IEMI - Infinity Engine Modlist & Installer

[Lordrea]

I've been working on a project, and Kulyok said that I should mention it over at other modding sites. So, here we go.

 

IEMI is a web-based tool for conflict-detection when using mega-mod installs. At the moment, however, it acts as a mod list. Current features are:

• View mods by category, with multi-category support for mods. Category-view shows home page and forums.
  
• Use AJAX on the category-view to fetch components and download mirrors.
  
• Edit mod information, which includes: name, author, description, home page, forum, and category.
  
• Add, remove, and edit download mirrors.
  
• Reload components, which will take a WeiDU export and update the database.
  
• Search by mod name, author, or description.
  
• Any user can edit what they wish, as this is a community-open project.
  

When this tool is complete, someone will be able to click on which mods, and more specifically, which components they want to install. Then the built-in mod conflict detector will check if something wont work. As with all the current features, all future work will be open to the public editing. All that has been developed was started on the 23rd of March. You can see development over [here].

 

To clear it up, the 'installation' process with using this tool would be:

• Download and put the SMM Auto-DL/Install tool in your BG2 directory.
  
• Use IEMI to select which mods you want to have installed - more specifically, you can select individual components rather than whole mods.
  
• Run the web-based conflict detector, which will tell you what wont work, if anything, about your installation.
  
• Run the XML generator, which will provide you with what to change your SMM XML file to.
  
• Run the SMM Auto-DL/Install tool with the new XML, which will give you a file to plug into the download manager.
  
• The download manager will go and download everything for you. Since the XML file is updated when you generate it, download locations are always up-to-date.
  
• Run the SMM Auto-DL/Install tool again, and the program will backup everything, extract/install the files, then run the WeiDU installers on everything you said to install.
  

What I would really appreciate are any feature requests, suggestions on how I may make the site better, etc. Feedback is wanted, as well as... well, any thoughts on the project.

 

IEMI: http://iem.rp-addict.com/index.php

IEMI SHS Topic: http://www.shsforums.net/index.php?s=&...st&p=382465

IEMI PPG Topic: http://forums.pocketplane.net/index.php/topic,25239.0.html

 

Thanks for your time. Hope this will become something useful in the near future.

[Guest John]

I play using a lot of mods but do restrict myself to WeiDu mods. I am a bit confused. In your post you reference the idea to be a web based tool, but the page you link to says under construction and links to a d/l to use. Its description didn't sound very useful or at least not at all like what I thought you meant.

 

I was kind of hoping that you would be setting up a tool that would look for potential compatibility conflicts, either

1. based on mods currently existing on one's pc or,

2. maybe assembled on-line using the tool's own database,

 

and then from that provide

3. as a minimum, notes about conflicts with advice about how to get around them

4. a possible sequence to install the mods to avoid conflicts (if the conflict between two mods is avoidable)

 

I'd describe steps 3 and 4 as equivalent to automating the info that's provided in numerous threads about install sequences and compatibility issues to put that info in one place and make it easier to keep track of on some type of regular basis.

 

If I were wishing, I would like an on-line tool that would track the info for the various mods, let me see a universe of the mods like you describe including the readme, check off which ones interest me, note compatibility conflicts with suggestions on how to avoid them when possible, recommend in which order to install them and then provide a WeiDu type log (with installation exe if needed) to install them in a sequence that fits the compatibility issues noted previously but allowing me the final say for which order to place them.

 

Just my 2 cents

 

John

[Lordrea]

I play using a lot of mods but do restrict myself to WeiDu mods. I am a bit confused. In your post you reference the idea to be a web based tool, but the page you link to says under construction and links to a d/l to use. Its description didn't sound very useful or at least not at all like what I thought you meant.

The SMM Auto-DL / Auto-Installer will take an XML file, and install mods in an order. It will do a backup, install mods. This website will generate that XML file, will tell you of conflicts, and provide components and download mirrors.

 

I was kind of hoping that you would be setting up a tool that would look for potential compatibility conflicts, either

1. based on mods currently existing on one's pc or,

2. maybe assembled on-line using the tool's own database,

The tool will detect conflicts, though since this is web-based. You can click on the icon next to individual components to mark them for install. All that are marked for install will be put into a list, and conflict checks will be ran. You can then change the mods you want to install, if you want. After that, it will generate an XML file for you to use to replace the old one. The SMM Auto-DL program will, from the XML file, get download locations to be used with the download manager. Everything will be automatically download, then installed for you. The SMM Auto-DL tool is already capable of doing this all. The web-based tool that I developed/am developing will be a way to customize the standard XML file to get an installation that you want.

and then from that provide

3. as a minimum, notes about conflicts with advice about how to get around them

4. a possible sequence to install the mods to avoid conflicts (if the conflict between two mods is avoidable)

The tool will do this.

If I were wishing, I would like an on-line tool that would track the info for the various mods, let me see a universe of the mods like you describe including the readme, check off which ones interest me, note compatibility conflicts with suggestions on how to avoid them when possible, recommend in which order to install them and then provide a WeiDu type log (with installation exe if needed) to install them in a sequence that fits the compatibility issues noted previously but allowing me the final say for which order to place them.

Well, from what you're saying... the tool already does a lot of this (excluding the readme, but it does link to project home pages and forums), and will do the rest by the time the project is complete.

 

~Michael

 

---

 

Topic updated to be less confusing on what it does.

[Guest John]

Sometimes I'm dense. I read part of the info about the SMM Auto-DL / Auto-Installer but faded out around the 2nd paragraph because it seemed much different than what you were describing and rather involved to boot.

 

I'll wait for your project to get up and running and then play around with it. I suspect the most valuable portion will be that aspect that can automate the process of tagging which component(s) of a mod, if present, have known conflicts with another mod(s) and then identifying what choices one has to deal with it (mod sequence order, staggered installation sequence, no resolution at present). Offering a consolidated source of such info, especially if it is maintained on a fairly regular basis (adding new mods as they become available) would be neat.

 

Regards and good luck,

 

John

[Lordrea]

A key component of being able to keep the list updated and maintained is that each part of the site can be editing by the community. Currently, people can add mods, change the mod's home page, forum, description, author, title, and group. Anyone can also provide more mirrors, edit mirrors, and remove mirrors. Component lists can be updated via a WeiDU export as well. I will try to keep it up-to-date as best I can, but people can also go in and do anything that I haven't yet. This follows through to conflicts and load orders, as the community will be able to change these things just as they can change things now.

[Baronius]

There are two problems with Black Rose Part 1 Market Prices mod:

 

- It's unfinished and abandoned, and we keep getting complaints about it. Under certain circumstances, it's quest is also broken.

- No permission was granted for it to be hosted anywhere, especially not on two (!) places.

 

Could I ask you to remove it from IEMI and the mirrors?

 

 

Edit:

OK it seemed to allow me to remove it from IEMI. Please remove it from the hosts too.

 

Thank you for your understanding.

[Lordrea]

Just checked the thread, and am off to delete the mod from my server.

[Baronius]

Thanks a lot, Lordrea.

 

By the way, I think that the BGT edition of my "Grey Clan Episode One" mod is also used in the BGT installations of many players, in case you (or anyone) would like to add it.