Improved FOMOD screening in Vortex

[rmm200]

I was just helping a user with a mod that used to install fine - but now fails with an installer error.

Under the fomod directory, info.xml and ModuleConfig.xml both specified UTF-16 in line 1. This is no longer valid.

Notepad++ with the XML syntax checker also flags it as invalid.

I had him replace UTF-16 with UTF-8 in both files. Vortex now installs it without issue.

 

This is just a heads-up. This syntax used to be the recommended one.

[AugustaCalidia]

What version of Vortex was being used when the installer error was detected?

[rmm200]

All recent ones... Mine updated today. Vortex 1.4.6

[Tannin42]

This is not a syntax error.

UTF-8 and UTF-16 are both supported by Vortex but that first line has to match the character encoding that you actually use when you save the game in the text editor.

In Notepad++ you can specify the encoding in the Encoding menu.

If you save the file with encoding utf-8, the first line has to say utf-8.

If you save the file with encoding utf-16, the first line has to say utf-16.

[rmm200]

The problem case I had was a mod last updated in 2018. The author has not been seen in over a year.

It installed without error as recently as three months ago.

It is significant because we may see more cases like this. Mod authors are not the most attentive to detail.

[Tannin42]

You're right, this will have to be fixed.

[rmm200]

Man I hate to come down on the side of relaxed error checking..

For the moment, for this particular mod - I posted a request for someone to fix the fomod.

I added your option of saving the XML in the correct format. With credit...

[Tannin42]

Afaik this is all solved now in 1.4.8, please let me know if there are still mods that fail to install (if they used to work of course)

[rmm200]

Thank you! Although I might favor a "Rigorous Checking" option in the UI... Mod authors especially would like to know if their fomod is invalid.