Plugin.txt Empty

[Supertaquito]

Hey all,

 

I started to follow the STEP guide when installing MO2, the steps were not giving me the results the guide implied I should get. When running MO2, I was not prompted to create a new instance, select SkyrimSE, etc.. It just went straight into MO2.

Anywho, as I had previously used MO2 before (only for skyrim), I decided to find any old folder f or MO2 and delete it as I was not using the standalone version before. I deleted the folders in appdata, and when running the standalone version I finally got the new instance prompt.

I've followed the guide up to installing SKSE64, the problem is that whenever I add a mod or active it, I get a legend that says MODorganizaer/skyrimse/profiles/step se core v0.1.0./plugins.txt empty.

In addition to that, when creating the cleaned mod versions of the master files, I get a flag saying No valid Game data, which goes away if I double click it, and then close the window that pops up.

I haven't used MO2 in a while, but I don't recall these messages coming up when following the previous version of the guide.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[GSDFan]

11 hours ago, boycad said:

It is not a Steam copy. That is a deliberate choice.   Is there a specific reason- such as a check with no other purpose except to determine if the install is managed by Steam, and then to crash the tool if the check fails- which would cause SSEEdit to fail for that reason?  I would very much like to know if there is.

Not that I am aware of.

11 hours ago, boycad said:

I've noticed now... SSEEdit is actually creating a folder in a different location, a former location of the game.  Its a dummy 'Skyrim SE' folder, and then it tries to load from the 'data' folder inside that.

Sounds like a pathing issue or corrupt  ModOrganizer.ini. The quickest way to test is to reset is to shut down Mod Organizer and rename ModOrganizer.ini to something else. This will in effect simulate a clean install. Your tools will need to be setup again and your mods may be gone also from the interface, but do not panic they are still there. Run the game once from the launcher to establish registry values and shut down the game. Start MO and test. MO should grab what it needs and you can point it to your downloads and mods folders from the path settings if needed. Don't touch any other paths in the settings.

[boycad]

Perhaps I am seeing a similar thing, a launch failure for SSEEditt, apparently due to the same document being empty. 

SSEEdit returns the error "There are no module in the Data  folder", whether launched directly from the .exe, or in MO2.  The log stops at the Plugins.txt entry: "Loading active plugin list: C:\Users\{me}\AppData\Local\Skyrim Special Edition\Plugins.txt".  Oddly enough, it was just working before, but I had placed the SSEEdit in the game install folder and moved it when I determined that was wrong.

Ive confirmed the plugins.txt is blank.  This is while following the LOTD guide.  I'll keep poking around.

[GSDFan]

If you are looking at C:\Users\{me}\AppData\Local\Skyrim Special Edition\Plugins.txt. then this is for mods loaded from the “Mods” menu selection of the game menu when the game is launched outside of MO2. The file DLCList.txt will be created when the game is launched and Plugins.txt will be created when you add mods from the menu option. This will not happen when the game is launched from MO2, at least in my testing.

 

All relevant files will appear each MO2 profiles.

 

To try to trouble shoot can you provide the following, provide the file paths:

Where is the game installed?

Where did you install MO2?

Where is SSEEdit installed?

[boycad]

On 3/11/2021 at 1:29 PM, GSDFan said:

All relevant files will appear each MO2 profiles.

...I did just delete the default profile in MO2.  But I believe it still worked right after I did that.

-----

Thanks for the offer.  Here we go: 

I use "D:\Bethesda\SkyrimSE\The Elder Scrolls - Skyrim - Special Edition" for the Game location;

  MO2 is at \Bethesda\SkyrimSE\mo_base (in portable mode);

  SSEEdit is at \SkyrimSE\tools_SE\SSEEdit_4.0.3.

 

...But I think its probably important to repeat that I *used to* have the "SSEEDit_4.0.3" folder *inside* the games folder, and that I just moved it, and that was when it stopped working.  

I dont know why I put it there in the first place, about two months ago.  Lexys guide doesnt give instructions for installing this tool, but a few days ago I started working through the guide again, noticed something, and watched the GamerPoets video on xEdit installation, where he says, specifically, "Dont put it in the games folder"... so I moved it.  Strange that it should work when I did the wrong thing, and then break when I correct it.

Edited March 13, 2021 by boycad

[GSDFan]

First off, I am not pointing fingers and I do not mean to offend, but the folder structure points to this not be a legitimate install of the game. If that is the case, then no amount of trouble shooting will fix any problems.

Your game folder should look something like:

“C:\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition” or if the library is installed away from the main install “D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Game-Directory”.

MO should be installed in its own folder, also away from any UAC folder and not in the game folder as well as any tools run from MO. If you do then the MO virtualization will produce random errors.

Have you run the game launcher outside of MO to set the path for the game and to set up the options for the ini files? Doing so will tell MO and any app where to find the game. This needs to be done anytime you run “Verify integrity of game files” from steam.

Have you run “Verify integrity of game files”?

How many mods with plugins, ESP, ESL or ESMs, are installed and activated in the right pane?

What version of MO2 is installed and when did you install it?

[boycad]

On 3/13/2021 at 2:00 PM, GSDFan said:

I do not mean to offend, but the folder structure points to this not be a legitimate install of the game

It is not a Steam copy. That is a deliberate choice.   Is there a specific reason- such as a check with no other purpose except to determine if the install is managed by Steam, and then to crash the tool if the check fails- which would cause SSEEdit to fail for that reason?  I would very much like to know if there is.

Otherwise everything is in order.  There are no plugins, installed or active.  MO2 is up to date and has just updated to 2.4.0.

I've noticed now... SSEEdit is actually creating a folder in a different location, a former location of the game.  Its a dummy 'Skyrim SE' folder, and then it tries to load from the 'data' folder inside that.

[boycad]

Quote

Sounds like a pathing issue or corrupt  ModOrganizer.ini. 

This is good advice, thank you.  It almost certainly is a pathing issue, and I although I could try to track down the obsolete entries, I might just as well re-initialize the game and start from a fresh install.  

I havent done that yet, so Im not sure how much of the whole modded build I will be able to save.  alas

The game was moved manually from one drive to another about a year ago.  I know this is not advised, but I had new storage to organize, so I did it anyways, and things seemed fine at first.  Thats the odd part: Because the xEdit files were in the game folder (erroneously?), the whole build continued to function despite being borked. 

So, xEdit relies on information created by the initial launch of the vanilla launcher, and moving the game mid-build most likely was what caused the issue.