Open Mod Manager

[Nevyn]

Any mods that manipulate the DCS World root folder must be uninstalled before updating, saved games mods are not touched by updates. No other big traps that I can think of.

[Captain Orso]

9 hours ago, Willie Nelson said:

I have just installed OMM 1.2.7 as I have joind a squadron. I would just like to clarify to avoid future grief:

When a DCS update is due do I first need to uninstall root mods (ED main directory) and mods on my saved games target directory before updating DCS?

Additionally and more generally what are some of the other big traps that can get things in a mess with updates.

Thanks in advance

Yes! You must restore your DCS installation to it's original state, otherwise some very unpleasant things may occur, of which I will not go into detail, because it's boring.

Once you have completed an update, you ought to check if your mods are still valid, and that will depend strongly on what kind of mods you are using.

If you are modding you key-binds (..\Joystick\default.lus, etc. you can easily use a free tool such as WinMerge to compare the current DCS file with your modded file.

Thinks like kneeboard files should never be an issue.

Mods like community aircraft, or Civilian Asset Pack, etc, you can check where you downloaded them from to see if they report anything. Beyond that, you can just give them a try again to see if they don't cause a crash or something unexpected.

At any rate, after checking what you can, simply use OMM to reimplement your mods and carry on.

[Willie Nelson]

Ok, how good is the DCS repair feature in the event that it all goes to custard? I ask because I noticed after I had removed some root directoy files from the Local Library one of the root directory mods seemed to remain in place and I am hoping to avoid an entire re-install. Would an entire clean install likely fix such an issue if it started to casue some problems? It's not a problem as yet to be clear.

Edited May 8, 2024 by Willie Nelson
Elaboration

[Captain Orso]

The repair feature is without flaw. It simply goes through your installation, and every script file is compared with a list of valid files. Every script file which is not in its original state is replaced by an original. Every script file which is not on the list, is removed.

The problem is, if you left your mods implemented by OMM when you updated, all your mods will be removed or repaired. Then when you go to OMM again, OMM say that all your mods are still implemented, because it doesn't to a physical check. It looks at it's own status records and sees that it implemented these and those mods. All you can do now is de-implement your mods, which mean OMM goes into the copies it made of modded files and copies them all back into the DCS installation, which could easily overwrite files updated by the last update. So now you have a corrupted system, and you MUST run repair to fix. Now finally you will be on a virgin DCS installation, and you can start implementing your mods.

In conclusion, ALWAY remove you mods before updating! Mods in ..\Saved Games\DCS.. excluded.

[Willie Nelson]

Is there an single open source DCS free mod repository server that is available to all users that has a list of all the free mods that are updated that we can use?

I have found that mod updates and downloads are one of the biggest hurdles to joining a squadron. Everyone squadron seems to be managing their own thing which kind of complicates it for new recruits when they all have different protocols for updates and such....

[sedenion]

Hi there,

New released version 1.2.8

https://github.com/sedenion/OpenModMan/releases/tag/1.2.8

Change Logs:

• Fixed Repository Editor always add .omx extension at end of saved file name
• Fixed Mod Upgrade throw error message if old Mod is installed
• Fixed Mod Library sort by status not properly secondary sort by name
• Fixed not working keyboard shortcuts in Mod-Pack Editor and Repository Editor
• Fixed Mod-Pack Editor inconsistently detect unsaved changes in some cases
• Fixed Mod can be packed with dependency reference to itself (and cause infinite loop)
• Added Mod Library new status icons to identify dependency state of installed Mod (see details below)
• Added Mod Library feature and option to perform Complete Uninstall as default action (see details below)

New installed Mod dependency status

The Mod Library list-view now show the installed Mod dependency state in the Status column by a specific check mark color:

• A Blue check mark signals that installed Mod has satisfied dependencies
• An Orange check mark signals that installed Mod has unsatisfied dependencies

New Option to perform Complete Uninstall as default action

The "Complete Uninstall (clean dependencies)" command is the new designation of what was previously named "Clean Uninstall". This command is only allowed for installed Mod that have dependencies and is used to perform an extended and recursive search of Mod dependencies in order to Uninstall the Mod and all its dependencies.

By default, this command is only accessible via the Mod Library's contextual (right-click) menu while a double-click (default action) on an installed Mod perform a classical Uninstall. It is now possible to set the Complete Uninstall as the default action (double-click) when it is possible. The option is located in the Channel properties, "Mod Library" tab and is labelled as "Perform Complete Uninstall as default action".

Edited June 28, 2024 by sedenion

[Gideon312]

I've got a Mod importation error.

