ZHModLauncher

Mod launcher/manager for C&C: Generals: Zero Hour

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Mod launcher/manager for C&C: Generals: Zero Hour

In red2.net, they organize the mods in a uniform way. That is, they extract the .big files and rename it as .zbig files, so that mods won't clutter each other, unless "activated". -mod command line parameter can be used for mods with just one .big file. However, some mods come with multiple .big files so -mod is no longer valid for some mods.
This mod launcher will scan for mods and active them, one at a time at game launch time.

You don't install this one, you just unzip the zip file in the releases and execute the .exe file :)

Locate your mod files. Most mods will come with a couple of .big files and no other files.
Locate your game folder. If you installed ZH with TFD, The probable location is something like C:\Program Files (x86)\EA Games\Command & Conquer The First Decade\Command & Conquer(tm) Generals Zero Hour. Locate it, wherever it is, it should contain Generals.exe file.
Create a folder inside that directory and name is as "Mods", without quotes.
For each mod, create a folder inside the Mods folder you created.
Inside each folder, place .big file but change the extension as .zbig.
If you've downloaded mods from red2.net, the mod files should already have .zbig extension.
Sometimes you might wish to choose to select Zero Hour folder again. If so, go into delete mod4_config.json, which should be located where mod4.exe is.

Run the mod launcher program
The program will scan the folders inside the Mods folder you've created.
Select one mod of interest from the combo box
Hit run game button or run game windowed button
The mod launcher will automatically rename .zbig files to .big files and move them to the game folder.
Upon termination of the game, the launcher will revert the changes: .big files back as .zbig files in the mod folder.
Since the mod launcher is renaming files in the game folder, this operation might require Administrator privileges. If things don't work, consider launching the program with Administrator privileges.
If you see an error message like "SymFromAddr" blah blah by OriginThinSetupInternal.exe, Then you need to run Origin first, before launching the game.

The .big content scanning code (for seeing if the mod has AI or not) is from Open Source BIG Editor: http://www.ppmsite.com/?go=osbigeditorinfo
OS BIG Editor by Carlos "Banshee" Muniz
RefPack decompression by Jonathan Wilson (jonwil)
See AboutBig.txt for details