Character Tool 2 trouble

[daglob]

I have been trying to get this thing to show me a couple of different directories-no such luck. Now, it won't reset to the default directory-all it shows is the built-ins. I've got a skin for Giant Man from the Iron Avengers What If about half done and can't see what it looks like.

[daglob]

I've tried to find the settings, I've looked in the registry, I've rebooted. The Help section says to use the browser button to reset it, but that isn't working (I change directories, it still just shows the built-ins). I can look at stuff in Nifscope, but it isn't the same.

[Previsionary]

I've tried to find the settings, I've looked in the registry, I've rebooted. The Help section says to use the browser button to reset it, but that isn't working (I change directories, it still just shows the built-ins). I can look at stuff in Nifscope, but it isn't the same.

Ctool is fickle about "which" folder you link it to. It MUST be set up in a pretty precise way. Anyway, assuming you have the default layout. Browse to the "custom" folder:

Program Files\Irrational Games\Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich\Custom

Then all your custom meshes in those folders will begin to showup...hopefully.

Edited to add:

If you want meshes in mods to show up, browse to the "mod" folder. So, if you have meshes in the FFX3 folder, you'd browse to that folder and every mesh in that mod *should* show up.

[life_matrix]

I'm still new to FFvT3R as well as Character Tool 2. However, I've found several things with CT2 that really bother me.

At first, I was at a loss to figure out how to change directories. There is no "Open" command in the Character menu at the top. It was only after re-examining the layout a third time that I noticed the tiny, partially obscured button nearly the bottom, right-hand corner! It's like whoever wrote the program failed to take into consideration the window size and the available space for a button. I clicked the corner to maximize the window, but the button is still obscured. Even changing the resolution to something higher doesn't seem to help.

Further, the buttons at the bottom-left, underder the "Skins" and "Heroes" areas are partially obscured - especially since I usually have the Taskbar turned on all the time. It's only after turning on the "autohide" on the Taskbar that I can even see these buttons! Annoying...

However, I think what bothers me the most is how the "Custom" data directory listed at the bottom right corner (the one with the obscured button I mentioned earlier) resets every time CT2 is started. It does not save the last directory, unlike most other programs I'm familiar with. I can choose another directory for custom meshes, but then I have to browse through my hard drive all over again every time I restart the program... But for all I know, part of my problem might come form the fact that I don't have FFvT3R installed in the default drive or directory. (My C: is too small, so I have it on "F:\Irrational Games\Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich\".)

My Question: Is there some way of changing the default data directory that CT2 uses for custom meshes? It currently looks for meshes in a folder in my users "Documents and Settings" directory on C:". I'd be willing to change the registry or hack a file somewhere if someone could point me in the right direction.

[stumpy]

You can play with the entry in the registry, but I don't know how that is used. In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Irrational Games\FFVTTR Character Tool there is a UserCustomDir key. It may help you. But, I know that the value of that key for my setup is not where CTool2 has the Custom directory pointed to when it opens. (That key's value is also not the CTool2 Standard dir.)

[tommyboy]

For me, all the buttons are always visible, whether ctool2 is maximized or not.
And the browse button (the ".." in the bottom right) remembers which mod I last used and goes there straight away.
And it's always done this without any registry editing or sacrifice of small animals.
If it doesn't work for you, you are setting something up wrongly, there is nothing wrong with the programme (though an actual "open" button might have been nice, as it is I can browse through hundreds of meshes with one mouse click. With the old ctool and its memory of four meshes maximum it would take me much more time and effort to do that).

[daglob]

I thought that I had posted that this problem had fixed itself.

Of course, this means that I have no idea what to do if it happens again.

[life_matrix]

For me, all the buttons are always visible, whether ctool2 is maximized or not.

Strange... It appears that, for some reason, the ctool2 window gets "clipped" or cropped whenever I try to use it.

What's more, I have similar problems using FFEdit! The program seems to run OK, except for the fact that any and all buttons, forms, and text that would otherwise display past the end of (to the right of) the [Resources] tab gets clipped off. As such, many, many buttons, forms, and text are either clipped off or do not show up at all! Is it normal for FFEdit to start in a square-shaped window; i.e., not maximized? Because it's like everything to the right of the edge of the window will not display correctly - even if I maximize or expand the window.

Just two examples: The browse buttons for the Input Directory and Output Directory on the [Open] tab are clipped so short they are barely visible. But some buttons seem entirely hidden.

Wait a sec...! I remember what the problem must be! It's the "DPI Setting" that changes the font size of the monitor/display! I now remember I had something similar happen when I tried out a demo of RPG Maker XP. So, to fix it, I have to right click on my desktop to go to Display Properties, then click the [Settings] tab, click the [Advanced] button, change the DPI Setting from "Large size (120DPI)" to "Normal size (96DPI)", and finally click [Apply] and [OK]. Finally, I have to reset Windows for the changes to take effect. And the verdict is... Yes! That fixed it.

DARNED! I hate how small and hard to read the "Normal size" fonts are! The "Large size" is sooo much easier on the eyes! In fact, I think even the "Large size" is too small. To be honest, now that I'm forced to use small display fonts just to use FFEdit... I'm a bit depressed. And I only use 1024 x 768. I can't begin to imagine how hard it is for you guys to read with your fancy 1920 x 1200 LCD monitors! Magnifying glasses, anyone?

I say, Micro$oft should be sued for undue eye strain forced upon users. It's no wonder so many computer geeks end up with thick glasses. I'm already so nearsighted that my prescription is incredibly strong. Maybe I should switch to a Mac to save my eyes? :P

[life_matrix]

...And the browse button (the ".." in the bottom right) remembers which mod I last used and goes there straight away. And it's always done this without any registry editing or sacrifice of small animals.
If it doesn't work for you, you are setting something up wrongly, there is nothing wrong with the programme...

Actually, I was mistaken in my earlier post. I had assumed that Ctool2 fails to remember which custom directory I last used every time I restarted it. However, I came to that conclusion because the "Custom" directory that is displayed at the bottom, right corner is different from the actual custom directory it uses. If I click on the browse button a window pops up with the last custom directory I had selected before I last closed the program, so it does remember.

You can play with the entry in the registry, but I don't know how that is used. In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Irrational Games\FFVTTR Character Tool there is a UserCustomDir key. It may help you. But, I know that the value of that key for my setup is not where CTool2 has the Custom directory pointed to when it opens.

I figured out what that registry value is used for. Actually, it is where the "Custom" directory path is stored. Nothing more, nothing less. The reason you say that this value is not where CTool2 has the Custom directory pointed to when it opens is because of what I just explained above. Anotherwords, when it first starts it ALWAYS displays C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Irrational Games\Freedom Force vs the 3rd Reich\Custom\ as the "Custom" directory. But that's a foux paux on the part of CTool2, because the actual custom directory is stored in that registry value. At least, that's the way it works on my PC.

Finally, I figured that the actual custom directory may or may not be different from the list of character meshes available on the left. As Previsionary mentioned earlier, CTool2 is quite fickle about which folder you link to. Sometimes (or often, as the case may be) CTool2 may reject the directory you choose.

I'm thinking it must be confused, trying to decide whether or not your directory has FFvTR compatible meshes... (Perhaps one or two meshes in the directory are not compatible or have something wrong with them?) However, even if it "rejects" the custom directory you choose, it will still "remember" this directory until you browse again and choose a different location. I haven't yet figured out the conditions on what makes it accept or reject a directory, though.