Log details are: [14:09:29] X ModHub[DCS Open Beta].ModChan[Saved Games].importMods: import Mod "C:\Users\xxxx\Desktop\DCS Mods Saved Games\CH Military Asset Pack USA 1.1.3.zip" copy error: (0x20) SHARING_VIOLATION

Any ideas?

[sedenion]

3 hours ago, Gideon312 said:

I've got a Mod importation error.

Log details are: [14:09:29] X ModHub[DCS Open Beta].ModChan[Saved Games].importMods: import Mod "C:\Users\xxxx\Desktop\DCS Mods Saved Games\CH Military Asset Pack USA 1.1.3.zip" copy error: (0x20) SHARING_VIOLATION

Any ideas?

 

As you can see at end of log, copy failed because of Sharing Violation error:

ERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION
32 (0x20)
The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

Check file permissions, check whether file is "monopolized" by another application...

You also can manually import Mod by copying yourself the ZIP file into the proper channel's Library folder.

Edited July 3, 2024 by sedenion

[sedenion]

Hi there,

New released version 1.2.9

https://github.com/iquercorb/OpenModMan/releases/tag/1.2.9

Change Logs:

• Fixed deleted installed Mod not properly handled
• Fixed Mod Directory (dev mode) description not properly refreshed
• Add Mod Directory (dev mod) overview automatic refresh
• Fixed target directory can be changed while Mod installed (can cause dada corruption)
• Fixed deleting repository do not properly clear related Mods and may crash application
• Add resizable Channels List, Presets List with per-Hub save
• Add resizable Network Library's Repository List with per-Channel save
• Add Hud options to hide Channels and/or Presets Lists

Edited July 7, 2024 by sedenion

[sedenion]

Hi there,

New released version 1.3

https://github.com/iquercorb/OpenModMan/releases/tag/1.3

Changelog:

• Added alternative installation process to allow or forbid Mod overlaps at install (with automatic uninstall of conflict Mods)
• Added option to disable confirmation dialog when opening external links from Mod description
• Changed logic for dependent and dependency Mods status indications (blue check now indicate Mod is an install dependency)
• Fixed various glitches related to layout (splitters) changes/resizing
• Fixed Mod-Pack Editor file name preview not correctly set at initial Mod parsing
• Fixed Mod-Pack Editor's save button that still disabled after Mod build from a directory
• Fixed progression dialog text that flicker and disappear while refreshing
• Fixed message dialog detail text that overflows dialog box (making it not easy to read)

 

[Willie Nelson]

Thanks for the updates.

I am attempting now to manually install the UH60l 1.4 version from my desktop in to my local library folder. I am using the manual install ICON and when I do this it does not display in the OMM local library list. It does however display in that folders directory when I look for it with file explorer.

Any ideas?

I am going to have to primarily do manual installation going forward becasue there does not seem to be an open source mods repository that anyone seems to want to make universally available. 

[sedenion]

1 hour ago, Willie Nelson said:

I am attempting now to manually install the UH60l 1.4 version from my desktop in to my local library folder. I am using the manual install ICON and when I do this it does not display in the OMM local library list. It does however display in that folders directory when I look for it with file explorer.

What "manual install icon" are you talking about ? It appear that this mod is not designed to be used with mod manager...  you either have to modify it to make it manager compatible, or simply install it manually into your proper Saved Game/DCS* folder... For help on the second option, you better ask the mod's developer.

Edited July 26, 2024 by sedenion

[Willie Nelson]

20 minutes ago, sedenion said:

What "manual install icon" are you talking about ? It appear that this mod is not designed to be used with mod manager...  you either have to modify it to make it manager compatible, or simply install it manually into your proper Saved Game/DCS* folder... For help on the second option, you better ask the mod's developer.

 

Thanks for the quick response. My mistake, not the manual install icon, just the install icon as per below.

Why are you saying that this mod is not for Mod Manager? I have previously seen this mod (possibly an earlier iteration) in the download library or a squadron repository. Should I unzip it first maybe?

[sedenion]

8 minutes ago, Willie Nelson said:

Why are you saying that this mod is not for Mod Manager? I have previously seen this mod (possibly an earlier iteration) in the download library or a squadron repository. Should I unzip it first maybe?

To be properly installable/manageable via Mod Manager a mod must have a specific structure (proper folder hierarchy that replicate the target), the zip file I saw from the github repository appear to not being properly structured, it directly provide data to be unzipped into a specific folder. Maybe the squadron or repository manager did have repacked the mod to make it fully compatible with manager. Provide link to what you are attempting to install/import in library, so I can confirm hypothesis.

