USER GUIDE / 1.0.0

Your first desktop formation

This app adapts the functionality and UI of jspvz ArrayDesign, adding local archives, desktop interaction and live game integration.

Download and run · Editing · Load / Export · Game integration · Archives · FAQ

Download and run

  1. Download the Windows x64 ZIP and extract it to a writable folder.
  2. Open pvz_formation_editor.exe. Keep all included DLL files and the data folder alongside it; do not run only the EXE from inside the ZIP.
  3. The main board and sidebar work together. The Archive Library tab sits to the left of Layout Presets. About, at the top of the main window, links to the docs and project.

Windows 10 / 11 x64 is supported. No installation is needed, but local data is stored in your user application-data folder. Moving the app does not move your archives; export the data you want to keep before migrating.

Editing formations

Choose a scene, plant and placement tool to build your layout. The toolbox opens on the plant encyclopedia by default and also provides layout presets, display options, mirrored views and image export. Soil splashes are off by default. Undo and redo are available. Edits are saved automatically to the local archive, with a save status at the top of the main window. A failed save is shown explicitly and can be retried. Reopening the app resumes your saved formation. Exported files are separate copies; export again to update them.

The main window can be minimized independently of the sidebar. The default export folder is Documents/PvzFormationEditor; you can choose another folder in export settings.

Loading and exporting

  1. Open Load / Export and paste a PvZ Toolkit or web-editor formation code into the upper input box.
  2. Click Load into editor to open the pasted formation on the board.
  3. The current formation code below updates as you edit. Copy it directly or choose Apply to game.

If a formation cannot be encoded, the app explains why. Format removes conflicts and unsupported content; this operation can be undone. Image export supports scale and background options. Export background saves the current scene background.

Reading and applying game formations

Game integration supports the original Windows version 1.0.0.1051 in Survival Endless modes 11–15. Start the game and enter a level first. Other versions and mods are not guaranteed to work.

  1. Click Read from game above the Load / Export input box. The result appears in the box so you can inspect or copy it.
  2. Click Load into editor when you want to edit it. Reading alone does not replace the formation you are editing.
  3. Click Apply to game below the current formation code to replace the in-game layout. The current sun amount is preserved.

Regular plants, Imitaters, graves, ladders, rakes, six scene types, scene changes and daytime mushroom states are supported. Scaling, flipping, graphical effects, decorative zombies and I, Zombie mode are not supported. All 363 built-in presets were attempted against a live game: 360 matched on readback; three containing decorative content were rejected. Applying replaces the existing game layout. This release has no injection-history or rollback button; keep important formation codes yourself.

Your archives

Open Archive Library, to the left of Layout Presets in the sidebar. It contains the existing archive browser, game read/apply actions, and the batch-selection, export and deduplication controls at the top. Select all, clear the selection or export selected items after entering batch mode. Favorites are temporarily hidden; existing favorite data is retained.

Frequently asked questions

The game cannot be found, or reading fails.

Check the game version and enter a Survival Endless level. Run the game and editor with matching permissions. If the game runs as administrator, the editor needs matching privileges.

Why can’t I generate or apply this formation code?

Code encoding and game integration have separate limits. Follow the specific error shown in the app to remove conflicting or unsupported objects, then try again. Not all PvZ Toolkit write capabilities have been ported.

How do I report a problem?

Join QQ group 425175276 or open a GitHub issue. Include the app version, game version, reproduction steps and, when useful, the formation code.

References and thanks

Primary reference: jspvz ArrayDesign by LonelyStar (囧丫乙). This project brings its functionality and UI to a desktop app with local enhancements.

Technical references: PvZ Toolkit (lmintlcx) and PvZ-Portable (wszqkzqk and contributors). Thanks to PopCap Games and the Flutter / Dart community.