Smooth Shores Patches - Merge when asked?

[mooit]

On the Wiki it says;

Smooth Shores Patches

Install all files but NOT Smooth Shores Patches - Worldspace Transition Tweaks Patch #.#.#. Merge when asked.

I don't understand the 'Merge when asked'? 

There's nothing asking to do anything...

THANKS

[z929669]

41 minutes ago, mooit said:

On the Wiki it says;

Smooth Shores Patches

Install all files but NOT Smooth Shores Patches - Worldspace Transition Tweaks Patch #.#.#. Merge when asked.

I don't understand the 'Merge when asked'? 

There's nothing asking to do anything...

THANKS

Just install the main file using MO and then install one of the other optional files using the same mod name (besides WTT), and you will see a dialog asking to replace or merge ... use 'merge'.

If you follow the guide carefully from start to finish (I mean every detail), not only will you have a stable and nice-looking build, but you will also learn a lot along the way. This is precisely why Step exists: to teach anyone good modding practice while accomplishing a worthy task (making the game look and play optimally).

[mooit]

Sorry I didn't explain myself better. There is no dialog asking to merge anything.

Also you just mentioned to install one of the other optional files, but the guide says to 'install all files' , but WTT.

install all files but NOT Smooth Shores Patches - Worldspace Transition Tweaks Patch #.#.#

None of the files on nexus are listed as optional, they are listed as main.

THANKS

Edited June 27, 2022 by mooit

[z929669]

38 minutes ago, mooit said:

Sorry I didn't explain myself better. There is no dialog asking to merge anything.

Also you just mentioned to install one of the other optional files, but the guide says to 'install all files' , but WTT.

install all files but NOT Smooth Shores Patches - Worldspace Transition Tweaks Patch #.#.#

None of the files on nexus are listed as optional, they are listed as main.

THANKS

Then I misspoke (didn't recall from memory how the Nexus page was set up). The point is, if you are using MO and you install the first file from the Nexus page, any subsequent files from same page will default to use same mod name. This invokes MO to prompt you to replace or merge the second, third, ... N files.

'Merge' means: don't replace all previously installed files, just add the new ones (with overwrite where exists).

Again, if you fololw our guide(s), then this is explaned and becomes obvious like so many other tasks when completing a mod build.

[mooit]

I'm using MO2, nothing is defaulting the same mod name, they all installed.

Yes I know when there are same files, etc., MO2 will open up a dialog asking to merge.

I've been modding in Skyrim for 2 years btw, I mentioned a year before, that was my mistake, but I certainly don't know everything, who does...LOL

The WIKI guide isn't correct, in regards to this 'Merge'

P.S.

Here's a screen shot of M02, I also installed WTT, to see what would happen.

As you can see they are all installed, again, no Merge Dialog appeared.

THANKS

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by mooit

[z929669]

37 minutes ago, mooit said:

I'm using MO2, nothing is defaulting the same mod name, they all installed.

Yes I know when there are same files, etc., MO2 will open up a dialog asking to merge.

I've been modding in Skyrim for 2 years btw, I mentioned a year before, that was my mistake, but I certainly don't know everything, who does...LOL

The WIKI guide isn't correct, in regards to this 'Merge'

P.S.

Here's a screen shot of M02, I also installed WTT, to see what would happen.

As you can see they are all installed, again, no Merge Dialog appeared.

THANKS

 

Then when you are installing mods from same Nexus page, you are actively choosing what mod name to use. We recommend installing ALL to "Smooth Shores Patches", in which case, you will see merge option after first. This is how we write the guide, because it's simpler to maintain that way. Do it any way you choose if you know how.

 If you are using custom names for each one, then you won't, but you will need to be certain that they are in proper order. For this mod, it's fine. As long as you know what you are doing, 'merge' applies only where applicable.

[mooit]

I don't see that the guide mentions any methods here, and sorry I don't understand what you mean either by; ALL to "Smooth Shores Patches"?

Install all files but NOT Smooth Shores Patches - Worldspace Transition Tweaks Patch #.#.#. Merge when asked 

This is all I see for the guide; To me this says, to install everything except the WTT and for the other mods I install, it's going to ask me to merge.

So what is this  ALL to "Smooth Shores Patches" you are talking about?

THANKS

P.S Every patch is listed as Smooth Shore;

Edited June 28, 2022 by mooit

[z929669]

32 minutes ago, mooit said:

I don't see that the guide mentions any methods here, and sorry I don't understand what you mean either by; ALL to "Smooth Shores Patches"?

Install all files but NOT Smooth Shores Patches - Worldspace Transition Tweaks Patch #.#.#. Merge when asked 

This is all I see for the guide; To me this says, to install everything except the WTT and for the other mods I install, it's going to ask me to merge.

So what is this  ALL to "Smooth Shores Patches" you are talking about?

THANKS

P.S Every patch is listed as Smooth Shore;

I mean to install ALL of those mods listed into a single mod called "Smooth Shores Patches", reusing the name. This is how we advise installing all mods with multiple files from the same nexus page. You can certainly do it using unique names as long as you understand overrides and you don't care if you have > about 500 mods in the left pane of MO.

As mentioned, this is evident if you follow the guide, because many mods have multiple files, and installing/merging is explained at least once previous to this mod.