Edited July 26, 2024 by sedenion

[Willie Nelson]

26 minutes ago, sedenion said:

To be properly installable/manageable via Mod Manager a mod must have a specific structure (proper folder hierarchy that replicate the target), the zip file I saw from the github repository appear to not being properly structured, it directly provide data to be unzipped into a specific folder. Maybe the squadron or repository manager did have repacked the mod to make it fully compatible with manager. Provide link to what you are attempting to install/import in library, so I can confirm hypothesis.

 

Here you go:

https://github.com/Kinkkujuustovoileipa/uh-60l/releases/tag/1.4

[sedenion]

11 minutes ago, Willie Nelson said:

Here you go:

https://github.com/Kinkkujuustovoileipa/uh-60l/releases/tag/1.4

Ok, so, that is what I suspected. The Zip file is not structured as "manageable" mod, it is simply a raw zip with modified files inside, and this is why you don't see it while in the Library folder : It is rejected by software, since it does not follow the minimal expected properties, it is not parsed as a "Zipped Mod".

What you can do is to create a folder named "UH_60L_v1.4" inside your Library folder (The folder will appear in OMM with a folder icon), then create a "Mods" folder inside this "UH_60L_v1.4" folder and finally, Unzip the content of the  "uh-60l-1.4.zip" file into this "Mods/" folder.

You should now have what is called a "development mod", that should be working and being installable already. You can use it as it is or you may transform this "development mod" into a real "mod pack" zip file. In OMM, right click on the mod folder, and select "open in Mod Pack editor"... you then can save it as a zip package.

Edited July 26, 2024 by sedenion

[Willie Nelson]

1 minute ago, sedenion said:

Ok, so, that is what I suspected. The Zip file is not structured as "manageable" mod, it is simply a raw zip with modified files inside, and this is why you don't see it while in the Library folder : It is rejected by software, since it does not follow the minimal expected properties, it is not parsed as a "Zipped Mod".

What you can do is to create a folder named "UH_60L_v1.4" inside your Library folder (The folder will appear in OMM with a folder icon), then create a "Mods" folder inside this "UH_60L_v1.4" folder and finally, Unzip the content of the  "uh-60l-1.4.zip" file into this "Mods/" folder.

You should know have what is called a "development mod", that should be working and being installable already. You may "package" it, so to say, transforming this "development mod" into a real "mod pack" zip file. In OMM, right click on the mod folder, and select "open in Mod Pack editor"... you then can save it as a zip package.

Thanks very much for that. I appreciate your help once again. 

[Maddaawg]

I'm not understanding some basics of MOD's if someone could explain it to me. I installed the OMM and it seems to have worked the way I thought it would and moved the 3 directories of a MOD to the DCS install directory (E:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\bin-mt). But the MOD did not show in game. Then I re-read the MOD requirements and it's supposed to go into the saved games folder.

So, I copied the MOD to the saved games folder (E:\Saved Games\DCS\Mods\tech\476RangeTargets). And that worked just fine.
I suspect it's the type of MOD that is the issue? Some go in saved games, and some go in the game install directory?

How does this get handled in OMM if I also need future mods to go into the game directory?

The download from 476th Rangers say "Apply to the DCS Saved Games folder of your DCS installation(s). Packed for use with OvGME provided you have an OvGME profile set up for the DCS Saved Games folder."

[sedenion]

3 hours ago, Maddaawg said:

I'm not understanding some basics of MOD's if someone could explain it to me. I installed the OMM and it seems to have worked the way I thought it would and moved the 3 directories of a MOD to the DCS install directory (E:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\bin-mt). But the MOD did not show in game.

The DCS install directory is "E:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World", not "E:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\bin-mt". It is not clear what you wanted to achieve here...

3 hours ago, Maddaawg said:

Then I re-read the MOD requirements and it's supposed to go into the saved games folder.

So, I copied the MOD to the saved games folder (E:\Saved Games\DCS\Mods\tech\476RangeTargets). And that worked just fine.
I suspect it's the type of MOD that is the issue? Some go in saved games, and some go in the game install directory?

Yes everything depend on how the Mod designer built its Mod and where it is intended to be installed. Not all Mods are provided with proper architecture to be used with Mod Manager.

OMM guess absolutely nothing and is totally "blind" considering where to install a Mod, it is up to you to configure proper Hub with Channels that point to the proper Target (installation) directory and putting the corresponding Mods in the proper Mod Library folder.

3 hours ago, Maddaawg said:

How does this get handled in OMM if I also need future mods to go into the game directory?

