I noticed quite a number of mods on the Nexus being created with TESVsnip. This tool has been largely discredited early on in the Skyrim mod scene, as it creates an .esp file that has the capability of destroying saves. So, if you download a mod that uses a .esp, I would advise passing on it, as the Creation kit has not been released and TESVsnip is the only other way to create .esp files.

You have been warned.....

Update: Better option. Still experimental, though. As always, use at your won risk.

http://afkmods.iguanadons.net/index.php?/topic/3750-wipz-tes5edit/

Open the first page and download xEdit 3.1.3. Extract TES5Edit, and rename FO4Edit.

Yeah, wasn't it made BEFORE it was understood what the differences were in the Creation Engine from previous games? And with the differences in engine to take advantage of more memory and the like, there may well be further differences to be discovered.

I'm wary of anything made before the release of the official tools. Texture re placers are one thing and easy to use, but esps, I'd avoid.

Yes. Loose file texture mods with no .esp file should be OK.

Can you be more specific as to what the actual issues with it were?

I'm working on hacking together a mod. I had considered using TSE5Snip, but right now I'm working on a program to dump the ESM forms. I've already found a few changes to some of the form structures.

Basically, it was made before the Creation Kit was released and modders started learning about the file system of the Creation Engine updates.It was never updated after the Creation Kit did release and the subsequent issues of using TESVSnip.

Most mods were either rebuilt using the Creation Kit or abandoned. A few modders continued to use TESVSnip, but a lot of the mods made with that tool are still considered dangerous to save games.

There's also the fact that it's a tool made for Skyrim and won't take into account any changes made to the engine for FO4.

I'm not sure there was any one specific error and it wasn't so much caused by the tool, but by not knowing enough about what you were doing when using it.

More info.

http://www.darkcreations.org/forums/topic/1799-skyrim-handling-compressed-records-do-not-use-tesvsnip/

Back to to page one a PSA.........

Last bump. I would avoid any .esp mod until the GECK comes out. But, hey, that's just me. Just don't go cluttering up the tech forums complaining about corrupted saves that you yourself caused.

I've actually been ensnared by this, even though I know better and read trhough every description. Sometimes they don't tell you its been made with snip, or they bury it in one of their txt files.

There should be an option on the nexus to warn others about a mod, say if 50 people lodge a complaint, the mod header turns a different color so you can at least be directed to the comment section. This really becomes a problem after the GECK is released.

For Skyrim, all I could do at that point was try to judge by when the mod was uploaded. Probably the same scenario here.

TESVSnip caused issue because of compressed records

If these esp doesnt use compressed record, and doesnt have any effect on a save game (like game var, or ref params), it's fine to copy records with tesvedit, then edit them with an hex editor as long as you know what you are doing, of course.

What prompted this thread was that several mod authors admitted to using TESVsnip when asked how they created their mods.

I suppose if someone knew what they were doing they could use TESVedit and then hex edit the records, but I have little confidence that they do. Better to just avoid .esp mods until the GECK comes out.

no, and you obviously dont know what you are talking about.

Tesvedit is really not the good way, since it removes unknown datas on save.

TesvSnip 4-4-2 (released after the issue you are refering to) actually can do a proper copy of records (as long as they are not compressed), since the structure logic is the same than before.

Note: i didnt say *edit* record, I said *Copy* record, which is not the same.

Note2: I dont either say that all esp mods are actually safe, I didnt check everything, so I cant talk for others.

But you are free to avoid esp for now, it's your call.

No. No it can't. Sharlikran has said repeatedly that even his own dev branch was never properly completed and should never be used, even on SKYRIM files.

This is simple. The tool will generate corrupted mods if used to make FO4 mods. Period. There is no other way for this to end. Wait for the official tools. Don't be that guy who repeats history after having been informed of it. It took nearly 2 years to finally expunge the problem from the Skyrim community and if people get that impatient again, that's what it'll take this time too.

I am sorry Arthmoor, but you are wrong on this.

I understand that it's not a good advice to say to someone who dont know how is structured an esp to use such a tool, but it's really not my case.

TesvSnip is not usable to edit and change data in esp, I agree with that, totally, but it works perfectly fine for copiing records, as long as they are not compressed. Its just a raw block copy, nothing else. I have tested this and verified the output byte by byte.

That's all I say.

No. It doesn't. You are wrong, period. Several people have already tried to explain this to you. Enjoy your corrupted game.

I understand your point perfectly well. Doesn't make the current .esp mods safe to use, though. Even if you don't believe me, you should believe Arthmoor and Sharlikran.

And I'm telling you, as someone who used Snip extensively and helped uncover the issues back then, YOU ARE WRONG. You are deluding yourself with an illusion that is not correct. You will find this out soon enough, so I'll leave you to it, because that's apparently how everyone before you had to find out for themselves. Not interested in fighting this same battle over the same issue all over again. If people refuse to learn from history, then let them repeat it and be doomed if they want.

There's no need for discussion if you deriberately ignore facts. Not any of the Mods made with TesVSnip, and obviously all those messing with records, are safe to use. That's also true for that http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/16/? that utilizes hexediting to modifie records and tries to emulate the CK. People being impatient will do nothing but mess up their games.

Please stop to make false statements others could be deluded with. You do not know or understand enough about the inner mechanics of FO, or respectively TES, to argue with any of the wizards.

The authority has spoken!

Honestly, there is no debate on this topic, no matter how much McGuffin wants it to be otherwise. The current crop of FO4 .esp mods have big problems and are a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

Just wait and see how many "my saves are corrupted" posts start showing up in the tech forums.......................

Ok original author of TESVSnip. The original original tool was not me (including use of ICSharpZip). If you really want to TESVSnip, then you might want to update against my github repo and build it. This one has significant updates including replacing the old zip library with zlib and new IronPython set of tools and ability to write pure IronPython scripts. However the campaign of fear, uncertainty and doubt basically means I dont at the moment plan on support it with this community outside of my own personal use.

https://github.com/figment/tesvsnip

Edit: When I do work on it it will be on this fork

https://github.com/figment/falloutsnip

There is no "campaign of fear". Just a warning that the current crop .esp's are problematic. Use at your risk. YMMV.

That should generally go without saying but I guess there are a lot of people who dont appreciate the difficulty of modding especially when the company does not release specifications for its files for modding.