Mod Folder Clean Up

[girlie100]

Hi Guys,

Was wondering can i create sub folders in my mod folder, i.e maps, tractors, implements etc rather than it all being in a mess? or would this affect the way the game reads the mods?

Thanks

[cwattyeso]

It would indeed effect the way the game reads mods, as the game doesn't read files from subfolders sadly.

[girlie100]

Damn, its what i thought, that folder messes with my OCD lol

thanks for the quick reply

[CombineBert]

You could rename the file? Prefix all your map mods with map_ vehicles_ etc etc

You would probably need to rename after an update?

[aklein]

This is what I do for my mods.

First your mod folder can not have subfolders as the game wont read into them. So what I do is I maintain a separate mod folder for every save game I have. This does mean I have copies of the same mod in different folders so if you are low on space then this wont be so useful but what it does mean is only the mods used in that save game are in that mod folder. Folks will argue it does not mater but I can tell you it does. If you have a mod folder with say 400 mods in it. Yes it seems like alot but I assure you there are folks with mod folders larger than that. When you launch the game it will read some aspect of every single mod you have in your mod folder into memory. The game does this before you even get to the game's main menu. This includes maps, vehicles, implements, scripts, etc. Don't believe me look at your log.txt file. You will see a line entry for every single mod show up before the game even starts to load a save game. Then you pick your save game and then it starts to load up those mods specifically into memory in more depth but all of those other mods not activated could still affect the game play if anything by increasing the amount of memory the game needs or in worse cases by conflicting or changing the behavior of the game as a result of having scripts or global functions that end up affecting game play even though the mod was not actually selected.

Some may say that does not happen either. Well let me remind you of the big blue baler mod from the mod contest in 17 that basically broke every other baler in your game if that mod was in your mod folder if it was activated or not as it had a script that was not properly written that got loaded at game load up and caused all the other balers to not work properly. The fix was to use that blue baler only or to remove the mod from the mod folder totally.

Ok back to what I do. So i have a separate mod folder for every save game. it has the map mod and the mods I use or plan to use for that save game. I then have a master 'archive' of mods in cloud storage in MS OneDrive folks could use Google Drive or other free or low cost cloud storage offerings. I use cloud storage as its easy to get to from multiple computers and assures me that a total hard drive crash wont result in a total loss of a mod collection.

When I want to play a save game I will change the name of the mod folder from say Ravenport_mods to mods and then play that save game. If I want to move over to Emerald Coast I will rename the mods folder back to Ravenport_mods and then change EC_mods to mods and fire up that save game, etc. I have heard of mod folder managers but never used them myself as I trust myself renaming folders more than an application written by someone else but that is me.

[aklein]

You could rename the file? Prefix all your map mods with map_ vehicles_ etc etc

You would probably need to rename after an update?

Depending on how the mod is written renaming it could break its function. I have seen maps where if the name is changed sell points and other buildings no longer appear as a result.

[CombineBert]

Depending on how the mod is written renaming it could break its function. I have seen maps where if the name is changed sell points and other buildings no longer appear as a result.

Didn't think of that. Kind of hoped the resources in the mod would have been contextually referenced from the root directory of itself.

Be a bit of trial and error I guess.

On a side note, thumbs up for your youtube content, a regular watcher of your map and mod reviews.

[aklein]

We first discovered it when doing some pre release testing for Emerald Coast. That map was then updated to allow for file name changes but I have seen many comments about maps downloaded from some rehosters that are known to change the file name of all files hosted there that sell points and such where not showing which leads me to believe that they are seeing the same thing.

[blue_painted]

I think I've said this before, but I did the same sort of thing: I'd build a folder of mods specific to a particular saveGame and then have a number of directory junctions to my "must have" modes -- Seasons, GPS, QuickCamera etc etc etc. It made a lot of difference to load-time.

[girlie100]

This is what I do for my mods.

First your mod folder can not have subfolders as the game wont read into them. So what I do is I maintain a separate mod folder for every save game I have. This does mean I have copies of the same mod in different folders so if you are low on space then this wont be so useful but what it does mean is only the mods used in that save game are in that mod folder. Folks will argue it does not mater but I can tell you it does. If you have a mod folder with say 400 mods in it. Yes it seems like alot but I assure you there are folks with mod folders larger than that. When you launch the game it will read some aspect of every single mod you have in your mod folder into memory. The game does this before you even get to the game's main menu. This includes maps, vehicles, implements, scripts, etc. Don't believe me look at your log.txt file. You will see a line entry for every single mod show up before the game even starts to load a save game. Then you pick your save game and then it starts to load up those mods specifically into memory in more depth but all of those other mods not activated could still affect the game play if anything by increasing the amount of memory the game needs or in worse cases by conflicting or changing the behavior of the game as a result of having scripts or global functions that end up affecting game play even though the mod was not actually selected.

Some may say that does not happen either. Well let me remind you of the big blue baler mod from the mod contest in 17 that basically broke every other baler in your game if that mod was in your mod folder if it was activated or not as it had a script that was not properly written that got loaded at game load up and caused all the other balers to not work properly. The fix was to use that blue baler only or to remove the mod from the mod folder totally.

Ok back to what I do. So i have a separate mod folder for every save game. it has the map mod and the mods I use or plan to use for that save game. I then have a master 'archive' of mods in cloud storage in MS OneDrive folks could use Google Drive or other free or low cost cloud storage offerings. I use cloud storage as its easy to get to from multiple computers and assures me that a total hard drive crash wont result in a total loss of a mod collection.

When I want to play a save game I will change the name of the mod folder from say Ravenport_mods to mods and then play that save game. If I want to move over to Emerald Coast I will rename the mods folder back to Ravenport_mods and then change EC_mods to mods and fire up that save game, etc. I have heard of mod folder managers but never used them myself as I trust myself renaming folders more than an application written by someone else but that is me.

That's my evening sorted, thanks Farmer Klein
P.S love the vids

[mikejl46]

Thanks, gonna give that a try

This is what I do for my mods.