Better Oblivion Sorting Software

BETTER OBLIVION SORTING SOFTWARE

A simple "one-click" program for users to quickly optimise and avoid detrimental conflicts in their oblivion mod load-order.

Download includes optional file "Masterlist Update 1 October 2010"

Features:


* Checks and correctly positions all the mod files involved with an 'FCOM Convergence' installation including partial or complete installations of OOO, MMM, Fran's, Oblivion WarCry, Bob's Armory, Loth's Blunt Weapons (for NPCs), COBL, Tamriel Travellers, Exnem's Runeskulls and so on.
* Correctly positions all the mod files involved with OOO, MMM, Better Cities, Open Cities and other very large mods.
* Supports over 8000 mods and counting.
* Warns the user about any commonly miss-installed FCOM related files.
* Provides useful load order notes.
* Provides Wrye Bash with Bash Patch tag suggestions which it will import.
* Is mostly right (most of the time)!
* Is under constant development and improvement by a team of modders and Oblivion experts.
* Differentiates between FCOM and non-FCOM set-ups.

Better Oblivion Sorting Software (BOSS) will reorder all the mods it knows about (listed in the masterlist.txt database file) and puts ones it doesn't know after. The unknown mods will be in the same order as you had them before running BOSS.
BOSS is designed to assist installing FCOM, MMM and a wide variety of other mods and help mod users avoid serious conflicts. It isnt a complete solution to load ordering issues as there are far too many mods out there (estimated at about 30 thousand). To properly place mods the program doesnt know about, a good working knowledge of Oblivion mod load ordering is going to be necessary. Some research and documentation reading will go a long way.


REQUIREMENTS:

Windows (or Wine), Oblivion, some mods and the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library 2008.


DOWNLOADS:

Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library 2008 (~1.7MB download)

Better Oblivion Sorting Software on TES Nexus (less than 200KB download)

There are no official mirrors at this time.


INSTALLATION AND USE:

1. Backup your load order with ObMM or Wrye Bash.

2. If you have Wrye Bash, make sure it has its "Lock Times" function deactivated.

3. You will need to download and install the Microsoft C++ Runtime Library 2008 re-distributable.


* It is a programming library and will only be used when a program written in Visual C++ 2008 is run. It will not stay resident afterward or slow your computer down.
* Even if using a 64 bit OS, you need to install the 32bit library.
* Dont uninstall MS C++ 2005 as 2008 is not an upgrade, it is a separate product.
* Wine users may need to run Winetricks to register the libraries properly[SUP] (thankyou, John.Moonsugar)[/SUP].

4. Unzip the BOSS.zip archive to your ...OblivionData folder. Don�t use a sub-folder!
5. Run BOSS.bat (the .bat file, not the .exe file).

The output of the utility will be displayed immediately. Read any notes, FCOM install errors if applicable and/or Wrye Bash Bashed Patch suggestions. Wrye Bash can import suggestions from BOSS and apply them automatically.

You will need to re-order "unknown" mods by hand with ObMM or Wrye Bash.

Wrye Bash can integrate BOSS's Bashed Patch suggestions from the masterlist.txt file. Some Bashed Patch suggestion can come with conditions and notes that require human intervention so read the suggestions BOSS makes thoroughly and adjust tags by hand if necessary.


UNINSTALLATION:

Delete BOSS.bat, BOSS.exe and masterlist.txt.

Also delete BOSSlog.txt, modlist.txt and modlist.old if BOSS has been run.


TROUBLESHOOTING:

Won't run: BOSS not extracted (unzipped) to ...obliviondata but a sub-folder or the Oblivion folder.

All BOSS files must share the same folder as your mods.

Check you have:


* BOSS.exe
* BOSS.bat
* masterlist.txt

in your ...obliviondata folder.
Won't change load order: OS is Vista and Oblivion is installed in Program Files.

Install Oblivion outside the Program Files folder where possible. Otherwise temporarily deactivate UAC.

Won't run: 32bit MS Visual C++ 2008 Runtime Library not installed.

Install it!

Won't change load order: Wrye Bash's load order locking feature is enabled.

