What YDR files are and why you'd import them into CodeWaker

A YDR file is a 3D model format used primarily in Grand Theft Auto games to store character, vehicle, and object geometry. CodeWaker is a community-built tool that lets you edit these models outside the game engine. Importing a YDR into CodeWaker means loading that 3D model into the editor so you can modify its structure, textures, or components before exporting it back into your game mod or project.

The import process itself is straightforward: CodeWaker has a built-in file browser that recognizes YDR format natively. You open the tool, navigate to your YDR file, and load it. The model then appears in the viewport ready for editing. The real work comes after import — understanding what you're looking at and what you can change without breaking the model's compatibility with the game engine.

Key Takeaways

  • CodeWaker imports YDR files through File > Open or by dragging the file directly into the viewport.
  • Your YDR file must be in the correct folder structure or CodeWaker may not locate its associated texture files automatically.
  • After import, the model appears as a skeleton of bones and geometry that you can rotate, inspect, and edit in the 3D view.
  • Imported models retain their original bone structure and material assignments, which you can modify but should understand before changing.

Before you import: file location and folder setup

CodeWaker works best when your YDR file sits in a folder structure that mirrors how the game organizes assets. If you're working with a mod, create a folder called x64e.rpf or models at your project root, then place your YDR inside a subfolder that matches the game's path — for example, models/cdimages/componentitems/. This helps CodeWaker find texture files (YTD files) and material definitions that belong to your model.

If your YDR came from extracting a game file, it likely arrived with companion files: a YTD file containing textures, and possibly a YMT file with material data. Keep these files in the same folder as your YDR. CodeWaker will search nearby directories for these dependencies when you import, and having them close by prevents import errors or missing textures in the viewport.

Check that your YDR filename uses only lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores — no spaces or special characters. CodeWaker can handle mixed case, but the game engine cannot, so standardizing now prevents problems later when you export and test in-game.

Opening CodeWaker and importing your YDR

Launch CodeWaker and you'll see a blank 3D viewport with a menu bar at the top. Click File, then select Open. A file browser window appears. Navigate to the folder containing your YDR file and click it once to select it. The filename should appear highlighted. Click the Open button at the bottom right of the dialog.

CodeWaker will load the model into the viewport. This usually takes a few seconds. Once loaded, you'll see the model's skeleton — the bone structure that controls how the model deforms — displayed as a wireframe or colored lines. The geometry (the actual 3D shape) appears as a solid or textured mesh depending on your viewport settings. If textures don't appear, CodeWaker couldn't find the YTD file; check that it's in the same folder as your YDR and has the same base filename.

Alternatively, you can drag and drop your YDR file directly onto the CodeWaker window. This bypasses the file dialog and imports the model when ready, provided CodeWaker is already running and the viewport is visible.

Understanding what you see after import

The imported model displays in the center of the viewport. On the left side, CodeWaker shows a hierarchy panel listing all the bones and geometry components in your model. Each bone appears as a tree item you can expand to see child bones. Geometry is usually grouped under a node labeled "Drawable" or listed separately depending on the model's structure.

The bones are the skeleton — they control how the model moves and deforms in the game. The geometry is the visible mesh. In the viewport, you can rotate the model by clicking and dragging with the middle mouse button, zoom with the scroll wheel, and pan by holding Shift and middle-clicking. These controls let you inspect the model from all angles and check for problems like inverted normals (faces pointing the wrong direction) or misaligned geometry.

If the model appears very small or very large, use the scroll wheel to zoom, or press the Home key to fit the entire model in view. If it's completely black or invisible, the viewport lighting may be off — check the View menu for lighting options, or try pressing L to toggle lights on.

Checking for import errors and texture issues

After import, scan the viewport for obvious problems. If the model has gaps, holes, or floating pieces, the geometry may be corrupted or the YDR may have been extracted incorrectly. If textures are missing and appear as solid colors or a checkerboard pattern, CodeWaker found the geometry but not the YTD file. Move the YTD into the same folder as your YDR and reload the file (File > Open again).

Check the CodeWaker console or message log — usually at the bottom of the window or accessible via View > Output — for warnings or errors during import. Messages like "texture not found" or "material missing" tell you exactly what CodeWaker couldn't load. These don't prevent editing, but they mean your exported model may look wrong in the game if you don't fix them before saving.

If the model imported but appears completely wrong — rotated 90 degrees, mirrored, or scaled incorrectly — this is usually a display issue in CodeWaker, not a problem with the file itself. The export will be correct. You can adjust the view or proceed with editing.

Next steps after a successful import

Once your YDR is loaded and you've confirmed it looks correct, you can begin editing. Common tasks include selecting and moving bones, modifying geometry, adjusting material properties, or replacing textures. CodeWaker's editing tools are in the toolbar and the right-side panels. Hovering over buttons shows tooltips explaining what each tool does.

Before you make changes, save a backup copy of your original YDR file. CodeWaker can undo individual edits, but saving a backup outside the project folder means you can always return to the original if something goes wrong. Use File > Save As to export your edited model as a new YDR file when you're done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my YDR import but show no textures?

CodeWaker found the geometry but not the YTD texture file. Move the YTD file into the same folder as your YDR, making sure both have the same base filename (for example, model.ydr and model.ytd). Then reload the file in CodeWaker.

Can I import multiple YDR files at once?

CodeWaker opens one model per window. To work with multiple YDRs, open separate CodeWaker instances or import them one at a time, editing and exporting each before loading the next.

What if CodeWaker won't open my YDR file at all?

The file may be corrupted, or CodeWaker may not recognize it as a valid YDR. Try extracting the YDR again from the game files using a tool like OpenIV. If it still won't open, the extraction may have failed. Verify the file size is reasonable (not zero bytes) and try a different YDR to confirm CodeWaker itself is working.

Do I need to import YDR files in a specific order?

No. Each YDR is independent. Import them in any order that suits your workflow. If you're editing a character with multiple parts (head, body, limbs), you can import and edit each part separately or all at once in different CodeWaker windows.

Will importing change my original YDR file?

No. Importing only reads the file. Your original YDR stays unchanged until you explicitly export and overwrite it. Always save your edited version with a new filename until you're confident in your changes.