hierARC

This is a command-line utility designed to batch extract .psarc archive files, typically used in PlayStation 3 game development. It is ideal for modding, reverse engineering, and game asset preservation.

The tool is designed for efficiency, ease of use, and automation. It includes support for parallel processing, persistent configuration, and optional logging to avoid redundant work.

Note: This program assumes you already have psarc.exe in the working directory or on your PC, please do not submit issues if you have not done this!

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Features

• Recursive batch extraction of .psarc files from a given input directory
• Multi-threaded extraction using configurable worker count
• Automatic or user-defined path to PSARC.exe, saved for future use
• Optional log-based extraction to avoid reprocessing files
• Progress bar integration with optional tqdm support
• Persistent configuration stored in the user profile directory

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Requirements

• Python 3.10 or newer
• PSARC.exe (required for extraction; not bundled with the tool)
• Optional: tqdm for progress bar display (installed automatically if missing)

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Installation

Install Python dependencies manually (optional):

pip install tqdm

The tool will attempt to install tqdm on its own if it is not available.

Usage

Step 1: Set the path to PSARC.exe This must be done once. The path will be saved and reused in future runs.

hierARC.pyc --psarc "C:/Path/To/PSARC.exe"

Alternatively, if no path is specified, the tool will prompt you for one.

Step 2: Extract PSARC files

hierARC.pyc -i ./input_dir -o ./output_dir

Common Options

Argument Description

-i, --input Directory to search for .psarc files

-o, --output Directory where files will be extracted

-v, --verbose Enables detailed output during extraction

-l, --log Enables logging mode to skip already extracted files

--workers Number of concurrent threads (default: 4)

Example

hierARC.pyc -i ./archives -o ./extracted -v -l --workers 6

Advanced

Changing the PSARC path

hierARC.pyc --psarc

This allows you to enter or update the path to PSARC.exe.

Extended Help

hierARC.pyc --help-full

Displays usage examples and additional notes.

Output Structure

Each .psarc archive is extracted into its own subfolder.

The output folder structure preserves relative paths from the input directory.

Configuration

The tool uses a config file stored at:

~/.hierARC_config.json

This file stores the location of PSARC.exe & Whether tqdm is enabled

Other persistent options

TBD

Disclaimer

This tool is intended for personal, research, and archival purposes. Ensure you have the legal right to extract and use the contents of .psarc files before proceeding.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This project does not include or distribute PSARC.exe or any other component of the Sony PS3 SDK. That software is proprietary and governed by Sony's licensing terms. You must legally obtain PSARC.exe yourself for this tool to function or use an open source alternative.