Regarding cleaning mods... : III

» Fri Jun 07, 2013 7:06 am

I realize it's good practice to clean mods before using them, but I've also read that sometimes the software can be too aggressive, so I'm being anol retentive - cleaning the mods I intend to use individually and scanning over the logs. Problem is I have no idea what I'm looking at. I know that deleting AMBI or WGHT references is simply removing duplicate data related to ambient light and water level, but I have no idea about much of the rest. Also, merging creature level lists I understand is a must, but should I merge dialog?? If someone could help explain this to me so I have a better frame of reference going forward I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!

-Jas

Spoiler

» Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:43 am

I have written something about this

here

http://abitoftaste.altervista.org/morrowind/index.php?option=content&Itemid=10&task=viewpost&id=48&-How-to-properly-use-TESTool

http://abitoftaste.altervista.org/morrowind/index.php?option=content&Itemid=10&task=viewpost&id=53&-Morrowind-modding-for-smarties-part-3-tes3lint-tes3cmd-and-TESTool

http://abitoftaste.altervista.org/morrowind/index.php?option=content&Itemid=10&task=viewpost&id=58&-Morrowind-modding-for-smarties-part-5-dialog-editing-fixing

» Fri Jun 07, 2013 2:11 am

Thanks for the info, abot (love your mods, btw)! Not sure I have the time or fortitude to learn the specific ins and outs (I've sunk ALOT of time as it is trying to learn all I can). It's practically a job just investigating mods (what do I like, where do I download, can I actually use it, what does it conflict with...).

Just for clarity sake: so-called "dirty" references aren't harmful, right? It's just redundant data? GMST's, I understand, are the ones to look out for. Even so, I've come across a couple mods that edit a GMST and are not to be cleaned. And dialog doesn't need to be merged - the load order of any dialog-centric mods that conflict will sort of decide what I get in-game? ...this gets exhausting. This is why I stopped trying to play this game years ago on the PC and bought the stupid Xbox version instead.

» Fri Jun 07, 2013 2:23 am

I can relate. I've been spending months selecting mods, editing them, etc.

They're harmful in that they can negate changes by a mod which legitimately alters the same object. So, a proper load order could technically take care of most issues, if you know where the issues lie. So, it's typically easier to just have clean mods.

» Fri Jun 07, 2013 3:20 pm

for a quick and dirty safe / state of the art cleaning I'd say
1. test3cmd.exe clean modname
2. testool.exe with "Restricted dialog cleaning" ON, "Restricted cell cleaning" ON
3. repeat test3cmd.exe clean modname
(sometimes after cleaning with testool tes3cmd can clean something more)

This should automatically and safely clean 90% of things

N.B. get latest tes3cmd.exe version

» Fri Jun 07, 2013 2:17 pm

My problem is how do I know if a reference being deleted SHOULD be deleted. For instance, I cleaned Neoptolemus' Unboarable Rieklings and it returned that it deleted a creature reference: BM mounted riekling, or such. I ran LGNPC's through TEStool with the restricted options on and it deleted empty dialog references... well, I understand that empty cell and dialog references are often a necessary part of a mod.

I appreciate your input guys... I will try what you suggested, abot.

» Fri Jun 07, 2013 3:09 pm

A creature is usually cleaned only if it is exact duplicate of standard. Try cleaning the original mod with tes3cmd and see if tes3cmd cleans the same creature.
You can output tes3cmd log e.g. with this command
tes3cmd.exe clean modname > log.txt

I am assuming you are not using TESTool [Just fix it] button, that would bypass your settings. Try posting a link to the original LGNPC mod you cleaned and the related testool cleaning log