[ Q & A ] Using FNIS with Mod Organizer

[GrantSP]

This topic is specifically for FNIS related issues when using Mod Organizer.

 

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EDIT: 17^th April 2016.

Due to @fore's "issues" with MO he has pulled all support and directed it here.

 

Let it be stated that the "issues" he notes are due to user error and there is no inherent issue with FNIS running in MO.

 

Further his claim that FNIS WILL NOT run through MO on Windows 10 machines is just wrong! DO NOT follow the advice he offers regarding using FNIS and MO.

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Setting up FNIS to run through MO

 

Install it like any other mod through MO and make sure it is active (checkmarked) in the left pane mod list.

 

Since you must launch FNIS through Mod Organizer in order for it to recognize your mods, add FNIS to the list of executables by doing the following:

1. Click the gears icon .
2. In the Title field, type FNIS.
3. For the Binary field, browse to your FNIS installation (should be located in <ModOrganizer>/mods/Fores New Idles in Skyrim - FNIS/tools/GenerateFNIS_for_Users) and select the GenerateFNISforUsers.exe application.
4. Click the Add button. This will add FNIS to your executables list.
5. Click OK.

Now each time you want to run FNIS, simply select it from the drop-down menu at top right and click Run.

 

Running through MO

1. Launch FNIS through MO
2. In the Available Patches at the bottom of the window, check the boxes for all necessary patches in your setup.
3. Click the [update FNIS Behavior] button and wait for a message to appear in the window stating "X animations for Y mods successfully included.".
4. Click [Exit].

After closing FNIS, there will be files in Overwrite (essentially a fake mod located at the bottom of the left pane if sorted by priority ascending) created by FNIS. Right-click Overwrite and select Create Mod, name it FNIS Output and click OK. This will create a new mod listing in the left pane for the FNIS generated files. You will then need to check it to enable it. Each subsequent time you update FNIS behavior, you must open Overwrite and drag the new files back to this mod.

 

Common Errors

Error 53 or 2012

"Could not find file <path to file>\1hm_behavior.hkx

 

Ensure the animation sets you have installed are correctly placed in priority in the left-hand pane and FNIS is using the one you want. Open the Data tab in the right-hand pane and examine the filetree to see which animation is being used in the VFS.

Navigate the filetree by expanding: data>meshes>actors>character>behaviors> and see which mod is providing the file.

If the file name is displayed in red, the mouse tooltip will show which other mods are also providing this file. Move the correct mod to the correct location.

 

Additional cause for Error 2012

 

A user(@patchling) had Spybot - Search & Destroy+AV 2.5 installed and was constantly getting JIT and 2012 errors, specifically the 0_master.xml was not found. The file was placed in the FNIS temporary_log folder ready for processing but before that could happen it was removed by said program. Opening the start menu > settings > live protection > mode > uncheck "Scan programs before they start" apparently stops that behaviour.

 

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Error dialogue

GenerateFNISForUsers.exe - This application could not be started.

This application could not be started.

Do you want to view information about this issue?

 

Simply close the dialogue by pressing "No" and enable FNIS in the Left-hand pane. Correct FNIS installation and use explains this in the wiki.

 

Why does the 6.2 Add-on not look correct in MO?

What you need to remember here is MO is designed to handle 'mods' and what we are installing with FNIS, and its add-ons, are 'tools'.

This means MO is looking for the correct folder structure for a 'mod' as seen by the game. The archive for the 6.2 add-on has as its top folder: "tools" and this is correct for FNIS, not the game.

Simply 'set the data folder' so that the "tools" folder is now at the top of the tree and ignore the next dialogue that asks if you are sure.

[GrantSP]

Did you make sure to check the address to the new install of FNIS in your settings was pointing to the new FNIS?

ie. if your previous installation of FNIS was in a folder called something like: "FNIS -- 5.5" and now your new installation is in: "FNIS -- 6.1" then the location is different.

[LiftedHaze]

Did you make sure to check the address to the new install of FNIS in your settings was pointing to the new FNIS?

ie. if your previous installation of FNIS was in a folder called something like: "FNIS -- 5.5" and now your new installation is in: "FNIS -- 6.1" then the location is different.

Yea it's pointing to the right location, the exe doesn't run if I run it out of MO from the folder itself, there's only one folder too since I removed the old version. Program is also running as administrator 

[GrantSP]

Yea it's pointing to the right location, the exe doesn't run if I run it out of MO from the folder itself, there's only one folder too since I removed the old version. Program is also running as administrator 

You'll need to supply your logs and the paths you have for both MO and FNIS.

I'm on Win 10 running a non-administrator account for general play and MO is installed in:

D:\Games\ModOrganizer\TESV\ModOrganizer.exe

According to my MO settings this where FNIS is located:

D:/Games/ModOrganizer/TESV/mods/Fores New Idles in Skyrim - FNIS/tools/GenerateFNIS_for_Users/GenerateFNISforUsers.exe

I see no issues with anything about version 6.x that makes it run, or not run, when compared to version 5.5.

