How to create DAZIP out of random files.

[KarnivalKarnage]

Hey guys!

 

So, I'm the typical "has no idea what they're doing" noob trying to install some mods. Actually, I'm probably better off than some, because I have managed to make quite a few work, but I haven't been able to install all of them perfectly.

 

Basically, I have DAMM, so when a mod is already in DAZIP form I'm pretty much good to go, no problems. However, some of the mods I've downloaded contain only a "Contents" folder along with a "Manifest" text document. I've gotten bits and pieces of these mods to work by simply copy+pasting to the Override folder, but some are glitched or simply don't work at all. For instance, for the Quest and Legends pack, it is downloaded as a ZIP which I then use WinRAR to extract. When it is extracted, only the two things I mentioned earlier are visible - Contents and Manifest. I've read the Using Dragon Age Mods for Dummies guide and I've also read Combining multipart files using 7-zip guide, but I cannot even get to a point where anything in that guide would become relevant. I have WinRAR and 7zip both downloaded.

 

Sorry again for the, I'm sure, annoying question. Appreciate any help!

[amycus]

hm, I looked at the side for the "quest and legends" mod and they did indeed warn about the installation process being different from usual, but from what I read they have now uploaded a DAzip version:

 

"NOTICE! Thanks to Dark0ne and the crew here at the Nexus, Quests and Legends v1.5 is available for the first time as a single complete DAZIP download! No more complicated installs!"

 

Might save you some time. Post here again if you meet any other problems with other files (it helps though if you list the other specific mods you are having trouble with)

Edited June 30, 2011 by amycus

[KarnivalKarnage]

hm, I looked at the side for the "quest and legends" mod and they did indeed warn about the installation process being different from usual, but from what I read they have now uploaded a DAzip version:

 

"NOTICE! Thanks to Dark0ne and the crew here at the Nexus, Quests and Legends v1.5 is available for the first time as a single complete DAZIP download! No more complicated installs!"

 

Might save you some time. Post here again if you meet any other problems with other files (it helps though if you list the other specific mods you are having trouble with)

 

Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, my problem has come no closer to being solved :( I'll give you another example - for the Extra Dog Slot mod, when I extract the files using winRAR, I am given two items - one folder titled "Contents" and a text document titled "Manifest." Where do I go from this point? Do I simply just throw that into the Override folder, or is there something huge I'm missing? This particular mod doesn't say anything about DAzips, but the majority of mods that need extracted are coming out this same way.

[amycus]

hm, I looked at the side for the "quest and legends" mod and they did indeed warn about the installation process being different from usual, but from what I read they have now uploaded a DAzip version:

 

"NOTICE! Thanks to Dark0ne and the crew here at the Nexus, Quests and Legends v1.5 is available for the first time as a single complete DAZIP download! No more complicated installs!"

 

Might save you some time. Post here again if you meet any other problems with other files (it helps though if you list the other specific mods you are having trouble with)

 

Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, my problem has come no closer to being solved :( I'll give you another example - for the Extra Dog Slot mod, when I extract the files using winRAR, I am given two items - one folder titled "Contents" and a text document titled "Manifest." Where do I go from this point? Do I simply just throw that into the Override folder, or is there something huge I'm missing? This particular mod doesn't say anything about DAzips, but the majority of mods that need extracted are coming out this same way.

 

err, once agian, when I downloaded that mod to check what exactly the installation process should be, I get a dazip file. As I'm sure you know, if it's a dazip file you should just drag the file (.dazip) to DAMM.

 

IOthwerwise, yes there are some files with no Dazip, and in those cases they should give you instructions on the installation process if you read the readme. It's weird if there is neither installation instructions or a dazip file, but in those cases you should probably just need to extract and place in your override folder.

