I know of 4 different methods which are:
http://www.creationkit.com/Version_control#Trick_to_check_out_Skyrim.esm_forms

If you take the trouble to do the above though, there is nothing stopping you from having a chain of ESM files editing any of the earlier ESM's contents.

So if I want to convert my mod to an .esm I have to do what? Have 1 esp file which holds all the forms that modify skyrim.esm and then have 1 esm file which holds everything else? Or are you guys saying I have to modify something in skyrim.esm?

This little back n' forth discussion you guys are having doesn't seem to be too relevant to me so I'm kind of confused at the moment.

EDIT: Am I supposed to do that thing in Maegfaer's tutorial where you open up Skyrim.esm with a hex editor?

If your mod edits vanilla content, then yes, you should.

Your mod is in an ESP right now yes? Create another new empty ESP, dependent on Skyrim.esm (and Update.esm as well if your other ESP file is dependent on it). Rename the extension to *.esm. Open the file in the hex editor and change the ninth byte (same one used in the Skyrim.esm example in my tutorial) and change it from 00 to 01. That's the ESM flag in the header. Now save the file. You now have a proper ESM file ready to move your content to. Set up Version Control as outlined in the tutorial, and check in all contents from your mod's ESP into your ESM file. Version Control will automatically make the correct ONAM records in your ESM.

Alright I will try that and report back ASAP. Thanks so much!

Wait so I don't have to edit skyrim.esm's ninth byte? only my new .esm ninth byte?

EDIT: I tried what you said.

-I downloaded this hex editor: http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.htm#download
-Created a new ESP that was dependent on Skyrim.esm and update.esm
-Changed the esp file header to esm
-Opened up the file in the hex editor and changed the ninth byte from 00 to 01 and saved it.
-Setup version control like I always do (and tested that it works)
-Load up Skyrim.esm update.esm newmasterfile.esm and my plugin.esp
-Checkout all the forms: No problems
-Check in all the forms: I select my newmasterfile.esm as the file I want to merge with and hit OK and then it freezes.

I've tried this 2 times now. I'm going to try creating an empty master file again.

According to the instructions, you'll have to change both to 01. Yours to make it a master and Skyrim.esm, to make it editable.

Alright I will try that.

I did that. I changed the ninth byte of the skyrim.esm to 01. I made sure that VC had a modified skyrim.esm as well.

Creation Kit is frozen as I write this message. I'll wait a little bit and let it stay like this since the mod I'm converting is pretty big.

EDIT: Yeah it didn't work. What could I be doing wrong? Are there alternative methods?

Should your method work flawlessly Maegfaer?

Should I maybe do the thing where I have 1 esp with all the vanilla changes and 1 esm with everything else? If so then I need to know which forms to remove.

The bigger question would be why do you think you need an ESM file to start with? That should always be the first thing you ask. If you're editing forms in Skyrim.esm that begs the question of whether you should be trying to go that route.

I'm a part of a modding group that is creating this big project. And we need to start using Version Control.

And I'm pretty sure version control only works with .esm's right?

Yep, and what you're doing is exactly what VC is meant for.

Yes well the creation kit freezes up every time I try and use Version Control to create a master file.


Is it possible to check in like 50-100 forms at a time and just do it slowly? Because it might be that I'm giving Creation Kit a bite it can't chew y'know.

But you don't provide your work in ESM format. You use ESPs to work in and merge and the result of the merge (check in) is an ESM. VC will handle the conversions for you. Provided you can get it working and figure out how to use it. It's not an easy thing to get set up and get working correctly, or to use either.

Ok, I'll back out. Maybe somebody who has been able to actually use it successfully can help. Once I was finally able to make it check in, it never gave me anything usable. It does seem to take forever, and it looks like it is done long before it actually is. Clearly not user friendly. best of luck.

I can use version control just fine. It's just that I need to get Version Control working for this mod in particular.

And I know you work with ESP's and then merge the changes into the ESM when done. It's just that I need the ESM.

I tried selecting like 100 forms instead of all and I was able to merge them. So there must be some form Id's that are ruining my day.

How big is the ESP you're trying to merge?

7.57mb, it's for a big city project were working on called Luftahraan I sent you the link in a pm because I don't know if Wheeze wants me posting the link in a public thread where others can download.

I can confirm this.

Has WryeBash been confirmed as having the same issues as TESVSnip? TESVSnip unpacks and repacks all the records which is the source of the problem. WryeBash, on the other hand, just writes out the file to foo.esm with the master flag flipped, or so I've been assuming.

But I've not looked at the source, so I could be wrong. Anyone know for sure?

I've merged bigger files than that at once, so something must be wrong with a particular form. Try to figure out which one it is by trial.

Got any tips to speed up the process? Because this is like hundreds of thousands of forms.

EDIT: I guess I can just select a bunch of forms and if it doesn't work. I select 50% of those forms I selected previously and if it works I increase the size and etc. etc.

Should I compile a list of all the errors I get when I load up the mod?

I'm in the process of finding what form is making it not function properly. It's an extremely tedious process. I just hope the thread doesn't die while I'm at it

Holy [censored] I think I got it working. Hold on.


EDIT:

I selected all the forms except for a few forums that were flagged for deletion when I was checking out and checking in. And after a while it was able to do successful merge. It gave me a bunch of errors about some papyrus scripts and then the file ended up being 2mb. My original plugin is 7mb.

I tried it out in-game and it just crashed my game.

This is so annoying