» Wed Jun 27, 2012 1:05 am What is TED5Edit:
Its predecessors FNVEdit, FO3Edit, and TES4Edit by ElminsterAU are the best tools to use for exploring overlaps between mods and cleaning mods. TES5Edit will have the same functionality since the compiled release will be made with the same TES4 back engine using the definitions as a result of this project. He would work on it himself, but unfortunately suffers from a severe lack of spare time. He has offered to compile TES5Edit after the necessary supporting files are changed for Skirim's file format.
This utility will let you easily see how multiple mods interact and override each other, as well as giving you a quick view of the changes that a plugin makes. It lets you browse a graphical record tree of your active plugins, revealing the values set by most record types and comparing overlapping changes from each active plugin.
When started it will automatically find your Skyrim Data directory. You then get a dialog to select which modules you want to load with the current selection from your plugins.txt as default value. Once you have confirmed that dialog the selected modules will start loading in the background. The program will then work the same as its predecessors.
Why do we need TES5Dump:
.snip. TES5Edit isn't the important thing in this scenario, what's important is getting the records decoded, because a whole load of things (Gecko, Bashed Patch, etc) require that, not just TES5Edit...
.snip. Because so much depends on the record decoding, it's sensible to open up the task to as many people as possible. As such, publicly hosting the definitions and the TES5Dump code/program is best for that. The plugin format has historically been documented at UESP.net for previous games, but I'm of the opinion that only verified decoded records should be documented there, so we still need a central location lots of people can read/write to. A SVN repository would be ideal...
What is TES5Dump:
TES5Dump Is a command line utility that can take an esm/esp file, decode it, and give a human readable dump to the console. The output can be redirected to a file, so you could use:
TES5Dump Skyrim.esm > Skyrim.txt
To turn the whole master into a huge text file.
What works better when working on the record definitions is to create new .esp’s using the CK with just a single (or a few) records, of a single type, with specific values for all the different fields.
The process is then basically:
TES5Dump Skyrim.esm > Skyrim.txt
To turn the whole master into a huge text file.
What works better when working on the record definitions is to create new .esp’s using the CK with just a single (or a few) records, of a single type, with specific values for all the different fields.
The process is then basically:
- Create new .esp with example records
- Run TES5Dump
- Modify record definitions
- Repeat till dump is correct
- Repeat steps 2-4 until all possible record types and all possible fields are covered
What we need for this project:
We are looking for volunteers and TES enthusiasts who are willing to contribute their time in decoding Skyrim's files. Currently the file for TES5Edit is just a copy of the definitions file from FNVEdit.
What you need to contribute:
You will need Free Pascal (FPC) http://freepascal.org/
Having knowledge of Pascal's record structures would be helpful. If not required since you will be editing Pascal files hosted on an SVN repository.
Having knowledge of or, experience in decoding records for plugins would be extremely helpful as well.
http://tortoisesvn.net/
What we will be starting with:
We will start by editing a file named wbDefinitionsTES5.pas with the definitions from http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Tes5Mod:Mod_File_Format
Getting Set Up:
You'll need a SVN client program to work on the Pascal file we will be using. TortoiseSVN, is very popular and handy.
Instructions will be posted once a Repository is in place.
Special Thanks:
Listed in alphabetical order.
AndalayBay: Without her help getting me in touch with Elminster we would all still be waiting for confirmed record definitions, and even longer for a working TES5Edit.
Bethesda: For their awesome program, and for this forum so we can accomplish this task.
ElminsterAU: For all his hard work, and agreeing to compile TES5Edit once we have made the necessary changes.
WrinklyNinja: for setting up the Repository since I have no idea how to do that.
