README

What is this repository for?

This repository contains the source code for mdledit, a binary-to-ASCII decompiler for KOTOR1 and KOTOR2 model files originally developed by bead-v.

Current version: v1.0.5b BETA.

How do I get set up?

C++14 is used. Build from an MSYS2 UCRT64 shell.

For a standalone Windows executable that does not require the MSYS2 GCC runtime DLLs beside it, use:

make portable CXX=g++ WINDRES=windres

The output is:

build/portable/mdledit.exe

The portable target performs a serial release build with full static runtime linking and then inspects the PE imports. It fails if the result still imports a non-system lib*.dll runtime.

For development inside MSYS2, the dynamic-runtime build remains available:

make safe CXX=g++ WINDRES=windres

That output is build/release/mdledit.exe. When copied outside the MSYS2 UCRT64 environment, it normally also needs the matching compiler runtime DLLs. To make a distributable directory instead of a single static executable, use:

make bundle CXX=g++ WINDRES=windres

This creates dist/mdledit/ and copies the executable plus any imported DLLs that exist beside the active compiler. Keep the entire directory together. Never obtain replacement runtime DLLs from unrelated download sites; use the DLLs from the exact toolchain that built the program.

To inspect imports for an existing selected build:

make CONFIG=portable STATIC=1 runtime-deps

A faster dynamic build can be made with:

make clean
make fast CXX=g++ WINDRES=windres -j$(nproc)

Override the toolchain as needed, for example:

make portable CXX=i686-w64-mingw32-g++ WINDRES=i686-w64-mingw32-windres

The Windows system libraries linked by the Makefile are: gdi32, user32, kernel32, comctl32, comdlg32, and shlwapi.

Embedded stock supermodel metadata

ASCII compilation no longer requires neighboring binary files for the stock K1/K2 humanoid supermodels (S_Male01, S_Male02, S_Female01, S_Female02, and S_Female03). A valid binary supermodel beside the ASCII model still takes precedence, preserving support for custom supermodels. Otherwise MDLedit uses the destination game's embedded hierarchy/supernode metadata.

See EMBEDDED_SUPERMODELS.md and the reusable CSV/JSON files in metadata/.

Who do I talk to?

PM me on deadlystream.com or discord (Vriff).