Wikification of ESX format

[Zini]

Currently this is the most complete and most up-to-date documentation about the ESX format we have available. It is not all that up-to-date or complete or correct. But it is the best we have.

Once we are starting to extend the ESX format, we will need to document these changes. As a base for this documentation, I would like the have the old format on our wiki, so we can insert changes there and have a complete description of the file format.

I assume since the linked file is from the UESP wik, it is under CC, so we should not have any problems with the license. Wouldn't hurt to check, though.

Any takers?

Having a main page that lists the 42 top record types and then links to one page per top level record would be optimal. Ideally in a nice, consistent layout.

And we also could use some way to mark up different sections for different versions, i.e. an obsolete tag for sub-records that are used in MW, but ignored by OpenMW and a version x tag, that indicates that the record is recognised from version x of the file format on.

[hemite]

I assume since the linked file is from the UESP wik, it is under CC, so we should not have any problems with the license. Wouldn't hurt to check, though.

After glancing on the front page of the UESP wiki, they link to this page regarding any usage of materials from their site. It looks like we shouldn't have a problem using that ESM info page you found, as long as we license it under the by-sa liscense, and link back to the UESP page.

[ezzetabi]

Maybe I can give an hand? After all I read that file quite some times in the past to make my level system mod.

But can anyone at least describe the "consistent layout", I guess the best would be writing one or more templates to fill-in with the ESx informations.

And just to be sure. When you say "ESx", it is a short-cut to say "ESM", "ESP", "ESS", and possibly future Openmw-only extensions?

[Zini]

ESM and ESP are the same. We are not interested in ESS. Future OpenMW-only formats will be extensions to the ESM/P format and as such we will simply add these extensions to the ESM/P documentation.

[ezzetabi]

My bad. I did not meant the format, I was thinking to the file extension. But still thanks for clarification.

[ezzetabi]

I started something:
https://wiki.openmw.org/index.php?title=Esx

Does it make sense?

[Zini]

Mostly. I think we can skip these parts:

19 to 261 bytes (43 average)

308 bytes

(each for the top of a record page)

because they have no practical use and are irrelevant once we go beyond Morrowind.esm.


The format is overall okay. If you want to put a bit of additional work into it, you could make sure the sub record description is a bit more consistent.

Mostly we have: x bytes, type, Description

For example:

4 bytes, float Version (1.2)

But in some cases, this is turned around:

string, variable length

As you can see length and type are swapped here.

[ezzetabi]

I was also wondering what were the usefulness of that sizes, but before destroying information I wanted to be sure.

About the coherent layout, I will try to be more careful.
Thanks for input.

[ezzetabi]

Any idea of what is the ENAM sub-record of SPEL? I am not sure from the description.

Here is an example from morrowind.esm, it is the eye of fear of the khajiit race:

Code: Select all

001025C0   0F 00 00 00  19 00 00 00  32 00 00 00  53 50 45 4C  ........2...SPEL
001025D0   5C 00 00 00  00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00  4E 41 4D 45  \...........NAME
001025E0   0C 00 00 00  65 79 65 20  6F 66 20 66  65 61 72 00  ....eye of fear.
001025F0   46 4E 41 4D  0C 00 00 00  45 79 65 20  6F 66 20 46  FNAM....Eye of F
00102600   65 61 72 00  53 50 44 54  0C 00 00 00  05 00 00 00  ear.SPDT........
00102610   00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00  45 4E 41 4D  18 00 00 00  ........ENAM....
00102620   35 00 FF FF  02 00 00 00  00 00 00 00  1E 00 00 00  5...............
00102630   64 00 00 00  64 00 00 00  53 50 45 4C  5E 00 00 00  d...d...SPEL^...

ENAM length is always 24 bytes (0x18), but the meaning is unclear. I guess it should be a reference to a magic effect, but how?

[Zini]

https://github.com/zinnschlag/openmw/bl ... ctlist.hpp