when i do it i just copy an icon 3db file out. rename the 3db file to whatever i want to call it.stick it beside the rest of them and add my ship icon to it. i dont change any of the structure or names.just import into the MIP0 bit of it. freelancer dosent care if this file has the same name as the node you placed it in or one that is completley different so long as the rest of the file is as it is supposed to be. then just tell my ship to use the new icon. never failed yet (admittedly ive only done it 10 or 11 times, so i dont have a really big span to go on)

American Scientists spent millions developing the perfect writing utensil; It writes in Zero-gravity, upside down, under water, in space... The Russians used a Pencil.

Well under normal circumstances, what you've said is what I do. But the problem kicks in when you copy the same file more than once and have them used in the same shop. So say for instance, I copy the icon file from the patriot and replace MIP0 part with my custom icon picture. Then repeat this process for all the new icon's that I want to create. Now this works fine as long as two or more of these new icons aren't used in the same place. I did notice that if I copy different icons and replace the MIPO's it isnt a problem. For instance, say i wanted to place 3 new ships in one shop. I'd have to say copy the patriot, rhino, & defender icons and replace the MIP0's instead of just copying the patriot 3 times. To say the least is quite an annoying way to have do this, and my query was more aimed at getting help to work out the structure of this icon file and how it must be setup & created to aid creating completely new icon files. As trying to work out which icon's have been copied so far to know which ones will work gets quite confusing when you have over 30 of em

i do apologize i missed something when i read your original post. ok i see what you mean (i use generic icons for my ships to signify the shipyard), i changed one to a diff graphic and depending on the order , i either got all my generic or all my changed.

so some studying was now involved.

right here is the reason:- in the VMeshPart there is a VMeshRef this is supposed to be different for every file you use . so it finds the first one you use and uses the graphic for it for every ship on the station (so using a diff 3db file for each one as you say solves this). im not sure whether this carries over into the rest of the game (i.e diff basses that would sell the original ship that the 3db was borrowed from ) i was 2 busy to check this point ( it means finding a station the original ship is sold on).

solution :- i do not have one at the moment. as VMeshLibrary,VMeshPart and VMeshWire are all linked through a modified crc32 type check (see HCl's break down of VMesh format) you cannot just change the ref part (it all falls over at this point) , and it cannot be created in milkshape(does not export/make VMeshWire part, so i cant figure out the shape format yet)

but if you have any ideas please post. I will continue on looking

American Scientists spent millions developing the perfect writing utensil; It writes in Zero-gravity, upside down, under water, in space... The Russians used a Pencil.

where do i get the utf ed?

i hope this gets replied to, this looks fairly old, but...

i tried the utf editor, and it says im missing a dll! i think this might be due to me using win98...i will upgrade to xp asap but until then has anyone encountered this before or knows how to fix it??

try here this has the dependinces (ie the missing bits) compiled into it. it was the (only) one i could get to work.

American Scientists spent millions developing the perfect writing utensil; It writes in Zero-gravity, upside down, under water, in space... The Russians used a Pencil.