Following STEP - TES5EDIT - cleaning update.esm

[timaishu]

Sorry if this is has been answered before. I found one of my answers in this thread:

 

https://forum.step-project.com/topic/5512-following-step-tes5edit-cleaning-overwrite/?hl=+cleaning +update +esm

 

But I didn't see the answer to my other question. For step 2.B I am confused by this set of steps:

 

After cleaning, there shall be files in Overwrite (essentially a fake mod located at the bottom of the left pane if sorted by priority ascending) created by TES5Edit.

• Right-click Overwrite and select Create Mod
• Name it TES5Edit Backups and click OK. This will create a new mod listing in the left pane for the TES5Edit Backups useful if the changes failed to be successful.
• Each subsequent time TES5Edit is used to edit a file, open Overwrite and drag the TES5Edit Backups back to this mod. This will keep them in an organized and safe location. The files have no impact on the game.
• Right-click the TES5Edit Backups mod and select Ignore Missing Data to remove the red X flag.

 

I found the TES5edit update.esm backup in my MO overwrite folder, but the rest of the steps I don't understand. How do I select "Create Mod"? What application am I supposed to select this through? You cant do this with windows and I do not see how I am supposed to do it with MO. I ended up taking the cleaned update.esm file from skyrim/data and .rar'd it and installed it as a mod in MO, and then took the back up I made in step 1 and placed it in skyrim/data to restore the original.

 

I figure what I did above should work, but I still don't understand this step at all. Can anyone link me to a thread or clarify what I do here?

Edited November 17, 2014 by timaishu

[Freyrgjurd]

It will be only available if you have files in the Overwrite folder.

 

After you create the mod, it will clean that folder, thus no need /no way to create a mod from there ^^

[Freyrgjurd]

[ https://imgur.com/oTrBSJ0 ]

 

In the same place you see the files in overwrite, just right click it and select Create Mod.

 

"In Suma" it will do what you did. But through MO itself :)

 

EDIT: To clarify a bit more:

 

1- This way is to CLEAN the overwrite of the backups and stuff.

2- You still have to go to Skyrim\Data to copy and create a new mod called "Cleaned Update.esm" and copy the cleaned file there.

3- You don't need to zip it. Just create a folder inside MO mods folder with the name you like, it will appear at the list if you refresh it.

4- You still have to restore the backup to Skyrim\Data to keep a clean install folder.

 

:)

Edited November 17, 2014 by Freyrgjurd

[timaishu]

Doh, I have always noticed the greyed out Overwrite on the left hand side, but I never realized you could right click it (never tried before), so I didn't think of that as being what was referenced.

 

After that I was able to make sense of what's going on.

 

Also I never realized you could install mods that way, that's the reverse of how I do it. I will take the loose files, .rar it up, and then click "Install Mod From Archive". I like your method, it saves a step or two.

 

Thanks again!

 

EDIT: Just thought of something else. Any idea why the "Create Mod" option disappears after creating the TES5edit Backups mod? If I delete it, the option comes back. But after I create it the first time, I don't seem to have the option again.

Edited November 17, 2014 by timaishu

[timaishu]

You're are awesome! Thank you for the prompt and accurate responses. Much appreciated. I am hoping this time around I will actually get to playing!

 

I have around 70 hours in Skyrim, but I never made it past the first dragon you encounter on the patrol haha. I keep modding, testing, getting bored, new version of step, starting from scratch. Or I remember skipping something because I didn't understand the instructions (like this) and I couldn't remember if I found a solution last time, so I delete skyrim and start modding all over again! I think this is my 10th time re-doing STEP. ^.^

[Freyrgjurd]

This guide is shaping to a better form every iteration. Use the forums anytime you have any doubts.

If not me, a lot of people will try and help you.

 

Just don't forget to play the game. With STEP:Core or STEP:Extended is a whole new experience \/o

[NameTaken]

Sorry for the bump, but I just went through the current version of the guide and it looks like some details about cleaning .esm files (which were still there last October) have been edited out. Most notably, the detailed part about moving the cleaned .esm file to a folder inside \ModOrganizer\Mods and placing back the original .esm in the Skyrim\Data folder has disappeared, and so has the recommendation to clean Dawnguard.esm twice : https://wiki.step-project.com/Dawnguard#Recommendations

 

Am I missing something? Has cleaning mods been streamlined by newer versions of MO or TES5Edit, or is essential info now missing?

