Read Me
HOW TO BUILD
============
Intro:
------
Building Mod Organizer can be a rather daunting task especially if you're not very comfortable with C++ development under windows.
Please note that if you only want to work on and build a plugin you can save yourself a lot of trouble
Overview:
---------
As of Juli 2014 MO consists of the following subprojects:
- organizer: The main userinterface. heavy usage of various libraries
- hookdll: core library of the virtual file system
- uibase: interop between plugins and the main application as well as some reusable functionality
- shared: functionality shared between organizer and hookdll. I'm attempting to get rid of this library over time
- nxmhandler: tool to pass handling of nxm links to MO or other applications
- helper: tool for doing operations requiring elevated priviledges if MO doesn't have them
- proxydll: dll used in the "proxy dll" load mechanism
- esptk: small library containing functionality to work with esps/esms
- bsatk: small library containing functionality to work with bsas. Requires zlib to extract files. Requires boost_thread to provide multi-threaded extraction
- archive: small wrapper library around 7zip for dealing with mod archives. Requires 7zip
- NCC: extension to NMM to provide a binary with command line interface for fomod installation. This is c# code and does not build with the rest of the project. Requires the rest of NMM
- bossdummy: dummy dll that looks like the boss.dll. This is used instead of the real boss dlls in NCC to save some disk space
- pythonrunner: library for embedding python code. Requires boost_python, python 2.7 and pyqt4
- loot_cli: this is a command line client of loot. This can be better integrated with MO than the official loot client.
And various plugins:
- bsaExtractor: offers to extract bsas after a mod has been installed
- checkFNIS: Activates each time an application is started from MO and runs fnis if necessary
- diagnoseBasic: Various diagnostic checks on the game
- inieditor: minimalistic file editor for ini files
- installerBain: handles non-scripted bain installers
- installerBundle: handles installation of archives wrapped in archives
- installerFomod: handles installation of xml fomods
- installerManual: handles installations of archives that aren't supported by any other plugin (or if the user chooses to do the installation manually)
- installerNCC: handles installation of any fomod (requires NCC)
- installerQuick: handles very simple one-click installations
- NMMImport: importer from existing nmm installation
- proxyPython: integrates pythonrunner as a plugin into MO
- pyniEdit: more user-friendly ini editor. python code
- previewBase: used for file previews. this plugin covers image formats supported by the qt installation (usually at least jpg, gif, png) and text files
- previewDDS: used to preview dds textures. uses code from the nif file format library
There are a few more plugins that are either broken or samples
- installerBCF: this was intended to use .bcf (bain conversion file) files as installation instructions but currently it is completely function-less
- helloWorldCpp: sample for cpp plugins. This should compile even without fulfilling most dependencies below
- pageTESAlliance: integrates the tes alliance page into MO. This integration is not nearly as tight as that of nexus.
Requirements:
-------------
Visual C++ compiler 2010 (VC 10.0) or up
- Included in visual c++ express 2010 or windows sdk 7.x
- Do install windows sdk too if only for the cdb debugger which is included in that package
Note: If you're having trouble installing the windows sdk, you may be affected by this bug: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2717426
Qt Libraries 4.8.x (http://qt-project.org/downloads)
- i.e. "Qt libraries 4.8.6 for Windows (VS 2010, 235 MB)"
- tested: 4.8.6
- Install according to instruction
Qt 5 Compatibility:
MO compiles and mostly runs correctly built with Qt 5.3 and VC++ 2013 but
- python plugins haven't been rewritten to use qt5 yet
- pyqt5 isn't distributed as binaries for python 2.7 so this needs to be set up and built first
- tutorial doesn't work because it seems to be impossible to create a transparent Qt Quick control...
- the previewdds plugin only compiles with the opengl variant of the qt 5 distribution
- Qt5 is a bi*** to distribute
boost libraries (http://www.boost.org/)
- tested: 1.55
- Build according to their instructions (using vc++): http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_54_0/more/getting_started/windows.html
- A few of the boost libraries need to be built (the rest is header-only). The only compiled libs MO needs (at the time of writing) are
boost_thread (for everything that links agains bsatk) and boost_python (for pythonrunner). You can disable the others to save yourself compile time (even on a modern system compiling boost can easily take an hour)
zlib (http://www.zlib.net/)
- Compile static library according to their instructions
- Depending on the version of zlib and how you built you should have a file called zlibstatic.lib or zlibstat.lib in "build" or "x86\ZLibStatRelease".
