Alhexx' Zanzarah PAK Format Description 1.0

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Zanzarah's PAK format is quite easy. It consist of some
very simple types:

 -= The Header =-

// C++-Style
typedef struct
{
	int	ID;		// = 0
	int	NumEntries;
} zan_pak_header_t;

' VB-Style
Type zan_pak_header_t
  ID As Long			' = 0
  NumEntries As Long	
End Type


The Entries aren't that easy, b'cause they're variable-sized,
however, they're not too complicated:

 -= Entries =-
// C++-Style
typedef struct
{
	int	LenName;
	char	Name[LenName];	// variable-sized
	int	OffSet;
	int	FileSize;
} zan_pak_entry_t;

' VB-Style
Type zan_pak_entry_t
  LenName As Long
  Name As String * LenName
  Offset As Long
  FileSize As Long
End Type

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
You know, that neither C++ nor VB can handle such variable
sized Strings (AFAIK). So you'll have to build your own
procedures to read out those strings.

There's something important you should know 'bout the offset:
These are NOT the offsets within the File itself! 
These offsets indicate how many Bytes the data follows
after the Header !!
So you'll have to add the Length of the Header to the offset
of a file!

First, let's see how to calculate the size of the Header:
---------------------------------------------------------
Base Header Size:		 8 Bytes
Size of Entry Base:		12 Bytes
Size of Entry FileNames:	 x Bytes
Size of "Footer":		 4 Bytes

You see, you'll have to calculate like this:
8 Bytes + (NumEntries * 12) + (Size_of_every_single_FileName) + 4

You might wonder what that "Footer" is? Directly after the
header, and before the first file data block, there is a
4-Byte Integer. I don't know for what it stands for, but
that's not so important.

If you're interested:
The size of the Header from Zanzarah English Demo is:
223679 Bytes

If you want to write your own ripper/packer, try around with
the demo, so that you get this value :)


The File data itself is stored as raw data, no compression
or things like that. You simply have to create an Byte array
(at least under VB) or create a buffer, and write the data
from the calculated offset + FileOffset_from_Entry to a new
file.

I think that's all.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

~~ Greetings Fly Out To: ~~
Darkness
Ficedula
Kaddy #17
Kaoru S. Night
Mirex
Phaeron
Qhimm
Sephiroth 3D
ShinRa Inc.
The SaiNt
... and everyone I've forgotten!


Visit or contact me:
--------------------
Home  : http://www.alhexx.com
Forum : http://forums.alhexx.com
Mail  : alhexx@alhexx.com


 - Alhexx
16:53 2002-11-16