USING XCDR

By Perry Stinson


XCDR is a shareware utility that allows you to fly custom missions with
X-Wing CD. This file was designed to help people who have trouble with
using XCDR. I hope that these instructions can fill in the gaps left by
the original XCDR documentation. This file is not intended to replace
the documentation of XCDR. You should carefully read the original
documentation that comes with XCDR as well.

XCDR is a DOS TSR program that waits for X-Wing CD to request certain
files on the CD-ROM. When these files are requested by X-Wing CD, XCDR
tells DOS to open specific files on the hard drive instead of those on
the CD-ROM.

You will need a list of the original mission file names (*.XWI and
*.BRF).  These are stored in the /MISSION directory on your X-Wing
CD-ROM.  For the sake of this explanation, I will use TOD 1 Mission 2:
ID-RECON.XWI for the mission and ID-RECON.BRF for the briefing as
examples. I will also use CUSTOM.XWI and CUSTOM.BRF for the missions
that you created or downloaded. I suggest that you keep XCDR.COM in
your X-Wing CD directory (usually C:\XWINGCD) This keeps it together
with all your other X-Wing files.

There are two ways to use XCDR. One is simple, the other allows more
options such as the use of spoken briefings.

The Easy Method
---------------
Here's how to use the method that is easier.  Check whether you are
flying the "Classic" or "New" missions in X-Wing CD. (Press Escape
during the game, while you aren't flying.) If you are using the new
missions, create the directory C:\MISSION on your hard drive:

	c: [press return]
	cd \ [press return]
	md mission [press return]

If you are using the classic missions, create the C:\CLASSIC
directory on your hard drive:

	c: [press return]
	cd \ [press return]
	md classic [press return]

Enter the directory where your custom missions are currently
stored and copy the custom missions into the \MISSION directory. If
you fly the "Classic" missions, copy the missions to the directory
\CLASSIC.

	cd <<directory where custom mission is stored >> [press return]
	copy custom.xwi \mission [press return]
	copy custom.brf \mission [press return]

Now you need to rename the custom missions to the names used by the
game:

	ren custom.xwi id-recon.xwi [press return]
	ren custom.brf id-recon.brf [press return]

Now enter your X-Wing CD directory.

	cd \xwingcd [press return]

Start XCDR and tell it on which drive you created \MISSION or \CLASSIC.

	xcdr c [press return]

Don't add a colon after the drive's letter. XCDR will search for both
the directories \MISSION and \CLASSIC.

Now start X-Wing CD and play the mission who's filename you used. For
this example, it would be TOD 1 M2.


The Flexible Method
-------------------
The other way to use XCDR doesn't require that you rename files. It
also allows you to use different directories to store your custom
missions besides \CLASSIC and \MISSION. You must create a text file
which contains the filenames which XCDR is to substitute.

Place the custom missions in any directory on your hard drive. Then,
make the text file for XCDR:

	edit custom.xcd [press return]

In the text file, type the name of the original mission file (e.g.
id-recon.xwi). Then add a comma and the name of your custom mission
file. Go to a new line, and do the same for the briefing file. A
simple file would look like this:

	id-recon.xwi,custom.xwi
	id-recon.brf,custom.brf

Do NOT add any extra spaces or other characters between the comma and
file names.

Save this text file. In place of <<custom>>, you can use any name,
however, the file extension must be .XCD. The .XCD file must be in
the same directory as the custom mission files, or XCDR won't work.

Now go to the directory in which you store XCDR.

	cd \xwingcd [press return]

Start XCDR and tell it where the missions and the .XCD text file are
stored. You must give the full path name of the files:

	xcdr <<path>>custom.xcd [press return]

Instead of <<path>> enter the full dos path location where you path
of the .XCD file.

Now start X-Wing CD and play the mission which you chose to replace.
(TOD 1 M2, here) To replace more than one file, always add a new line
in the .XCD file. Enter the original filename first, and then the name
of the file that you want to substitute it with. Separate the two
filenames with a comma. For example, if you added a briefing speech
file, your .XCD file could look like this:

	id-recon.xwi,custom.xwi
	id-recon.brf,custom.brf
	id-recon.p02,custom.p02

You will find that some missions already come with a .XCD file
supplied. (Such as the Operation Inoculation missions.) In such cases,
you only need to give XCDR the path of the .XCD file, and you don't
need to create a new file.

Should you have any problems with XCDR, please contact the author,
Matt Hart, at 75450.3705@compuserve.com.


- Perry "Blitz" Stinson
  CompuServe FSFORUM Staff (GO FSFORUM)

Note: I am not associated with Matt Hart or XCDR in any manner. Remember
that XCDR is Shareware. If you use XCDR regularly, you are obligated to
register it. Registration is $10 and can be done by GO SWREG on CompuServe
or by contacting Matt Hart directly.

XCDR is copyright 1994, 1995 by Matt Hart.