(Noob) Question about Timestamps and Precombined meshes

[Zorkaz]

I read that you could undo changes to static objects that break precombined meshes by altering their timestamp so it matches the original object, via F04Edit.

 

Is that true and how can I do that?

Is it this record that I need to change?

 

[VIitS]

Yes, it is true, and it is because the system that automatically disables precombineds compares the VC Info 1 data of the precombined REFRs to the timestamp subrecords in the containing CELL record. If the VC Info 1 data of a single REFR that is part of a precombined mesh is newer than the timestamps (or is empty, which happens if you copy as override in xEdit), then precombineds and previs get disabled for that cell. You can tell if a record is part of a precombined mesh by looking at the left pane of FO4Edit (also called xEdit). If it says [Placed Object], it is part of a precombined mesh. If it just says Placed Object (no brackets), it is not.

 

 

Before I answer, I want to know: why you would need to? If you change the timestamps so that precombineds aren't broken, then any actual changes to the record will be ignored. When a record is made part of a precombined mesh, the record itself no longer gets loaded, just the mesh, in the exact spot it was when precombineds were generated. If you replaced the base object of the REFR, or changed the coordinates, that change won't be reflected, and everything else would be completely ignored since precombineds can't have special properties.

 

If there are no changes made to the record (i.e. it is an ITM record that was added to your mod by accident), you can just clean the plugin to get rid of the ITMs. I have used the script mentioned below, but that was because I was generating precombineds using a separate plugin and copying everything into the main plugin. Copying to another plugin using xEdit wipes out the VC Info data, so I needed to copy it over.

 

 

 

There is a script that ships with xEdit called "Copy Version Control Info from another plugin". You would need to remove the requirement for the masters to be the same for both plugins*, then you can use it to copy the VC Info from one plugin to another.

 

To remove the requirement, just open the script and delete the sections:

//==================================================================================
// list of masters of a plugin
function MastersList(aFile: IInterface): string;
var
  masters: IInterface;
  i: integer;
begin
  masters := ElementByName(ElementByIndex(aFile, 0), 'Master Files');
  for i := 0 to Pred(ElementCount(masters)) do
    Result := Result + GetElementEditValues(ElementByIndex(masters, i), 'MAST') + #13#10;
end;

and

            if not SameText(MastersList(GetFile(e)), MastersList(fromPlugin)) then begin
              AddMessage('Masters do not match between plugins!');
              fromPlugin := nil;
            end;

Make sure you remove the entire lines, so that you don't leave any bits of formatting behind that break it.

 

*That was a feature requested by the person who first wanted the script, I have spoken to zilav (the person who originally added scripting functionality to xEdit and is also the one who made the script in question), and he confirmed that it is not needed.

[VIitS]

You can also just use the "Update timestamps" option in the CK, which will change those timestamps to the current date. You just locate the relevant Cell, right click -> Update timestamps. You would not have to worry about missing VC Info data due to copying in xEdit because the act of saving the plugin in the CK should fix that.

[Zorkaz]

Ah okay. I just wanted to know if it's possible. I fixed my mod in an other way.