Launch Base Mod Creator

[Renegade]

"the mix category, which is not supposed to be used except in special circumstances"

LBMC/LB is hardcoded to put certain files in certain mixes

It's funny you say that, 'cause I was just about to post right here about that topic...
I spent the past few hours adding information to Mix Files, and, once again, got curious about elocal*.mix.
It seems like, from the name and the content it accepts, it was conceived specifically to expand local.mix, to add new unit graphics to the game. Now, let's look at this:

• expand holds most text, as well graphics for the interface (non-unit graphics), and can hold almost anything to override original stuff (hence the name "expand")
  
• ecache is used by the community to hold most unit-related graphics
  
• elocal could be used to hold most unit-related graphics, but is largely ignored by the community
  

Now, I might be missing an important piece of info that explains all this, but from my POV, it looks like elocal should be used for graphics, and ecache has a different, not-yet-discovered function (most likely related to "caching" ). The latter is consistent with something bobing told me earlier, that ecache has some weird additional loading logic.

I am pointing this out/bringing this up because, if I am right, if I didn't miss anything, then now would be the time to fix it. By having LBMC use elocal instead of ecache right from the start, the mistakes of the past could be fixed because people have to re-package their mod anyway, whereas, if we've been "abusing" ecache for the past years, and the next generation of launcher is coded to do the same, we'll most likely never stop it. My point is the similarities - there is a file named local.mix that holds shps, voxels and hvas, and there's a routine to read a file called elocal*.mix holding additional (expanding) shps, voxels and hvas. It just seems to fit too well to be a coincidence. (Intelligent Design! )
Now compare to that perfect match the fact that the file we currently use is name an expand "cache", and loads differently than other expansions, and I guess you'll agree with me it at least sounds like I'm right.
I'm only unsure because this has gone on for so long...I have a feeling I might be missing a piece of the puzzle - some discovery from a decade ago or something. If anybody knows more than me about this, or has experience with elocal*.mix, I'd love to hear it.


Oh and Marsh...PM me some IM info or get on IRC already...it's annoying I can only contact you through the forums -_-