Installing mods through provided OIV installer is leaving files they replace or modify blank
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When installing mods with OIV installers, OpenIV is leaving the files they modify or replace blank, and even dlclist.xml was missing the last two, very crucial lines. For example: Realistic Gun Sounds replaces weapons.meta. Instead of replacing it, it deletes everything from it leaving it blank.
I managed to find and fix most of this by manually re-installing the mods but the game is still crashing with the "ERR_PACK_FIL_3" error. I've literally been trying to fix this for 9 hours straight. I tried a full new mods folder, I tried turning off edit mode before using the OIV, I now tried manually reinstalling every bit of the mod, even including going in and manually editing several lines in several files.
At this point, unless theres a way to fix this blank file BS I guess I have to try another fresh mods folder and manually installing the mods again... Anyone know why the OIVs aren't working right?
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Yep, so OIV mods are literally just corrupting my mod folder... Same PC, newest version of OpenIV, latest game version, fresh mod folder, wtf.
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@TakeNoShift I recommend that you do not use the oivs from very old mods, they are usually very problematic.
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So you're saying that with time, mod creators have evolved so they actually can create an OIV installer that doesn't screw up your game? Nah. Morons will always be morons.
You're right to stay away from the old ones, they are the worst, but my advice is to extract them and see if they're safe before using them. Personally, it's manual install only.
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@JohnFromGWN I believe so. I don't know about you, but I generally don't waste time with mods that I see have been done poorly, I think this way: Good mods are not rushed, and those who have the patience and determination to get one finished will not go out distributing them in any way. So, I do believe that modders are putting time into the creation of their iovs. An example of this is SkyZ with LotteryMod.
However, I agree with you that it is good practice to always look at the oivs' assembly.xml before installing.
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@Niziul You have to remember that very few modders have all the skill sets.
Scripting mods, creating OIV installers, 3D Modelling from scratch, 3D ped, map, car conversions, image/texture editing, troubleshooting problems, meta file edting - all different skills.
So someone could make a great mod and a horrible OIV.
As I've written before, some OIV creators have the best intentions but don't understand the xml behind installers. Others are just selfish, caring only that their mod works even at the expense of all others. A perfect example is those that package a dlclist.xml with the entry for their mod, knowing full well it will wipe out all other entries for the user.
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I did end up completely starting again. While making a new mods folder though, I noticed that even freshly copying over x64 and update into the new one, while OpenIV was running, was causing certain files to copy over completely blank. The assembly.xml files all seemed to be ok, and I have used them in the past with no issues, so I'm going to assume this is a weird new issue with OpenIV.
I closed OpenIV, copied over a clean mods folder, and THEN manually installed things. VWE does have a game crash issue currently though, as I've learned via the VanillaWorks Discord. I now know to backup my mods folder before installing anything to it as well.
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Use Windows Explorer when doing file operations (copy, paste, move, deletes) and never with OpenIV open. Use OpenIV for files that can't be manipulated with Explorer, such as rpfs and files within rpfs.
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@TakeNoShift
Yeah, simplest answer is always install '.oiv's manually
(unless you implicitly trust the mod author etc)One thing I did want to mention for anyone reading this, is that with the likes of older '.oiv's the file paths within the 'assembly.xml' can't always be trusted. Using a combination of OpenIV's Ctrl+F3 Search box, a knowledge of GTA V's file load ordering & the 'assembly.xml' is the best method for installing manually.
Also, blank lines in 'assembly.xml' can cause issues to happen, or completely empty/blank lines within the '<content>' section can at least.
A blank line here within 'assembly.xml:
</text> </archive> </content> </package>can break 'update.rpf' (when the '.oiv' containing it is installed obvs) so that future '.oiv' installers will not install correctly. That can be fixed, but only with a full '.rpf' backup made previous to when it was installed.
Have reported that^ to OpenIV team, but I think it's likely considered a user/incorrect configuration issue rather than something to patch, but certainly something to look out for etc.
Tricky to diagnose too, given you have to revert to backup from before, not the last, but the second last '.oiv' you installed, & then try again to install the very last '.oiv' (the '.oiv' that would have appeared to have broken your game in the first place, ie very counter-intuitive) while you instead this time skip installing, not the last, but the second last '.oiv' you installed.
When is that^ ever the answer lol
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Thanks for all the tips and help, fellas! I've definitely learned something in all this mess and I feel a lot more capable now, having taught myself some useful things for modding the game. Troubleshooting was a BIG PITA not knowing that I should have OpenIV closed when using Windows File Explorer for backing up and restoring my mods folder. Most importantly: F*CK OIV installers. Never again 😅