Profile system - setting one up and using it as a backup

[capella6707]

So far I haven't used the profile system in Vortex, but I now have my game/mods (Just SSE) set up how I want them and from here I'd like to be able to try a mod or two but still retain my "master" list of mods, unaltered.

 

So, my understanding is that profiles can do essentially that - I've seen mention of "cloning" a profile to troubleshoot mods or try out mods on the clone.

 

Currently on the Profiles tab in Vortex I have one profile box that says

"Skryim Special Edition - Default"

Mods installed: 215

Save Games: no

Game Settings: no

 

A few questions:

• How do the per-profile Save Games and Game Settings toggles work?
• What if those are left to "No" and I have two profiles?
• What "game settings" are unique to a profile - the INI files?
• If two profiles use some of the same mods are those mods duplicated or is only one version of the mod kept and then deployed/undeployed in the game folder depending on which profile is selected?
• For multiple profiles, are the save files and settings moved to a certain folder for when that profile is selected to be used in Vortex?
• Same question for mods for a given profile: are the mod files physically moved around to retain for an unused mod and for the selected/active profile?
• Are there any caveats/things to keep in mind when switching between profiles?

Probably the most important question: is any or all of this covered in a tutorial/readme/forum post somewhere and I didn't need to write this or bother you with these questions?

[Rattledagger]

I've only used the Save Games option, so I can't answer when it comes to Game Settings:

 

1: Per-profile save games means a profile-specific directory is added to the normal saves-location and it's called something like example B1k9Mp0QX. At the same time the Skyrim.ini have the option sLocalSavePath=Saves\B1k9Mp0Qx\

 

2: You'll use the original save-location and not the new sub-directory as created in 1.

 

4: One set of mod-files + undeploy on mods not currently selected + deploy on the other mods.

 

5: Since the save-games has their own independent sub-directory they're not moved-around. The line in Skyrim.ini pointing to correct save-directory is on the other hand changed. I'm not sure how this information is really saved internally in Vortex…

 

7: Two caveats: The first is, while in theory the plugins-list should be correct for the profile you're switching to, at least in my experience sometimes some/all of the plugins is disabled on new profile and you need to re-enable them. I've not tested enough to really see any pattern here. Second caveat is, if you uses tools like example FNIS to generate new files, some of these files isn't present in any mod meaning Vortex has no knowledge of these files and this means they'll be left-behind in data-directory. This can give the dreaded T-pose in case you don't re-run FNIS, but even if you re-run FNIS in case some of the FNIS-mods isn't active you can still be stuck with T-pose. While Vortex does now have a new "Configure FNIS"-option I've not had the time to test this yet to see if this can fix the second caveat.

 

8: No idea if this information is available in any tutorial or something...

[capella6707]

I've only used the Save Games option, so I can't answer when it comes to Game Settings:

 

1: Per-profile save games means a profile-specific directory is added to the normal saves-location and it's called something like example B1k9Mp0QX. At the same time the Skyrim.ini have the option sLocalSavePath=Saves\B1k9Mp0Qx\

 

2: You'll use the original save-location and not the new sub-directory as created in 1.

 

4: One set of mod-files + undeploy on mods not currently selected + deploy on the other mods.

 

5: Since the save-games has their own independent sub-directory they're not moved-around. The line in Skyrim.ini pointing to correct save-directory is on the other hand changed. I'm not sure how this information is really saved internally in Vortex…

 

7: Two caveats: The first is, while in theory the plugins-list should be correct for the profile you're switching to, at least in my experience sometimes some/all of the plugins is disabled on new profile and you need to re-enable them. I've not tested enough to really see any pattern here. Second caveat is, if you uses tools like example FNIS to generate new files, some of these files isn't present in any mod meaning Vortex has no knowledge of these files and this means they'll be left-behind in data-directory. This can give the dreaded T-pose in case you don't re-run FNIS, but even if you re-run FNIS in case some of the FNIS-mods isn't active you can still be stuck with T-pose. While Vortex does now have a new "Configure FNIS"-option I've not had the time to test this yet to see if this can fix the second caveat.

 

8: No idea if this information is available in any tutorial or something...

 

Thanks, Rattledagger.

 

The caveats are especially concerning. I use FNIS. I noticed the new setting to automatically run FNIS after deployment, but haven't used it yet, as I am starting fresh on a new system.