Help w/Overwrite Files - New Step Build v2.1.0

[Paes]

Hi all,

I'm working through my newest STEP build on v2.1.0, and after successfully launching the game after creating Group 20, I'm seeing files in the Overwrite folder, and I'm not sure how to determine where they belong. I've read the explanations in the STEP guide, but I still don't understand. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Kattmandu]

All of those cc____ files are Creation Club content and belong in the data folder.  Not sure how they ended up in your overwrite folder.

The SKSE folder could have files from multiple mods in it.  Need to post a screenshot of the files.

Edited December 6, 2022 by Kattmandu

[Kattmandu]

I think the DialogueViews and Source folders go into the Skyrim base game data folder as well.

[ButchDiavolo]

1 hour ago, Paes said:

Hi all,

I'm working through my newest STEP build on v2.1.0, and after successfully launching the game after creating Group 20, I'm seeing files in the Overwrite folder, and I'm not sure how to determine where they belong. I've read the explanations in the STEP guide, but I still don't understand. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

As Kattmandu said, the Dialogue, source and cc_ files belong in the Original Data folder.

As for the SKSE output, I personally always make an empty mod in MO2, call it SKSE Output and drag&drop the SKSE files in there, keep it activated and keep it last in the left window of MO2. Or you can open the SKSE folder in overwrite and drag & drop the files into the respective mods.

[Paes]

Thanks all. If you'll pardon my ignorance:

1) What is the "original data folder"? I know every install path may be different, but just looking for some general direction.
2) How do I determine what the "respective mod" is for files in the SKSE overwrite folder?

I've broken down the folders a little more in the screenshot below.

Edited December 6, 2022 by Paes

[Mousetick]

15 minutes ago, ButchDiavolo said:

Or you can open the SKSE folder in overwrite and drag & drop the files into the respective mods.

SKSE plugins and many MCMs save their configuration under this folder. If you move from overwrite into the respective mods, you'll lose their configuration whenever you update the mods by using the 'Replace' option in MO2. It's better to move everything from overwrite into a separate (initially empty) mod, named SKSE Output as you suggest, or Configuration Settings, or whatever you like.

[Kattmandu]

26 minutes ago, Paes said:

1) What is the "original data folder"? I know every install path may be different, but just looking for some general direction.

Wherever Steam installed Skyrim Special Edition.

Example: ..\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data

26 minutes ago, Paes said:

2) How do I determine what the "respective mod" is for files in the SKSE overwrite folder?

I've broken down the folders a little more in the screenshot below.

Fuz Ro D-oh - Silent Voice is the name of the mod that put that ini file in your overwrite folder.  You can move that ini file to that mods SKSE\Plugins folder.

Edited December 6, 2022 by Kattmandu

[Paes]

9 minutes ago, Mousetick said:

SKSE plugins and many MCMs save their configuration under this folder. If you move from overwrite into the respective mods, you'll lose their configuration whenever you update the mods by using the 'Replace' option in MO2. It's better to move everything from overwrite into a separate (initially empty) mod, named SKSE Output as you suggest, or Configuration Settings, or whatever you like.

Curious --- why might this be omitted from the STEP guide if this is the better way to go about it? I can't find any reference to this suggestion in the guide, but maybe I missed it. Are there pros/cons to this approach, or is this just unequivocally better?

[Kattmandu]

12 minutes ago, Paes said:

Curious --- why might this be omitted from the STEP guide if this is the better way to go about it? I can't find any reference to this suggestion in the guide, but maybe I missed it. Are there pros/cons to this approach, or is this just unequivocally better?

What Mousetick said makes sense.  You  could take it a step further and create an "Output" folder for each individual mod that creates a configuration file.

 

The authors of the Step guide have made a pretty rock solid guide...

Edited December 6, 2022 by Kattmandu

[Paes]

3 minutes ago, Kattmandu said:

What Mousetick said makes sense.  You  could take it a step further and create an "Output" folder for each individual mod that creates a configuration file.

I'm sure it does --- but from a layman's perspective, if this is the way it should be done, then perhaps it should be included in the guide. The guide currently states something a little on the contrary, which makes it confusing for less experienced modders.

Anyways, just my $0.02. Appreciate the help.

[Kattmandu]

5 minutes ago, Paes said:

I'm sure it does --- but from a layman's perspective, if this is the way it should be done, then perhaps it should be included in the guide. The guide currently states something a little on the contrary, which makes it confusing for less experienced modders.

Anyways, just my $0.02. Appreciate the help.

Maybe they have instructed it the way they have to make it less confusing.  What Mousetick mentioned takes it a step further.  In any case, neither configuration is wrong.

[Mousetick]

1 hour ago, Paes said:

Curious --- why might this be omitted from the STEP guide if this is the better way to go about it? I can't find any reference to this suggestion in the guide, but maybe I missed it.

You'd have to ask the STEP team. This discussion has come up before. There doesn't seem to be consensus among them on which approach should be taken and how to educate users about it in the guide.

1 hour ago, Paes said:

Are there pros/cons to this approach, or is this just unequivocally better?

Moving the output out of overwrite, and putting it in a location separate from the mods themselves is better. As I mentioned, it prevents losing the configuration whenever you update the mod and replace it by the new version - which is the recommended way to update mods in MO2, i.e. not by using the Merge option. I can't think of any 'cons' to this approach.

Having them in a central, separate location can also be helpful if you ever need to edit a configuration file. You can find it more easily rather than searching for it. It also makes it easier if you want to make a backup of all your configuration files.

You could also make one separate mod-folder for each mod/configuration pair, if you like, as Kattmandu suggested. It's the same principle. I think it makes things more complicated than they deserve to be, but it works just as well if you prefer it that way.

Ultimately nothing catastrophic will happen if you don't do this and instead store the configuration within its parent mod, by following the instructions given by the guide. You simply risk losing the configuration when updating/replacing the mod. Which may not be a problem at all if you only use defaults always and don't change anything ever.

[Paes]

Thanks for the explanation!

[Mousetick]

I posted this a while ago, you may find it helpful: Suggested "Best Practice" for Mod Configuration Files.

[z929669]

3 hours ago, Paes said:

Curious --- why might this be omitted from the STEP guide if this is the better way to go about it? I can't find any reference to this suggestion in the guide, but maybe I missed it. Are there pros/cons to this approach, or is this just unequivocally better?

Because others around here think it's simpler to have everything SKSE related go into Overwrite.

Like those who already posted here, I do not.

I go one step further and send all SKSE output into my SKSE mod itself (this way I know it's all SKSE related output. In overwrite, it's not clear what the source is unless you check it each time you launch the game while modding).

So you can create an empty mod and move it all to that on a case-by-case basis, or let MO automatically send SKSE output into the SKSE mod itself like so:

 After a while, overwrite can fill up with files from "who knows where?" unless you are accustomed to watching it regularly (what Step recommends).