OIV packs only download as txt files.
-
hi guys when i download certain mods mostly OIV packs they only download as TXT files in notepad with chinese text in them. just wondering if anyone knows why this is and if there is a way i can fix this. cheers
-
Install OpenIV. Alternatively they can be opened with 7zip.
-
Automatic Installation
-
Download your mod with the OIV installer and extract the zip/rar/7z package as you're doing now
-
In the extract, you will find text files and possibly other files like pics, but also a file that ends in .oiv. This is the file you will need.
-
Launch OpenIV and from the top menu, select Tools, and then Package Installer which will let you browse to select your .oiv file.
-
Follow the rest of the instructions given by OpenIV - very simple.
If the .oiv file is missing then there is likely a link to download the mod in one of the text files.
Note: OIV's are total garbage. They will potentially overwrite your files including gameconfig and even dlclist.xml files, without warning, and often using outdated files.
If you can't do a manual installation at least backup your files. There might be an uninstaller oiv in the package, but again its files might be outdated too.The philosophy of the OIV modder is "My mod is the only important one, and it works on my system with my mods, so I'm going to replace the gameconfig, heap, pack, dlclist, add some asi files, so that it is exactly like my system, even though the mod was created in 2020 (or whenever they started) and it might be installed in 2021 or even 2022 or later."
Manual Installation
-
Use the same software you used to unzip/extract the OIV mod - because an .oiv file is essentially just a zip/rar/7z package - a compressed container for files.
-
Once extracted, you will see a file called assembly.xml. This file explains exactly what goes where and you can choose not to do some of the replacements, for example keep your game config. The content folder will show you exactly what's in the package. What will be added, what will be created, what will be replaced.
If you are able to install mods manually, for example replacing a vehicle, this will be nothing new for you. The only challenge is to pay attention to what you do, and ofc backup, particularly if you install a complex mod like LibertyCity.oiv manually.
-
-
@JohnFromGWN said in OIV packs only download as txt files.:
Note: OIV's are total garbage. They will potentially overwrite your files including gameconfig and even dlclist.xml files, without warning, and often using outdated files.
If you can't do a manual installation at least backup your files. There might be an uninstaller oiv in the package, but again its files might be outdated too.
The philosophy of the OIV modder is "My mod is the only important one, and it works on my system with my mods, so I'm going to replace the gameconfig, heap, pack, dlclist, add some asi files, so that it is exactly like my system, even though the mod was created in 2020 (or whenever they started) and it might be installed in 2021 or even 2022 or later."Agreed, in principle. They have their uses, though. For instance, I use a custom-rolled .OIV, with timecycles, startup screen, standard ymap overrides (for dlc_patch) in update.rpf, etc which I use with each game update that changes update.rpf. If it's someone else's .OIV, indeed, stay clear of it.
Or at least examine the assembly.xml file, to inspect what's it doing.
-
@meimeiriver Fully agree. What's deplorable are the ones that will overwrite files in your root folder and change your updated gameconfig with one that is outdated.
The worst OIV I saw was one that changed dlclist.xml. Can you imagine a novice losing every single entry for his addons and more than likely not having a backup?
The other stupidity is when they put uninstallers, not caring those "original files" might go back several versions of GTA5.
Users are thinking, "oh this is like a windows uninstaller". Wrong.
Having said that, when you do a manual install on a mod like Liberty City which involves so many steps you cringe at the potential for a noob to completely screw up. You avoid doing it late at night with tired eyes.
I might sound like a broken record, but backup, backup, backup - has saved my ass many times, well at least has saved me from going to the original game files and then copying them over mod folder files to fix mistakes.
As for update.rpf, I'm not into online (GTAO) DLC content so I keep my update.rpf and make manual edits only if I feel they are necessary. In the same way, contrary to most people, I only keep the x.rpf files that I edit in my mods folder (and I have 9 mod folders/9 configurations, each folder sharing one dlc folder in the root folder).
-
@JohnFromGWN said in OIV packs only download as txt files.:
As for update.rpf, I'm not into online (GTAO) DLC content so I keep my update.rpf and make manual edits only if I feel they are necessary. In the same way, contrary to most people, I only keep the x.rpf files that I edit in my mods folder (and I have 9 mod folders/9 configurations, each folder sharing one dlc folder in the root folder).
I don't do Online either. But update.rpf is the only file that changes at every major update, so it's good to have an .oiv for that. The rest in mods, x.rpf files and dlcpacks, naturally don't require updating each time.
-
@meimeiriver Actually you gave me an excellent idea. Right now i have 9 mod folders, i select the mod folder to launch GTA5 with an elaborate command batch file menu. For example i'll choose to load LS with Liberty City or LS with Vice City, or Chicago, or Las Venturas, etc. This is for stability reasons. Additionally to minimize duplication of files, all the mod folders share the same dlc folder. While the batch file is somewhat complex the process is effortless because it only involves file renames and it automatically enters my steam account id, password, and selects SP as well. So one selection, one enter press, and then both steam and the game launch with selected mods.
I know some people go in the opposite direction, one mod folder with the megamap extension and huge ugly bridges connecting everything. They also don't seem to mind looking up in the sky over the Pacific Ocean to see the Nurburgring track floating up there. Im going less is more.
The one big difference between all the mod folders is the dlclist.xml. it is different in each update.rpf in each mod. The reason being they load addons selectively. For example if I load the French Riviera, it will not load all the other large worlds.
So i can modify most files or folders from a batch or similar file but i can't modify dlclist.xml because it is encrypted and also because it is nested in update.rpf. By rolling my own OIV i would be able to do multiple edits to multiple mod folders in one step.
Unfortunately this would not work great with dlclist.xml as each mod has a subset of this file. The master file is setup with comments as headers to segregate worlds, racing tracks, MLOs, cars by brands, a few MP packs and patches, and common packs such as peds. I then go into OpenIV with the master dlclist.xml and selectively remove the lines for addons that shouldn't load. This process is what allows me to have one dlc folder instead of 9 dlcpacks. In other words 0 duplication of addons, 100% shared. I only need to update the dlclist.xmls when i make major changes, which is rarely.
But one quick win would be with replaces within x.rpf given each mod folder has one or two x.rpf packs customized for that mod. An example would be to replace a vehicle for every single mod folder given the x.rpfs can't be shared as each one is modded differently. The long way would be to replace them one by one in OpenIV. The quick way would be an OIV repeating the same steps but for 9 paths. Other examples would be the Dante mod and the Ferrari suit for the MP male, both of which modify x.rpfs rather than dlcpacks which can be shared.
Only thing i need to ensure is whether the assembly.xml gives me the flexibility to work with paths that aren't customary, i.e. 9 mod folders with different names. Need to look at file.
-
@meimeiriver Update.
I finally got around to creating an OIV for personal use, to update the dlclist.xml in 9 different mod folders in one shot. The only challenge, and it wasn't difficult at all, is that OpenIV expects your path to update.rpf (which contains the dlclist) to be in a folder called Mods. Which is fine, but only 1 of my 9 has that name at any given time.
The solution? Just prefix the name of the Mod folder in your path. And then when asked, select Games folder instead of Mods folder. I use the description field to set a reminder for myself not to install in Mods.
So you were right, OIVs do have their place.
For example:
<archive path="ModsChi\update\update.rpf" createIfNotExist="True" type="RPF7">
<add source="Chicago\dlclist.xml">\common\data\dlclist.xml</add>
</archive>
<archive path="ModsRiviera\update\update.rpf" createIfNotExist="True" type="RPF7">
<add source="Riviera\dlclist.xml">\common\data\dlclist.xml</add>
</archive>