You need to create a secondary Channel within your DCS Hub, so you end with two Channels, the first for Mods to be installed in the DCS install folder, the second for Mods to be installed in the DCS SavedGame folder.

In OMM the steps are roughly the following:

1. Create new Mod Hub (File > New > Mod Hub...), name it "DCS World"
2. When it is asked to you, click "Yes" to create the first Channel, name it "Application Folder", and set target directory to "E:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World"
3. Create a secondary Channel (Hub > Add Channel...), name it "SavedGame Folder", and set target directory to "E:\Saved Games\DCS"

You can create as many channel as you want... for the rest, it is up to Mod designers to properly setup their Mods, and up to you to place Mods in their proper Channel's Library folder

[Captain Orso]

The whole point of a Mod Manager is to copy the modded files into the installation folders, but also to, on command, remove them before Update or Repair, because DCS will recognize the modded files as foreign objects and remove them.

Additionally, it allows the user to add or remove a specific mod with a single click, saving extensive manual labor, and reducing the opportunities for mistakes.

Mods which are installed into '..\Saved Games\DCS' do not require this, because DCS will never touch the folders in '..\Saved Games\DCS' where mods are installed. You can however still manage such mods using OMM - the purpose of which would be to be able to add and remove mods (some community aircraft) which do not play well with each other.

To do this you need to add at least one additional Channel to your DCS Hub.

You can make the Channel universal, by making its Target directory path '..\Saved Games\DCS', but you must insure that all mods you install here conform to this, because many have their highest lever directory be named something like '..\Community_X15' with instructions to copy into '..\Saved Games\DCS\Mods\aircraft', in which case you must manually add  the '..\Mods\aircraft' directories to the mod package.

Alternatively you can add one Channel for community aircraft with the Target directory path '..\Saved Games\DCS\Mods\aircraft', and one Channel for Tech with '..\Saved Games\DCS\Mods\tech', etc. Whatever you deem to be best for you.

To be sure, before running Update or Repair, you MUST uninstall any mods implementing into the '..\DCS World' installation directory, but it should never be necessary to uninstall mods in '..\Saved Games\DCS' before running Update or Repair; you may, but it's not necessary.

[Maddaawg]

On 8/12/2024 at 4:30 AM, sedenion said:

The DCS install directory is "E:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World", not "E:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\bin-mt". It is not clear what you wanted to achieve here...

I didn't know what I was trying to achieve, because as I asked to start with, I didn't understand how DCS mods work. I've used MO2 for Skyrim for years and that tool just handled the work for me. My basic understanding was to install into the DCS directory and to me that meant the DCS World/bin-mt directory.

Now that I understand that some mods are just put into the saved games folder and most mods have to be put into the actual directories with DCS World and overwrite parts of it, and that is where tools like OMM come in handy.

Thanks for the app, its much appreciated. I am working on watching the video today, but I have also seen another manager called SLAM that uses symlink. I have to figure out the pros and cons of each.

Edit: I got it working now just fine for both application mods and saved games which while not necessary, it is still a better organization.

Edited September 1, 2024 by Maddaawg

[Maddaawg]

On 8/12/2024 at 4:31 AM, Captain Orso said:

Alternatively you can add one Channel for community aircraft with the Target directory path '..\Saved Games\DCS\Mods\aircraft', and one Channel for Tech with '..\Saved Games\DCS\Mods\tech', etc. Whatever you deem to be best for you.

Thank you for the explanation of DCS mods. The need to remove them because? Can't OMM just put them back after the update or is it because DCS will have issues.

[Snacko]

Is it possible to add a Thumbnail and Description to mods that are not zipped?

[Nevyn]

On 8/31/2024 at 11:12 PM, Maddaawg said:

Thank you for the explanation of DCS mods. The need to remove them because? Can't OMM just put them back after the update or is it because DCS will have issues.

If I understand you correctly and my understanding of OMM is correct, then no, OMM does not rewrite files at each launch, it does it once and never checks again. So if an update overwrites the files OMM does not know or care.

 

If look in your DCS folder after an update without uninstalling the mods you will see a /backup folder with all the files it overwrote.

 

Please bear in mind that for the last 400 years I have uninstalled mods every time an update comes through, so I am not entirely sure how dcs behaves anymore with regards to alien files as things may have changed, but that's how it used to be back in the bronze age.

Edited September 2, 2024 by Nevyn

[sedenion]

7 hours ago, Snacko said:

Is it possible to add a Thumbnail and Description to mods that are not zipped?

Yes, place text file and image file aside the Mod directory (within the Library folder) and give them the same name the Mod folder you want to associate with.