If you're trying to get this running under a 64 bit OS, there's no need to edit the registry. Gecko has a properties file.
Create a file called TES4Gecko.properties in AppData\Local\Oblivion. The same location as the plugins.txt file.
Paste these lines in: #TES4Gecko Properties
#Wed Feb 08 20:08:01 EST 2023 install.directory=C\:/Games/Oblivion awt.useSystemAAFontSettings=on swing.aatext=true window.main.position=650,357 plugin.directory=C\:/Games/Oblivion/Data
Change the install.directory and the plugin.directory to the game installation path and the Data directory path. Note the \ before the colon (:). Backslash (\) is the escape character for java. You can use forward slashes (/) in the path itself.
Don't worry about the date at the top - Gecko will update that when you run the program.
The properties file tells Gecko where Oblivion is installed. You can install Gecko anywhere you like. Gecko will look for the properties file in AppData\Local\Oblivion as I said in step 1.
If a moderator sees this, could you pin it please?
The install instructions are complete rubbish. How I got TES4Gecko up and running (os: Windows 10) is as follows: Step 1: Download Launch4j (http://launch4j.sourceforge.net/) Step 2: Extract the TES4Gecko .7z file Step 3: Temporarily place the contents in an easily accessed location Step 4: Run Launch4j Step 5: In Lauch4j, you should see (under the basic tab) a section labeled 'Jar'. Navigate to the file location for the TES4Gecko.jar file (it is in the 'easily accessed location'). Open that. Step 6: In Lauch4j, you should see (under the basic tab) a section labeled 'Output File'. Copy the text in the 'Jar' text box. Paste that into the 'Output File' text box. In the 'Output', you will want to change the final '.jar' to '.exe'. Step 7: In Lauch4j, you should see (under the 'JRE' tab) a section labeled 'Min JRE version'. In the text box next to it, enter the text '1.0.0' (without quotes). Step 8: In the top bar of Lauch4j, you should see a gear icon (labeled 'Build Wrapper'). Click that. Step 9: Lauch4j should now proceed to ask you where to save your wrapper. It does not matter where you save it, as we will later be deleting it. Step 10: Navigate to your 'easily accessed location'. There now should be an .exe version of the .jar file (if so, you can delete the wrapper file). Step 11: Right-click on the 'TES4Gecko.exe' file. Click 'create shortcut'. Move the shortcut to wherever you'd like (desktop, ect.). Move the contents of the .7z file to wherever you'd like (program files, ect.). Step 12: Right-click on the shortcut. Click on properties. Click on advanced. Click on 'Run as administrator'. Finale: Now TES4Gecko will always run as administrator (so you can access the Oblivion 'program files' directory when in TES4Gecko), and you can ACTUALLY OPEN TES4Gecko. Note: It took me hours to figure this out, so please do not trash this post with rude comments. Thanks .
Proven still working in 2022 for Win10. Thank you so much!! This saved me a headache. Make sure to also apply the fix linked by Bykusch in this message chain, or alternatively scroll down for the instructions written by DaggerfallTeam, and you are good to go ^^
Holy s#*! you're a genius and a life saver! I stupidly made a file a master of another and couldn't figure out how to remove the references so I could remove the master dependency. So I learn of TES4Gecko and how it can identify the references, and since I'm barely technologically literate I couldn't get TES4Gecko to work with the other instructions detailed above. However, your instructions worked perfectly!! Thanks so much, you saved my Arcane University from ruin!
The readme file needs to be more specific. It says somewhere that I need to "create a program shortcut and specify "javaw -Xmx1024m -jar <install-directory>\TES4Gecko.jar"". However, it doesn't say how. When I click create, I only have the option create shortcut and there isn't a place to specify create a program shortcut and specify "javaw -Xmx1024m -jar <install-directory>\TES4Gecko.jar". I need more details.
First, you right click the TES4Gecko.jar file and then select create shortcut. Next, modify it by right clicking it and then select properties. In the shortcut tab, you'll see a target field. This is where you input the command: "javaw -Xmx1024m -jar <install-directory>\TES4Gecko.jar"" where <install-directory> is your actual install directory for TES4Gecko. For instance, if you installed TES4Gecko in C:\Games\Oblivion Tools\TES4Gecko, then the path would read: "javaw -Xmx1024m -jar C:\Games\Oblivion Tools\TES4Gecko\TES4Gecko.jar" with the quotes in the target field. Once set, click ok and the shortcut should open TES4Gecko if Java is properly installed.
