[WIP] Merge Plugins Standalone {PUBLIC BETA}

[Mator]

Merge Plugins Standalone has been publicly released

To get the latest version (v2.1.1) you'll have to download from Nexus Mods. I'll be pushing the new version onto the backend in a few days (I just want to encourage people to download from the Nexus so they can endorse it).

 

This thread is now effectively closed.

 

 

Thanks,

- Mator

Edited December 24, 2015 by Mator

[Mator]

Thanks for the reminder about Block Steal Redux. As I mentioned in my post though, I never intended to merge it for the very reason you described - It was merely a convenient way to illustrate to you what I was experiencing and why I was confused.

Oh, I see. I must have missed that.

 

I think I understand a little better. It just doesn't work the way I intuitively imagined it would.

 

I guess I thought the entire point of adding a mod to an existing merge meant that you didn't have to reload all of the original plugins / mods. In my mind, I thought the new mod was one mod, the existing merge was another mod, and all the assets required to join them together were already present. I was almost sure I'd done it that way with the script version (or maybe I've lost both of my remaining marbles).

 

So... since I need to reactivate all of the mods contained in the existing merge in order to add something to it, I'm fuzzy on exactly how that's any different than just starting over and building a new merge from scratch.

 

Either way, it's a great tool! And thanks again for your time.

 

So yes, there is more explanation necessary.

 

Why merges should be built from the source plugins:

The merge is less complicated, FormIDs are renumbered less, the merge is more cleanly managed, and there aren't any weird issues cropping up with overrides/conflicting assets.

 

So one thing that people did with the script is they merged into an existing merged plugin or combined an existing merged plugin with a new plugin to make a new merge. Merging into an existing file introduces weird complexities with how overrides and conflicting assets are resolved which means the resulting ESP/merged mod is not the same as it would have been if you merged from the source ESPs.  You might not get the right version of certain records and you may end up with the wrong copy of certain assets, and there is absolutely no way to properly combine the records/assets without the source plugins being loaded.

 

Merging a merged plugin and another plugin into a new merge creates a two-stage merge. Viz., if a merge is included in a merge and both merges are managed by the Standalone application, the application would be building both of them in a single session if a plugin was updated. When a merge is performed the plugin produced is volatile until it has been saved and reloaded. Building a merge with a merged plugin that has just been built in the same session is dangerous because there are processes that occur when that plugin is saved.

 

By forcing users to make all their merges from the source plugins, I avoid a lot of unnecessary complexity and can provide a greater guarantee for merge stability. Merging is already an extremely complicated process, so merging a merged plugin (or merging into a merged plugin) is the sort of thing that I don't ever want to support. If the xEdit API is altered so plugins can be cleanly DELOADED, then it would be more reasonable to suggest this, but until such a time you'll just have to build your merges from the source plugins every time.

 

[Edit] I meant to add that I originally did try to read the documentation by following the link at the opening post of this thread - but it didn't appear to lead anywhere, and the help menu within the program isn't quite ready yet. So I just sort of "winged it". It's a testament to the great design that I was able to get as far as I did! LOL

In the program's directory there should be a doc folder. In that doc folder should be a PDF of the documentation.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Mator

[dstansberry]

That all makes perfect sense! Thank you for explaining it.

 

I didn't mean to take up so much of your time. I was just led astray by my own assumptions of what I thought "add to merge" sounded like it should do.

[Mator]

Merge Plugins Standalone has been publicly released

To get the latest version (v2.1.1) you'll have to download from Nexus Mods. I'll be pushing the new version onto the backend in a few days (I want to encourage people to download from the Nexus so they can endorse it).

[GrantSP]

Well done young man!

[dstansberry]

One more question, if I may: How (if at all) does the standalone handle leveled lists? I didn't see anything in the documentation or the forums on the topic (probably because the answer is painfully obvious to everyone but me! LOL)

 

If I wanted to merge a handful of, say, "collectable" mods, or perhaps weapons mods that distribute items through leveled lists, are there particular procedures that should be used? I seem to remember that the older version would overwrite the lists from one mod to the next during the merge, and that one needed to create a sort of patch in TES5Edit to accommodate the lists, the merge the mods and adding the patch last (I'm pretty sure I have that all completely wrong!)

 

Also...are we still allowed to ask questions here? Or should I re-post this on the Nexus page?

[Kesta]

One more question, if I may: How (if at all) does the standalone handle leveled lists? I didn't see anything in the documentation or the forums on the topic (probably because the answer is painfully obvious to everyone but me! LOL)

 

If I wanted to merge a handful of, say, "collectable" mods, or perhaps weapons mods that distribute items through leveled lists, are there particular procedures that should be used? I seem to remember that the older version would overwrite the lists from one mod to the next during the merge, and that one needed to create a sort of patch in TES5Edit to accommodate the lists, the merge the mods and adding the patch last (I'm pretty sure I have that all completely wrong!)

Conflict resolution and "LList/FormList/Array-field merging" (which are a form of conflict-resolution) have to be taken care of prior to the merge. Then the patch should be included. MP Only consider the winning override.

[JawZ]

I've tried searching for an issue I have but so far I've yet to see any report/comment on this on any site.

 

Merge Plugins when run directly from the .exe to merge plugins in the Skyrim root folder works just fine, it's when I use Mod Organizer I can't build the merge because the option is "blacked" out.