Disable before changing load order.

A text box flashes up but disappears.

Run BOSS.bat not BOSS.exe

FURTHER DETAILS:

There are no options, command-line switches or run-time choices to make.

The only thing this tool does is re-date files and create a couple of text files including one that is displayed to the user with (hopefully!) handy comments and/or FCOM install error messages.

Oblivion.esm is never touched and all file dates are derived from it.

The program archive contains masterlist.txt which is, obviously, the master list of mods the program recognises and is the most frequently updated component of BOSS.

The output for the user to read is called BOSSlog.txt and is saved as a text file and displayed by Window's default text file handling program once BOSS has finished re-dating files.

The program generates a text file called modlist.txt which is your list of mods prior to re-ordering.

The changes BOSS makes can be undone in the following way:


1. Rename masterlist.txt to masterlist.old (or any temporary name).
2. Rename midlist.txt to masterlist.txt .
3. Run BOSS.bat .
4. Delete masterlist.txt .
5. Rename masterlist.old to masterlist.txt .

If modlist.txt already exists (when you run the program for the second time or more), it will be renamed to modlist.old before a new modlist.txt file is created. This gives you two levels of undo.
One of the best ways more experienced users can use BOSS is to edit your own copy of masterlist.txt and include there any mods not listed. You can "merge" in new updates with the excellent free open-source WinMerge software. http://www.winmerge.org

CONTRIBUTIONS AND HELP:

Questions, suggestions, unrecognised mods and general discussion takes place HERE.

User corrections to the masterlist are vital. Let us know what you know.

Lists of unrecognised mods are welcome but the only way we can include them in the database in a timely way is if we get:


1. The ESP/ESM file name(s) and
2. A link to where the description, download or readme can be found to read or download.
3. A brief description of each mod will also help. Feel free to make load order suggestions.


UPDATES:

Files there are kept up to date. Always use latest dated files.


ADDITIONAL FILES:

FCOM-only masterlist.txt database file. Using it instead of the normal one will move all FCOM files to the start in the correct order (and check for problems, show comments as usual) but leave all other mods' load order the same as before running BOSS. Useful for troubleshooting purposes and useful to anyone who wants to keep their existing mod load order then add FCOM and finalise everything by hand. This file is getting a bit old but it does the job.

CREDITS:

Sources for the mod list and its order include: Agiel's Annotated Load Order; Fivefries load order; dev_akm's official expanded FCOM load order (FCOM 0.9.9); suggestions and instructions from Mart's Monster Mod, Better Cities, Open Cities and Open Better Cities developers; suggestions and instructions from many other modders; lots of advice and information from users. Some people have gone out of their way and provided continuing, expert and detailed help - thank you very much!

Thanks go to Wrye for implementing the importing of BOSS's Bashed Patch tag suggestions into Wrye Bash.


PROJECT MEMBERS

BOSS has recently become a collaborative project on Google Code using the SVN version tracking and editing engine.

Google Code Administrators:


* Arthmoor
* Random007
* WrinklyNinja


Developers:


* Arthmoor
* PacificMorrowind
* Random007
* Vacuity
* WrinklyNinja
* ZiggyX


Project members can be contacted on the Bethesda Game Studios Oblivion modding forum.

LICENSE:

Better Oblivion Sorting Software and periodic updates are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported copyright license, some rights reserved, 2009. Copyright is owned wholly by the Better Oblivion Sorting Software development team (see list of project members).


* BOSS may be copied and distributed freely as long as it is not changed and includes all the original files including this documentation.
* Commercial use of this software or masterlist.txt file is not permitted without permission.
* Publishing derivations and customisations of the program or masterlist.txt file is not permitted without permission. Ask first.


QUICK LINKS:

MS Visual C++ 2008 Runtime Library

BOSS on TES Nexus

Bethesda Game Studios Oblivion modding forum

Due to a 200 maximum post limit, a new "official" thread is created periodically (with the end of one thread providing a link to the next) so the link provided may refer to an old thread by the time you read this. Just navigate your way through to the latest thread to post a message.

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Documentation updated 24 June 2009