physis/README.md

# Physis

[![Crates.io](https://img.shields.io/crates/v/physis)](https://crates.io/crates/physis)
[![builds.sr.ht status](https://builds.sr.ht/~redstrate/physis.svg)](https://builds.sr.ht/~redstrate/physis?)

Framework for interacting with FFXIV data, and successor to [libxiv](https://git.sr.ht/~redstrate/libxiv). This intended for 
developers writing modding tools, launchers and other programs.

## Goals
* Make it extremely easy for people to tinker around with game data. 
* Parsing data should be safe, and unit tested vigorously.
* Minimal dependencies ;-) All dependencies are also checked by `cargo deny`.

## Features

* Easily extract game data from SqPack files.
* Apply game and boot updates, enabling custom launchers to patch the game easily.
* Blockfish ciphers for encrypting and decrypting SqexArg.
* Parse various game formats:
  * SqPack index and dat files
  * ZiPatch files
  * All three Excel data types (EXD, EXH, EXL)
  * Models
  * Havok Packfile/TexTool skeletons
  * Textures
  * Materials

## Usage

**Note:** The API will not be stable until 1.0.

If you intend to use this in a Rust project, you can simply include this crate directly. You can view the documentation at [docs.xiv.zone](https://docs.xiv.zone/docs/physis)!

For other use in languages I maintain [libphysis](https://git.sr.ht/~redstrate/libphysis), which is a C wrapper
around the same functionality. This isn't for show, I actually use these bindings in [other projects](https://git.sr.ht/~redstrate/astra).
  
## Development

If you're interested to see how these formats work in more detail, see [xiv.dev](https://xiv.dev/) and [docs.xiv.zone](https://docs.xiv.zone)!
They explain the file formats in more detail, but I also encourage reading the library code as well if you can.

Some tests and benchmarks require the environment variable `FFXIV_GAME_DIR` to be set. By default, these are disabled
since they require a legitimate copy of the retail game data. These tests can be turned on via the `retail_game_testing`
feature.

### Game Patch Testing

Patching is an extremely sensitive operation since it is not easily reversible if done wrong. Repairing the game files
is also an option, but it's time-consuming and not yet implemented in physis. To prevent regressions in patching the
game, I have set up a testing bed for cross-checking our implementation with others. Currently, this is limited to XIVLauncher's implementation,
but I will eventually adopt a way to test the retail patch installer as well.

1. Enable the `patch_testing` feature.
2. Set a couple of environment variables:
   * `FFXIV_PATCH_DIR` is the directory of patches to install. It should be structured as `$FFXIV_PATCH_DIR/game/D2017.07.11.0000.0001.patch`.
   * `FFXIV_XIV_LAUNCHER_PATCHER` should be the path to the XIVLauncher patcher executable. If you're running on Linux, we will handle running Wine for you.
   * `FFXIV_INSTALLER` is the path to the installer executable. This will be installed using the usual InstallShield emulation physis already includes.

As you can see, you must have the previous patches downloaded first as well as the installer before running the tests.
This is left up to the developer to figure out how to download them legally.

By default, this test creates the `game_test` and `game_test_xivlauncher` folders in your `$HOME` and does not
delete them on exit, in case you want to check on the results. You may want to remove these folders as they
are full game installations and take up a considerable amount of space.

## Contributing & Support

The best way you can help is by [monetarily supporting me](https://redstrate.com/about/) or by submitting patches to help fix bugs or add functionality!