OAD IFF file Format

KevinSeghetti -- This document was written for a 3rd party using our editing system in their own game, so it has a 'not using World Foundry' slant which should probably be removed.

This data is designed to supplement the actual file, refer to one of the .oad IFF files while reading this. The outer chunk name for a World Foundry OAD file is 'TYPE', contained within are:

Chunk Name

Description

'NAME'

String containing name of this group of data
'TYPE': name of object type (class)
'STRU': name of rollup or group
DATA CHUNK: name of this data chunk

'STRU'

Structure, chunk containing other chunks, used for scoping and grouping of data

'OPEN'

Flag used by attrib to decide if this roll-up should be open or not (kts: replace with 'FLAG'

'DSNM'

Display Name of this data type (what attrib shows its name to be)

'RANG'

Minimum and Maximum range of value, stored in the same type as the data type.

  Struct
  {
    DATA_TYPE min;
    DATA_TYPE max;
  }
  

'DATA'

The actual value of this data type

  Struct
  {
    DATA_TYPE value;
  }
  

'ENVL'

Enumeration Values. String containing textual descriptions of the values of this data type, delineated by '|'. Used by attrib for multiple choice drop-downs. Example: "False|True"

'HELP'

String used by attrib for tool-tips. Contains user information about how to use this data type.

'ENBL'

Enable. String containing an expression used to determine if the data type is currently enabled (editable in attrib)

'DISP'

Enumeration indicating to attrib how to display this data type:

00 SHOW_AS_N_A

Not Applicible, some types don't look at the show as field

01 SHOW_AS_NUMBER

ordinary edit box

02 SHOW_AS_SLIDER

slider

03 SHOW_AS_TOGGLE

button switching between two strings found in 'ENVL'

04 SHOW_AS_DROPMENU

drop-down menu containing strings found in 'ENVL'

05 SHOW_AS_RADIOBUTTONS

radio buttons using strings found in 'ENVL'

06 SHOW_AS_HIDDEN

do not display

07 SHOW_AS_COLOR

color picker

08 SHOW_AS_CHECKBOX

simple checkbox

09 SHOW_AS_MAILBOX

string, for use with separate text file enumerating values

10 SHOW_AS_COMBOBOX

drop-down menu containing strings found in 'ENVL'

'HINT'

String containing special information, type specific.

Data Type Chunks

Each of these is a container chunk, with the actual value stored in the 'DATA' chunk inside.

Chunk Name

Description

'I32'

32 Bit integer

'F32'

32 bit fixed point #

'STR'

String, could contain a 'LEN' chunk indicating string length.

OAS Files

OAS files are text files which are passed through prep to produce the .iff file and the .ht file for each object type. They contain prep macros, which support default parameters, parameters are comma separated, to use the default, put nothing between the commas (you can leave the commas off the end of the list). See oad.doc for descriptions of what most of these entries mean. Common parameters:

Parameter Name

Description

name

name given to this OAD Entry, this is the name you will use to refer to this field from source code (with spaces removed), also used as display name if no display name given.

displayName

Name displayed in attribute editor.

szEnableExpression

Boolean expression which controls whether the Entry is currently editable, or ghosted.

x

OBSOLETE. screen position of parameters

y

OBSOLETE. screen position of parameters

min

Minimum value for Entry

max

Maximum value for Entry

default

Default value for Entry

help

String used for tool-tips on each Entry (not implemented yet)

showas

Used to control how each Entry is displayed. Valid types are

SHOW_AS_N_A

Generic

SHOW_AS_NUMBER

Only for numbers

SHOW_AS_SLIDER

Only for numbers

SHOW_AS_TOGGLE

Button which changes text

SHOW_AS_DROPMENU

Drop down menu of choices

SHOW_AS_RADIOBUTTONS

Radio button array

SHOW_AS_HIDDEN

Don't display at all

SHOW_AS_COLOR

Use color picker

SHOW_AS_CHECKBOX

Use Check box (boolean)

SHOW_AS_MAILBOX

WORLD FOUNDRY GAME ENGINE ONLY

SHOW_AS_COMBOBOX

Drop down with editing

---

Macro Name

Parameters

Description

TYPEHEADER

displayName, variableName=displayName(OBSOLETE)

Must come before any other macros, sets macro name

TYPEFOOTER

(none)

Must come after all other macros, closes out type description

PROPERTY_SHEET_HEADER

name, active=0, szEnableExpression="1", size=0

Beginning of new property sheet. If 'active' is true, the sheet will default to open, otherwise it will start closed. 'size' is used to override the default size of the sheet. (only use if the automatic sheet size is incorrect.)

