Convert Back and Forth Between .esp and .esm

[ultskeletor]

So I am ever-progressing in my modding efforts. I'm pretty sure I've got the underlying structure of my mod complete. I'm going for a nice, clean organization of my resources, and I'd like to wrap it all up in an .esm, so I can utilize those resources via modular .esp's. I've pruned down what is currently the 'core' .esp containing all of the mod's resources. This is the .esp I need to make into an .esm. I've heard FO3Edit can be used to convert it, but I'm not sure how. Can anyone tell me how? Another post I read said you can expand the file header and tick the ESM flag, but I have no option to do so. Do I need to launch FO3Edit with a special switch?

 

Also, it's pretty likely I've made some errors or will need to go back and tweak this soon-to-be-.esm, so is the GECK able to edit .esm's? I think I remember reading that you have to convert it back into an .esp to edit it, so if someone could also tell me how to convert an .esm back into an .esp, I'd really appreciate it.

[Skotte]

first off, No the GECK can't edit ESM files only ESPs

 

The best way I know to convert ESMs to ESPs is with Fo3Edit

 

a good manual for Fo3Edit is Web-enized by csb

[pkleiss]

You can also do it with FOMM and FO3Pluggin.

 

FOMM is real easy and you probably already have it. Click the Pluggin editor button, load your mod (File --> Open), highlight your mod in the list, click under spells, choose make ESM, save your new file. This may be even better than FO3Edit as it makes a new esm file for you so you can keep modding the original without having to convert back.

[ultskeletor]

You can also do it with FOMM and FO3Pluggin.

 

FOMM is real easy and you probably already have it. Click the Pluggin editor button, load your mod (File --> Open), highlight your mod in the list, click under spells, choose make ESM, save your new file. This may be even better than FO3Edit as it makes a new esm file for you so you can keep modding the original without having to convert back.

 

Thanks for the responses. My knowledge comes from sometimes year-old forum posts turned up via google searches, but I read that using FO3Edit is preferable because FO3Edit automatically generates some sort of ONAM records and FOMM does not. Is that no longer true?

 

first off, No the GECK can't edit ESM files only ESPs

 

The best way I know to convert ESMs to ESPs is with Fo3Edit

 

a good manual for Fo3Edit is Web-enized by csb

 

Okay, I read that chapter in the manual. However, the wording implies that FO3Edit will convert all .esp's to .esm's without any input necessary from the user. I only want to convert one of them. Anyone know whether or not it allows you to convert only the .esp(s) you specify?

[Quetzlsacatanango]

 

 

Okay, I read that chapter in the manual. However, the wording implies that FO3Edit will convert all .esp's to .esm's without any input necessary from the user. I only want to convert one of them. Anyone know whether or not it allows you to convert only the .esp(s) you specify?

 

This is only if you run master update mode.

To just do one, open it in fo3edit, expand the +, and highlight file header.

On the right, right click in the column next to 'Record Flags,' where it says esp or esm, and choose edit.

Tick/untick the esm box depending what state it's in. Close and save.

[ultskeletor]

 

 

Okay, I read that chapter in the manual. However, the wording implies that FO3Edit will convert all .esp's to .esm's without any input necessary from the user. I only want to convert one of them. Anyone know whether or not it allows you to convert only the .esp(s) you specify?

 

This is only if you run master update mode.

To just do one, open it in fo3edit, expand the +, and highlight file header.

On the right, right click in the column next to 'Record Flags,' where it says esp or esm, and choose edit.

Tick/untick the esm box depending what state it's in. Close and save.

 

That was one of the first things I tried. Do I need to run FO3Edit with a special switch (like the -masterupdate switch, for instance?) Running FO3Edit normally, my Record Flags section is completely blank. Editing the Record Flags field pops up an empty window, no ESM, no ESP, nothing. This ESP was created by loading up some source ESMs in the GECK without specifying an active file, allowing me to save my changes to a new ESP. Am I doing something wrong? Does my ESP have a corrupted file header or something? If so, what's the proper process for generating an empty ESP so that I can copy my records from this one into a properly working one?

 

EDIT*: Nevermind, it works. You have to right-click and go to Edit; double-clicking pops up the empty window. Once the ESM flag is applied, do I then just manually rename the file extension to .esm?

[Quetzlsacatanango]

Correct, manually change the extension to esm.

[rickerhk]

 

Also, it's pretty likely I've made some errors or will need to go back and tweak this soon-to-be-.esm, so is the GECK able to edit .esm's? I think I remember reading that you have to convert it back into an .esp to edit it, so if someone could also tell me how to convert an .esm back into an .esp, I'd really appreciate it.

 

I've been working with an esm/esp pair - all the previous work is in an esm file. New things are in an esp that has the esm as a master. Periodically, I use FO3Plugin to merge these together into the esm. Any mistakes in the original esm get overwritten by the changes in the esp. Then I make a new esp and keep going. Back everything up before doing this. Also, your savegame will be affected, so do it when you are ready to start a new play-test game - or deactivate the mod, run your game, do a full save, re-activate your mod.

[ultskeletor]

I've been working with an esm/esp pair - all the previous work is in an esm file. New things are in an esp that has the esm as a master. Periodically, I use FO3Plugin to merge these together into the esm. Any mistakes in the original esm get overwritten by the changes in the esp. Then I make a new esp and keep going. Back everything up before doing this. Also, your savegame will be affected, so do it when you are ready to start a new play-test game - or deactivate the mod, run your game, do a full save, re-activate your mod.

 

That's not a bad idea. Thanks. I'd been converting my one main ESM back and forth when I need to edit it. Though, I'd still have to do it like that to fix name typos or failures to obey the naming convention. I'm all set, so my thanks to everyone that replied.