[TUTORIAL]Creating custom attire names with Data Editor

[4 Life]

Hello again, back with yet another tutorial.

This year's Data Editor includes a feature to apply different string IDs to different attire slots for any given superstar, which makes the attire renaming process a whole lot easier and quicker this year. I'll firstly show you how to add your own custom strings in the string file (using a very simple method), then I'll show you how to apply those strings in the Attire Unlock in Data Editor via their IDs.

As usual, to save clutter, I'll be including scaled-down demonstration images throughout this tutorial - click them, and the full-size version will open in a separate tab. I've converted Hunter Hearst Helmsley to a DX Triple H in my roster, with my DX attire pack applied (downloadable from my mod thread) - I will be renaming these attires in this tutorial.

You will need:

The latest version of Data Editor

Latest version of the Super String - I'd also recommend referring to this thread for pozzum's string table for reference if needed

A hex editor (this tutorial will use HxD as it's one of the simplest to use)

My Excel spreadsheet containing the modded string IDs in order of length, and the length of each modded string, to be used for reference and making notes of strings used:

.xlsx file https://mega.nz/#!BxxSwLQZ!NnEq_DurndT4Zw_GgR3Ph8ZBaXikeI7vd15cRYsih5s

.xls file for users of older versions of MS Office https://mega.nz/#!Zgx2iLjS!fJHhuewlxZojRRB_a9k1DFzM3vEGgYsj7XlMPJYWmqI

Credit goes to @pozzum for finding all of these IDs, the ID and modded string columns are copy-pasted from his string table. This tutorial will use my spreadsheet only, however, please refer to his thread linked above should you need to refer to the original strings at any time

Step 1 - Finding a string to replace

You're going to use my Excel spreadsheet here. The idea is to find a string that you're not going to use that is the same length as the string you want to replace it with, then in a separate tab in the spreadsheet (I left my HHH sheet in here for reference and as a template) you'll make a note of the new string you want to add (the length will be calculated automatically in the next cell) and then find the string you want to replace, before noting this string and its ID next to your new string, so it's easy to refer to when changing string IDs. Sorry if I confused you, it's actually a very simple process if you follow the step-by-step below!

Open the spreadsheet and follow these steps. I'm going to replace the string 2 Cold Scorpio with the string RAW Dec 22 '97. The only essential part of this step is finding the ID and the string to be replaced, but I find maintaining this spreadsheet to be very good practice to avoid confusion in the future and to double-check things if something goes wrong.

Note: I'd advise not replacing a string when that superstar is in the game, so for example don't replace the Eddie Guerrero string because this method will also overwrite the standard strings and change Eddie's name!

1) You'll see in the HHH tab that I've added the new string, RAW Dec 22 '97, in column A. Column B automatically calculates the length of characters entered, so be accurate!

2) The string RAW Dec 22 '97 is 14 characters long, so in the Main tab I scroll down to the strings that are 14 characters long also. I've picked 2 Cold Scorpio as the string I'd like to replace (ID 35A8), so I note my new string in the column next to it for future reference.

3) I copy and paste the ID (from column A) and string (column B) into my HHH tab, next to my new string and its length, so I can easily see which string I need to replace, its ID and what I want to replace it with, all at one glance!

Save the spreadsheet when you're done (do as many attire strings as needed following the above steps for each one, before moving on).

Step 2 - replacing the strings in the Super String file

Bit of hex editing required now - don't worry, when it comes to hex editing, this is as simple as it gets and will take a matter of seconds!

1) Open your string_win.pac file in HxD and hit Ctrl+R. This will bring up your replace menu.

2) Set the "Datatype" to Text-string and the "Search direction" to All. In the "Search for" bar, I put the modded string, 2 COLD SCORPIO. In the "Replace with" bar, I put my new string, RAW DEC 22 '97. Notice that I'm doing this all in capitals! The modded strings are all in capitals and you also want your attire strings to be all in capitals.

3) Hit the "Replace all" button. If you get a message saying "This replace operation changes the file size." - CLICK CANCEL. You've gone wrong somewhere as your two strings are different lengths (your new string is longer than the old one). Double check that you've typed them right and that they're the same length.

If the replacement happens because you did it right (you'll get a notification telling you how many occurrences were replaced, usually 6 in this case), then hit Ctrl+S to save your changes - the red strings means they're unsaved, and will turn black when you save. That's your new string added!

Step 3 - changing the attire string IDs in Data Editor

Now we open the Attire Unlock in Data Editor and use the Edit Attire Names function to change the string IDs to the ones that correspond to the strings you replaced.

1) Open Data Editor and open the "Tools, Help, Tutorials, Info, Downloads & Settings" tab at the top of the interface. Click the Universal Alternate Attire Unlocker button at the top-left of the interface.

