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Zip My Mod


metricjester

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Yes, that's right I've just spent a few hours these past couple of days learning python and made a script to zip up mods from a simple text file. Text file follows this format: ZIP file name on the first line, base directory on the second line (in my case it's C:/program files/steam/steamapps/common/oblivion/data/), and relative file paths on every line after that until the end of the file (like: meshes/clothes/lowerclass/01/f/pants.nif). Uses python, and only been tested on python 2.7 on windows.

 

Download here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/zmm/files/

Edited by metricjester
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I don't really understand the objective. It is easy to zip up mods using 7-Zip. It is easy to gather up their resources using TES4Files. What is it that your new creation does different or better?
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  • 3 weeks later...

I use 7-zip all the time, but my files for most mods are all over the place, in several directories, all starting from a single directory. I desired to make the time from making the files to zipping the files shorter. None of this lousy drag and drop, and no 1000 character command lines, just a simple text file that is easily changed. I don't know what TES4Files is or what it does, so I couldn't possibly tell you what's different about my script. And I certainly wouldn't say this is better than 7-zip. 7-zip is a catchall utility that is invaluable to everyone, while zMM has a bit of a more specialized purpose, that of creating a zip file with a directory structure that starts at a particular directory using a simple file list. It's got a fast turnover too.'

 

Any other particular questions? want to see the source?

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You should download TES4Files. It is awesome! It is what everyone else uses to deal with some of the issues you have listed. TES4Files has the ability to quickly and accurately gather up the .esp, meshes, textures, sounds, LOD files and whatever else is associated with a mod and put it in the proper directory structure for upload so that it is easy for a gamer to install. It is very valuable for making sure that you don't miss a single mesh or texture when packaging a mod.

 

What is with the 1000 character command lines? I never have to worry about command lines with 7-Zip and TES4Files. They both use a Graphic User Interface.

 

It kind of sounds like other people put their files in one directory to make things easy, but you have a different system that requires more complicated software.

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I grew up with DOS, and graduated to self installed linux before gaming with Oblivion. That makes me more comfortable using command lines than GUI. Like I said before, I find drag and drop to be a lousy way of dealing with files. If i were to use a 7z command line it would probably look like this:

 

7z a tfm.zip -tzip .\Textures\TheFullMotley\* && 7z a tfm.zip -tzip .\Meshes\TheFullMotley\* && 7z a tfm.zip -tzip TheFullMotley.esp

 

Now i realize that this is the windows form, and it's not exactly 1000 characters, but typing

 

C:\python27\python.exe zmm.py filelist.txt

 

is noticeably shorter, and putting it into a batch file called zmm.bat is even shorter still. Plus it gives me a chance to sort out my files in my head while I make the filelist

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You should give tes4files a look -- to package a mod with it you simply open tes4files select the .esp you want packaged from the list of .esps in your folder and it will pull all of the components that are used in the mod that are not part of the vanilla game and place them in the proper folder layout for the game - pretty much makes packing a mod a simple click the esp process and then you just compress into an archive of your choice. (not that having a second option is a bad thing but if you had not heard of it before you may find it does what you are looking for !) - and avoids the possible missing of textures\meshes while making a file list since it scans through the esp file to see what files are actually used in the esp for you instead of you having to remember them all. Edited by JDFan
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