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Quick Start Guide

From download to your first converted files in under 5 minutes.

Step 1: Download

Download CrespoGuardRFDevTool.exe from the CrespoGuard distribution package. Place it in any folder — no installation required.

MyServer/
├── CrespoGuardRFDevTool.exe
├── input/                    # Your Excel spreadsheets go here
└── output/                   # Converted files appear here

Portable

The tool creates settings.json and license_cache.json next to the executable. Keep everything in one folder for easy backup.

Step 2: Prepare Your Files

Create an input/ folder next to the executable and place your .xlsx files in it.

For EDF composite files (Item.edf, Quest.edf, etc.), organize sheets into subfolders:

input/
├── Grade.xlsx              # Simple single-sheet file
├── StoreList.xlsx
├── Item.edf/               # All item sheets in one folder
│   ├── FaceItem.xlsx
│   ├── WeaponItem.xlsx
│   ├── PotionItem.xlsx
│   └── ...
├── Quest.edf/              # All quest sheets
│   ├── QuestDummyEvent.xlsx
│   ├── QuestItem.xlsx
│   └── ...
└── Character.edf/          # Class + monster data
    ├── Class.xlsx
    └── MonsterCharacter.xlsx

Folder naming matters

Folders named *.edf are treated as composite file inputs. The tool merges all sheets inside into a single .edf output file.

Step 3: Activate (Premium Only)

Community Edition

If you don't have a license key, skip this step. The app opens in Community Edition mode — single-file conversion and the Map Viewer work without activation.

On first launch, click Activate Premium in the header bar:

  1. Copy your Hardware ID (displayed in the dialog)
  2. Enter your Activation Code (format: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX)
  3. Click ACTIVATE

The license is bound to your machine and cached locally. You can work offline for up to 7 days before re-validation is needed.

Step 4: Select Version

Choose your RF Online server version from the dropdown:

Version Description
GU Global Uprising — includes localization (nd files) and additional quest formats
BSB Standard 2.2.3 — classic server format

Step 5: Convert

Single File (Community + Premium)

  1. Select one file in the file list
  2. Click one of the conversion buttons:
Button Output
Convert SERVER .dat files in output/ServerScript/
Convert CLIENT .edf files in output/Client/
Convert ALL Both server and client output

Batch Conversion (Premium Only)

  1. Select multiple files, or select nothing to convert everything
  2. Click any conversion button
  3. All visible files are processed in sequence

Dry Run

Enable Dry Run (Preview) to test conversion without writing output files. Useful for catching Excel format errors before committing to a full conversion.

Step 6: Check Output

After conversion:

  • Click Server Output to open the output/ServerScript/ folder
  • Click Client Output to open the output/Client/ folder
  • Check the log panel at the bottom for any warnings or errors

Reverse Import (DAT to Excel)

To edit existing server files:

  1. Press Ctrl+M or click DAT to Excel
  2. Select a .dat file from your server
  3. The tool creates an .xlsx spreadsheet with all the data
  4. Edit in Excel, then convert back

Round-trip verified

The import/export pipeline is byte-perfect — converting a .dat to .xlsx and back produces an identical binary file.

CGEF Encryption (Premium Only)

To generate encrypted client files:

  1. Check the CGEF Encrypt (Client) checkbox in the settings bar
  2. Run a CLIENT or ALL conversion
  3. Output .edf files are encrypted with CrespoGuard's format

Encrypted files require the CrespoGuard client to decrypt at runtime.

Auto-Updates

The tool checks for updates automatically on startup (after 4 seconds). When a new version is available, a yellow Update Available badge appears in the status bar. Click it to download and install.

Next Steps

  • Editor Guide — Drop tables, monsters, portals, safezones
  • Reference — Keyboard shortcuts, file types, troubleshooting