2) Find or add your wrestler to the list of unlocked attires using the drop-downs, set how many attires you want them to have and make note of the slot you used. I used slot 11 for Hunter Hearst Helmsley and have unlocked 7 attire slots for him. Hit the Edit Attire Names button at the top of the interface.

3) Now, in the menu that pops up, you add your string IDs for the desired attire! Choose the attire slot that you used for your chosen superstar - as shown above, I used slot 11.

So, for attire 1, I want the Raw Dec 22 '97 string that I created earlier, which replaced the 2 Cold Scorpio string that has an ID of 35A8. So I type 35A8 into the box for Attire 1. Apply your IDs for as many attires as required.

4) Hit the Apply Attire Names for this Wrestler button at the bottom of this menu. This menu will then close. Then, click the Save Data to misc01_start button at the bottom of the main interface - you might have to drag the bottom edge of the interface down to extend it to see this button.

That's it! Now try it in-game. I renamed all 7 of my attires as detailed in the spreadsheet - as you can see by this screenshot, it worked perfectly.

 

Optional - saving your attire name list for future reference

The Attire Name Editor interface allows you to save your list of attire strings so you can apply it to any given superstar at a later time. This can be done by clicking the Edit Attire Names bar from the Attire Unlocker interface to open the Attire Name Editor menu.

To save the configuration, hit the Save Attire Names to attire_names File button. This will save a configuration of the IDs used for each attire, and will save named after the slot of the superstar used. So Hunter Hearst Helmsley's pac slot number is 345, so the file will be saved as Slot 345.attire_names - best to save it at the default location as the program also browses to this when loading the file.

To apply this to any superstar, choose the attire unlocker slot that you've got them in. For example, you can see in the main interface that by default, Finn Balor sits in slot 1. So if I wanted to apply the same attire names to him, I choose 1 in the Unlocked Attire Slot drop-down list. I then click Load Attire Names from attire_names File button and browse to Slot 345.attire_names to apply Hunter's configuration! You can also pick from a set of superstar default templates from this folder.

Edited March 17, 2017 by 4 Life

[Cave Waverider]

Great guide, thank you. I'll link it in the Data Editor Tutorials post. Perhaps you could add a section on how to save and load the attire names for a wrestler with an .attire_names file as well. With that feature you can basically save all the attire names you set for one wrestler into an .attire_names file that you can easily load up in the future if you have to reset your misc file or wish to change unlock slots for that wrestler. You can also include these .attire_names files with your wrestler mod packs so people can easily load the right attire name strings when installing your mod/pack without having to look up the right strings and addresses themselves.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Cave Waverider

[4 Life]

3 minutes ago, Cave Waverider said:

Great guide, thank you. Perhaps you could add a section on how to save and load the attire names for a wrestler with an .attire_names file as well.

I've not tried them tbh! I'll have a little mess around with it now.

[kim666]

Thanks for that great guide. But i thought it's now possible to add strings? 

[LordJustice17]

3 minutes ago, kim666 said:

Thanks for that great guide. But i thought it's now possible to add strings? 

Well the super string still probably has 2000+ unused NEW strings. I think Poz added roughly 4500 total. The first part of which is earmarked for characters, the last part is open for attire names. There are actually a bunch of custom attire names already included in the Super String. Just look at the bottom section of tab 0001 (start at 4150) in @pozzum's string sheet.

[4 Life]

9 minutes ago, kim666 said:

Thanks for that great guide. But i thought it's now possible to add strings? 

I believe you can also, but I wanted to make that part as simple as possible as I know hex editing intimidates people, and there are plenty of strings in the file that people will know they'll never use, so I figured I'd just show the easiest method as it'll work for anyone

[kim666]

18 minutes ago, 4 Life said:

I believe you can also, but I wanted to make that part as simple as possible as I know hex editing intimidates people, and there are plenty of strings in the file that people will know they'll never use, so I figured I'd just show the easiest method as it'll work for anyone

Yes, thats right it's easier. But could still be complicated for people that play the game in a different language. 

[4 Life]

1 minute ago, kim666 said:

Yes, thats right it's easier. But could still be complicated for people that play the game in a different language. 

This is true. I have no idea how to go about adding actual new strings atm but once I know, I could definitely add an optional alternate section for new strings instead of replacements

[LordJustice17]

24 minutes ago, 4 Life said:

This is true. I have no idea how to go about adding actual new strings atm but once I know, I could definitely add an optional alternate section for new strings instead of replacements

Well it's not so much a matter of adding new strings. It's more a matter of using the blank strings @pozzum already added. See tab 0001 of his string sheet. Anything not currently filled in is a blank string that can accommodate up to 30 characters of text.

