[Import] Does anyone know how to extract a minimap?

[normalice]

Without opening the map in the world editor - I mean is there an executable that does it or something? This site, for example, displays a mini-map when you upload a map, so there must be a way. Anyone know?

 

[Lender]

what do u mean by extracting? what's your point in it? what do u want to achieve?

 

[normalice]

ideally, a command-line executable that takes the .w3x file name as an input, and returns a .png of the minimap.

 

[kamyflex]

you can download this tool and use the DLLs : http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/tools-560/warcraft-iii-shell-extension-1-1-a-190781/

 

[normalice]

sorry, what's a DLL?

also, it doesn't show neutral buildings and start locations. Is there a way to add those?

 

[kamyflex]

DLL stands for Dynamic Link Library, which countains functions, and one of those functions can convert a map(w3x) to a picture(jpg).
To use a function from inside a DLL, you need a programming language like C++ or C#.
i suggest you ask the creator of this tool Directly, i'm sure he will give a solution, or ask him to make a program that extract minimap image from maps.
Good luck

 

[normalice]

that sounds like a huge favor for something that already exists. The thing is that this site automatically generates a mini-map when you upload a map. How do they do it?

 

[Lender]

How do they do it?

I think the answer for this is kinda the same what kamy told you before

but anyways why do u need the mini map?

 

[Dr Super Good]

The thing is that this site automatically generates a mini-map when you upload a map.

No it does not. It uses the mini-map stored inside the map archive.

How do they do it?

1. Extract mini map image from map archive. This is easy since it is always at the same path.
2. Convert mini-map image into a usable format. I forget if it is blp (non-standard) or tga (standard). For the internet you will almost always want JPEG with some compression to save bandwidth.

You can automate the process using various means. Some form of command line package could allow you to extract and convert the images from the command line which can then be done in batches or in response to commands etc. You could also write a dedicated program which uses an MPQ library (like that used by MPQEDIT) to extract the file and then appropriate image processing libraries to convert it.

I believe THW is run on a Linux server. As such I would imagine some command line approach is used in response to map archive uploads that also generates the map submission entry.

 

[normalice]

No it does not. It uses the mini-map stored inside the map archive.

are you suggesting they had this mini-map already in their archive before I even created the map??

or am I reading it wrong?

What's a "map archive"?

 

[Lender]

the map archive is within the map file "something.w3x" for eg.

and they export it from there and convert it to a usable image format

 

[normalice]

so, how does one export it via the command line?

 

[Dr Super Good]

are you suggesting they had this mini-map already in their archive before I even created the map??

No, but the map has it in its archive the instant you add it. Like WC3, they read the archive to get the mini-map image.

WC3 maps are MPQ archives. Just like SC2 maps (although SC2 uses a more modern version of MPQ).

so, how does one export it via the command line?

Using some form of MPQ tool. For GUI based exportation you can use MPQEDIT. However for command line you will need some wrapper of a MPQ library (I think someone linked above).

 

[normalice]

so, does anyone know how this site does it?

like, a link to an executable they can provide?

 

[Dr Super Good]

This site runs on a Linux server I believe. I recommend asking Ralle or someone for the exact details of the implementation they use however I doubt it is anything more complex than using some standard set of tools and attaching it to various pieces of functionality.