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Where do you install your mods to? You should place your mods in the data folder that is created for that purpose. If you overwrite files in there, you probably have already installed mods with the same file names.

Edited by umlaut
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page 121 of the game manual goes into detail on it, maybe more complicated than need be.

There are two locations

1. In the game folder itself there is a file DATA.

2. In the (assuming you are on windows) in the user data folder

Why 2?  Has more to do with game structure and windows, but the net result is something you can take advantage of.

If you have multiple installs of say CMFB you can do game specific mods by using the Data folder (say graphics for a specific unit like the 1st ID).  Generic mods you want for all installs go into the user data folder (sound, explosions etc)

In either case create a Z folder in to insure your files are loaded over default.  If you keep them in the Z folder it 1 - insures CM won't over write them and 2. You can easily pull all your mods to prove they are not causing an issue if you have any.

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46 minutes ago, Grunts said:

How do you handle installing several mods into anyone of the Combat Mission games and it asks to overwrite file/files? Yes or No? Usually it only seems to ask for one or two files and one of them is usually some sort of PDF file.

What I meant here is overwrite other mod files. All my mods are in the Z folder managed by a mod manager program.

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49 minutes ago, Grunts said:

How do you handle installing several mods into anyone of the Combat Mission games and it asks to overwrite file/files? Yes or No? Usually it only seems to ask for one or two files and one of them is usually some sort of PDF file.

To enter a mod into a game you first download it.  It is usually in a zip file.  Place the zip file in a empty folder on your desktop.  Right click on the zip file and select extract here. (you must have some type of un-zip program.)  After extracting into the folder you will sometimes have a PDF or other type of file that explains things about the mod.  You can delete these after reading if you want.  

Open the location in the game where the mod is installed.  On Windows 10, I use: This PC - Documents - Battlefront - Combat Mission - CMFB - User Data - Mods.  Inside of the mod folder you can create an additional folder and name it Z Folder.  (you don't have to in CMFB but you can)

Now go back to your extraction file on your desk top and either drag or copy the mod files from the extraction folder into CMFB Mods folder. (or into the Z folder)

You do not overwrite any files.  Repeat this for every mod you want to add.  If the mod also works in a different CM game you can copy multiple times and paste it into the proper location in the other CM games.  After you do this you never have to mess with the mod again.  It is there forever unless you choose to change it or maybe upgrade to a new computer.    

Now it occurs to me you are using a mod manager as we discussed in a different thread.  I think this manager might be complicating your life instead of making it easier.  I'm not sure how many people on here use a mod manager.  You may need to talk to someone who uses your particular mod manager to figure out your specific mod manager problem.  Installing mods in a Combat Mission title is pretty easy.  The only problem I sometimes have is getting the mod downloaded because of band width or some internet type problem.  Once I have the actual mod it is easy to install & use, often in multiple titles :).           

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I have never felt the need to use a Mod Manager for CMx2. The "Z" folder system works perfectly for me. And for mods that I only use for specific campaigns or battles I just created my own folders outside of the game folders e.g. CMBN Mod House, CMRT Mod House etc etc. Then when I need them I slip them over into my "Z" folder and Bob's your Uncle as the old saying goes. Although in our family, Uncle Bob emigrated to Australia and became a Mormon, but I digress.

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Forget about the Mod Manager for a moment. The question is this:

1. Download several mods for lets say CMFB

2. Extract zip to folder on desktop

3. Copy and paste (or use mod manager doesn't matter) to the created Z folder in Data in CMFB.

4 When copying and pasting several vehicle mods to the Z folder for example I have gotten messages asking if I want to overwrite some previous file from another mod in the Z folder. That can't be good.

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If you have extracted EACH of your downloaded mods to a SPECIFIC MOD FOLDER, you can move each SPECIFIC MOD FOLDER to your Z folder and nothing will be overwritten.

To clarify:  For example, you download "MOD A.ZIP".   You extract all files in that MOD A ZIP to a new folder you create called "MOD A".   (This assumes that unzipping the zipped file doesn't already give you a named folder with files in it - some modders do, some do not.)

The new MOD A folder can now be copied or moved to the Z folder to become a SUBFOLDER in the main Z folder and no files will be overwritten (assuming you do not have another sub-folder in the Z folder with exactly the same name).

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38 minutes ago, Grunts said:

<Snip>  When copying and pasting several vehicle mods to the Z folder for example I have gotten messages asking if I want to overwrite some previous file from another mod in the Z folder. That can't be good.

You may already have that exact same mod in the Z folder or you have two different mods (probably for the same thing) and they have the same name.  For example you downloaded Grunts Panther mod and Erwin's Panther mod but they are both named Panther mod.  Normally players would just have one in the game at a time.  If you leave them both in I think the game will randomly load one of them.      

4 minutes ago, Erwin said:

<Snip>  The new MOD A folder can now be copied or moved to the Z folder to become a SUBFOLDER in the main Z folder and no files will be overwritten (assuming you do not have another sub-folder in the Z folder with exactly the same name).

I also think this is true but then which mod file would the game load?  I think it would be random.  So at one sitting he would see Grunts Panther mod and the next time he started the game he might see Erwin's Panther mod...........  or am I missing something............

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5 hours ago, IanL said:

Definitely not random. Mods are loaded using alphabetical order. Last in order is the on that gets loaded.

Getting replace file messages means you are copying a second mod that is modsing the same thing.

I think that is the problem. Mods with similar name tags for say the same type of vehicle are requesting overwrites.

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So, the way the mod system works is mods override files by name. So if you have two mods that try to mod the same thing you will either get fileo over write errors if everything is going into one big directory of files or you might not see what you expect if you use different subject directories because your newer mod is aphabetized before an existing mod of the same thing.

I would follow @Erwin 's advice and be aware when you download multiple mods of the same thing so you can choose which one you want to use.

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  • 10 months later...
On 04/03/2017 at 9:54 PM, MOS:96B2P said:

Inside of the mod folder you can create an additional folder and name it Z Folder.

What's the good thing in having a Z folder inside User Data\Mods? Are mods in that Z folder loaded later than the ones in the Mods folder or do you mean that you don't have any mods in the Mods folder but put them in the Mods\Z folder instead?

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10 hours ago, BornGinger said:

What's the good thing in having a Z folder inside User Data\Mods? Are mods in that Z folder loaded later than the ones in the Mods folder or do you mean that you don't have any mods in the Mods folder but put them in the Mods\Z folder instead?

I generally have and use both folders with almost all my mods in the normal mods folder.  Then I also have the Z folder within the normal mods folder.  The mods in the Z folder are loaded last.  So the mods in the Z folder will be the ones to show up if there is a conflict with a mod in the mods folder.  I use the Z folder when I have multiple mods for the same thing and I want to make sure a certain mod will be used in a game.   You can move the mods in and out of the Z folder depending on which mod you want to show up in the game.  Of course you could also remove the mod you don't want to show up by moving it to a different location (different folder, desktop etc.).  I'm afraid of losing/misplacing a mod so I find using the Z folder for the mod I want in the current game an easy way to organize/use the mods. 

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7 hours ago, MOS:96B2P said:

So the mods in the Z folder will be the ones to show up if there is a conflict with a mod in the mods folder.  I use the Z folder when I have multiple mods for the same thing and I want to make sure a certain mod will be used in a game. 

I already have a few mods of the same German and American tank from different modders. So this info is good to know for future use when I have looked through the mods and decided which ones I want to try out first. I'm on my annual leave in two days and will soon start getting to know CMFB a little bit more than the demo allowed me to.

Edited by BornGinger
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