How to change pop up text box?

[WakahisaSensei]

I'm trying to fix a grammatical error in a text box for a mod that's been driving me crazy. The text box pops up after a certain unique enemy is killed. But I cannot seem to find a way to do this via TesEdit and when I open the mod in creation kit I cannot find the correct files amid all the files of base skyrim and its DLCs (and I'm not even sure I'm looking in the right place).

 

I feel like this should be a lot less complicated for a simple text change. So here's what would help me:

• Step by step instructions on how to find files like these and search for them within either creation kit or TesEdit; or
• A way to open "just" the mod in creation kit without it opening all the required masters, so at least I have fewer files to search through.

[xkkmEl]

Depends on the type of message/popup.

If it is a simple box, with centered text and a single "OK" button at the bottom, it likely is a Debug.messageBox.  In that case, you need to find the source papyrus script file that builds the text to display, modify the script and then recompile the script.
A text finding utility (like the unix grep) is most commonly used to find the script source file.
Note that script source files are not always easy to find (though many are).  Sometimes, they are hidden in a bsa file, but a tool like grep can find them there.  Sometimes they are not included in the mod, but they usually are, unless they are packaged separately in an accompagnying modders version of the mod.

[WakahisaSensei]

On 5/11/2024 at 1:33 PM, xkkmEl said:

Depends on the type of message/popup.

If it is a simple box, with centered text and a single "OK" button at the bottom, it likely is a Debug.messageBox.  In that case, you need to find the source papyrus script file that builds the text to display, modify the script and then recompile the script.
A text finding utility (like the unix grep) is most commonly used to find the script source file.
Note that script source files are not always easy to find (though many are).  Sometimes, they are hidden in a bsa file, but a tool like grep can find them there.  Sometimes they are not included in the mod, but they usually are, unless they are packaged separately in an accompagnying modders version of the mod.

Damn. Papyrus Script stuff is something I'm not willing to risk touching. I'm not particularly skilled with that sort of stuff and last thing I need is to break it.

[xkkmEl]

Fixing a typo in a string constant is likely still within your capabilities. And should things fail, there are a few here with of track record on helping clumsy programmers. There is some work involved though, getting oriented and finding the tools.

[scorrp10]

It could be a Message form.   If you open TesEdit, expand the specific plugin, look for 'Message' category if it has one, and see if the message you want to correct is there.   However, those kinds of message boxes are reserved for selections (Yes/No or multiple choice)

But yeah, if it is just a message box with an OK button, it is most likely displayed via Debug.MessageBox function.    I personally use Vortex for my mod management, and in Vortex, on the Mods page, I can click the dropdown arrow next to Remove button and select Open in File Manager, which will open that mod's staging folder.    Which lets me explore the contents of the mod.   If most of mod's resources are in a .bsa, then this .bsa contents needs to be extracted.   Then you check scripts/source directory (in LE) for the .psc files.   If there is scripts directory, but no source under it (no .psc files) it means mod author chose not to include them.    You can always use Champolion decompiler if that is the case. Once you do have the .psc files, looks for debug.messagebox in them using something like GrepWin .  

Once you found the line responsible, and changed it, you need to compile the script.   And that can be a challenge onto itself as you then also need source for any classes used by the script you are trying to compile, as well as source for any classes used by those scripts, and thus recursively.   Setting up proper script compilation environment can be a doozy.    

That said, if you tell me exactly which mod and what is the message you want to correct, I might do something about it.

[WakahisaSensei]

On 5/15/2024 at 7:57 PM, scorrp10 said:

 

That said, if you tell me exactly which mod and what is the message you want to correct, I might do something about it.

I don't think that's permitted. Since it would technically violate the mod author's permissions. But it isn't a big enough deal for me to get others involved beyond instructions. Plus, I may have bigger issues now so skyrim modding is taking a back seat. Computer just did something that suggests it is dying.

[WakahisaSensei]

It may have been nothing as bad as I thought afterall lol. In any case, I've given up on changing that mod for now. Might come back to trying to change this message box at a later date though.