You can then move the shortcut where ever you want, such as the inside the Apps folder in Wrye Bash, so that you can access TES4Gecko through Wrye Bash.
This should be updated. It's recommended in the TES Alliance tutorials, & with OpenMW, it's an important utility, though Windows 10 installs: java version "1.8.0_391" Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_391-b13) Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.391-b13, mixed mode)
The included shortcut actually is System 32, & simply doesn't work, not actually. In java 1.8, there's not an included java.exe file, not actually. Etc.
It would be nice if someone would just update this to work with modern machines without making complicated changes to your computer. I'm afraid that the earlier suggestions leave me with more questions than answers.
My game is located in C:Games/Bethesda/Oblivion. It was installed from the DVD GOTY edition. How can I get this program to locate this directory, and where is the best place to run it from? My computer has Java version 8, update 391 on a Windows 11 system.
I need help with the merging part I click on merge plugins but there is nothing in the tab what do I do drag and drop? this is retarded I've followed every damn step for absolutely nothing per usual
Been a while since I've done any modding so I'm now having to get all the tools installed on my machine. Anyway, Gecko... I don't remember all this work with it. I keep getting the message Exception during program initialization
java.io.IOException: Unable to locate Oblivion installation directory TES4Gecko.Main.main(Main.java:145) I have tried
Spoiler:
Show
Open your registry with RegEdit. Just do it, it isn't that scary. Find this folder up at the top: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE] and click on it to open it up. More folders will be inside. Find the one that says SOFTWARE and open that. Now inside that find Bethesda Softworks, then Oblivion.
If you don't have those entries, you'll have to create them. Do that by right clicking whichever folder is supposed to contain the entry but doesn't, and pick New > Key. (A key is a folder, essentially.) Type in the name of the key you need to create.
For instance, inside the SOFTWARE folder there should be a Bethesda Softworks folder - if it isn't in there, right-click SOFTWARE and create a new key called Bethesda Softworks. Then right-click the key you just created, Bethesda Softworks, and create another key inside it called Oblivion.
When you get down to the Oblivion key, you need to right-click and choose to create a new String Value. Call it "Installed Path" without the quotes. Now right-click the thing you just created and modify the value, which should be this:
"C:\Folder\Folder" where Folder is the name of wherever you installed the game. For instance, mine says C:\Games\Oblivion.
Spoiler:
Show
Open Regedit (it's scary, but as long as you make only these changes, you'll be ok).
Go to the [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Wow6432Node \ Bethesda Softworks] path and click on it to highlight it.
Right click on the Bethesda Softworks path on the left and select EXPORT.
Choose any location to save the file that you will remember and name it something like "bethsoft.reg".
Open the folder where you saved the file, right click on the file (in this case "bethsoft.reg"), and open it with your preferred editor (I like Notepad++).
From the drop-down list of the editor, select the "Replace" option (in Notepad++ it's SEARCH-->REPLACE).
In the FIND WHAT: box, type "Wow6432node\" with the backslash but without the quotes
In the REPALCE WITH: box, leave it blank.
Hit REPLACE ALL. It should tell you something like 39 items replaced (if you have both Oblivion and Morrowind installed).
Save the file, and exit the editor.
Now double-click the "bethsoft.reg" file, and it will ask you to confirm that you want to import it into the Registry. Say yes, obviously.