PROPERTY_SHEET_FOOTER

(none)

Ending of property sheet

GROUP_START

name, width=0, szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

Beginning of a group. Groups are shown in max inside a small line box. Groups may not be nested. 'width' sets the width of the group (only use if the automatic width is incorrect.)

GROUP_END

(y=-1,x=-1)

Ending of a group. 'x' & 'y' are OBSOLETE.

TYPEENTRYFIXED32

name, displayName=name, min, max, def=min, showas=SHOW_AS_N_A, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

A 32 bit fixed point value: 1.15.16 (sign, whole, fraction). Creates 'FX32' chunk.

TYPEENTRYINT32

name, displayName=name, min, max, def=min, buttons="", showas=SHOW_AS_NUMBER, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

A 32 bit Scalar Value. Creates 'I32' chunk. If showas causes text to be used for choices, buttons contains the strings to use (| seperated)

TYPEENTRYSTRING

name, displayName=name, length, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

A text string. Creates 'STR' chunk. 'length' specifies the length of the string.

TYPEENTRY_STRING_IGNORE

name, displayName=name, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

A text string, not placed in final output from level converter. Used for notes. Creates 'STR' chunk.

TYPEENTRYBOOLEAN

name, displayName=name, def, showas=SHOW_AS_CHECKBOX, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

A single bit of output. Creates 'I32' chunk.

TYPEENTRYBOOLEANTOGGLE
name, displayName=name,def, showas=SHOW_AS_RADIOBUTTONS, buttons="FALSE	TRUE", help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

A single bit of output. Displays as a single button which changes name when clicked. Names are given in the 'buttons' field. Creates 'I32' chunk.

TYPEENTRYOBJREFERENCE

name, displayName=name, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1, def=""

Reference to another Max object. Creates 'STR' chunk containing name of referenced object.

TYPEENTRYFILENAME

name, displayName=name, filespec="*.*", help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

Uses a file requestor to obtain a filename. Creates 'STR' chunk containing filename. 'filespec'

TYPEENTRYCOLOR

name, displayName=name, def, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

Uses a color selector to get a color. Creates an 'I32' chunk, 32 bit color, 8 bits each(alpha, red, green, blue)

TYPEENTRYCLASSREFERENCE

Name, displayName=name, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1, def=""

This displays as a class picker from a drop down list. Creates an 'STR' chunk containing the name of the class chosen. (Class = World Foundry object type).

LEVELCONFLAGSHORTCUT

(none)

This displays an object picker, allows one object to refer to another objects attributes. (Check with Bill, does this create output?)

LEVELCONFLAGNOINSTANCES

(none)

If an object type contains this flag, the level converter should ignore the object and not convert it. (This is how disabled works). Creates a 'HINT' chunk with text of "No Instances"

LEVELCONFLAGEXTRACTLIGHT

(none)

If an object type contains this flag, the level converter should extract lighting information for this object (Check with Bill, does max2ifflvl output enough information to do this?)

LEVELCONFLAGCOMMONBLOCK

name

Beginning of a common block. ONLY USED BY WORLD FOUNDRY GAME ENGINE.

LEVELCONFLAGENDCOMMONBLOCK

(none)

Ending of a common block. ONLY USED BY WORLD FOUNDRY GAME ENGINE.

LEVELCONFLAGROOM

(none)

If an object type contains this flag, the level converter should interpret this object as a room. ONLY USED BY WORLD FOUNDRY GAME ENGINE

TYPEENTRYCAMERA

name, displayName=name, followObj, szEnableExpression="1"

This is a flag used by levelcon to extract camera information. OBSOLETE. DO NOT USE.

TYPEENTRYCAMERAREFERENCE

name, displayName=name, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

Reference to a Max camera. Creates 'STR' chunk containing name of referenced camera. OBSOLETE DO NOT USE.

TYPEENTRYLIGHTREFERENCE

name, displayName=name, help="", szEnableExpression="1", y=-1, x=-1

Reference to a Max light. Creates 'STR' chunk containing name of referenced light. OBSOLETE DO NOT USE.