- Please copy that lib file to "build\zlibstatic.lib" (if it doesn't exist) so MO finds it.
7z sourcecode (http://www.7-zip.org/download.html)
- only for "archive" subproject
- no need to compile, will be linked into project
Python 2.7 (32-bit)
- only for pythonrunner
PyQt4 for Python 2.7
- tested: 4.10
- only for pythonrunner
Recommended:
------------
Qt Creator
- http://qt-project.org/downloads#qt-creator
- I.e. "Qt Creator 2.8.1 for Windows (53 MB)"
- With Qt Creator usually the rule is "the newer the better"
- Start Qt Creator and check if things are set up correctly:
1) Go to Tools > Options > Build & Run > Qt Versions
2.1) If the QtSDK 4.8.x you installed earlier is not auto-detected, click "Add" to add it manually
2.2) Navigate to your <your qt4 installation>\bin\qmake.exe
2.3) Restart qt creator
3) Go to Tools > Options > Build & Run > Kits
3.1) If no Kit is auto-detected (or the auto-detected ones have picked up the wrong qt or vc++ installation) click "Add"
3.2) Enter a Name (i.e. "Qt 4.8.5 MSVC2010 32bit")
3.3) In Compiler select the visual studio compiler installed earlier (may show up as "Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows x). Make sure you select the x86 variant
3.4) CDB should be auto-detected
3.5) Select the qt version set up earlier
4) Apply and close the options
Set up (using Qt Creator):
--------------------------
1. Using Qt Creator open source/ModOrganizer.pro from your working copy
2. Open the "Projects" tab, open the "Details" for "Build Environment"
3a. Click "Add" to add a variable called "BOOSTPATH" with the path of your boost installation as the value (i.e. C:\code\boost_1_49_0)
3b. Click "Add" to add a variable called "ZLIBPATH" with the path of your zlib installation as the value (i.e. C:\code\zlib-1.2.7)
3c. Click "Add" to add a variable called "SEVENZIPPATH" with the path of your 7zip installation as the value (i.e. C:\code\7zip)
3d. Click "Add" to add a variable called "PYTHONPATH" with the path of your python installation as the value (i.e. C:\code\python)
4. Switch the build configuration at the very top of the same page from "debug" to "release" (or vice versa) and repeat step 3
5. Compile the configuration(s) you want to use (debug and/or release) (Build All). This should compile correctly.
6. <reserved for future use. Maybe grab a coffee?>
7. return to the "projects" tab and switch to "Run Settings"
8. Determine the folder of the qt binaries in the package you downloaded. This could be "QtSDK\Desktop\Qt\4.8.5\msvc2010\bin" or "Qt4.8.5\bin"
For Release build:
9r. Add a "Run configuration" that points to <your working copy>\output\ModOrganizer.exe
10r. Copy "7z.dll" to <your working copy>\output\dlls
11r. From the qt binaries directory, copy the following files to <your working copy>\output\dlls: QtCore4.dll, QtDeclarative4.dll, QtGui4.dll, QtNetwork4.dll, QtScript4.dll, QtSql4.dll, QtWebkit4.dll, QtXml4.dll, QtXmlPatterns4.dll
For Debug build:
9d. Add a "Run configuration" that points to <your working copy>\outputd\ModOrganizer.exe
10d. Copy "7z.dll" to <your working copy>\outputd\dlls
11d. From the qt binaries copy the following files to <your working copy>\outputd\dlls: QtCored4.dll, QtDeclaratived4.dll, QtGuid4.dll, QtNetworkd4.dll, QtScriptd4.dll, QtSqld4.dll, QtWebkitd4.dll, QtXmld4.dll, QtXmlPatternsd4.dll
Now you should be able to compile and run Mod Organizer.
