It is a Command Line tool. In other words you need to know DOS to use it. Read the Forge Tool documentation on instructions how to use it, or you can use Harpos Mod Tools. He created a GUI tool that will run convertdata, and convertxsi

e.g.

IF you want to convert .Mesh file, then create a new txt file, written these:

for %%c in (*.mesh) do ConvertData_OriginalSins mesh "%%c" "%%c" txt

Save the file and rename as *.bat, then put this file and both ConvertData_OriginalSins.exe and msvcm80.dll(Diplomacy or Entrenchment should be a different dll file)

Run the .bat and waiting

Convert .BIN to .TXT

Starting to mod SoaSE requires first converting the .entity files from .BIN to .TXT, then they can be edited with any text editor like notepad. I recommend Notepad++ (free). BIN files are used to help load the game faster. Note that converting entity files will keep the same .entity extension. To open an entity file you need to first select a program to do so (e.g. Notepad). The very first line upon opening will either read TXT or BIN.

To keep all my modding files together, I created a Dev (developer) folder in my C drive (C:\Dev). Inside the Dev folder, I created a folder called Convertdata

Navigate to where SoaSE is installed (e.g. C:\Program Files\Stardock\Sins of a Solar Empire) and COPY (Ctrl + C)

Paste (Ctrl + V) the files in the ConvertData folder (e.g. C:\Dev\ConvertData). Note the short address location. This address will need to be typed at the DOS prompt so keep it short to avoid spelling errors.

Navigate to the GameInfo folder where SoaSE is installed (e.g. C:\Program Files\Stardock\Sins of a Solar Empire\GameInfo) and COPY (Ctrl + C) the entity files which you choose to mod and paste them to the ConvertData folder.

The 3 ConvertData exes are DOS programs and will need the Command Prompt window to use them.

XP

Navigate to Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> Command Prompt or type CMD in the Run box (Start Menu).

Vista and Win 7

Navigate to Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> Command Prompt or type CMD in the Search box (Start Menu).

Navigate to the ConvertData folder in DOS using the "Change Directory" cd command and address, this is not case sensitive.  e.g.

cd c:\Dev\ConvertData

To do each file separately, use...

ConvertData_OriginalSins entity FileName.entity FileName.entity txt

To do multiple file at once, create a batch file (.BAT)

Inside the Convert folder (e.g. C:\Dev\ConvertData) , create a new text document.

Open the new text document and add the line...

for %%a in (*.entity) do ConvertData_OriginalSins entity %%a %%a txt

Press Save and name it something to distinguish it from the others (e.g. EntityBIN2TXT_OriginalSins.bat).

The .BAT extension will allow the file to open the command prompt and execute the command line.

Repeat the above steps for Entrenchment and Diplomacy entity files.