s/55706s01.dat

[Max Martin Richter]

Well for the most people here, which are programmers, it seems to be very very easy to work with a command-line or create a batch file. But for many people, which aren't grown in DOS-time or have never used the command-line it could be in fact a bit difficult.
So, I will try a very basic introduction for the command-line.
First of all: The easiest way to open a command-line windows directly with the right directory is to rightclick on the folder, where the executable (.exe-file) is in, while the [Shift]-Key is pressed. A menu will open where you have to chose "Open command-line here" (I'm not sure what's the correct translation from German here). The command-line window is now open with the path, where toolxyz is situated.
Now you have to tell the command-line that it should execute toolxyz. This will be simply done writing

Code:

toolxyz

within the command-line window.
OK, these had been the very basics, but if you would confirm your input you will mostly only get some lines with a very simple description of the tool and its parameters.
And now the interesting part starts - the parameters.
You have to tell most of the tools what they should do. For this you have to extend your input by the parameters. For example you have a tool, that changes some faces and you want to know which are changed (or even touched) you can use debug colors - mostly they are called by [-c] in Philo's tools.
So you have to write:

Code:

toolxyz -c

(Note that you can add more parameters by typing

Code:

toolxyz -c -m -n -o

and some parameters needs a value. For Parameters with value (a value can be an angle or a path here), you have to type:

Code:

toolxyz -c -m 0.003 -n c:\Lego\ldraw -o

(m, n, o are just examples for parameters)
Now the programm knows what it should do, but it still doesn't know the input file (and output file)
In some tools it's possible to write an input file only. But this will be replaced by the output and if something goes wrong your old has gone. So you should use an output file with a different name than the input file.
Small example: Your have an input file 'input.dat' and will get an output file 'output.dat', you have to write

Code:

toolxyz input.dat output.dat

and with parameters it could be something like this:

Code:

toolxyz -c -m 0.003 -n c:\Lego\ldraw -o input.dat output.dat

That's it. I hope this was the type of help you expected?!

/Max