 

edit: the changes have been made two days ago, and can be seen here. Can we just rely on the new instructions and do nothing else, or should we proceed as before?

Edited December 16, 2014 by NameTaken

[GrantSP]

Go with the new. All is fine.

[NameTaken]

Alright, thanks. I am a bit surprised still that the guide does not mention anymore that Dawnguard.esm has to be cleaned twice — I just re-did the procedure and had to do it twice for LOOT to stop warning me about this file — and still refers to a Cleaned Dawnguard ESM mod although the details about it have disappeared.

[GrantSP]

Alright, thanks. I am a bit surprised still that the guide does not mention anymore that Dawnguard.esm has to be cleaned twice — I just re-did the procedure and had to do it twice for LOOT to stop warning me about this file — and still refers to a Cleaned Dawnguard ESM mod although the details about it have disappeared.

Really? I just tested this procedure again with a new Dawnguard.esm and LOOT reports it as clean after one pass.

Are you sure you had the cleaned Dawnguard active before running LOOT and not the previous version?

[NameTaken]

I am pretty sure of this, but I will give it another try tomorrow to be sure. One the one hand I do not understand why one pass would be enough today while two were needed a few weeks ago (and I do not think TES5Edit has been updated in-between, I am using 3_0_32 fwiw), on the other hand if it works for you and the guide says it should, I admit there must be something wrong with my setup. I will try again after a good night's sleep.

[Nozzer66]

If you needed to do it twice, then that's fine too. As long as LOOT says you're clean, you're good.

[GrantSP]

Like @n\Nozzer66 says, once or twice doesn't really matter. I was just curious about the different outcomes. So long as everything works.

[NameTaken]

Like @n\Nozzer66 says, once or twice doesn't really matter. I was just curious about the different outcomes. So long as everything works.

Yes, that's what was bugging me too, but as you say, once or twice, as long as it works... thanks for the input guys.

[alt3rn1ty]

Depends what version you are using

 

If you are using the latest W.I.P version of TES5Edit 3.0.3.3 ( download link at the bottom of the first post is always updated there when Zilav makes a new snapshot ) .. then you will definitely find 6 more ITMs in Dawnguard.esm when you clean it a second time.

 

See this post in the same topic

Edited December 17, 2014 by alt3rn1ty

[z929669]

Yes, TESEdit version has an impact, but only when updating TESEdit after already cleaning ... I am not sure what LOOT is keyed to complain about and whether it looks for a CRC change or ITM/UDR and whether or not LOOT depends upon cleaning results from a particular TESEdit version.

 

I updated the DLC mod cleaning instructions in the guide and mod pages after I had a very different XP when following them during my validation/update Core build for 2.2.9 (files are not produced in Overwrite with new versions of MO that place all vanilla plugins and BSAs into the MO installers list as "unmanaged". In my testing of TESEdit launched via MO, the cleaned plugins were not written to Overwrite but rather back into \Data as is the default behavior when running TESEdit stand-alone.

 

With latest versions of MO and TESEdit, the new instructions should be accurate (and simplified)

Yes, TESEdit version has an impact, but only when updating TESEdit after already cleaning (I think) ... I am not sure what LOOT is keyed to complain about and whether it looks for a CRC change or ITM/UDR and whether or not LOOT depends upon cleaning results from a particular TESEdit version.

 

I updated the DLC mod cleaning instructions in the guide and mod pages after I had a very different XP when following them during my validation/update Core build for 2.2.9 (files are not produced in Overwrite with new versions of MO that place all vanilla plugins and BSAs into the MO installers list as "unmanaged". In my testing of TESEdit launched via MO, the cleaned plugins were not written to Overwrite but rather back into \Data as is the default behavior when running TESEdit stand-alone.

 

With latest versions of MO and TESEdit, the new instructions should be accurate (and simplified)