I just lost a boatload of work on a painstakingly crafted ruin-cave transition, mostly because I don't understand how the CK's saving/active file functionality works. Please help me understand.

When I first load up Skyrim.esm and start editing, the first time I select File->Save it asks where to save the plugin. All well and good. I save it (mymod_0.1.esp), close the CK, plop my ESP in my Data folder and go play-test it.

Then when I open the CK again, and tell it this time to load my plugin file, I start making edits and notice that the plugin's filesize is 1k. Ok, so I realize that for some reason the newest edits are being saved separately from the original ones. Even though I'm viewing the entire compilation of my edits in the Render window, only the latest edits are being saved. If I go to File->Save it asks me again to choose a file to save to, so now I save as e.g. mymod_0.2.esp. Loading up mymod_0.2.esp in Skyrim and COC'ing to my dungeon reveals only those last edits are there, without any of the original content.

This bit me once already, and I got around it by simply making all my edits, then duplicating the cell, which makes a new cell with ALL of my edits from start to finish (supported by the fact that the file now sports the expected filesize). Then I deleted the original cell and I was golden. Somehow though I don't think this is the standard procedure.

This latest edit-spree I made my cave, then in an attempt to do things the "right" way I figured I would make sure my plugin was set as "active" (File->Data->select mymod_0.2.esp->Set as Active File), and save my edits as mymod_0.2.esp (thinking that maybe it would just merge my edits if it was going to the same file). It wouldn't let me do that since that file is the one that was loaded. So I selected my file again in the File->Data window and clicked the Set as Active File button again to change back to how I was before I tried this. At this point it starting loading everything all over again and I could only sit, watch and cry while it reloaded the unedited mymod_0.2.esp as I realized that I never got to actually save my edits. I should have just stuck with my cell-duplication trick, and I wouldn't have lost any work.

Ok so cryfest aside, what exactly the heck is the proper procedure for working on existing mod files? The CK Wiki tells you exactly how to make a new one, but doesn't go into what to set to active and how to save after you've already got a file.

Thanks for any help,
== Roachy

My presumption is that the step I am missing is to set my plugin file as the active file when I first start the CK before I do any editing. I thought I was doing that by putting the X mark next to it in the File->Data window by double clicking it. But I see that afterwards, clicking the Set as Active File button changes my plugin's status to "Active File" in the Status column.

Your presumption is correct.

Wow that was weird. I just re-read my 2nd post and imagined the answer that someone would write. I thought to myself "Your presumption is correct" right as I clicked the refresh button. It just felt weird to think it and then see it written less than a second later.

Anyway, thank you for confirming. If I may ask how have others been versioning? So far I've just been manually dragging a copy of the loaded file over to a new directory and renaming it with a version number every time I feel like I've done something worth calling a new minor version. What really throws me off is having to use my game's live Data directory as my working directory.

Although I might be able to use that to my advantage. If I'm working solely on a specific cell, is it possible to keep the game running as long as I port out of the cell before saving modifications to it? Or would that still cause problems? I'm a little afraid to try, especially because of the stuff I've been reading about how easy it is to accidentally modify things you're not even intending to work on. Although a quick look through the File->Data->Details of my plugin has thus far shown I've managed to avoid it.

Double R-Click will tick and select a file as active.



If the plugin is open in the game, the CK will not be able to save changes to it. If the plugin is loaded in the CK, you can still playtest it w/o shutting down the CK.

You should NOT give your esp's version numbers, because the game will treat it as different content - so if you were to update the mod, all the old content would disappear (and when loading a saved game would would get the warning that content is missing) and the content would re-appear with the new version as if you have just installed a new (but similar) mod.

Instead, put them into version-numbered folders or archives.
Although you can use version numbers on esp's for your personal use.
Just don't try to upload them with those names - the Steam workshop in particular will not allow you to upload a file with a different name to the same "page".

I see thanks to you both.

Yeah, basically I've been leaving the mod file as just mymod.esp in the Data folder, and copying it to a backup folder and renaming it with a version number. But I guess using versioned folders is the better way to go.

With the data files window open and your mod set as active, you also have two entries you can modify. Created By, and Summary. Add your version number to the summary as well.