Help with bsacommander

[Ibsen's Ghost]

You would think it would be easy. Pack all the assets of your mod into a file and compress it....but has anyone downloaded bsa commander and read the readme? It's absolutely baffling!

Does anyone know how to create a resource bsa with it?

[InsanitySorrow]

To be honest BSA commander is crap, either use TES4Files or TES4 Archive.

TES4 Files will gather all resources that are used within the selected ESP/ESM and pack them together, you can package them into a BSA file. Its far easier.

TES4 Archive is more manual in the file organisation, but it still beats BSA commander for its ease of use etc.

[captain-ultima]

I use BSA commander frequently and indeed the readme hardly tells you anything of how to pack files.

It's quite a simple process however:

1. Create a source folder anywhere, i usually place it to the desktop and put your mod's meshes, textures and sound folders in to the source folder.

2. open bsacommander and from the top click Pack.

3. from the top there is the archive name menu, click the browse button in the end of it and navigate to your data folder and chooce you .esp, then change the .esp to .bsa Example:
C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\Data\Silgrad_Tower.esm change the .esm at the end to .bsa

4. below it is the source dir, in this you navigate to the folder you placed meshes, textures and sound folders in to in step 1

5. make sure the "recursive sbdrs" and "compress" have been chekmarked

6. archive flags and files flags are next, there are question marks next to them, click them and a new menu pops up, on this new menu click on the apply, do this to both archive flags and file flags.

7. chooce compresion level

8. press pack and youre done.

hope this will be some of help to you.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Thanks to both of you but I think I'll try TES4Files when I next update the archive. I know MentalElf. His stuff is pretty reliable.

[Razorwing]

I've used BSA Commander a bunch of times and I've only had a problem once, when the BSA got corrupt for some reason. Other than that it's worked great. I don't know about the documentation though, I found a quick walkthrough on the net which I've used.

I wouldn't want to use a program that packs stuff in my local game folders, since they're full of readme's and test nifs and what-not. I like control over what goes into the BSA. Better an asset or two gets left out by mistake than I lose track of which nifs are the 'official' ones I want our mod to use. But different folks have different needs, so it's good that there are alternatives Personally I'm happy with BSA Commander and won't try any other program.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Having control over what goes in is definitely what's needed here. Do you have that walkthrough handy, RW?

[sandor]

IMO bsa commander is very reliable, TES4Files has a glitch regarding the tree textures (texture\tree folder). I am going to contact MentalElf about that (e.g. when you use the "uninstall" option to know which files are redundant).

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Thanks for the feedback sandor! If RW can pass on that walkthrough then I think I'll change tack again and switch back to exploring bsa commander. I still can't seem to find any such walkthrough when I go on a search for it.

[InsanitySorrow]

If RW does not post a tutorial I could create one, given a day or two. I have been in the mood for tutorial writing the past few days, made a tutorial on how to add custom fast travel markers into the game. Plus I will be making one for something I cannot remember......... :lmao:

[sandor]

Bsa commander tutorial.