The plugins are loaded in to Merge Plugins, that I ran through MO and it runs fine apart from the option to Build merge isn't available.

I have also setup the MO root folder and mod folder and set the destination folder to the the MO mod folder.

I've tried a bunch of stuff that I thought could be the issue but no luck so far.

Also the files I have in the Skyrim root folder can be merged when I run Merge Plugins through MO, it's the MO installed plugins that just can't be merged because the option is "blacked" out when those plugins are loaded in Merge Plugins.

[Mator]

One more question, if I may: How (if at all) does the standalone handle leveled lists? I didn't see anything in the documentation or the forums on the topic (probably because the answer is painfully obvious to everyone but me! LOL)

Documentation section Limitations -> Doesn't Do Conflict Resolution.

 

I've tried searching for an issue I have but so far I've yet to see any report/comment on this on any site.

 

Merge Plugins when run directly from the .exe to merge plugins in the Skyrim root folder works just fine, it's when I use Mod Organizer I can't build the merge because the option is "blacked" out.

The plugins are loaded in to Merge Plugins, that I ran through MO and it runs fine apart from the option to Build merge isn't available.

I have also setup the MO root folder and mod folder and set the destination folder to the the MO mod folder.

I've tried a bunch of stuff that I thought could be the issue but no luck so far.

Also the files I have in the Skyrim root folder can be merged when I run Merge Plugins through MO, it's the MO installed plugins that just can't be merged because the option is "blacked" out when those plugins are loaded in Merge Plugins.

I think you mean "greyed" out, but ok.

 

Buttons are "greyed" out when they are disabled.  The build merges QuickBar button is only enabled if there are merges that can be built.  If you go to the Merges Tab you can see all of your merges.  If a merge is green it means it is ready to be built or rebuilt.  Any merge that is not green is not ready to be built or rebuilt.  The color corresponds to the Merge's status, which you can find information on in the documentation.  You can read the status by selecting the merge and looking at the first field in the Merge Details (it's called Status).  You can get guided instructions to making the merge available to build/rebuild by right-clicking it, going to plugins, and choosing "Resolve Issues".

Edited January 23, 2016 by Mator

[JawZ]

Yeah that's what I eamnt, don't know why I said "blacked".

 

The color for merge in the Merges tab is green and the build merge is greyed out both in the right click menu and the Quickbar button.

Just for testing I selected the Cutting Room Floor.esp and Appropriately Attired Jarls Redux.esp which is green in Plugins Tab and with "No Errors" Flag. Still greyed out.

Checked the logs as well, nothing to indicate any issues of any kind.

 

It must have something to do with Merge Plugins not reading the plugins installed through MO, because it does work with .esp files I have placed in the game root folder and use Merge Plugins through MO to merge those two .esp files. I don't know how that could be though, Iäve run it both with and without administrator privileges, both MO and Merge Plugins as well as added an exception to my firewall and virus detection. 

[Mator]

Yeah that's what I eamnt, don't know why I said "blacked".

 

The color for merge in the Merges tab is green and the build merge is greyed out both in the right click menu and the Quickbar button.

Just for testing I selected the Cutting Room Floor.esp and Appropriately Attired Jarls Redux.esp which is green in Plugins Tab and with "No Errors" Flag. Still greyed out.

Checked the logs as well, nothing to indicate any issues of any kind.

 

It must have something to do with Merge Plugins not reading the plugins installed through MO, because it does work with .esp files I have placed in the game root folder and use Merge Plugins through MO to merge those two .esp files. I don't know how that could be though, Iäve run it both with and without administrator privileges, both MO and Merge Plugins as well as added an exception to my firewall and virus detection. 

Well, if the merges are green, it must be because the Background Loader isn't finished yet.  (that's my guess, anyways).  If you hover your mouse over the build merges button it'll tell you why it's disabled.

[JawZ]

Nope it's in a finished state. It tells me "There aren't any merges to build or rebuild" even though I have a merge in Merges tab that contains the .esp I mentioned previously, and has never been built.

 

I have had trouble with other programs, like the CK which was unique to me, so I wouldn't be surprised if I have something on my PC that just screws with certain programs.

I am going to do a test on my portable OS USB stick for various programs so might as well add this and MO to the list to see if it is my current desktop PC setup that is screwed up.

[Rebel47]

I remember when I used this back in public beta stage you were actually unable to complete any merge until you had actively scanned the files to be merged within the application, also the mods need to be in order, I.E load after one another in order to be a complete merge.

[JawZ]

Mator

Apparently it has something to do with certain mods with script fragments. I have the "Handle script fragments" option checked though. 

 

Rebel47

Loot sorted, and the proper load order is carried forward into Merge Plugins. Scanned for errors? Done that as well.

Edited January 23, 2016 by JawZ

[Rebel47]

Those were the only things I remember that caused me grief, you have ticked the option to tell it that your using MO haven't you ?

 

If I think of anything else I'll post here with it.

[JawZ]

Rebel47

Yes of course, I'm not that dim witted ;)

 

Mator

This is just a suggestion, but having colors to be a bit more defined between the shades would help users who have some sort of color blindness and struggles to see the difference between them.

I myself am suffering from Deuteranopia for instance, which is basically problem seeing enough difference between green, yellow and red colors. Maybe have soemthing like Green, Yellow, Red instead.

Again just a suggestion.