how to change the .dat files - Printable Version
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how to change the .dat files by moppet on 05-03-2006 at 05:03 AM
can some one tell me how to change the .dat files to the .png ones. I find it all and need to have that explained please. just to make sure I know I am doing it right as I have a lot of them to do and do not want to mess up. thanks
RE: how to change the .dat files by andrewdodd13 on 05-03-2006 at 06:51 AM
Copy, paste and rename.
If the extension (.dat) isn't visible, open the Tools menu in explorer, and head down to Folder Options. Click the View tab, and then in the box at the bottom uncheck Hide extensions for known file types.
Also, if it is an animated emoticon you will need to rename it .gif . And as far as I know, there's no way to preview the images 
RE: how to change the .dat files by Matti on 05-03-2006 at 02:33 PM
That's right.
It would be handy if someone made one, since it's not hard to distinguish .png's of .gif's. When you open a PNG file in Notepad, you'll see it begins with:
code:By looking for that, a developer can determine if the .dat is a PNG.
‰PNG
GIF's always start with:
code:so that's another way to check the type of the image.
GIF
If any developer is good enough to make a small program which can save.dat's with their right image format in another folder, it would be really helpful!
RE: how to change the .dat files by RaceProUK on 05-03-2006 at 04:50 PM
quote:OK
Originally posted by Mattike
If any developer is good enough to make a small program which can save.dat's with their right image format in another folder, it would be really helpful!
Expect it in about a week 
RE: RE: how to change the .dat files by Matti on 05-03-2006 at 05:22 PM
quote:
Originally posted by raceprouk
quote:OK
Originally posted by Mattike
If any developer is good enough to make a small program which can save.dat's with their right image format in another folder, it would be really helpful!
Nice... good luck with it!
RE: RE: how to change the .dat files by CookieRevised on 05-03-2006 at 09:30 PM
quote:You can preview, open, edit images with any graphics program which will activly reconize filetypes (without relying on only the file extension).
Originally posted by andrewdodd13
And as far as I know, there's no way to preview the images
eg: Microsoft Paint, Microsoft's Windows Viewer for pictures and faxes, etc... etc...
RE: how to change the .dat files by andrewdodd13 on 05-03-2006 at 09:37 PM
Ah yeah, what I was meaning was that afaik there's no way to tell what the image is without opening it or renaming it to its appropriate file type.
But of course, it's a pretty simple job to get a program to iterate through each file and move it to another folder, renaming it to .gif or .png appropriately.
Now I think, isn't this what mess.be's custom emoticon stealer did? Although it allowed previews and stuff...
Direct Link (Might not work + reading CoC, been ages since I been here): http://www.mess.be/pafiledb/pafiledb.php?action=download&id=301
RE: how to change the .dat files by Sunshine on 05-03-2006 at 10:02 PM
quote:For MSN it doesn't matter if its extension is gif or png, if you add it to MSN again the emote will animate. The program i mention below saves them as png, if you open them in Microsoft's Windows Viewer for pictures and faxes you'll see them animated if so.
Originally posted by andrewdodd13
Also, if it is an animated emoticon you will need to rename it .gif .
quote:Custom Emoticon/Display Picture Backup Wizard does this for you
Originally posted by andrewdodd13
But of course, it's a pretty simple job to get a program to iterate through each file and move it to another folder, renaming it to .gif or .png appropriately.
It can back up Emoticons, Backgrounds and MSN Display Pictures. Even tho it doesn't mention WLM on the site, i've tried it on WLM and it works fine.
RE: RE: how to change the .dat files by CookieRevised on 05-03-2006 at 11:06 PM
quote:In fact that should be the only way to determine what format the file is (aka reading the internal header and format).
Originally posted by Mattike
When you open a PNG file in Notepad, you'll see it begins with:
code:By looking for that, a developer can determine if the .dat is a PNG.
‰PNG
GIF's always start with:
code:so that's another way to check the type of the image.
GIF
File extension names don't say a thing...
----------
File extension names are like logo's on cars. A car can have the logo of a Porsche, but that doesn't automatically mean it is a Porsche. You could assume it is a Porsche, but to make sure you need to look under the hood...
=> It isn't because a file is named as PNG that it actually is a PNG.
Vice versa, when driving a car with the Porsche logo you suddennly notice that you can also literally take off and fly with it, it doesn't mean that "Porsche"'s are also airplanes... (as it was a stupid mechanic who put the Porsche logo on a SpitFire)
=> It isn't because a PNG seems to be animated when viewed with WinFaxViewer that PNGs can be animated (as it is actually an animated GIF with the wrong extension ".PNG").
RE: how to change the .dat files by moppet on 05-04-2006 at 08:53 PM
thank you all and it did work for me. good luck on the program and i would be interested in it if you get it made and the cedpstealer program came up with norton as have a trojan attached to it.
moppet
RE: how to change the .dat files by RaceProUK on 05-07-2006 at 04:46 PM
I've made the program now. It's a bit pants really, but it will automatically change the extension to GIF or PNG as appropriate.
It works best when you have at least one CE and DP: it kinda locks up if you have none of one of them 
What I'll do for a future version is fold it into the next Phoenix and make it show a preview of each file and allow you to save them individually.
RE: how to change the .dat files by tony on 05-07-2006 at 08:31 PM
Congrats! that program is PERFECT racprouk
RE: how to change the .dat files by moppet on 05-08-2006 at 02:41 PM
AWESOME MAN....THANKS GREAT WORK