LEGO.jam File Extractor

[JrMasterModelBuilder]

Is it possible to compile a OS X build of JAM Extractor 1.0.1? I ask on behalf of ProfessorBrickkeeper, who cannot run it on his Win9(8?) LEGO games laptop, nor in WINE Bottles for OS X.

What an interesting combination of systems you have ProfessorBrickkeeper. Anyway, an OS X build can be downloaded from the topic post. I'm not sure on the OS X version requirements but alternately you can install Python 3 or higher on you Mac and use the python script. Anyway, you will need to run by the command-line, drag-and-drop does not work on OS X command line executables (or most non-Windows systems for that matter).

[JrMasterModelBuilder]

I have finished version 1.0.2 which is Python 2.7 and higher compatible, excludes files and folder with names longer than 12 characters (invalid names), and moves files existing files/folders out of the way when extracting/building. It is also possible to list output files if you add a "--verbose" argument by the command line.

[Fluffy Cupcake]

I'm on Windows 10, 64-bit, and I'm having issues with compiling that I've never had before on W7. After recompiling the extracted LEGO.JAM, even an unmodified one, the game gives me the "unable to set message drain" error on boot.

 

Well that is just the weirdest thing ever. On the 2001 re-release version of the game, running with a vanilla JAM works perfectly fine, but when running a recompiled jam, even with untouched contents, you need to boot in a different compatability mode, like Win 98 for example.

Can anyone think of a good explaination behind this?

[Quisoves Potoo]

I'm on Windows 10, 64-bit, and I'm having issues with compiling that I've never had before on W7. After recompiling the extracted LEGO.JAM, even an unmodified one, the game gives me the "unable to set message drain" error on boot.

 

Well that is just the weirdest thing ever. On the 2001 re-release version of the game, running with a vanilla JAM works perfectly fine, but when running a recompiled jam, even with untouched contents, you need to boot in a different compatability mode, like Win 98 for example.

Can anyone think of a good explaination behind this?

Windows 10?

 

Mine is the 2001 version, and I've had no such trouble, for what that's worth. Might you have accidentally deleted or renamed something important?

[Fluffy Cupcake]

Mine is the 2001 version, and I've had no such trouble, for what that's worth. Might you have accidentally deleted or renamed something important?

I'm absolutely sure. Running without the compatability, no go. Having with, it's a go go go!

 

Windows 10?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/preview-iso

[Quisoves Potoo]

What's the most recent compatibility mode that works?

[Fluffy Cupcake]

Windows XP Service Pack 3 is the latest working.

[Quisoves Potoo]

How odd. It works fine for me on Windows 7, free of any compatibility mode as far as I can tell.

[KevinVG207]

We've (me and my dad) had problems with win 10 too. Programs that are not built for win10 may not work correctly (our antivirus detected some important system files as virus programs ). And for LR, It's just trial and error. (Since it's built in 2002 )

[JrMasterModelBuilder]

I'm on Windows 10, 64-bit, and I'm having issues with compiling that I've never had before on W7. After recompiling the extracted LEGO.JAM, even an unmodified one, the game gives me the "unable to set message drain" error on boot.

 

Well that is just the weirdest thing ever. On the 2001 re-release version of the game, running with a vanilla JAM works perfectly fine, but when running a recompiled jam, even with untouched contents, you need to boot in a different compatability mode, like Win 98 for example.

Can anyone think of a good explaination behind this?

 

Just to clarify:

 

1. JAMExtract is building a JAM and it does work in LEGO Racers with compatibility settings.

2. That same JAM will not work without compatibility settings.

3. The original LEGO.JAM works without compatibility settings.

 

I wonder if there is possibly some Win10 magic going on. Did you install LEGO Racers? Where is it installed?

[Jimbob]

If Win10 is messing it up, have you tried using a JAM file that you recompiled on an older system? Perhaps it's a stupid suggestion, but it's worth a shot.

[Fluffy Cupcake]

 

How odd. It works fine for me on Windows 7, free of any compatibility mode as far as I can tell.

As I said in the strikeoutted text.

 

Just to clarify:

 

1. JAMExtract is building a JAM and it does work in LEGO Racers with compatibility settings.

2. That same JAM will not work without compatibility settings.

3. The original LEGO.JAM works without compatibility settings.

 

I wonder if there is possibly some Win10 magic going on. Did you install LEGO Racers? Where is it installed?

Yes, exactly that.

 

The game is installed on a separate partition which runs on Win 7 32-bit.

