Cartography Shop support for Map2Dif..
by John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder) · 08/31/2003 (6:55 pm) · 29 comments
Download Code File
"What the hell is CSM2Map?!?"
CSM2Map is a code patch for Map2Dif that allows Map2Dif to load CSM (Cartography Shop) files. This version of CSM2Map works with version 2 of the CSM file format (Cartography Shop software version 3).
"How does it work?"
The change to Map2Dif allows it to detect and re-route CSM source files through the CSM2Map code, generating a map file from the source CSM files. The optional '-m' command line switch can be used to skip the Map2Dif code, effectively acting as a pure CSM2Map converter (as opposed to the CSM->Map Map->Dif pipeline).
"Does it support portals and lights?"
Yes. By selecting an object in Cartography Shop (CS) and choosing Edit/Object Properties from the menu, you can add name/value pairs. These pairs are the equivalent to tying an object to an entity in Hammer. For instance, if I wanted to create a portal I would add the following name/value pairs to my brush:
"classname" "portal" //defines a portal class..
"ambient_light" "1" //allows ambient light into the interior..
The same applies for lights, HOWEVER CSM2Map will automatically convert CSM light entities and their custom properties to Map2Dif friendly values ("light_omni", "falloff2", ..). This way CS can still properly light your scene during editing, while allowing Map2Dif to understand the lighting info.
"Does CSM2Map use?"
CSM2Map only supports CS features that can be transferred via Map format. Due to limitations to the Map format, not all features can be supported; this includes CS generated light maps and meshes (which could be added with a process similar to the Max2Map exporter; each poly becoming a brush).
Enjoy..
John Kabus.
"What the hell is CSM2Map?!?"
CSM2Map is a code patch for Map2Dif that allows Map2Dif to load CSM (Cartography Shop) files. This version of CSM2Map works with version 2 of the CSM file format (Cartography Shop software version 3).
"How does it work?"
The change to Map2Dif allows it to detect and re-route CSM source files through the CSM2Map code, generating a map file from the source CSM files. The optional '-m' command line switch can be used to skip the Map2Dif code, effectively acting as a pure CSM2Map converter (as opposed to the CSM->Map Map->Dif pipeline).
"Does it support portals and lights?"
Yes. By selecting an object in Cartography Shop (CS) and choosing Edit/Object Properties from the menu, you can add name/value pairs. These pairs are the equivalent to tying an object to an entity in Hammer. For instance, if I wanted to create a portal I would add the following name/value pairs to my brush:
"classname" "portal" //defines a portal class..
"ambient_light" "1" //allows ambient light into the interior..
The same applies for lights, HOWEVER CSM2Map will automatically convert CSM light entities and their custom properties to Map2Dif friendly values ("light_omni", "falloff2", ..). This way CS can still properly light your scene during editing, while allowing Map2Dif to understand the lighting info.
"Does CSM2Map use
CSM2Map only supports CS features that can be transferred via Map format. Due to limitations to the Map format, not all features can be supported; this includes CS generated light maps and meshes (which could be added with a process similar to the Max2Map exporter; each poly becoming a brush).
Enjoy..
John Kabus.
#23
Anyway.. I have been working on a temple in CS that I intend to bring into Torque and am finding the progress on it to be quite pleasing.. Here are a couple screenshots from early on... It's come a long way since these, but you'll get the idea..
http://wolfsongint.com/templefront-night.jpg
http://wolfsongint.com/temple_editor.jpg
That said, that work is being done on a converter for CS 4.1 is quite excellent news! I for one will be using this when ever it is released!
Thanks!
Mike
08/03/2004 (6:49 am)
I've been using CS 4.1 for some time now to create interiors. IMHO, it's far easier and more straight-forward to use than QuARK or a few of the other editors. It is, admittedly, limited compared to QuARK, but I'm also not dealing with all the quirks and obtuse interface wierdness that QuARK has...Anyway.. I have been working on a temple in CS that I intend to bring into Torque and am finding the progress on it to be quite pleasing.. Here are a couple screenshots from early on... It's come a long way since these, but you'll get the idea..
http://wolfsongint.com/templefront-night.jpg
http://wolfsongint.com/temple_editor.jpg
That said, that work is being done on a converter for CS 4.1 is quite excellent news! I for one will be using this when ever it is released!
Thanks!
Mike
#24
I exported the bedroom prefab as a map and tried running it through map2dif, but the map output from CShop causes errors in map2dif, even after I remove the wad file line and the three lights.
Unfortunately map2dif does not provide sufficient output to determine where the error is...
Jay
08/08/2004 (6:17 am)
What is the present status of csmXdif? I just purchase CShop and it would be nice to have.I exported the bedroom prefab as a map and tried running it through map2dif, but the map output from CShop causes errors in map2dif, even after I remove the wad file line and the three lights.
Unfortunately map2dif does not provide sufficient output to determine where the error is...
Jay
#25
I've got to work on the entities right now, but after some head scratching i've got geometry and texturing working again.
I'll post a new zip within the next few days.
11/29/2004 (6:21 pm)
John seems to be busy at the moment. I dropped him an email about csm2dif for version 4.x of CShop, but got no response. Since i need this i went ahead and started the code to work for 4.x.I've got to work on the entities right now, but after some head scratching i've got geometry and texturing working again.
I'll post a new zip within the next few days.
#26
11/30/2004 (1:03 am)
Awesome!
#27
11/30/2004 (2:47 pm)
John responded to me today and i'm testing his code at the moment so he can get this thing released. There is currently an issue with his texture offsets. 
Torque Owner EddieRay
http://udel.edu/~ed/cshop/erglsexp081.zip
Just put the DLL in your plugins folder in your CShop folder and you should then have the option on the export dialog to choose GLS format.
There are no docs yet, but if you're familiar with gile[s] and CShop, you should have no problem getting comfortable with it.
Enjoy!
Ed