[SKY] Best tool to package files into BSA automatically

[syscrusher]

I've got my final exam house mod almost ready to go. I used some custom resources, which I've relocated into a Syscrusher directory. Is there a utility yet for Skyrim that, like TES4Files, will let me select my mod and then build a BSA file with all the resources used by that mod? The Syscrusher directory contains files from the modders' libraries that are not used, and which I don't wish to package.

Thanks for any recommendations!

[AndalayBay]

The CK will do that for you now. Apparently you can package it up as if you're going to publish it to Steam and then cancel the actual upload. It will grab all the dependent files and pack them into a BSA. I haven't tried this personally, but that's what I understand of the process.

[Arthmoor]

Yes, that's about right. You do need to be aware that it will not pick up the following automatically though:

meshes\Actors\Character\FaceGenData\FaceGeom\<mod filename>

Sound\Voice\<mod filename>

textures\Actors\Character\FaceGenData\FaceTint\<mod filename>

Compiled vanilla scripts that have been altered in the mod.

Compiled scripts attached to quest aliases, whether they're vanilla or not.

Those need to be found and dragged in manually.

[syscrusher]

Good to know, thanks! None of those special situations are an issue for this simple house mod, but I'll keep that in mind for the future.

Will it pick up files that are in textures\Syscrusher\* and meshes\Syscrusher\* regardless of the mod filename?

Also, by "found and dragged in manually", what's the process for that? I wasn't aware of a BSA folder viewer for Skyrim that supports drag/drop. Are you saying the CK can do that, too?

Thanks for all the info. I'm hoping to post a WIPz or BETA release of this thing on TESA tonight.

[Arthmoor]

Yes. It's more or less like when you're dragging new meshes in to make statics or whatever.

When the window is open in the CK to build an archive, you can switch out to Windows Explorer, navigate to the files you want, and mass drag them back into the CK to drop them on the archive dialogue. You have to drag the FILES though, it won't let you drag a whole folder.

So far it's never forgotten any meshes added to a mod. I haven't done any that also have new textures to go with them.

[syscrusher]

I got the CK to build my BSA file, but have a couple of observations:

1. I did it while Steam was offline (my usual condition anyway, because I don't like updates happening without my permission and because my laptop isn't always on the Net). As suggested, I went into the upload process, created the BSA, and then aborted. In my case, being offline, the abort was spontaneous rather than manual, but that's okay with me.

2. There actually is a dialog option to create an archive, and I tried that. It gave no errors but didn't actually seem to do what it purported. I'll play with it later to see if this was pilot error on my part.

3. The archive creation pulled in a couple of miscellaneous files (not meshes or textures) that aren't related to my mod, and which I hadn't touched, but I figured it knew what it was doing. In any case, it didn't offer me any choice of deleting them (I tried), so...what can you do?

[AndalayBay]

You can use BSA Opt to fix things up.

[Arthmoor]

Highlight the rogue files and hit delete.

While not a particularly great wiki page, this page does go into the gory details a bit and includes the section I added on what the CK skips if you don't add it yourself.

[syscrusher]

Highlight the rogue files and hit delete.

While not a particularly great wiki page, this page does go into the gory details a bit and includes the section I added on what the CK skips if you don't add it yourself.

That's very helpful, Arthmoor, and your additions are new since when I had last read that wiki page, so thanks for bringing them to my attention.