Adding to a Bioware's NPC .BCS file

[Diana]

In the Banterpack mod I noticed that Jan's, Minsc's, etc. BCS files were added to via the mod's .tp2.

In looking at the code (snippet follows) I don't understand the following:

EXTEND_BOTTOM ~imoen2.bcs~ ~banterpack/scripts/imoen2.baf~
EXTEND_TOP ~aerie.bcs~ ~banterpack/scripts/aerie.baf~
EXTEND_TOP ~jaheira.bcs~ ~banterpack/scripts/jaheira.baf~

1) How can you EXTEND_TOP or EXTEND_BOTTOM a pure "text" .baf file to a bcs?  Aren't these two different file formats?

2) Weidu is that powerful that it automatically adds the patch, compiles and creates the new "modified" .bcs and sticks it in the Override directory?  I saw "compile" commands for the dialogue files, but not for the baf/bcs.

I know somehow this works as I've seen the new snippets added to Jan's and Edwin's when I ran them through Weidu to check them out.

Thanks.

[cliffette]

1) Your answer is in question 2...


Edit: Or in what Nebukad said

[Nebukad]

WeiDu compiles the .baf files to .bcs and then adds them to the .bcs files. Bcs's don't have to be compiled as they are used in that form by the game.

If you create a new .bcs from a .baf you have to use COMPILE, I think.

[CamDawg]

1) How can you EXTEND_TOP or EXTEND_BOTTOM a pure "text" .baf file to a bcs?  Aren't these two different file formats?

WeiDU compiles these as part of the EXTEND command.

2) Weidu is that powerful that it automatically adds the patch, compiles and creates the new "modified" .bcs and sticks it in the Override directory?

Yes. WeiDU will even create the target script if it does not exist.

[Diana]

Thanks people!  I think you all made my life a heckuva lot simpler!