[Outdated] The Proper Way to Install Mods

not quite, you have to put a new line such as ""../mods/DiamondPickaxeMod" for each mod. where DiamondPickaxeMod is the name of the folder containing the mod.

also the last entry in the list before the last bracket needs to not have a comma after it so it would be something like :

{
"assetSources" : [
"../assets",
"../mods/vmMod"
],
"storageDirectory" : ".."
}

 

I want to automatically connect mods.

 

"assetSources". This function is able to read files in subfolders?

 

Yes, it will include all the mods placed in that folder.

 

First : While it is true that loading is recursive and that setting "../mods/" is enough, pointing directly on the subfolders enable us to activate/deactivate mods on case by case basis, without having te move file around. While it changes little for us right now, I feel it is a good way for mod manager : installation by copying files, enabling/disabling by editing bootstrap.
Second : I won't say anything definitive before extensive testing on my part. It is true that multiple files conflict when they are in the same assetSources. Does it with different assetSources ? I don't know; I'll test it before being adamant about it.
Thirdly : this issue is currently unresolvable without a merger executable or by hand edit. I hope that the Dev Team will give us a way around this issue.
Lastly : this solution, while valid pose the same issue that your first proposition - we can't disable a mod without removing or moving it out. Furthermore, separating vanilla content (located in assets), and modded content is, in my opinion, sound and preferable. I would prefer it if the asset folder was edited as few as possible, if at all (which is currently impossible).

 

Question: Would

Code:

"assetSources" : [
  "../assets",
  "../mods/*",
],

Work?

 

"../mods" would work, and have the effect you are searching for.
"../mods/*" would probably not; I'm at work right now, so I can't confirm, but I don't think any wildcard got implemented.

 

it will include all folders and sub folders in assets folder and mods folder... yes.

 

That crashes the game due to it being a duplicate file.

 

Tiy has stated that soon the engine will support resource packs, like zip files, that can add or overwrite default game content. Specific details to follow, but I wouldn't worry about making a mod manager.

 

If there is a duplicate file whichever assetSource that contains a copy of the file is last will be what is used. You did something wrong.

 

You could make a script to do it in PHP but it wouldn't be pretty. C# would be the best presentation-wise, whips up a pretty little form and the same simple back end. I want to do it but I see there's already 4 or 5

 

Something I found out.
The game searches ALL folders and files inside the assets folders. The names each folder has is just for organizations sake. If you dump all files and get rid of all kind of folder structure, it would STILL work. Because of that, you can just ADD folders to the asset folder and it will be included as well.
For example, let's say you have a mod that adds two images and three text files.

Code:

supercooltile.png
supercooltileitem.png
supercooltile.material
supercooltile.recipe
supercooltileitem.matitem

You can just stick that in a folder, let's call it supercoolmod. So now we have a structure like so:

Code:

supercoolmod
    supercooltile.png
    supercooltileitem.png
    supercooltile.material
    supercooltile.recipe
    supercooltileitem.matitem

You can then just add a folder called mods (doesn't have to be mods, but it makes the most sense) in the assets folder, and then stick the supercoolmod folder in THAT mods folder.

Code:

assets
    animations
    augments
    blah
    blah
    mods
        supercoolmod
           supercooltile.png
           supercooltileitem.png
           supercooltile.material
           supercooltile.recipe
           supercooltileitem.matitem
    monsters
    music
    blah
    blah
    blah

Guess what, it works!
This way, you get exactly all of the benefits described by the top post, but without having to edit the bootstrap file!
Unless I'm missing something glaringly obvious, that is.

 

If you look at the somewhat smoothened out mods, you can see most mods do this for a few days already. There's a reason why some of us are against people that keep saying 'use this method, it's better!' while all it does is make it even more difficult for the user to maintain.

Also, be careful if you ever have custom filepaths in your mods. For example, my mod is working from a completely seperate folder as well, but because of many filepaths in files, would an user or myself screw with the foldermanagement, my mod will stop working.

 

Yes, of course that method works...the idea of editing the bootloader is to have selective control over what mods are active and what mods aren't at the time. Just throwing a folder with mods in the Assets folder loads them all, and you would have to move the ones you don't want loaded out of that folder.

 

Personally, I rather just move a folder now and then than edit my bootstrap file all the time. If I would support this, I would have to tell the users of my mods to perform an extra step. And no matter how easy it already is, they already have issues even without the bootstrap editing. It might be handy for people that somewhat know what they're doing, but saying this is the 'proper way to install mods' is taking it way too far.

 

Yes, that does work fine. For new assets.

The point of this method is to have a way of modifying existing assets that doesn't involve overwriting the existing assets.

 

I don't see how I'm doing something wrong. I added "../mods" to my bootstrap. Everything else loads fine but duplicate files.

 

Are you sure the folders and file locations are right ( assuming you are overwriting a file ) ? if the original file is in /assets/items/generic the mod has to be /modname/items/generic

 

No it doesn't, but that's how I've set up my folders anyway. The folder structure doesn't matter.