General routine for installing mods?

glycbz

Dear modding-experts,

I think I´m on the right way figuring out my problem with add-on mods since the doomsday patch.
Therefore: could one of you experts please describe the basic procedure to install a regular (dlc.rpf) mod with openIV (with existing "mods" folder)?
Like: 1. copy the "car" folder, containing dlc.rpf exactly in THAT folder. 2. open / edit exactly THAT (location - main GTA V folder or mods folder...) dlclist.xml.
Please be sure I read all threads dealing with that, I promise! I also watched a couple of tutorials. But there are some many different explainations and sometimes even completely contradictory that I´m really confused now how to do right. Plus: it seems the procedure really changed during the last 3 years with every new patch...

I´m asking that possibly stupid question because within the last couple of days I tried to figure out why I can´t get any mods running since the doomsday patch and I believe there could be an issue with the location of the add-on files. I mean how does the game "know" that it shall load all the vehicle-files from the new "mods/update/x64/dlcpacks" folder instead from the regular update/x64... one? I guess at some point the program code of the GTA V.exe says: now load all types of vehicles and look for them in update/x64... . I admit I have absolutly no clue of programming games but just by creating the mods folder, copying some files in it and adding this typical <item> line in the dlclist.xml, the game.exe doesn´t automatically know that the vehicle data must be loaded now from another location?!
Maybe my thoughts are complete bull shit...then feel free to tell me (: and how to do right.

Thanks a lot...

Cyron43

@glycbz We have a bunch of modding tutorials around here. Just look at the stickies here and in "General modding". Some people have put a lot of effort into writing them. Don't disappoint them by ignoring those.
About how the game knows about new cars and what to load:

There is a file named extratitleupdatedata.meta in update.rpf/common/data. All patches are registered there.
There is a priority system. The game loads all registered DLC patches and gives them top priority over any other data.
The mods folder is maintained by OpenIV. It hooks into the game (you could say it detours the code) and tells it "hey the mods folder has priority now" (simply put). The OpenIV.asi is responsible for this.

I have made a detailed tutorial about how to create your own DLC patch.
https://forums.gta5-mods.com/topic/14753/tutorial-how-to-modify-dlc-data-without-any-hd-space-overhead-your-own-dlc-patch