimaps from all client versions include alpha (absolutely anything satisfying structure "mapXX_YY" where "XX" and "YY" numbers between 00-99 means position minimap piece with "bmp", or "jpg" extension)
- you can see full map scheme (99x99) indicating the existence of minimap pieces with cell scale = 1-5, rectangle of currently view position and worldport coordinates
- you can click on any part of scheme, to move main view in this point
- you can drag main map with right mouse button (you can drag out of main window border) or use navigation buttons on control frame (internal buttons to shift on one piece, external buttons, to shift on viewable area)

shortcomings and limitations:
- very slow scheme generation
- you can view only 10x10 pieces maximum at one time with scale = 1-9
- slow fullpieces rendering (10x10)
- you must put minimap files in anynamed folder and files must be named as "mapXX_YY" where "XX" and "YY" numbers between 00-99 means position minimap pieces with "bmp", or "jpg" extension only. this folder must be placed in "Minimaps" folder.
- my alpha client somehow switch X and Y. more on anything not tested, but keep in mind it.

WARNING: its's packed with FSG v2.0 and some not smart AV can identify it as malware. trust or not - choose your self.

sample screens:



preparation of minimaps.
tools:
- TotalCommander +MPQ.WCX or any MPQ extractor (for extract minimaps files)
- XnView +plugins (for convert blp to bmp/jpg)
- MapRestructor (for rename files and replace it in mapnamed folders)
all minimaps files located here ".\\Data\*.MPQ\Textures\Minimap\".
it's MD5 named blp files with path\name description file "md5translate.trs". you must extract all this files and rename +replace all of them correspond with description file and convert in bmp or jpg format. also in WoW alpha you can find it with normal names and paths in ".\\Data\texture.MPQ\World\Minimaps\" too.

I don't want rename and replace 30k files manualy, and on this I wrote simple "restructor". it have no foolproofs and may crash if it's something not like (may be later I rewrite it).
and so you must do next steps:
- extract all md5named blp files and "md5translate.trs" in "MapRestructor.a\Source\" folder. (in alpha, description file was named as "md5translate.txt", rename it in "md5translate.trs")
- convert all blp files in bmp or jpg
- remove from "Source" folder all old blp files
- launch "MapRestructor.a\maprestructor.exe" and hit "Restruct it" button. this is a long time, you can go to drink tea, smoke or do something more useless x) progress bar may lie, just wait done message and close restructor.
- move all folders (exclude "WMO") from "MapRestructor.a\Minimaps\" to "MapRender\Minimaps\"
- launch "MapRender\MapRender.exe" and chose map from minimaps list (double click)

Links:
my programs
MapRender.zip virustotal report
MapRestructor.a.zip virustotal report
other tools
XnView
TotalMPQ plugin

p.s. sorry again for my curve english.

[Robske]

Very neat!

[H3llf!re]

Cool. been waiting for something like that

[zztuf]

Thx alot. I like it.
Maybe you could add an option for saving an entire map in one big jpg or bmp ?

[VX2]

sorry, I'm newbie in programming and have no idea how to do it. if anybody know how to do it in VB6 I will try to add it.

[Jadd]

There should be a JPEG or BMP lib out there you could use perhaps.

[zycamzip]

Might want to check out Carbonite addon. It can give you that map you want in a HUD, been using it for a while now.

[-Ryuk-]

Doesnt work for me.
"Run-time error '75':

Path/File access error"

[VX2]

2 -Ryuk-
render or restructor? restructor must have folder ".\Source\" and file "md5translate.trs" in this folder. read first post again.
I rewrite restructor in this time and share it some later in this thread.

--------------
2 -Ryuk-
sorry man, I found what ".\Minimaps\" folder must be created to, just create it.


yesterday I found also, what one md5named file may be used several times. I'll think about it.

[VX2]

ok. I finish him.
MapRestructor completely rewrited:



first restructor had one plus&minus at one - it rename md5named files and move them on it's places. but I have not considered one thing - one md5named file, can be used many times. and then at first query it was renamed and moved out from "Source\" directory, all next queries got error - "source file not found".
so for this reason I refused idea of moving files, replace moving by copying. of cause copying more slower than moving, but you never loose duplicated parts of maps.
to try to reduce the time spent, I have added some futures.

now you can choose three ways to restruct:
1. scan "Source\md5translate.trs" file to identify all possible directories, then select only what you need and analyze only selected directories on existence of a files in them. then you can select/deselect only needed files and restruct only selected.
2. scan "Source\md5translate.trs" file to analyze all directories on existence of a files, then you can select/deselect only needed files and restruct only selected.
3. direct copy all possible files with new names by "Source\md5translate.trs".

just "WMO\" folder have larger half files, but them not used in MapRender, of cause you may not interesting in same maps, or interesting in same parts of it's. it's saves great part of time. keep in mind this then will use it.

in additional, you can replace nonexistent parts of map with simple blue cross picture. when you browse map with MapRender, you can see what part of map should be, but you have not.

WARNING: its's packed with FSG v2.0 and some not smart AV can identify it as malware.
MapRestructor.zip virustotal report

[Reflection]

Awesome! This will become useful for custom minimaps. +7

[~Jagris]

I don't know how to get the MD5translate. Please help me man.

[VX2]

search it in same folders in other mpq files. you must keep in mind patch sequence for more correct result. i.e. if you need more early minimaps, you must extract basic textures and search translate file in basic archives (not in patch files), if you need latest minimaps, you must extract textures from all archives basic and patches, and translate file from latest patch, it's may have no it, then search in previous.
sequence for texture extraction does not matter because it's md5named, and should not coincide, but be careful then blizzard want to delete files from client, they pack into latest patches zero-sized files with same names.

for example:
alpha
textures
.\Data\texture.MPQ\\textures\Minimap\ (md5named)
.\Data\texture.MPQ\World\Minimaps\ (normal named)
I have no idea which of them are used. I think md5named is more last, but perhaps they are the same.
translate
.\Data\textures\Minimap\md5translate.txt (not packed, just change extension)

1.12.
textures
.\Data\texture.MPQ\\textures\Minimap\ (basic)
.\Data\patch.MPQ\\textures\Minimap\ (patch)
translate
.\Data\misc.MPQ\\textures\Minimap\md5translate.trs (basic)
.\Data\patch.MPQ\\textures\Minimap\md5translate.trs (patch)

3.3.
textures
.\Data\common.MPQ\\textures\Minimap\ (basic)
.\Data\patch.MPQ\\Textures\Minimap\ (patch1)
.\Data\patch-2.MPQ\\Textures\Minimap\ (patch2)
.\Data\patch-3.MPQ\\Textures\Minimap\ (patch3)
translate
.\Data\common-2.MPQ\\textures\Minimap\md5translate.trs (basic)
.\Data\patch.MPQ\\Textures\Minimap\md5translate.trs (patch1)
.\Data\patch-2.MPQ\\Textures\Minimap\md5translate.trs (patch2)
.\Data\patch-3.MPQ\\Textures\Minimap\md5translate.trs (patch3)

[~Jagris]

Thanks, I found just before reading this, but thanks great program.

[dr.bloody]

Hi, thank you
right now coding a simular application.

u saved me some time man.

greetings