[LiftedHaze]

C:\Games\Modding Tools\ModOrganizer\ModOrganizer.exe

 

C:\Games\Modding Tools\ModOrganizer\mods\Fores New Idles in Skyrim - FNIS\tools\GenerateFNIS_for_Users\GenerateFNISforUsers.exe

 

I asked on the FNIS nexus page after I got an error when I started to run it all of a sudden, pointing me here 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/2715633

 

The error is the second one down, "Error: "This application could not be started"

However Fore told me it's not an error in the application as "MO is using the shim interface to be able to handle different .NET versions."

So it appears to be an error with MO? And where can I get the logs for MO and FNIS?

Edited November 13, 2015 by LiftedHaze

[GrantSP]

If you have a look at the MO wiki you will find instructions on setting the correct .NET version and also where the logs are found.

However since you have now shown the error is .NET related the logs are not necessary anymore.

[LiftedHaze]

If you have a look at the MO wiki you will find instructions on setting the correct .NET version and also where the logs are found.

However since you have now shown the error is .NET related the logs are not necessary anymore.

I've just re-installed the latest version of .net and it's still persisting. I'm really not sure what to try, thanks for the replies and support thus far

Edited November 13, 2015 by LiftedHaze

[Greg]

Have you installed and enabled .NET Framework 3.5?

[GrantSP]

I've just now read his comments on the FNIS page over at Nexus and now the issue appears outside of MO!

Either the instructions are not being followed, ie. enable .NET correctly, or there is something seriously wrong with that Windows install.

[GamerPerson]

I've come across a bit of a problem with FNIS, myself. I've been troubleshooting for hours, but to no avail. I can only gather that perhaps the reason why FNIS stopped opening up for me is because of my updating it. So, does anyone know how to do a bit of a workaround or, should I just go back and downgrade to the older model of FNIS? 

[Nebulous112]

What does the error look like? Have you tried posting in the Nexus thread for Fore's help?

[GrantSP]

I've come across a bit of a problem with FNIS, myself. I've been troubleshooting for hours, but to no avail. I can only gather that perhaps the reason why FNIS stopped opening up for me is because of my updating it. So, does anyone know how to do a bit of a workaround or, should I just go back and downgrade to the older model of FNIS? 

I've noted a couple of users lately that had this "so-called" error of FNIS not working, turned out they had forgotten to activate FNIS in the left-hand pane of MO.

Have you too forgotten to activate it?

[GamerPerson]

I've noted a couple of users lately that had this "so-called" error of FNIS not working, turned out they had forgotten to activate FNIS in the left-hand pane of MO.

Have you too forgotten to activate it?

I wish that was the case, sadly. :( Before I signed up with this forum, I searched for other reasons, that was one of the solutions, unfortunately,  it didn't work for me. I don't know if there's something wrong with FNIS or not, but I downgraded and it popped back up like nothing was wrong. So, it could be a conflict that I didn't think to investigate or something I forgot to check. Any ideas? It'll be most appreciated. 

[GrantSP]

Let's eliminate the obvious. When you updated FNIS, did you install the new version into exactly the same folder as the previous version? If not then the shortcuts will be pointing to non-existent executables.

 

There should be no issues or conflicts with the latest version compared to version 5.5 when it comes to necessary software dependencies or such like. If 5.5 works then 6.2 will also.

 

Lastly can FNIS be started from outside MO? If it can, and there is only the issue from inside MO, you will need to post your logs so we can see what isn't being hooked.

[Xt599]

I recently change from NMM to MO for my mods because of issues with NMM running. I am trying to get FNIS to work but after running the "for users" it is not showing any meshes or scripts in the overwrite folder, how do I fix this so I can get the animations to play again?

[Ostwindflak]

I have been getting an error with running FNIS from mod organizer. I have been working on trying to fix this for 4 days now and am running out of ideas so I came here. 

 

The error I receive is: "Error (5) The directory is invalid"

 

I run windows Vista 64 Home Premium Edition and have followed both the S.T.E.P. installation guide and Gopher's guide.

 

My binary from mod organizer to run the FNIS.exe is through C:\program files x86\steam\steamapps\common\skyrim\modorganizer then the FNIS folder.

 

When I load FNIS through MO it detects the mods I have installed and activated, but when it gets to "generating behavior files...." the Error (5) line appears and the behavior files never get generated.

 

I uninstalled everything including Skyrim, re-installed Skyrim and ran it vanilla first to generate the .ini files. I then put mod organizer back into the Skyrim directory and re-downloaded FNIS for a fresh start, and set it all up again only to receive the same error message.

 

When setting MO to run as an administrator through the binary in MO, it asks me to run it with elevated permissions. If checking "yes" to this, I still get the Error (5), however it doesn't detect any mods at all.

 

I understand this is most likely an access issue, but is there a solution to this? I only have one drive so I can't install Skyrim outside of C:\program files or C:\program files x86.

 

Also if I run FNIS straight from Windows out of the MO folder (not using the binary path) it will not detect any mods and always tells me "creature pack not installed" when it clearly is.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read my unintentional wall of text.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Ostwindflak