 

If you have another example, please post again. Just please double check that there really isn't any dazip file to save us both some time :)

[KarnivalKarnage]

I shall post another example, but keep in mind that each of these scenarios is identical with what I'm getting. This time, we'll use the Personal Castle and Harem mod as the example. The description says there should be a .dazip in the file. When I download it, I am given it as a zipped up winRAR file. When I extract it, I am given a Contents folder and a Manifest text document. Inside the Contents folder are the sub-folders of addins and packages. These both continue on to "core" and "module" folders. Inside these are files that .erf or.cif. So I basically have a jumble of files that probably IS the mod, I just don't know how to stitch them together to make a proper .dazip. Like I said earlier, more files than not do this exact same thing. Some (Ser Gilmore, Lock Bash and Devout Armor) give me the .dazip no problem. But others, as you can see, just give me a mess of files. I really appreciate you helping me out - you're awesome! And your sig reminds me of an Edgar Allan Poe quote - "I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity." :)

[amycus]

I shall post another example, but keep in mind that each of these scenarios is identical with what I'm getting. This time, we'll use the Personal Castle and Harem mod as the example. The description says there should be a .dazip in the file. When I download it, I am given it as a zipped up winRAR file. When I extract it, I am given a Contents folder and a Manifest text document. Inside the Contents folder are the sub-folders of addins and packages. These both continue on to "core" and "module" folders. Inside these are files that .erf or.cif. So I basically have a jumble of files that probably IS the mod, I just don't know how to stitch them together to make a proper .dazip. Like I said earlier, more files than not do this exact same thing. Some (Ser Gilmore, Lock Bash and Devout Armor) give me the .dazip no problem. But others, as you can see, just give me a mess of files. I really appreciate you helping me out - you're awesome! And your sig reminds me of an Edgar Allan Poe quote - "I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity." :)

 

I did have some suspicions before, but if all these files that ARE SUPPOSSED to be DAzip files but come out as just a zip file, and the content is as described then it sounds like it just changes the file extension on its own.

 

Download one of the files you have trouble with, and change the file extension (.zip) to .DAzip. The reverse process, changing .dazip to .rar is actually commonly used when for example a modder want to look at the content of anothers custom content. And yes, that might sound like a surprisingly easy action, and should work if the content of the file is as you described. I didn't say it before though since it's just plain weird if the file extension is changin itself on its own when you download it (I still find it hard to believe, but that's the situation you have described).

Edited July 1, 2011 by amycus

[KarnivalKarnage]

Okay, I definitely think we're getting somewhere - now comes the embarrassing part - how do I change the extension? When I go to download the mod, it tries to automatically save as winRAR archive (*.7z). The only other option is All Files (*_*). I thought I could maybe just manually type in .dazip, but it isn't allowing me to do this. It's simply a pull down screen with those two options. I feel like I'm SO close! :'(

[DarkeWolf]

Right click on the file after downloading it, and chose "rename" as the option.

From there, simply change it from .zip to .dazip ;)

Now, this may not work with .rar files, and definitely will not work with .7z files, as they use different formating than .zip.

If they are rar, or 7z, extract the contents first, then add them to a new .zip archive, then convert it to .dazip as above. ;)

 

as for the manifest file that you mentioned... no. Simply adding that to the override folder will not work. The manifest file contains data which has to be added to your addins.xml file located in your settings folder. That has to be added either manually, by copying and pasting the info in the manfest to the addins file, or by an installer, such as DAM or DAMM.

[amycus]

What Darkewolf said - I will just add that if you are running win 7 (might be like this for vista too), then the file extensions for files will not be visible by deafult ( don't you just love the changes they made from xp guys? :wallbash: ). Here is a tutorial to change the settings so you can view and edit them: http://malektips.com/windows-7-view-file-extensions.html

 

Oh, and the simplest way to avoid these problems alltogether is probably to not get them saved as a .7z at all. What browser are you using? Personally I'm using chrome, and it automatically starts downloading after choosing which server to use when downloading a mod from thenexus.

[KarnivalKarnage]

Holy %%$#^%%%%%%%%$#%$% you guys are amazing! Got it :D

 

Now, I shall toy around with browsers it seems. I'm using Opera, but only because it never dawns on me to use anything else. Perhaps I should try Chrome.

 

Thank you guys SO much for all your help. :)

 

EDIT: Yep, it must just be an Opera thing - Chrome automatically downloads stuff into .dazip format. I'm an idiot.

Edited July 1, 2011 by KarnivalKarnage