<!-- skill-dir-note -->

Path note: <skill-dir> in commands below is the absolute path of this skill's folder. When the agent loads this skill the harness exposes the skill's base directory; substitute it before running. Sibling skills are reached via <skill-dir>\..\dayz-X\.

/dayz-launch-objectbuilder

Open Object Builder without leaving the terminal. Optionally pre-loads a .p3d: one you name with --file, or the one model anywhere under a mod's P:\<ModName>\ folder with --mod.

Follow skills/_shared/dayz-conventions.md.

What it does

1. Gates on /dayz-preflight (as /dayz-launch-workbench does), so an unmounted P:\ fails with preflight's fix before --mod looks under it.
2. Resolves the open target:
   • --file <path>: that .p3d. A relative path is looked up under the project root first, then the current folder; when neither has it, the error lists both paths it tried. Fails if the path is missing or is a folder (Object Builder opens model files, not folders); warns if the extension isn't .p3d.
   • --mod <ModName>: checks the name against /dayz-new-mod's naming rule (a letter first, then letters, digits or underscores, at most 64 characters; the same NAME_PATTERN, loaded from its new_mod.py) and refuses the top-level P:\ folders that are not mods (vanilla data such as P:\DZ, P:\scripts or P:\gui, and the P:\Mods junction; the same RESERVED_P_FOLDERS list /dayz-launch-workbench uses, loaded from its launch.py) before joining it onto P:\. It then takes the .p3d anywhere under P:\<ModName>\ (every subfolder, so data\, models\ or any other layout). Object Builder opens model files, not folders, so the skill never passes it a directory. Fails if the name is invalid or reserved, or the mod folder is missing. With no .p3d yet (a fresh /dayz-new-mod scaffold), it says so and opens Object Builder with no model. With several, it lists the first 20 (plus a count of the rest) and asks for --file.
   • Neither: no argument; Object Builder opens its last-used file.
3. Locates ObjectBuilder.exe via DayZ Tools.
4. Verifies the registry has been populated by /dayz-setup-objectbuilder (with that skill's own check, loaded from its setup.py), and fails with a hint if not.
5. Refuses if ObjectBuilder.exe is already running (checked with tasklist, using /dayz-setup-objectbuilder's own check) and tells you to switch to that window, so a second instance never opens on the same .p3d. If tasklist itself fails, it prints a [WARN] and carries on as if Object Builder were not running.
6. Spawns ObjectBuilder.exe detached, with working directory <DayZ Tools>\Bin\ObjectBuilder\, so the shell returns immediately. The window may take a few seconds to appear.
7. Watches the new process for about a second. If it has already exited, the skill reports a failure with its exit code (exit 1) instead of printing "launched".

How to run

Just open the editor:

python "<skill-dir>\launch.py"

Open a specific .p3d:

python "<skill-dir>\launch.py" --file P:\MyMod\data\model.p3d

Open a mod's model:

python "<skill-dir>\launch.py" --mod MyMod

(Requires P:\MyMod\, typically created by /dayz-new-mod. Opens the one .p3d anywhere under it, or the editor with no model when there is none yet. With several, use --file.)

When to run

• Anytime you need to inspect or edit a .p3d model.
• After /dayz-new-mod produced a scaffold and you want to drop a model into data/.
• Before adding LODs, named selections, or memory points to a custom asset.

Output

DayZ Object Builder launcher

DayZ preflight

[OK]    P:\ is mounted
[OK]    DayZ Tools found: C:\...\steamapps\common\DayZ Tools
[OK]    Vanilla data found: P:\dz
[OK]    P:\Mods -> C:\...\steamapps\common\DayZ\!Workshop

Preflight complete.

[OK]    ObjectBuilder.exe: ...\Bin\ObjectBuilder\ObjectBuilder.exe
[OK]    Registry configured
[INFO]  Opening: P:\MyMod\data\model.p3d

[OK]    Object Builder launched (PID 12345). The window may take a few seconds to appear.

Flag rules

• --file and --mod are mutually exclusive (argparse rejects both together); pass one or neither.
• --file takes an absolute path, or a relative one. A relative path is tried under the project root first, then under the current folder, and the first that exists wins; if neither exists, the error names both. The root is found the way the other DayZ skills find it (/dayz-init's find_project_dir()): CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR, else the nearest folder at or above the current one that holds the /dayz-init project cache, else the clone that holds the skill scripts when that clone has the cache, else the current folder. So --file data\model.p3d works both from the project root (data\model.p3d there) and from workspace\<ModName>\ (its own data\model.p3d). Warns if the extension isn't .p3d (Object Builder may refuse it).
• --mod is just the mod name; the skill opens the single .p3d anywhere under P:\<ModName>\, or the editor with no model when there is none. Fails, right after preflight, if the name breaks the naming rule, names a vanilla or reserved P:\ folder (for example --mod DZ; pass a vanilla model with --file instead), or the folder isn't there. With more than one .p3d it lists up to 20 of them, then how many more there are.

Why detached

The editor is spawned detached (shared DETACH_FLAGS in _shared/skill_helpers.py) so the terminal returns at once and closing it doesn't kill Object Builder; the printed PID identifies the process.

Do not

• Don't run before /dayz-setup-objectbuilder on a fresh machine — the skill will tell you to run setup first.
• Don't rely on a relative --file when the same relative path exists under both the project root and the current folder: the project root's copy wins. Pass an absolute path to be sure which model opens.
• Don't try to open a second instance: the skill refuses while ObjectBuilder.exe is running. Switch to the open window, or close it and re-run.