 

 

If Win10 is messing it up, have you tried using a JAM file that you recompiled on an older system? Perhaps it's a stupid suggestion, but it's worth a shot.

I'll give that a try later.

Edit: I don't think I need to, the modded .JAM compiled on W10 works just fine on W7.

[JrMasterModelBuilder]

 

Just to clarify:

 

1. JAMExtract is building a JAM and it does work in LEGO Racers with compatibility settings.

2. That same JAM will not work without compatibility settings.

3. The original LEGO.JAM works without compatibility settings.

 

I wonder if there is possibly some Win10 magic going on. Did you install LEGO Racers? Where is it installed?

Yes, exactly that.

 

The game is installed on a separate partition which runs on Win 7 32-bit.

 

There goes my theory that it's some half-baked security feature looking for modifications to the program files.

 

Maybe it's some-sort-of caching/prefetch issue? What happens if you make a new folder somewhere (like your documents folder), copy everything but LEGO.JAM into it, then place your custom LEGO.JAM file in that folder (so that there is a new folder that never contained the original LEGO.JAM).

[le717]

I recall something about the files being added to a JAM needing to be all uppercase, but I forget if that applied solely to the file extensions or the whole file name. Does anybody remember which it is?

[Jimbob]

I can't remember, I've always just followed the structure of the files inside. I'm pretty sure they're all complete caps so I use capped names and extensions.

[JrMasterModelBuilder]

I recall something about the files being added to a JAM needing to be all uppercase, but I forget if that applied solely to the file extensions or the whole file name. Does anybody remember which it is?

 

More-likely it needs to match the case of what the game expects, which happens to be all uppercase. Unless there's somewhere where the game lists a file in lowercase. Perhaps the game uppercases all file/archive requests regardless? Not sure. It wouldn't be a limitation of the file format itself though, just the game.

[Quisoves Potoo]

I recall something about the files being added to a JAM needing to be all uppercase, but I forget if that applied solely to the file extensions or the whole file name. Does anybody remember which it is?

I'm pretty sure it applies to the entire file-name. It's the inverse of file references within non-JAM files, which must be entirely lowercase (and no more than eight characters long, lest the game not read the full name.)

EDIT: I stand corrected. It would seem that for the most part, it doesn't matter what case is used in a non-JAM file. A few exceptions exist, such as the names of materials in .GDB files (from which my confusion arose.)

[ChangedUsername123]

[comment redacted]

[lol username]

2 hours ago, lordtobi909 said:

Is it possible that extracting and rebuilding has an impact on how the save files are read by the game? Ever since I reinstalled LEGO Racers I was using this to mod files into it, but when re-using the original LEGO.JAM that came with the game, I have to start all over again. Once I re-insert a re-compiled LEGO.JAM, even with nothing changed, I have my cars, drivers, and progress back. Any idea why?

Many times somebody posts something like this about a game, it turns out that they were just inconsistent about running as admin or not, and if the game saves data to its installation directory, that means it's alternating between loading from/saving to the installation directory in program files and the VirtualStore. Look into that first.

[ChangedUsername123]

[comment redacted]

[ChileToast]

I'm getting the error: The program can't start because MSVCR100.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

 

[Fluffy Cupcake]

If you don't want to install Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistribute Package for it

32-bit: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5555

64-bit: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14632

 

Then I can give you my .dll (coming from a W7 computer). https://www.dropbox.com/s/ye6zchq535alk8w/MSVCR100.zip?dl=0

Stick it in the same folder as the program and it should run (unless another .dll error occurs).

The one in System32 is for 64-bit systems and the one in SysWOW64 is for 32-bit computers.

[aceman0000099]

hello, i don't think my extractor is working, when i drag LEGO.JAM into the JAMExtractor.exe the command pops up but then nothing happens. using the 32 bit version i am able to read that it says

NOTE: Existing extraction found. 

MOVING: C:\(blabla)\LEGO Racers - copy\LEGO -> C:\(blabla)\LEGO Racers - copy\LEGO_3_bak 

i have no idea where those files/folders are (LEGO or LEGO_3_bak) as i've searched but not found. nothing in the \LEGO Racers - copy\  folder has changed...

i am using windows 10

[lol username]

Are you trying to extract it while the JAM/the extractor are in your program files? (There might be problems with permissions there.) If you are, try copying the JAM and the extractor to somewhere else, like your desktop, and try there.

[aceman0000099]

works now cheers