User:GSDFan/MO Overwrite Folder: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 00:18, February 17, 2021

WIP:

If you are reading this then be aware this is a rough copy of how to use the Overwrite folder in MO. There may be errors and inconsistencies in the data.

Disclaimer[edit | edit source]

I am in no way involved in the development of Mod Organizer (MO) and do not know the internal workings of the program. Only Tannin42, the creator / developer of this program knows for sure. The information presented here is accurate as I interpret it and may be prone to error in my interpretation of it. Any information provided by Tannin later on should be considered as accurate and should supersede mine. Any future updated to MO may well break this workaround.

The version of Mod Organizer being used is v1.0.12 and is run on Windows 8.1 64bit. Steam and MO are installed out of the default location to a second SSD to avoid Windows UAC problems. You have been warned, your results may differ if you version of Windows is different or Steam is installed in its default location.

Background[edit | edit source]

Overview[edit | edit source]

Mod Organizers “Overwrite” folder should be thought of as a temporary storage folder. Every mod and tool that changes data must use the overwrite folder. This is accomplished by using the Windows Move Folder function, “Move From” and “Move To” and should be transparent to the user. It all breaks down when a mod that changes data uses Copy and Delete folder instead. MO cannot track changes that way.

Testing[edit | edit source]

Mods used in the testing[edit | edit source]

Interface Hard Coded Key Tweaks, Fores New Idles in Skyrim - FNIS at, WRYE Smash, TES5Edit, ASIS, Dual Sheath Redux and NPC enchant Fix. Skyproc patcher SUM was tested later on and will be included.

Mods not used in testing[edit | edit source]

Any mod that writes to the data folder after the game is run. In the past I have seen some SKSE mods do this.
Automatic Variants. I have always had trouble with this mod and the way it moves files around without much success with MO, so I don’t use it.

Preparation[edit | edit source]

Make note on the load order of the ESPs starting with bashed patch, 0.esp. This should be the way BOSS sorts them. Write this down for future reference and as a guide to running the tools. If you use FNIS this can be run at any time. When I mod Skyrim I install all my FNIS files first so that when I test mod interaction I will not have the frozen NPC problem.

Populated Overwrite folder[edit | edit source]

While this method will not separate out each mod in an already populated overwrite folder, it will get you there as you will be running each tool and then creating a mod from the output afterwards. This should be followed if you are modding a new playthrough of the game or are starting to mod the game and there are no files in the overwrite folder.

If there are files in the overwrite folder right click it and create a mod from it and give it a name for backup purposes, like “Overwrite Backup old”. When MO finishes creating “Overwrite Backup old” mod just leave it alone and do not enable it. We will not really use the files in here as we will create everything from scratch and it can be deleted later on when this is done.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Construction Small|If you are reading this then be aware this is a rough copy of how to use the Overwrite folder in MO. There may be errors and inconsistencies in the data.}}
+{{AlertSmall‏‎|type=construction|text=If you are reading this then be aware this is a rough copy of how to use the Overwrite folder in MO. There may be errors and inconsistencies in the data.}}
 == Disclaimer ==
@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 === Mods used in the testing ===
-FNIS, WRYE Smash, TES5Edit, ASIS, Dual Sheath Redux and NPC enchant Fix.
+[https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/88 Interface Hard Coded Key Tweaks], [https://nmm.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/11811/? Fores New Idles in Skyrim - FNIS at], WRYE Smash, TES5Edit, ASIS, Dual Sheath Redux and NPC enchant Fix.
 Skyproc patcher SUM was tested later on and will be included.
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 == Populated Overwrite folder ==
-# Right click the Overwrite folder and select "Create Mod" from the flyout menu. Give the new mod a name and click OK to complete the operation.<br />
-# When that finishes you will have a new mod in the left pane. Let’s call it the "overwrite mod" mod. Right click on the new mod and select "Open In explorer". A new window will open up with the mod contents available for viewing.
-# Close Mod Organizer at this time.
-# Open another Windows File explorer window and navigate to where your mods are stored. If you have not changed this location it will be in the mods folder in the Mod Organizer directory. Double click on it until you see your installed mods.
-# Arrange both file explorer windows side by side with the window you opened in step two.
-# With the window that has the Mods showing create the following directories. If you have other ESPs from the "overwrite mod" create a directory for them also. The ones below reflect my mods I have installed.
-## WRYE Smash Bashed ESP Output
-## TES5Edit Merged patch Output
-## SUM Output
-# Copy each ESP in the "overwrite mod" to their respective folder. Bashed Patch,0.esp to WRYE Smash Bashed ESP Output mod and so on.
-# When that is done close the Windows file explorer windows and restart MO.
-When MO starts you will see the new mods that were created in step six above.
-Enable the "overwrite mod" mod at this time and leave the others patcher output mods disabled. If you missed any patcher ESPs Repeat the steps above. We should not have any more ESPs in this mod.
-== A new way of thinking ==
+While this method will not separate out each mod in an already populated overwrite folder, it will get you there as you will be running each tool and then creating a mod from the output afterwards. This should be followed if you are modding a new playthrough of the game or are starting to mod the game and there are no files in the overwrite folder.<br />
+If there are files in the overwrite folder right click it and create a mod from it and give it a name for backup purposes, like “Overwrite Backup old”. When MO finishes creating “Overwrite Backup old” mod just leave it alone and do not enable it. We will not really use the files in here as we will create everything from scratch and it can be deleted later on when this is done.
+== A new way of thinking - Sync to mods==
+== Running the tools ==