Editing .dlg Files

[MindTyrant]

I want to add a unique upgradable armor to BG2/EET by hijacking the code to make Aslyferund Chain in BOTSMITH.dlg.  I do not want to just change the component and finished armor, as those changes will be carried into the Black Pits 2, other item shops, and as loot drops; I do not want there to be multiple copies.  Instead, I want to edit the 26 response triggers in BOTSMITH that refer to:

PartyHasItem("chan16")

Into:

PartyHasItem("emchan16")

Are there any commands for editing response triggers? I looked at the Weidu documentation, and it suggests REPLACE_TRIGGER_TEXT, but then immediately says never to use it.  Please help!

P.S.

I also want to adjust the formula in the 1 action in BOTSMITH and adjust two little unvoiced lines of dialog. So far, I think I made progress by adjusting the two dialog strings here:

OUTER_SPRINT recipe_short @161
OUTER_SPRINT recipe_tweak @162
STRING_SET_EVALUATE 66897 ~%recipe_short%~
STRING_SET_EVALUATE 66898 ~%recipe_tweak%~

I am hoping this will replace the string reference with the text from @161 & @162 in my tra file.  Are these the correct commands? I find it quite cumbersome to experiment with weidu to find out.  But and actions.  Any advice is appreciated.

Edited September 12 by MindTyrant

[subtledoctor]

This might be an appropriate circumstance for ALTER_TRANS… I think?

Or, honestly, good old REPLACE_TEXTUALLY might be fine for this. 

[MindTyrant]

On 9/12/2024 at 7:13 AM, subtledoctor said:

This might be an appropriate circumstance for ALTER_TRANS… I think?

I cannot figure out the syntax for that function for my life.  It uses terminology like transition instead of response described in NI and IESDP.  From examining both, I think they mean the same thing, but I am not sure.  Any help would be appreciated.

On 9/12/2024 at 7:13 AM, subtledoctor said:

Or, honestly, good old REPLACE_TEXTUALLY might be fine for this. 

I think it might work; but I am concerned about the replacement text being the same size hexadecimally.  I tested changing it in NI, and replacing "chan16" with "emchan16" shifted the file 2 hexadecimals over.  In the weidu documentation, REPLACE_TEXTUALLY says it destructively replaces the text, I am afraid it just types over it.  I would rather use a command.  Please help!

[subtledoctor]

DECOMPILE_AND_PATCH, then REPLACE_TEXTUALLY. The dialogue is then recompiled at the end of the instruction. 

[MindTyrant]

Please delete 

Edited September 15 by MindTyrant
Accidental double post

[MindTyrant]

19 hours ago, subtledoctor said:

DECOMPILE_AND_PATCH, then REPLACE_TEXTUALLY. The dialogue is then recompiled at the end of the instruction. 

Thank you!  Could you please look at my code and tell me if it looks right?

COPY_EXISTING ~botsmith.dlg~  ~override~
      DECOMPILE_AND_PATCH BEGIN
            REPLACE_TEXTUALLY CASE_INSENSITIVE EXACT_MATCH ~CHAN16~ ~emchan16~
            REPLACE_TEXTUALLY CASE_INSENSITIVE EXACT_MATCH ~cHAN19~ ~emchan19~
            REPLACE_TEXTUALLY CASE_INSENSITIVE EXACT_MATCH ~SCRL6T~ ~SCRL7O~
      END
OUTER_SPRINT recipe_short @161
OUTER_SPRINT recipe_tweak @162
STRING_SET_EVALUATE 66897 ~%recipe_short%~
STRING_SET_EVALUATE 66898 ~%recipe_tweak%~

I just want to make sure it looks right.  It is cumbersome to reinstall EET and test after every change.  So please let me know if I screw up the syntax for DECOMPILE_AND_PATCH, such as missing an END, or if my changes to dialog will result in the text of @161 and @162 replacing the string numbered 66897 and 66898 in dialog.tlk, or do I need to still call it?

[MindTyrant]

@subtledoctorCould you please take a quick look? I figured out over the weekend that I do not have a clean save.  If you could just let me know if I am messing up the syntax (such as having the correct number and placement of BEGINs and ENDs) and do I need to call dialog.tik?

Edited September 17 by MindTyrant

[WanderingScholar]

1 hour ago, MindTyrant said:

Could you please take a quick look? I figured out over the weekend that I do not have a clean save.  If you could just let me know if I am messing up the syntax (such as having the correct number and placement of BEGINs and ENDs) and do I need to call dialog.tik?

This is the correct syntax. Your code looks fine (assuming you're making the correct edits). There is no need to call dialog.tlk

[subtledoctor]

Looks okay to me, but at the end of the day things like this need to be tested. 

(And while I have enough familiarity with .DLG modding to give pointers because I’ve made a few content mods recently, it is still not my area of strength, lots of others around here are far more adept than me.)