Nif reader for Mac?

[Flintlock1415]

Now that mac users can unpak their art files, (thanks to Alan H) has anyone heard of a mac version of Nifskope or an equivalent? I want to use to be able to create my own units, LHs, etc.

 

[AlanH]

A quick Google for "Nifskope Mac" turned up Blender.

Any good?

 

[Flintlock1415]

Actually, blender is the program I am using to make the models, but according to the tutorials I looked at you also need a nif reader to convert the files.

 

[AlanH]

The site I linked indicates that you use PyFFI to read the nif files, available here if you don't already have it. You should already have Python as part of OS X.

 

[Flintlock1415]

okay. I downloaded the scripts, but when I try to run them through blender, I get an error telling me to 'check counsole' I dont understand why it wont work.

 

[AlanH]

I've been playing. It looks as if nif_import.py (and probably nif_export.py, as well) have been written by someone using Python v2.5. There are lots of constructs in the script that are not available in v2.3, which is what you get in OS X. Hence the errors.

I'm currently crawling through it, error by error, to find and fix them. If I ever get out the other end, I'll post the fixed versions. It will be surprising if the script(s) still operate properly after this exercise, though, as I am not a very competent Python coder.

 

[Flintlock1415]

I have 2.4 and 2.5 but it still doesnt work

 

[AlanH]

Have you set 2.5 as your active version? If so, what Python error appears in the system console when you try to run the "Import->NetImmerse/Gamebryo (.nif)" menu option? If you haven't found it, the Console is an application in /Applications/Utilities/.

 

[Flintlock1415]

This is the error

File "nif_import.py", line 230
for b in (b for b in block.tree()
^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

 

[AlanH]

That's what I got as the first error. I assumed it was part of a Python 2.5 expression, though as I say, I'm not a Python coder. If you are getting that error, and you are certain you are using Python 2.5, then my assumption is incorrect.

I was able to prevent the syntax error by replacing the first bracket and its partner with square brackets. Then there was another error ... and so on. I have now reached a point where the syntax checking passes for both nif_import.py and nif_export.py, but the code doesn't run. It is failing to import NifConfig, which is a class defined in nif_common.py. I can't see why this is failing, and I'm getting no other useful error details, so I'm a bit stuck

I have raised a bug/request report in the SourceForge.net tracker, asking if there's a Python 2.3 compatible version of the NIF tools.

 

[Flintlock1415]

I think you need to install the pyffi Qskope first, but I'm stuck on an error.

Maybe you could try?
the error is

File "__init__.py", line 316
finally:
^

 

[AlanH]

The error on finally: seems to me to confirm that you are not running Python 2.5.

From the Python docs for try:
"Changed in version 2.5: In previous versions of Python, try...except...finally did not work. try...except had to be nested in try...finally."

I had to indent everything and add a try: in order to get the syntax check to work in Python 2.3.

The programmer for PyFFI has responded to my bug request and said that the only solution is to install and run Python 2.5 in OS X. There is no version that is compatible with 2.3 or 2.4.

 

[Flintlock1415]

Okay. I found a version of blender that comes with python 2.5 here but I still get an error when I run the init file in Qskope

File "__init__.py", line 40, in <module>
ImportError: No module named PyQt4

So I found PyQt4 here which says you need to have the SIP for PyQt4 to run. SIP is in the link. I cant figure out how every works together and the SIP wont run. I'm very confused!

 

[Flintlock1415]

I ran the configure.py in python which gave me sipconfig.py. This was needed for the PyQt4 to run, but when in try to run the configure.py for PyQt4 in blender, it quits and my console says

Determining the layout of your Qt installation...
Error: Make sure you have a working Qt v4 qmake on your PATH or use the -q
argument to explicitly specify a working Qt v4 qmake.

Do you understand any of this?

 

[AlanH]

Nope! I suggest you make yourself some new friends in the Blender community .

These are Linux geeks. They are quite comfortable with reconfiguring and recompiling all the necessary software on the fly whenever something changes ... and changes are their way of life. They're clever guys, but they are more interested in tweaking the code than making it stable and usable for "the rest of us".

I could probably find out what it's all about, but I'd need to learn all about Python, and it isn't something I'm interested in.

 

[dutchking]

No equivalent of Nifskope exists for Mac, which is a MUST when modding with Civ4 models. Blender will let you import a .nif and edit its geometry but when you export it you will have (with windows) to organize the structure of the Nif with nifskope and fix textures and UV's and shaders and stuff.

Also, with windows you install the scripts with a simple EXE, in macintosh there is some advanced way which I don't understand.

There is another small alternate which might suit your liking (not that it can compare with the thrill of 3D graphics ). You can do clean reskins (but you will not be able to edit UVs or change textures etc, kind of boring) in mac with an image editor and a DDS plugin, just keep the file names the same.