.im editor

pn6

Trainz Builder
Is there a current im file editor available? I used to use something from PEV but have lost it or lost my mind I can't figure out which..........:eek:
 
PEV (Peter) has two things. One is the mesh viewer and the other is the attachment maker.

I think these are what you are looking for. (Note the I think part!)
 
If you have the original source files, you don't need an IM editor. you modify the original or a copy of it.
If you don't have the original source files, I would make sure to have a flame-proof suit handy. Some of the creators can be might touchy about others messing with their creations. Unless you lost your own originals or have explicit permission from the owners, I would tread carefully.
 
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Thanks Guys

I have permissions from the authors so no worries there. I've made a few things myself but some things are just easier to beg permission then modify someone elses stuff. ;)
 
Bob that link to the NV site gives a link to a Russian website for the IM editor. When I hit the download button it flashed the screen but didn't download anything. Hope I didn't launch anything!!:hehe:
 
I would do a major anti-virus scan of the whole system. Since you have permissions, I would ask the creators of the objects for the original files so you don't need an IM editor.
 
Bob that link to the NV site gives a link to a Russian website for the IM editor. When I hit the download button it flashed the screen but didn't download anything. Hope I didn't launch anything!!:hehe:
Certainly pays to be careful. The link is provided on the N3V Content Creation website and says by N3V so I think it is probably ok. But I always run a check on files I'm not certain about. BTW the link on the N3V site is to the new version 1.1.1.

I had no significant problems 2 years ago getting ver 1.1.0. Yesterday, I dl'd the new 1.1.1 update and windoz 10 objected and didn't put the file in the folder - IIRC it said it was a "rarely used program" or something like that and didn't have enough info about the website to say it was safe. I think I got that warning before on the 1st dl. I had to click thru and tell WIN10 to keep it. I'm using MS Edge.

Bob Pearson
 
So you are using the 1.1.1 version with no issues? Now I'm afraid of the exe itself. Edge gave me the same options you mentioned and I was able to keep the file but I just want to be sure. I ran a scan and it was ok. I just need to get into the .im to copy and rename a couple of files.... No big deal but I forgot which PEV tool I used to use to open and close the .im.......
 
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So far it works ok. Is it some kind of malevolent software? I don't see any indications of that but can really only trust in my virus protection programs and in N3V's reputation here in providing the link.

I use it primarily to edit attachment points in im files. I have my own Python script that I run to read the attachment section and optionally add, modify and delete points and correct the byte counts in the header sections. It works but has an awkward interface I've always meant to fix. The IMEditor is easier to use and has other capabilities like displaying and editing material values in the mesh file. Quite useful to fix/modify older content to work and look a little better in new versions of Trainz.

Bob Pearson
 
I've been using IM Editor 1.1.1.0 for a while without issues. Didn't know there was a later version but I downloaded it and ran TMI's scan on it that came up negative.

I use IM Editor mostly to correct mismatch material issues for faulty assets in the CRG's list. It's not the easiest tool to use but you can change material names, including the length, that is almost impossible in a hex editor. I wrote my own tool to convert IM meshes to Blender models. That works well enough for CRG work.

I'm 99% sure PEV never released any programs that allow editing of IM meshes. He has the attachment maker as mentioned earlier. Then there is the shadow maker - mostly redundant these days. And there is the mesh viewer and the mesh text viewer. The latter gives a plain text version of all the data in the IM file. None of those allow edits of the original IM files. Some of those tools are embedded in AssetX.
 
I've been using IM Editor 1.1.1.0 for a while without issues. Didn't know there was a later version but I downloaded it and ran TMI's scan on it that came up negative.

I use IM Editor mostly to correct mismatch material issues for faulty assets in the CRG's list. It's not the easiest tool to use but you can change material names, including the length, that is almost impossible in a hex editor. I wrote my own tool to convert IM meshes to Blender models. That works well enough for CRG work.

I'm 99% sure PEV never released any programs that allow editing of IM meshes. He has the attachment maker as mentioned earlier. Then there is the shadow maker - mostly redundant these days. And there is the mesh viewer and the mesh text viewer. The latter gives a plain text version of all the data in the IM file. None of those allow edits of the original IM files. Some of those tools are embedded in AssetX.

You wrote your own tool that converts IM Meshes to Blender models? How did you do that? Also, when I attempt to download the IM Editor, it takes me to a Russian website and it never downloads, it just flashes a blank screen.
 
You wrote your own tool that converts IM Meshes to Blender models? How did you do that? Also, when I attempt to download the IM Editor, it takes me to a Russian website and it never downloads, it just flashes a blank screen.

With some help from PEV and weeks of studying the IM data. As I said earlier, I only use it occasionally for CRG repairs where LOD reduction is required. The website is probably blocked.
 
That link to the IM editor is not working because of new Win10 "great" features (which sometimes useful but more often just stupid). If I remember correctly, if You use link from the https site to the file which located on http location, browser prevents You to do so from general security reason. Typical modern two faced solution. It is same like the car manufacturer not allowing the car owner (driver) to unlock his car to prevent him from the car accident.... Those corporations are forcing their customers to stop using own brain trying to produce blockheads only which are supposed to blindly following them....
 
Just done a test download of IM Editor in Firefox, firstly need to OK the access to an HTTP site as it's not HTTPS secondly had to override Malwarebytes Browser Guard blocking it and it then downloaded.

The link is just to download the file it doesn't open a web page it's a direct link to the file. http://files.trainzdevteam.ru/File/3wFZSyHcME-FyBljDlaYHA

One of PEVs early tools did edit IM files however he was requested to remove it by Auran a long time ago now.
 
I was able to download it in Edge, but had to go through several steps of "keep", "Keep anyway", then when it wanted to warn me more, I had to "Show more", "keep", and "keep anyway" once again. I did report to Microsoft that I thought the site was safe.
 
I also just Dl'd it again and as you say the web browser I use, MS Edge, made me click thru several times to both start and keep it. Definitely not an easy file to DL since it's .exe and from a Russian domain to boot. My virus software - Avast - says it found nothing both times I ran it on the dl'd file. I loaded both the new copy and the one I dl'd about 1 1/2 years ago into my hex editor and it says both are identical in size and content. That's some assurance for me but I won't swear it's 100% safe.

It's up to you whether you want to DL it. But with some persistence you probably can.

Do you actually need to use it? It's easy to use for making changes to the attachment point section of the file - that's primarily what I use it for. It also displays and allows you to edit material properties associated with each chunk. I've only used that a few times but can be useful. I think you can edit bones and connections but I've never tried using it for that.

If you know something about Blender and the structure of the .im file and are interested in writing your own editor/converter there's a project (Python based) on Github that's developing a new exporter for recent Blender versions ( 2.8+) to .im file that you might find interesting. I don't know if you can find it out on the web anywhere but years ago Auran gave out free sdk packs that included file formats for the jet application that they used to write the original Trainz game. I got it like 20 years ago from Auran's Jet web site. Not up to date info but it's a great starting point for the .im mesh and .kin animation file structures.

There's also a commercial file conversion program available that converts .im to various file formats and I think also does some editing. Some people may frown on programs like that but one of our biggest content creators active in Trainz is a fan and has posted links to the site that markets it and no one batted an eye. That about exhausts my knowledge on the subject.

Good luck in any case.

Bob Pearson
 
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