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Use of this article assumes you have read and comprehend the Getting Started guide. |
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This tool article has been updated for ME3Explorer v3.0. |
Mass Effect 3 contains an extremely important file called the PCConsoleTOC.bin. The "TOC.bin", or "TOC" for short, keeps a list of all other files in the game, tracking names and sizes. If either property associated with any file changes — or if a new file is added — then the corresponding information in the "TOC.bin" will no longer match and the game will hang or crash on startup.
As you might expect, this creates a challenge for modding, since a modded file will be a different size than its unmodded counterpart. The answer is to update PCConsoleTOC.bin with new file names and/or sizes. We call this process "TOCing". Tools that install mods (e.g., TPF Tools) will normally update the TOC automatically, but sometimes this must be done manually.
AutoTOC[]
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SirCxyrtyx is the lead developer for AutoTOC, created by WarrantyVoider. |
AutoTOC, or Automatic TOC Generator, is the new and improved TOCing tool for ME3Explorer. While the original TOC.binUpdater only updated existing file sizes, AutoTOC can add new names to the TOC, allowing for new files to be added to the game — such as with DLC mods. AutoTOC does this by creating new TOC files from scratch in the specified directory.
Even when you are merely "updating" a TOC with AutoTOC, in reality you are creating a new TOC file that overwrites the original, referencing only the files present at that time.
To use the tool:
- Go to User Tools > Auto TOC.
- Generate all TOCs for your game with a single click by using Generate all TOCs.
- When the "All TOCs Generated" message shows up, you're done!
In some rare circumstances, you may wish to generate a single TOC
- To create a single TOC, click Create TOC.
- A window will open. Proceed as follows:
- If overwriting an existing TOC, navigate to its location and select the file. Then, click Save on the lower right. Allow the overwrite if asked.
- If creating a new TOC from scratch, navigate to the location where the new PCConsoleTOC.bin should be saved. This means there should be a ..\CookedPCConsole and perhaps a ..\Movies folder in the directory. The "file name" field fills automatically; click Save when ready.
- Close the tool when finished.
TOC updates can take up to a minute to apply, especially when using the Generate all TOCs option.
SFAR TOC Updater[]
The functionality of this tool was merged with SFAR Editor 2 in the release of ME3Explorer v2.0.11. Please see that article for details.
TOCBinUpdater[]
Removed with r740, TOCBinUpdater is the original tool used for updating the main Cooked's PCConsoleTOC.bin. It's been replaced by AutoTOC.