Please note that when you change anything apart from the "organizer" subproject, qt creator may not pick up on the changes
and not recompile the modified subproject. the "organizer" project on the other hand is always re-linked. If anyone knowledgeable enough with qmake
can fix that that would be awesome.
Set up (without Qt Creator):
----------------------------
1. open a command line shell and navigate to <your working copy>\source
2. run "qmake -tp vc" to create a visual c++ solution
3. Open that solution
4. - 98. A miracle happens
99. You can now compile MO using VC
I'm not using this workflow so I can't give more detailed instructions.
Please note that the primary project format of MO remains qmake, if you work with visual studio and make changes to the project (like adding
source files) you have to manually transfer those changes to the .pro file.
-----------------
Troubleshooting (thanks to Ross):
-----------------
1) When I try to build, I am seeing the error "error: LNK1104: cannot open file 'zlibstatic.lib'"
a) Make sure you have the following files
{ZLIBPATH}\build\zconf.h
{ZLIBPATH}\build\zlib.h
{ZLIBPATH}\build\zlibstatic.lib
b) make sure "zlibstat.lib" was renamed to "zlibstatic.lib"
c) currently, there are references to zlibstatic in the following 2 project files:
./bsatk/bsatk.pro
./hookdll/hookdll.pro
2) After building, I try to open {MOPROJECTPATH}\outputd\ModOragnizer.exe and get this error
"The program can't start because QtDeclaratived4.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem."
-> When setting up Qt4.8.x, make sure you copied the "d" (debug) versions of the dll files to {MOPROJECTPATH}\outputd\dlls
If you copied the release version or did not copy the dlls at all, you may see this error.
The *.dll files can be found in {QT48xPATH}\bin
Similiar:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11196416/cant-start-qt-exe-file-on-windows-7
3) I am getting one or more of the the following compiler warnings...
"{MOPROJECTPATH}\source\bsatk\bsaexception.cpp:32: warning: C4996: 'vsnprintf': This function or variable may be unsafe.
Consider using vsnprintf_s instead. To disable deprecation, use _CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS. See online help for details."
-> Ignore/suppress warning like this and make be ultra-careful using printf-style functions. vsnprintf_s is a visual-c++ only function so using those would make porting (i.e. to mingw) harder
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\INCLUDE\stdio.h:354: see declaration of 'vsnprintf'"
-> see previous
"debug\bsaarchive.obj:-1: warning: LNK4042: object specified more than once; extras ignored"
-> This appears to be an issue when using VC++ 2010 as the compiler. There are some posts on StackOverflow
which suggest fixes when using VC++ as the IDE, but not sure how to apply them to Qt Creator.
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3729515
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3695174
-> Also, not sure if this affects VC++ 2012 / VC++ 2013 / GCC via cygwin/mingw.
Not even sure if the project would successfully compile on these.
"{MOPROJECTPATH}\source\organizer\mainwindow.cpp:3995: warning: C4428: universal-character-name encountered in source"
-> very pointless warning.
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11589571
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7078013
the best solution I saw was to just disable the warning altogether...
#pragma warning( disable : 4428 )
"warning: LNK4098: defaultlib 'LIBCMT' conflicts with use of other libs; use /NODEFAULTLIB:library"
-> You can always add a #pragma to ignore them :P
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2c8f766e%28v=vs.80%29.aspx
4) I got the following error while building...
"error: LNK1201: error writing to program database
'{MOPROJECTPATH}\{whatever-your-build-directory-name-is}\organizer\debug\ModOrganizer.pdb';
check for insufficient disk space, invalid path, or insufficient privilege"
-> I had this happen after trying to look at something in memory via Process Explorer.
To resolve, I killed and restarted PE. Alternatively, you could probably use the
Unlocker utility. After unlocking, I manually deleted everything in the directory.
Unlocker: http://www.filehippo.com/download_unlocker/ or http://www.emptyloop.com/unlocker/
Warning: With Unlocker v1.9.2, you must select "Advanced" then uncheck everything to
avoid having some Delta toolbar garbage installed...
Tannin