Difficulty with self-created BSA file

[syscrusher]

I've used BSA commander to create a couple of archives, first the one I actually wanted to use, then a trivial test case with just one mesh -- when I couldn't get the "real" one to work.

The archives I'm creating have a "meshes" and "textures" directory at the top, just like the ones from Bethesda. I'm taking default options for compression. To test my small BSA I put a mesh into a directory where it wouldn't normally be, so that I could be sure that the game and the CS could *only* obtain it from the BSA.

I'm able to extract the BSA to a temporary directory, and then view the test mesh in Nifskope, no problem. In the CS Extended, I can select the mesh from the archive to create a new object, but when I put it into the Testinghall, I get the WTF Missing Mesh display. Ditto in the game.

Oddly, the CS console specifically shows that it loaded my test BSA successfully.

Using similar procedures with Bethesda's BSA from Shivering Isles, I can create new objects just fine. It's just my BSA that is the problem. My BSA is in the Oblivion "Data" directory, and I have even tried explicitly adding it to the archive list in the .INI file. It is also named identically to my .ESP file except for the extension.

Has anyone encountered anything like this before? I'm obviously getting the data into and out of the BSA archive, and the CS can read it but can't seem to actually display the mesh. I've got to believe it's something in my archive creation flags (0707 and 01A4 for archive flags and file flags, respectively). Ideas, anyone?

Thanks!

Syscrusher

[Arthmoor]

BSA Commander is flaky on creating BSA files. I've run into the same thing before and ended up using OBMM to do the job of creating them instead. It's also been said that FOMM can handle creating BSAs for Oblivion.

[syscrusher]

Thanks, Arthmoor. It's comforting to know I may not be as stupid as I thought, although I try to assume bugs are *mine* first and someone else's only if proven. :-)

I didn't know OBMM could create a BSA. I'll poke around in its UI to see where that feature lurks. I've also previously used TES4files to make BSA archives, but I didn't do that this time because I'm trying to avoid having the mesh and texture files loose in my test installation directory.

[InsanitySorrow]

I always use TES4Archive for my BSA tasks.

[syscrusher]

CONFIRMED: The problem was BSA commander. I found the BSA Creator function under "Utilities" on OBMM's main menu, and used that, successfully. Interestingly, both BSA Commander and OBMM seem to be unwilling to work with import folders on a network drive, though OBMM allows its OMOD directory to be on the server with no problems.

Thanks again for steering me in the right direction. I'd call this one solved.

[syscrusher]

I always use TES4Archive for my BSA tasks.

Thanks for the tip, IS. Downloaded and will give a try!

[Artisanix]

I saw many complains on BSA commander, but the program never failed me - and I created all bsa files for my mods with it...

I can only presume that those complains are because people relay on flags' descriptions in the program and try to set things in such a way - which is rather wrong because it doesn't work properly. What you should relay on are numbers of the bits. In other words you need to select proper bits no mater what descriptions they have.

And for meshes you should select 1 2 3 8 9 10 11 bits for archive flags, and 1 7 bits for files flags, for textures these are 1 2 3 9 10 11 for archives and 2 for files, and so on...

Which exactly bits you should select just check original files for reference. If your mod has meshes only just open original meshes archive and write down bits that had been selected for it (Info button) then you need to select those for your mod in exactly the same way. If you also have textures then open original textures bsa and check the bits - and add to the selected those with missing numbers.

And I carried out an experiment once - I had selected all the bits for archives and files flags (FFFFFFFF) and bsa worked perfectly. So it is always better to select more bits than needed, than to select too few.

[syscrusher]

I saw many complains on BSA commander, but the program never failed me - and I created all bsa files for my mods with it...

I can only presume that those complains are because people relay on flags' descriptions in the program and try to set things in such a way - which is rather wrong because it doesn't work properly. What you should relay on are numbers of the bits. In other words you need to select proper bits no mater what descriptions they have.

And for meshes you should select 1 2 3 8 9 10 11 bits for archive flags, and 1 7 bits for files flags, for textures these are 1 2 3 9 10 11 for archives and 2 for files, and so on...

Which exactly bits you should select just check original files for reference. If your mod has meshes only just open original meshes archive and write down bits that had been selected for it (Info button) then you need to select those for your mod in exactly the same way. If you also have textures then open original textures bsa and check the bits - and add to the selected those with missing numbers.

And I carried out an experiment once - I had selected all the bits for archives and files flags (FFFFFFFF) and bsa worked perfectly. So it is always better to select more bits than needed, than to select too few.

Interesting. I've used BSA commander many times to extract and browse archives, with no problems so far, but this was the first attempt to create an archive. If time permits, I'll try setting the bits as you suggest and re-create the BSA to see if it behaves differently.

I find it annoying that so many Windows programs, both gaming and otherwise, are badly-behaved about network access. You would think that a file descriptor would behave the same; in Linux, it does. I think there are a few programmers who try to twiddle things they really didn't *need* to twiddle, instead of letting the o.s. do its thing. Sorry, rant mode off now.

[Arthmoor]

I gave up a life of arcane bitvector magic when I left MUDs behind. OBMM is far simpler and just works

[syscrusher]

I've seen some real complaints about OBMM online, but it works pretty well for my needs. I really ought to use Wrye Bash and BAIN, I know. The odd thing is, Wrye Bash really appeals to me because I'm a command-line junkie in Linux and *like* it that way. I just haven't found time to learn Wrye yet.