Master Files? converting ESP to ESM

[ozziefire]

I am considering coverting my crafting/ammo mod to ESM so myself & others can use it as a base for other mods, I'v worked out how to change it's flag in FNVEdit to an ESM ok. But notice I can't edit it in GECK anymore.

 

Do I need to change the flag everytime?

Or use a pre ESM version?

Can I just change the file name to .ESP in Windows or would that possibly cause bad things to happen?

[Gribbleshnibit8]

Well, changing the flag makes GECK view it as a master file, therefore, it can't be edited. Changing the file extension isn't necessary, and could actually be bad. So long as the file extension is esp, any saves that use it won't notice the difference, change it and they will(potential for lost items, etc). Changing the file extension isn't really necessary anyway, as the only thing that really matters is the "master" flag. By not changing the file extension, it makes it easier to edit plugins that use your file as a master, because they keep the "esp" file as the name for masters. And yes, master dependencies are determined by nothing more than the text string of the file name.

 

And to answer your other question yes, you will have to change that flag every time.

[ozziefire]

Well, changing the flag makes GECK view it as a master file, therefore, it can't be edited. Changing the file extension isn't necessary, and could actually be bad. So long as the file extension is esp, any saves that use it won't notice the difference, change it and they will(potential for lost items, etc). Changing the file extension isn't really necessary anyway, as the only thing that really matters is the "master" flag. By not changing the file extension, it makes it easier to edit plugins that use your file as a master, because they keep the "esp" file as the name for masters. And yes, master dependencies are determined by nothing more than the text string of the file name.

 

And to answer your other question yes, you will have to change that flag every time.

Thanks for the reply

So will it work ok if I just use a pre-ESM version then delete the old esm, rename & replace it then add the flag, or will that lose items? Or do I have to stay working on the original ESM 'ed file.

[rickerhk]

 

So will it work ok if I just use a pre-ESM version then delete the old esm, rename & replace it then add the flag, or will that lose items? Or do I have to stay working on the original ESM 'ed file.

 

That will work. Just make a backup of your working esp before fiddling with the files. Personally, I never overwrite a backup. I append a number to the name and on my current WIP have them all going back to Dec of last year.

 

Another way to do it is to work with an esm/esp pair. All your new things go into the esp, and periodically you merge the esp 'Up' into your esm with FNVEdit. However, this will affect your save game if you add new inventory items to the esp because the form IDs will change when merging up. But I'd rather put up with that than go through the esp-flag-rename esm process. That's just me, though.