Basically, this is how I do it. Say I have a ped mod, like the female cop mod, and it has its own pedvariations.dat, but I also already have "New Cops & State Troopers Version 1.2" by Custo, which also has its own pedvariations.dat and whatnot. So using SparkIV, I will backup everything thats getting replaced, copy and paste the existing data into a blank notepad, then replace it with the femalecop .dat files, highlight and file copy the particular line of data to be replaced, in this instance, M_M_Fatcop01 or whatever its called, then I will paste that into the original .dat files that I originally copied and pasted into notepad, THEN I will finally save the new edited pedVariations file as exactly "pedVariations.dat" as it is in the game folder, then I will place it in said folder, since SparkIV will let me import the new file, but not save the archive, which is my first clue that something is wrong. I know this sounds incredibly confusing, but this is the only way I figured out how to edit .dat or .ide files. Now, upon starting the game, it crashes midway through the loading screens, giving me a fatal error or some crap. So WTF am I doing wrong here? This isn't just limited to pedVariations.dat, I also used the same process to edit peds.ide and pedpersonality.dat. I also had a problem making the NOOSE guys walk normaly. Using this same process, I gave them normal walking data in whaterver file its in, I forget, and in game they wouldnt appear. Simpletrainer would timeout loading the model, and lcpdfr would skip the noose guy in character selection.

So my conclusion is thst using Notepad to edit .dat or .ide files somehow corrupts the files, because I was SURE I didn't mispell anything or mess up the text in anyway.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

The file may be corrupted...there's a number of reasons this could happen.

No, all I'm doing is replacing a line of text in a .dat file, and then THAT crashes the game. The file worked fine before. Is there a good program out there for editing .ide and .dat files?

It shouldn't crash the game. I edit the handling.dat file all the time and don't get any crashes..(I did once though because I added an extra space.)

Edited July 26, 201213 yr by Hunter

It shouldn't crash the game. I edit the handling.dat file all the time and don't get any crashes..(I did once though because I added an extra space.)

And how exactly do you edit your .dat and .ide files? Please be descriptive.

I make sure that when I edit something, I ALWAYS have the original file saved so if I mess up I can look at the file to make sure everything's in place.

Ok, but HOW do you edit the .dat and .ide files?

With the .dat files I have it so you can read them...I then create a new text file and copy & paste the WHOLE thing from the original file into the newly created one and edit it & etc...that's how I personally do it. I don't edit my .ide files.

With the .dat files I have it so you can read them...I then create a new text file and copy & paste the WHOLE thing from the original file into the newly created one and edit it & etc...that's how I personally do it. I don't edit my .ide files.

How do you read your .dat files? Notepad can be used for .ide but not .dat, so how are you doing it???