DROPPED Soul Gems Differ - Full and Empty (by Utopolyst)

[TechAngel85]

I thought that FOMODs let you install an entire folder at once right? Just break it into 4 folders and boom you're good to go. I mean the strings all have the proper naming NS, NW, NWS... should be pretty easy.

It does allow that, but you have to write it to install only the files the user needs based on their choice of language and which version of the mod they want to install. Those choices are currently stored in conditional flags. Depending on the flags that are active, a specific section of code runs to install the choices the user chose. The FOMOD most likely isn't going to shrink or be simplified by continuing this method.

 

I can probably tie the stings installation into the selection of desired language and then that would only leave the choice of which version to install. That would shrink the FOMOD down. I'll see what I can do when I update it tomorrow.

 

(again, simplifying this for solely simplifying the FOMOD is pointless as the custom installation method makes up 93% of the the FOMOD code)

[EssArrBee]

I don't think it matters what language they choose if it is localized. Just put all the string files for the corresponding plugin in one folder and the game should autodetect language I believe. That is what localization should be if I understand it correctly, otherwise it would be dumb to even have localization at all.

[TechAngel85]

(wine is hitting hard and shouldn't be replying to the now...but screw it!  )

 

That's an idea, but then the user would end up with files they don't need and will never need. Not going to do that. Call it my OCD, but that is not acceptable to my level of organization and cleanliness. It must be clutter free!   The choice of language shall persist and a clutter free installation from the FOMODs my name is associated with shall remain! (good idea though)

 

The trick is going to get the Requiem choice working with the rest of the FOMOD... still haven't figured that out yet. Will do so when the brain isn't fuzzy!

 

...it would be super simple if I could simply do "if...else" statements but FOMODs don't work like that.

[TechAngel85]

Since the strings are tied to the version of the mod the user wants to install there is no way around using conditional flags to capture the choices and install them correctly. The FOMOD is most likely going to be ever bigger because there are now more choices (requiem). There is actually one and only one way around this that I can think of. It would be putting all the language and mod version choices together on one page. This, imo, will look cluttered (and I'm all about clean design); however, this would reduce the FOMOD down. I'll do both versions and post images so you guys can help me decide which is better.

[EssArrBee]

Just install all the proper language strings with each plugin. If a plugin has multiple language versions then it could break the plugin those strings aren't there in the first place. No need for making harder than it needs to be. Just put some text that says the plugins support a few languages.

[TechAngel85]

Sooo... do the plugins require all the associated language stings to be able to work properly or just the strings for the user's language (English user only needs the English strings)?

 

I really don't care how complicated or simple the code is as long as it works. Users aren't going to see the code. The user experience is more important than simplifying code so whichever works best for the user's point of view is what I'll do and I don't want the FOMOD installing unnecessary files.

[WilliamImm]

It's easier to just install all the string files. Whatever language the game itself is using, the Soul Gems Differ ESP will use.

[TechAngel85]

I've already coded it to only install the files associated with the desired language to avoid unnecessary clutter which some users will without a doubt hate as much as I do and eventually complain about. Better to code it right the first time than having to fix it later due to complaints about unnecessary file installs. The shots will be up in a few minutes if the code is working. (about to test it)

[WilliamImm]

Really, just install all the relevant String files. If clutter bothers you that much, pack them into a BSA, and you don't have to selectivly install the ones for the language. Installing all is much, much better than installing selectivly. This avoids the game from crashing if, say, you decide to switch languages mid-playthrough. Yes, that scenario is unlikely, but not improbable.

[EssArrBee]

I imagine someone like cabal would switch from Italian to English for his mods.

[WilliamImm]

Yes, that's a very likely scenario: Mod makers will likely switch between English and their native language, using English to make mods and their native language to actually play the game, and possibly do translations for their language. And if a STRING file is missing for the respective language, the game will crash on startup.

 

Basically, install all the relevant STRING files for Soul Gems Differ. If you are too concerned about it cluttering up the Strings directory, pack the String files into a BSA.

[TechAngel85]

The language switch situation would have to be relevant for ALL mod installed, not just Soul Gems Differ meaning if users do this they most likely have most of their mods install twice and use two profiles or use two different MO setups; one for each language. Installing Soul Gems Differ twice like all of the other mods they'd have to do this for would work just fine; however.....

 

The FOMOD is set up to where they can install one from each language if they so choose so the situation has been covered in advance. (i thought about that when updating so I put it in already).

 

The shots will be up in a few minutes (got distracted).

[TechAngel85]

Okay, here the is progression of each version of the FOMOD:
 
Version 1
Page 1 >> Page 2 >> Page 3 >> Page 4 >> Page 5


Page 1 is the intro. Page 2 the user tells whether or not they're using Requiem and a flag is set. Page 3 user will select language and flag is set. Page 4 will display the ESPs options for the flags set on page 2 and 3. User will select version they want and that will install the appropriate language/version option. Page 4 is the next step. This does not allow multiple language selects. A second FOMOD install would be required for a second language choice.
 
Version 2
Page 1 >> Page 2 >> Page 3   >>   Page 4


Page 1 is the intro. Page 2 the user tells whether or not they're using Requiem and a flag is set. Page 3 will display the ESP options for the flag set on page 2. User will select version(s) they want and that will install the appropriate language(s)/version(s) option(s). Page 4 is the next step. This will allow for multiple language installations.

I'm now of the opinion version 2 would be best.

[WilliamImm]

Alternatively, there's Option 3: Same as Option 1, but all language options are installed, and there's no need to select the language. Nearly all mods that use the string translation feature install all the available translations by default, and I feel SGD should too.

 

Techangel, you seem to be making the clutter "issue" more of a deal than it actually is. It isn't really an issue at all, as I've never seen someone complain about the so-called "clutter". If it bothers you that much, it's less effort to pack the string files into BSAs than to make the installer more complicated.

[z929669]

RE multilingual mods: Agree that for a mod to be multilingual, it needs to have all language strings present. This is standard behavior and so mod version A plugin should include all mod version A string files with its installation.

 

The beauty of a multilingual mod is that it works for the supported languages out of the box. The reason we did this is to cut down on the number of plugins to manage and to make language support more convenient for the user

 

Do yourself (and the modding community at large) a favor Tech, and avoid the piecemeal installation strategy ...

 

I will be working on the wizard to follow that approach ... someday. Not looking forward to playing with that beast again