carla/Docs/export_import_dist.md

Importing and exporting maps for distribution builds

!!! important The given scripts only works if the files are kept in the folders detailed below and on Linux.

This method and its scripts are aimed to reducing the size of the distribution build, allowing to import maps on distributed builds with a script, exporting them with yet another script from the editor.

How to export a map

The current script only work for content placed into the "CarlaRoot/Unreal/CarlaUE4/Content/Carla/ExportedMaps" folder (this can be overriden with --map flag), inside the unreal's project structure. Once all the changes are saved in the editor and the maps to export are located in that folder, by the name of the map or the name provided with the --file flag, so, running

make export-maps ARGS="--map=/Path/To/Awesome/Map --file=AwesomeMap"

!!! important The path specified in --map flag has to be in Unreal's way. For example:
/Game/Carla/Maps/AwesomeTownMap

will clean, cook and pack the necessary assets with the maps. Please, note that there is no way of knowing what assets are on the project-to-import-to, so the final package will usually contain assets needed for the current project to work even though they might not be directly used in the exported map. Also, the maps referenced inside the Editor Properties will be exported due to the current way of cooking provided by Unreal.

!!! important This will only work if "Use pak file" is unchecked under the Packaging settings

Once the script is completed, the packed file can be found under ExportedMaps in the project's root.

How to import a map

In order to do so, the file generated in the import phase has to be placed in a folder at the root of the distributed folder called "ExportedMaps". Once the zip is placed there, by running

./ImportMaps.sh

the content will get extracted and located properly where the executable can reach it. All the imported maps can be loaded by passing the convenient argument to the CarlaUE4.sh script.