[mooit]

AHHH

I didn't see how this was being mentioned that way on the Guide, it read more like to me, install them in MO2 and when asked to merge.

Not merge them all into one mod.

THANKS

[mooit]

I don't assume anything when it comes to doing things, so I personally don't see any of this as 'Evident' in a particular method of doing things, I see that as just a 'Personal Preference', and the reason I don't Merge mods all into One file, is because many times the MOD Dev have updates, and optional files that are going to be pushed out all the time, possibly faster than a Main file, so all you have to do is just get the Optional/Update file. 

So if you merge, then you have to remove everything and remerge all the files all over again, like just for one update.

So I personally don't do this sort of thing, because I also want to see all the individual files, to understand/see/know everything going on, after all, there are differences...

So I took the Smooth Shore Patches and placed them all in one Archive, but they are all .esp files, is this what you meant to do?

 

 

THANKS

Edited June 28, 2022 by mooit

[z929669]

33 minutes ago, mooit said:

I don't assume anything when it comes to doing things, so I personally don't see any of this as 'Evident' in a particular method of doing things, I see that as just a 'Personal Preference', and the reason I don't Merge mods all into One file, is because many times the MOD Dev have updates, and optional files that are going to be pushed out all the time, possibly faster than a Main file, so all you have to do is just get the Optional/Update file. 

So if you merge, then you have to remove everything and remerge all the files all over again, like just for one update.

So I personally don't do this sort of thing, because I also want to see all the individual files, to understand/see/know everything going on, after all, there are differences...

So I took the Smooth Shore Patches and placed them all in one Archive, but they are all .esp files, is this what you meant to do?

 

 

THANKS

But it IS 'evident' if you were to start the guide from scratch. Evident, because 'merge' is explained previously in the guide or at least one of the mod pages during the install. By the time you get to Smooth Shores, it really is 'evident' if you hagve been folowing the guide.

'Merge' replaces with overwrite ONLY the conflicting files, so if one file is updated and another is not from same Nexus page, the 'Merge' works perfectly. 'Replace' does just that. The only case where merge is 'wrong' when one of the files is updated is the rare instance when one of the files is updated and one of it's assets becomes redundant or not wanted ... very rare. you are correct though: you can install all separately (but we don't want to maintain 6 file names on one mod page, and instructing to 'merge' is much simpler for us and user).

that said, I will make this instruction more clear for posterity.

[mooit]

There's something that was not being explained through out the guide, I didn't see this.

1. Merge into one archive?
2. Merge when MO2 asks you to do so?

The Smooth Shore Patch example I was trying to explain, is not differentiating between 1&2 above.

If you go back and look at the guide, the first time 'Merge' is being mentioned is this section;

Unofficial High Definition Audio Project

Download and install all Main Files. Merge when asked

This doesn't tell us anything, between number 1&2 above.

So for me personally, since I've been modding in Skyrim for the past 2 years, I only think of merging in MO2, if MO2 asks, I've never merged many mod files before into one archive. Actually the only mod I have archived/merged into one archive is Skyrim Realistic Overhaul.

THANKS

[DoubleYou]

When we say Merge, we are always talking about the Merge button when installing the file in MO2.

[mooit]

27 minutes ago, DoubleYou said:

When we say Merge, we are always talking about the Merge button when installing the file in MO2.

Then there is no Merge happening in MO2 when installing separately all the Smooth Shore Patches.

So I'm still confused about installing the Smooth Shore Patches, I thought z929669 was talking about placing them all in one archive to install into MO2?

THANKS

[z929669]

41 minutes ago, mooit said:

There's something that was not being explained through out the guide, I didn't see this.

1. Merge into one archive?
2. Merge when MO2 asks you to do so?

The Smooth Shore Patch example I was trying to explain, is not differentiating between 1&2 above.

If you go back and look at the guide, the first time 'Merge' is being mentioned is this section;

Unofficial High Definition Audio Project

Download and install all Main Files. Merge when asked

This doesn't tell us anything, between number 1&2 above.

So for me personally, since I've been modding in Skyrim for the past 2 years, I only think of merging in MO2, if MO2 asks, I've never merged many mod files before into one archive. Actually the only mod I have archived/merged into one archive is Skyrim Realistic Overhaul.

THANKS

Default behavior of MO is to install using the Nexus mod name, so if you install multiple files from a single nexus page, they default to the same mod name, and you get 'merge'. Every time.

So you are evidently renaming files from MO default. MO remembers the names you choose, so you cannot test this without completely uninstalling the mod or starting a new instance.

Seriously, you are the only person that has ever had this issue that I can recall. It just works.

31 minutes ago, mooit said:

Then there is no Merge happening in MO2 when installing separately all the Smooth Shore Patches.

So I'm still confused about installing the Smooth Shore Patches, I thought z929669 was talking about placing them all in one archive to install into MO2?

THANKS

Why would we have you download archives, unpack them, re-archive them, and reinstall? Besides, MO doesn't require archives in mods in left pane. They can all be loose files.

AGAIN: If you were to create a new MO instance and pretend you have never done this before, all instructions would "just work". The problem is you have adopted a personal behavior and never experienced (or do not recall) the default MO behavior.