Shrinking map size

[Barbie]

I wondered why a relative simple map with 150 brushes and some hundred actors has a big size of 13 MiB. Then I exported it to T3D, imported and build it: now it has a size of 3 MiB. I hope I lost nothing valuable.

[Red_Fist]

Try it with other maps see what happens.

[Zero_khan]

something in mylevel?

[Barbie]

Of course I didn't close UnrealEd between ex- and import, so that all MyLevel stuff kept in memory and was taken over to the new map.

[SteadZ]

This is something a few people across at UnrealSP noticed not too long ago, seems essentially "garbage" is built up in the map file over time with rebuilds which contributes to file-size. Re-importing the map contents to a new file decreases the file size but you've not lost anything valuable

Another potential explanation is that the map contained high resolution lightmaps that were generated in 227 - these carry across to UT so long as you don't rebuild lighting there but it does increase the filesize. My guess is that it's the first explanation though.

[Zero_khan]

I noticed that some maps that I made had thousands of red line paths. After rebuilding they were all gone.

[Barbie]

Sorry, I forgot to mention the map: it is AS-Spacemars (April 2000) - the current MonsterHunt conversion is really bad and so I work on a better one.
(My question about Gustav Holst's 'Mars' is concerning this map.)

but you've not lost anything valuable

Lines in T3D files longer than 1023 chars are cut off silently. But this is a rare condition.

[Buggie]

Big models usual cause.
Same stuff happen with NaZali map where grate movers generate too big models. So recreate them from t3d usually help.

From UTPT you can see which models take most size:

After that you can export entire map to t3d and find what connected with this Models.
And do something with this items - like reimport from t3d, for example. (not entire map, just some brushes)

Best way for not lost something important. But possible not fast as recreate all from scratch.

Also v469 UnrealEd can build more effective .unr file. So can be used for this.

[Barbie]

What version of UTPT do you have? The version 2.0 beta 5 sorts the column "Size" alphabetically... masterpiece of software.

[Buggie]

Same as you. Use "Export Table" tab. Not "Export tree".

[Red_Fist]

I just tried it on a map I am doing, it lost about 400k.

[Red_Fist]

I think it's groups, after I exported as T3d and re imported and lost 400k of a 7 meg map, I just noticed all the groups are gone, but the map had nothing missing.

[sektor2111]

Sample:
When you are adding actors to the map which it's in working stage some of useless bytes are OldLocation vector data. If you are importing a clean actor, this data it's no longer there - this is a sample of data-bytes decreasing map size but having the same content... It's why I added those functions in MapGarbage they are removing garbage for real, nobody ever needs that data in Editor, neither internal chain from Navigation Points, I believe those are created during reachSpecs calculations being not needed to be saved in map. All time 300-400k is removed this way + reducing/eliminating red builder template brush and culling Textures unused.

[Barbie]

I think it's groups, after I exported as T3d and re imported and lost 400k of a 7 meg map, I just noticed all the groups are gone

The group markers still exist, but the names are not shown in UnrealEd's "Groups" window. Here is an example of a Brush in T3D format with a group marker set:

Code: Select all

Begin Actor Class=Brush Name=Brush1
...
    PostScale=(SheerAxis=SHEER_ZX)
    Group=GroupTest
    Level=LevelInfo'MyLevel.LevelInfo0'
...

As you see, the group marker "GroupTest" still exist. Select an Actor with a group marker and then add the group marker in UnrealEd's "Groups" window.