Admin tool creation question

[Sauron]

Ok, I'm trying to program a new admin tool. It's almost done I just need to know how to decode and encode the Blob types in the database. I could go though the old admin tool's code or prehaps the EQEmu code to find out exactly how thats done however it would be a great help if someone could save me the extra work and tell me. Examples of this type are the profile column in the character_ table and raw_data in items. I already have the code to let me use the MySQL db programmed in as well as the user interface and every thing needed to read from and update the tables and columns that don't use this blob stuff. So as soon as I figure out the Blob information or someone is kind enough to tell me how that work I can put that support into my program and release it. It would be nice for us to have a working admin tool again so if one of the developers of the emu, one of the world builders or anyone else that has knowledge in this area could help me out we can all go back to updating the database the easy way.

[strychn]

i believe they are all handled through the eq_packet_structs or whatever. i've been working on an admin tool, although i haven't gotten around to item editing/creation i have working character profile editing for stats, inventory, skills, languages...
look through the source. i would recommend reading through the old admin tool source as well if you understand delphi/op code.

[Waeric]

As Hogie once said unto me, "You must remove all thy escape characters".

What I did was looked at how the emu source saved back into characters. I noticed an function that put the full string back in (blob is just a binary string). That function linked to another function in the mysql code. You need to find that and mimic it. Or just use it =)

-Waeric

:: Edit:

Also create or utilize the PlayerProfile and Item Structures in eq_packet_struct.h