Tutorial How to successfully pack and unpack .pak files

Use this to restore the normal command thingy on shift + right click. I can't remember where I got it, though.

 

It didnt work. Ive completely reinstalled it. I know that because my mods and the storage folder are gone. But it didnt work

 

batch files work too, thats what i usually do

 

Hey, I created a little Script that makes this far easier and readable (for Windows): http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1161535874

 

Is there an archive utility that can edit pak files simply the way you edit a zip file using 7-zip drag and drop two and from a simple GUI

 

I was forced to use Windows Powershell. How did you all use cmd?

 

I have used one of these methods at one time or another:

• not using windows 10 at the time of posting. (previous posts)
  
• using windows 10 before an update that removed command prompt from file menu of explorer.
  
• customize windows 10 explorer via registry to add cmd to right-click or shift-right-click menu.
• make shortcut/batch in desired folder to start cmd.
  
• type cmd into explorer's address bar.
• pinned cmd to taskbar, default cwd is %userprofile%, navigate to desired folder by cd command
  
• open powershell and type cmd. (cmd runs within powershell window)
  
• open powershell and type start cmd. (cmd opens in a new window)
• open powershell(admin) and type cmd.
• open powershell(admin) and type start cmd.

 

Assuming ur using Windows 10, Start > Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > "Replace Command Prompt with Windows PowerShell in the menu when I right-click the start button or press Windows key+x" > Off

 

Windows:
Open CMD >
Drag asset_unpacker in the CMD window via Drag'n'Drop >
Insert a space and " >
Drag mod.pak in the CMD window via Drag'n'Drop >
Insert a space and " >
Drag mod.pak a second time in the CMD window via Drag'n'Drop >
Delete the .pak and insert for this " >
Push enter.

Code:

"...\Starbound\win32\asset_unpacker.exe" "...\Starbound\mods\mod.pak" "...\Starbound\mods\mod"

Code:

"...\Starbound\win32\asset_packer.exe" "...\Starbound\mods\mod" "...\Starbound\mods\mod.pak"

macOS:
Open Terminal >
Drag asset_unpacker in the Terminal window via Drag'n'Drop >
Drag mod.pak in the Terminal window via Drag'n'Drop >
Drag mod.pak a second time in the Terminal window via Drag'n'Drop >
Delete the .pak >
Push enter.

Code:

.../Starbound/osx/asset_unpacker .../Starbound/mods/mod.pak .../Starbound/mods/mod

Code:

.../Starbound/osx/asset_packer .../Starbound/mods/mod .../Starbound/mods/mod.pak

USE DRAG'N'DROP FOR WINDOWS CMD AND MACOS TERMINAL, THE EASIEST WAY!!

 

What directory are files unpacked in???

 

whatever directory you put them in. look at the previous posts. the last post (Didy's post) shows them being unpacked into Starbound/mods under the name mod

 

So uhhh..is there a way to unpack an oooold modpak file? I know this method works on pak but I'm lost as far as modpak.

 

u require the unpacker of the version the modpak file was made in. if u hav it, it is possible. due to certain legal reasons, this can't be redistributed, so if u don't hav it, u won't hav it

 

hey i start the unpacker program but nothing happens, it only creates a asssetsunpacker.exe

 

simply starting the program is not enough. Here's a batch file I made to launch the unpacker properly

Code:

del ..\assets\Unpacked
If EXIST ..\assets\packed.pak del ..\assets\packed.pak.no
rename ..\assets\packed.pak.no packed.pak
asset_unpacker.exe ..\assets\packed.pak ..\assets\Unpacked
rename ..\assets\packed.pak packed.pak.no
pause

this batch code should be in a <name>.bat file and at the top directory of Starbound. The following things may occur and are intended:

• fail to detect packed.pak (game has not updated or been validated)
• fail to delete Unpacked (first time unpacking or Unpacked has been manually deleted)
• fail to rename packed.pak.no to packed.pak (game has updated and the second line succeeds in deleting packed.pak.no)

The only unintended failure, which will be true failure, is if neither packed.pak nor packed.pak.no exist. unpacking the assets this way does still run the game as if it was never unpacked, despite packed.pak technically never existing.

 

Out of curiosity... can I use powershell? no matter what I try, command prompt does not seem to show for me, and powershell is what I get when using shift+right click.

 

use powershell and enter the command "cmd". powershell is now Command Prompt (temporarily)

 

thank you very much! I will give this a go

 

Even though I am 100% sure that I write the pak.file's path and the unpack path correctly, it still asks for these. What I am trying looks something like F:\Program\steamapps\common\Starbound\win32\Asset_unpacker.exe F:\Program\steamapps\common\Starbound\Pak-folder\pack.pak and it still demands for those paths

 

Code:

asset_unpacker.exe ..\assets\packed.pak ..\assets\Unpacked

this comes from my unpacker batch file. the structure is as follows

Code:

program target destination

if any of these have spaces, you will need them in quotation marks. from what you have, you are missing the destination