Overview

The dag2riRes tool is used for the following purposes:

  • Converting .dag files into .composit.blk files.

  • Generating multiple .dag files from objects within a single .dag file.

The tool uses two key files:

  • dag2riRes-dev.exe

  • dag2riRes-dev.pdb

Usage Recommendation

For ease of use, it is recommended to create a separate directory where you can copy the tool. Avoid placing this directory within the project resources, as temporary files can accumulate there, potentially disrupting the build process and generating errors in the editor logs. While these issues are usually minor and can be resolved by routine cleanup, in cases like research or iterative testing, where frequent exporting, testing, and deleting is necessary, it is better to keep the tool in a dedicated directory. In the created directory, duplicate the *.exe and *.pdb files.

Generating a .composit.blk File

To generate a .composit.blk file:

  1. In 3ds Max/Blender, either create a new object if it is not yet available in the asset database, or import it from an existing .dag file.

  2. Name the object either after the original .dag file from which you imported the geometry or after the .dag file you want to generate from the object using dag2riRes.

  3. Add a three-digit suffix such as _000.

  4. If you assign the suffix _origin to any object in the scene, its pivot point will be used as the zero-coordinate in the resulting composite file.

    Note

    If the .dag file being processed with dag2riRes lacks a node named *_origin, the pivot in the resulting composite file will not match the pivot of the original .dag, and will be offset instead.

  5. It is recommended to clone similar geometry in the scene as a reference (or instance).

  6. Export the .dag scene to the directory containing the dag2riRes tool.

  7. The composite file will be generated in the root directory, next to the executable file.

For more detailed instructions on creating .composit.blk files, please refer to the relevant documentation.

See more details about composite files here.

Rules for Generating Individual .dag Files

When generating individual .dag files:

  • .dag files will be created based on similar names. For a set of similarly named objects in the scene, only one .dag file will be generated based on the first object in the numerical order. For example, from the objects test_geometry_001, test_geometry_127, and test_geometry_origin, only one .dag file will be created, named test_geometry, based on the first object (test_geometry_001).

  • .dag files will automatically be assigned a .lod00 suffix; no other suffixes are supported.

  • The .dag files will be located in the \simple_dags\p_RendInst directory.

  • .rendinst.blk files will be generated alongside the .dag files, but they are generally not useful.

Running the dag2riRes

To run dag2riRes-dev.exe, it is recommended to use FAR Manager. Upon launching, the log will display a brief instruction:

Running the dag2riRes

Enter the command in the command line. At a minimum, you need to specify the name of the .dag file you are processing and the target directory. For example:

dag2riRes-dev.exe -s:test.dag -d:simple_dags

All other parameters are optional.