Specifically the strings marked in location "wwe2k17+CUSTOM" (4546 to 4636) are reserved for people to use for their own personal string edits.

Works the same way, except you don't need to replace in-game text, just use the Super String and edit one of those blank "wwe2k17+CUSTOM" strings in the 0001 file, and then point to that string ID.

Edited March 17, 2017 by LordJustice17

[4 Life]

11 minutes ago, LordJustice17 said:

Well it's not so much a matter of adding new strings. It's more a matter of using the blank strings @pozzum already added. See tab 0001 of his string sheet. Anything not currently filled in is a blank string that can accommodate up to 30 characters of text.

Simple enough then. Do we know how to identify which one is which in the string file?

[LordJustice17]

1 minute ago, 4 Life said:

Simple enough then. Do we know how to identify which one is which in the string file?

See my comment above. The ones marked in pozzum's sheet under location "wwe2k17+CUSTOM" (strings 4546 to 4636). They are all included in the Super String. They are currently just 30 blank text characters.

[4 Life]

5 minutes ago, LordJustice17 said:

See my comment above. The ones marked in pozzum's sheet under location "wwe2k17+CUSTOM" (strings 4546 to 4636). They are all included in the Super String. They are currently just 30 blank text characters.

Right, I see now. Thanks man Definitely something I wanna mess around with out of interest, but seems a bit complicated to be putting into a tutorial aimed at beginners

[LordJustice17]

6 minutes ago, 4 Life said:

Right, I see now. Thanks man Definitely something I wanna mess around with out of interest, but seems a bit complicated to be putting into a tutorial aimed at beginners

Well it's no more complicated than your way. You are just using different strings.

[ahmedady]

 so theres no modded string here how can i replaace it with my custom attiere name on string pac ??

22 minutes ago, LordJustice17 said:

See my comment above. The ones marked in pozzum's sheet under location "wwe2k17+CUSTOM" (strings 4546 to 4636). They are all included in the Super String. They are currently just 30 blank text characters.

 

Edited March 17, 2017 by ahmedady

[4 Life]

26 minutes ago, LordJustice17 said:

Well it's no more complicated than your way. You are just using different strings.

Hmm, maybe I'm a confused newb lol... how would I go about it step-by-step? I assumed X-Packer would be involved when you said editing an 0001, or am I totally on a different track here?

[kim666]

3 minutes ago, 4 Life said:

Hmm, maybe I'm a confused newb lol... how would I go about it step-by-step? I assumed X-Packer would be involved when you said editing an 0001, or am I totally on a different track here?

Pac editor should do it also.

[4 Life]

8 minutes ago, kim666 said:

Pac editor should do it also.

This is already seeming more complicated lol. Open string, hit ctrl+r, punch in some text to replace a string you're not going to use vs. Opening and extracting a bunch of stuff before proceeding with the former. Don't even know what I'm doing myself

[ahmedady]

so i wouldnt want to try lord justice method  I USE YOUR METHOD IT VERY VERY EASY MAN THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR WORK....Finally now i can named attires 

 

Edited March 17, 2017 by ahmedady

[4 Life]

9 minutes ago, ahmedady said:

so i wouldnt want to try lord justice method  I USE YOUR METHOD IT VERY VERY EASY MAN THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR WORK....Finally now i can named attires 

 

Yeah, I mean I wanna look into making new strings just out of interest, but it's not a necessity when there are well over 1000 modded string names there, don't see anyone installing even half of them and replacing them is so quick and easy, so yeah

Edited March 17, 2017 by 4 Life

[ahmedady]

26 minutes ago, 4 Life said:

Yeah, I mean I wanna look into making new strings just out of interest, but it's not a necessity when there are well over 1000 modded string names there, don't see anyone installing even half of them and replacing them is so quick and easy, so yeah

and also there more half of them didnt anyone will make mods for them !

[pozzum]

So I want to make a few comments regarding this. 

I know right now finding each string in the Super string That allows new names is difficult I can likely fix that in the next update (with some Southpaw guys)

Please make sure you edit names inside the 0001 part file as when my program reads the string file it makes the assumption that all a mod names will come from there as it makes it faster to run.

If you have any questions let me know.

Thanks

[4 Life]

13 minutes ago, pozzum said:

Please make sure you edit names inside the 0001 part file

I still literally have no idea what this means

[LordJustice17]

10 hours ago, 4 Life said:

I still literally have no idea what this means

The string has a bunch of 400X files inside. Each is a different language. Inside of those is a 0000 file with the default strings, and a 0001 file with the new added strings.

16 hours ago, ahmedady said:

 so theres no modded string here how can i replaace it with my custom attiere name on string pac ??

 

The string there is simply 30 blank text characters.