So, since the auto-installer of Morrowind Overhaul works pretty well now, and it's really useful to the newbies (and not only them!) I thought that having an installer separated from the compilation would be great.
Basically I'm writing another installer that can be used without the compilation for the ones that would like to pick mods by themselves.

What the installer can do right now (in order of execution):

• Register all the .bsa files present in the Data Files folder (without bsareg)
  
• Launch Code Patch automatically and let the user choose the options
  
• Launch exe Optimizer and run it
  
• Activate all the esps files present in the Data Files folder (grass files are read from another directory so no problems, the installer automatically moves them)
  
• Launch Mlox and update load order
  
• Set MGE according to the PC Configuration and MGE version (checks if the version is MGE 3.0b, a revision or MGE XE before start)

Obviously the installer checks if the program is present in the Morrowind folder. If not it just skips that step.

Functions that I would like to add in future:

• Sort of Wrye Mash or SmartMerger support (will have to look into that, maybe merging and auto-skipping the esps that shouldn't be merged)
  
• Compatibility and update advices based off how Mlox works
  
• Suggest other functions here

The language used is http://www.autoitscript.com/site/autoit/.

That's it... tips, feedbacks and criticism are always welcome.

Sounds as if in some ways you'll be duplicating a few functions that Wrye Mash already does (activate? esps present) but automating the process more.

FWIW, currently what I do is use a combo of Wrye Mash and Mlox. I put all the mods (BOTH pluginless and those with esp/esm files) that interest me, whether I use them in a specific game, into the "installers" folder WM uses and let WM handle all the file tracking and installation. Then switching to WM's mod tab, toggle the esp/esm I want to use and then use mlox to check load order and conflicts. Works pretty well, especially since WM handles installing and removing the pluginless mods.

The biggest problems I encounter with this procedure is:
1. mods that are zipped in a structure that WM does not recognize. I have to unpack the mod and rearrange it so that WM recognizes it. Then I zip it and put the zip file into installers folder.
2. mods that are released with their own executable to install. Because I've chosen to use WM, I have to do as in item 1.
3. some mods include extras that WM doesn't know what to do with. I pretty much have to work with them on a case by case basis.

Untill I realized WM could handle the pluginless mods, I found working with those frustrating and time consuming.

So, my requests to automate using mods would be
1. a tool hat anolyzes the structure of the mod to make it compatible for use in WM (sorry, I just really like WM now).
2. a tool equivalent to mlox but that handles pluginless mods. As far as I can see, mlox will never pick up on those because they are never recorded in the .ini file. Because WM can handle pluginless mods, I can at least see that type mod in the WM installers tab.

Your point about the bsa files is important. I'm only playing one mod that has a bsa file, but it is easy to overlook when installing a mod. So something that flags those mods to remind and confirm that the accompanying bsa file is actually present and registered is useful.

Whatever you do, keep in mind something to work with pluginless mods. It seems to me the issue isn't installing them but in removing them if one doesn't like the changes they made. I've found WM invaluable if only for that reason.

just my 2 cents

John

That's all possible for sure.
Yeah I think that a full implementation of wrye mash would be great.
Handling pluginless mods is a great idea, but I have to look into that.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll post more soon.

I'd like an option to turn off this feature: "Activate all the esps files present in the Data Files folder (grass files are read from another directory so no problems, the installer automatically moves them)" since I use Mash to isolate different playing profiles, giving each character individual mod sets,I don't necessarily want everything I've got in my data folder activated automatically.

Other than that, a Smartmerger front end for this sounds simply wonderful.

I was amazed that the MGSO installer worked so well on Windows 7. Frankly, I expected it to choke on many of the steps and it just didn't. There were a couple of delays that confused me at the time, like the sse.exe errors (during the EXEOPT patching), the MCP "select your choices" pop up window, and my not selecting the grass directory when generating distant land, but when I realized all I had to do was click ok on the errors and popup and you told me to include the grass directory and re-run DL, I felt very comfortable with it. In truth, it was a lot less stressful than the many times I've installed all the programs individually.

I use Yacoby's Wryemash fork, so I'd rather see that version in the installer is you choose to do it, but after all these many years of installing and reinstalling, I will probably never do it again without your installer. It's like the first time I used a mod that removed the tutorial messages. It made starting a new game worthwhile.

Yes the tool will be modular; every function is optional.

So, since this tool will be EXTREMELY useful in the Game Experience part of the Overhaul, I will develope it as best as I can