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WinRFA is a tool to extract and pack rfa archive type files (rfa= Refractor File Archive) used in the Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield Vietnam file structure. A lot of people seem to be having trouble with extracting and packing the archive files with WinRFA so I have decided to write this tutorial to clear up the confusion with its use and the proper procedures to extract and re-pack the archive files.
Now the first thing we will do is extract a Battlefield 1942 map\level file. Now fire up your copy of WinRFA and you should see the following window. By the way this is the same for Battlefield Vietnam except for the base folder name which will be BfVietnam instead of bf1942.
Now click on File and then Open like so.
The next window will be the browse dialog box.
Now the map rfa files are located in the following directory so browse here. This is a assuming you have the game installed in the default path. If not the path will be different.
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942\Archives\bf1942\levels
As you can see above I have browsed to the Battlefield 1942 levels directory and have selected a map named "dumb_test" (don't ask ... lol) by high lighting it and will click open. You can also double click the name and it will open also. You will see it working and then you will get this screen.
Now you see all of your map files. You can click on each directory and its contents will display in the bottom window like so.
Here you can make minor edits and save without extracting. But to work with the file you need to extract a copy of it to a working folder. Here we go again, lot of people get confused with the term "working folder" and always ask "where is it or what is it? This is a computer geek term that describes a folder that one creates to work with files to keep things organized and all in one place. I have mine on the desktop and it s appropriately named "working". You can extract a file to where ever you want and name yours what you want.
Now to continue lets click on Extract and then All like below.
Next you will get the following browse dialog box. I have browsed to my working folder and high lighted it.
Now with the folder high lighted click on open and you will see it working and when finished you should have your map extracted into the working folder like so.
Notice I have my cursor on the map folder and it is high lighted. Now this is the Base directory so remember this. When you click on this folder it opens to a folder named "Levels" like so. Remember that Battlefield Vietnam will be "BfVietnam".
When you click on the Levels folder you will get a folder with the map name like so.
Now click on the Map_Name folder and you have all your map files ready to be worked with like so.
Ok now lets pack it back up. Open WinRFA again and click on Pack and then Directory like so.
Next you will get the pack dialog box.
You see where my cursor is, well click this button and the browse box will pop up like so.
Notice I have browsed to my working folder I extracted the map to, now click the Base folder of your map which is the bf1942 folder to high light it like so (remember the base folder we talked about above).
Click OK and you will get the pack dialog box like so.
Notice where my cursor is pointing. See the Base Path is the bf1942 folder. This is the important part and where most people have the problem. It packs back just like it unpacks. Remember when you unpacked it you got a folder named bf1942 and your map was in this folder. Remember that in Battlefield Vietnam the base folder will be "BfVietnam".
Now click on pack and the following save dialog box comes up.
Now here you see I have browsed to the following directory again. The same one we extracted from.
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942\Archives\bf1942\levels
I have clicked the map name to high light it and notice it is in the file name window. I you did not have this map in your levels archive you would have to type the map name in the file name window. Now click save and you will see it (WinRFA) working and when finished it will show the number of files it packed to the archive in the bottom of the WinRFA window.
Now you have extracted and packed a map using WinRFA. Not so bad is it.
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