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EWR DAT Files to Excel/Access


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Since I started messing with EWR in a hex editor, I've thought of the possibility of making a program that would convert the DAT files to either Excel or Access and allow easier and faster editing (particularly for wrestlers). Basically, what this program would do is open a DAT file from EWR and create a spreadsheet or Access database that could be edited and then changed back to a DAT file that would work with EWR.

I was just wondering if this is something that people would find useful or if I shouldn't bother with it. Let me know, guys. :)

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Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but is that something that you could use to modify save game DAT files as well?

I have no idea how to read the database itself in whatever format it was made, but I know that I can edit anything in it with a hex editor. With that knowledge, I can make a program that reads it like a hex editor and uses that data to create a spreadsheet or something that you can then edit and change back to a DAT file.

I was recently making a program to edit a SNES rom via hex methods as well so I know it can be done. I was just wondering if it was practical or not.

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Another idea I've had is to make a program with names and such that can be edited that can be used to create a whole new wrestler.dat file with random wrestlers that are better generated than EWR would do if you started with a blank database. Useful for those that want to play a game with all random guys.

On another note, I've been looking at the wrestler.dat file and already figured out most of the values so far. (H)

Edited by GLRaven
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Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but is that something that you could use to modify save game DAT files as well?

I have no idea how to read the database itself in whatever format it was made, but I know that I can edit anything in it with a hex editor. With that knowledge, I can make a program that reads it like a hex editor and uses that data to create a spreadsheet or something that you can then edit and change back to a DAT file.

I was recently making a program to edit a SNES rom via hex methods as well so I know it can be done. I was just wondering if it was practical or not.

Dude from my understanding you're a bit wide of the mark. Hex editing overwrites pre-existing content, it cannot 'add' anything. It will be a lot easier to stick to Access too as that has native database support. Perhaps stick to reading the DAT files directly rather than creating tools to export, tools to convert, tools to import...

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Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but is that something that you could use to modify save game DAT files as well?

I have no idea how to read the database itself in whatever format it was made, but I know that I can edit anything in it with a hex editor. With that knowledge, I can make a program that reads it like a hex editor and uses that data to create a spreadsheet or something that you can then edit and change back to a DAT file.

I was recently making a program to edit a SNES rom via hex methods as well so I know it can be done. I was just wondering if it was practical or not.

Dude from my understanding you're a bit wide of the mark. Hex editing overwrites pre-existing content, it cannot 'add' anything. It will be a lot easier to stick to Access too as that has native database support. Perhaps stick to reading the DAT files directly rather than creating tools to export, tools to convert, tools to import...

Don't know if this comment was aimed at me, but I never said I could "add" anything although I could easily add records to the end of a wrestler.dat file if they were in the same format as the others. However, in the case of the EXE file itself, I could not add anything more than what was already there.

If I knew or could figure out how to read the DAT files directly, I would but it would likely be just as slow as reading the HEX values one by one, hence the reason of converting the file to Access or something to make it easier to work with before converting it back to a DAT file for use with EWR.

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Don't know if this comment was aimed at me, but I never said I could "add" anything although I could easily add records to the end of a wrestler.dat file if they were in the same format as the others. However, in the case of the EXE file itself, I could not add anything more than what was already there.

If I knew or could figure out how to read the DAT files directly, I would but it would likely be just as slow as reading the HEX values one by one, hence the reason of converting the file to Access or something to make it easier to work with before converting it back to a DAT file for use with EWR.

You are insisting the tool will be used to add wrestlers (etc) to the database, but hex cannot add anything, be it an additional single character or a whole new record. Hex will not import/export the database either, it is simply text replacement.

I didn't mean to literally read the database (wtf?), I meant why not focus your app to work with the .dat files directly rather than exporting the database, editing it in another tool then importing the edited data. It would be quicker to code and easier to use.

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Don't know if this comment was aimed at me, but I never said I could "add" anything although I could easily add records to the end of a wrestler.dat file if they were in the same format as the others. However, in the case of the EXE file itself, I could not add anything more than what was already there.

If I knew or could figure out how to read the DAT files directly, I would but it would likely be just as slow as reading the HEX values one by one, hence the reason of converting the file to Access or something to make it easier to work with before converting it back to a DAT file for use with EWR.

You are insisting the tool will be used to add wrestlers (etc) to the database, but hex cannot add anything, be it an additional single character or a whole new record. Hex will not import/export the database either, it is simply text replacement.

I didn't mean to literally read the database (wtf?), I meant why not focus your app to work with the .dat files directly rather than exporting the database, editing it in another tool then importing the edited data. It would be quicker to code and easier to use.

The DAT files are just basic binary files as far as I can tell so I would be reading the hex values and converting them to numerical values and such.

By making a program, yes I can add to the database using this method. It just needs to be in the same format was the rest of the records and attached to the end of the file for example. The random wrestler idea would work directly with DAT files. In fact, it would create a whole new DAT file with all of the generated wrestlers.

As for the other idea:

The reason I would rather convert the database to something other than the DAT file is that I have a feeling that it would run much slower as EWR does at times.

It would be the same amount of work or more to make it work directly with DAT files because I would have to make a whole spreadsheet interface. It would actually be a lot easier to convert the DAT files to something like Access because then features such as copying and pasting records would be easy to do rather than myself having to code all of these things into a program.

There are many programs that convert stuff to another format and then back. I've used one for Madden rosters for example. I think one for EWR would work just fine.

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The DAT files are just basic binary files as far as I can tell so I would be reading the hex values and converting them to numerical values and such.

By making a program, yes I can add to the database using this method. It just needs to be in the same format was the rest of the records and attached to the end of the file for example.

Isn't that outside the realms of what is possible with hex editing? I don't believe it can pick up an entire record, from start to finish. Then again, please tell me to shut up as my experience only goes so far as ROM hacking back in the day.

I understand why you want to convert the database now (tools already out there to edit it). Best of luck :)

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I assume if you pull this off (and I hope you do), this would work for all .dat files, not just wrestler.dat?

Yes. They would have to be individually coded but they can all be edited. I was only mentioning the wrestler.dat file and it is the first and most important one that I would work on.

The DAT files are just basic binary files as far as I can tell so I would be reading the hex values and converting them to numerical values and such.

By making a program, yes I can add to the database using this method. It just needs to be in the same format was the rest of the records and attached to the end of the file for example.

Isn't that outside the realms of what is possible with hex editing? I don't believe it can pick up an entire record, from start to finish. Then again, please tell me to shut up as my experience only goes so far as ROM hacking back in the day.

I understand why you want to convert the database now (tools already out there to edit it). Best of luck :)

Yes, you're correct. I would have to read off the values individually, but I can just do that for each one and export the results as separate records to Access for example.

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