Spoiler:
Show
The install instructions are complete rubbish. How I got TES4Gecko up and running (os: Windows 10) is as follows: Step 1: Download Launch4j (http://launch4j.sourceforge.net/) Step 2: Extract the TES4Gecko .7z file Step 3: Temporarily place the contents in an easily accessed location Step 4: Run Launch4j Step 5: In Lauch4j, you should see (under the basic tab) a section labeled 'Jar'. Navigate to the file location for the TES4Gecko.jar file (it is in the 'easily accessed location'). Open that. Step 6: In Lauch4j, you should see (under the basic tab) a section labeled 'Output File'. Copy the text in the 'Jar' text box. Paste that into the 'Output File' text box. In the 'Output', you will want to change the final '.jar' to '.exe'. Step 7: In Lauch4j, you should see (under the 'JRE' tab) a section labeled 'Min JRE version'. In the text box next to it, enter the text '1.0.0' (without quotes). Step 8: In the top bar of Lauch4j, you should see a gear icon (labeled 'Build Wrapper'). Click that. Step 9: Lauch4j should now proceed to ask you where to save your wrapper. It does not matter where you save it, as we will later be deleting it. Step 10: Navigate to your 'easily accessed location'. There now should be an .exe version of the .jar file (if so, you can delete the wrapper file). Step 11: Right-click on the 'TES4Gecko.exe' file. Click 'create shortcut'. Move the shortcut to wherever you'd like (desktop, ect.). Move the contents of the .7z file to wherever you'd like (program files, ect.). Step 12: Right-click on the shortcut. Click on properties. Click on advanced. Click on 'Run as administrator'. Finale: Now TES4Gecko will always run as administrator (so you can access the Oblivion 'program files' directory when in TES4Gecko), and you can ACTUALLY OPEN TES4Gecko. Note: It took me hours to figure this out, so please do not trash this post with rude comments. Thanks
No luck with any of these. I'm running windows 10 and have updated Java.
It has to do with the fact that the program is looking for an entry in your registry that isn't in there. To quote myself (from last time this came up):
It's because Gecko is looking for a specific registry entry and Windows x64 systems have the entry tucked behind another key instead of where it ought to be. You have to manually add another entry where Gecko expects it to be.
Open your registry with RegEdit. Just do it, it isn't that scary.
Find this folder up at the top: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE] and click on it to open it up. More folders will be inside. Find the one that says SOFTWARE and open that. Now inside that find Bethesda Softworks, then Oblivion.
If you don't have those entries, you'll have to create them. Do that by right clicking whichever folder is supposed to contain the entry but doesn't, and pick New > Key. (A key is a folder, essentially.) Type in the name of the key you need to create.
For instance, inside the SOFTWARE folder there should be a Bethesda Softworks folder - if it isn't in there, right-click SOFTWARE and create a new key called Bethesda Softworks. Then right-click the key you just created, Bethesda Softworks, and create another key inside it called Oblivion.
When you get down to the Oblivion key, you need to right-click and choose to create a new String Value. Call it "Installed Path" without the quotes. Now right-click the thing you just created and modify the value, which should be this:
"C:\Folder\Folder" where Folder is the name of wherever you installed the game. For instance, mine says C:\Games\Oblivion.
Thank you DaggerfallTeam for clear instructions! I have Steam version of Oblivion on W7 and setting my registry manually helped. Gecko is up and running and I was able to merge my own version of Unique Landscapes. Thank you!
I has the same error when i use the x64 bit of java jre-8u271-windows-x64.exe. After I has deinstalled the 64-bit version and install the 32-bit version the problem was gone.
I have multiple Oblivion Installs set up through mTES. Now, for some squirrely reason, Gecko could see the main install fine but would start giving the install path error when I would switch to a clone. This behaviour was new to Win10, which came preinstalled on my new rig I bought in early 2020. Since I could get Gecko working with the main install, I didn't worry too much. Then I wanted to get back to modding... and promptly realized one of my primary tools was broken for my modding install.
However, after applying this fix, everything works exactly as expected on all clones. Bravo! Now I can get back to mod editing without imperilling my current play install once more.
Greetings, If anyone is willing to have a functional jar file for win10 without having to edit registry, i've updated the path location with the new value on my jar. I can share it here or make a new "mod page", dunno what is best, there is no news that dev_akm will update its file ever.
Feel free to ask or to tell me "bad bad Abby, don't upload without asking. TBH this post is kinda asking if I can share :o
Scripter Ron was involved? Hell yeah Ima make it a go to utility, ZMerge lags my lower end laptop while his Fallout plugin mergers are lightweight and lighting fast. Very excited to learn how this works.
Edit: It's got a few more functions than the Fallout equivalents, tbh I haven't touched them yet, and the layout's a little different, but merging mods was just as painless as OP's other utilities. Highly recommended. It's plug and play, no long installation, all it wants is java.
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#TES4Gecko Properties
#Wed Feb 08 20:08:01 EST 2023
install.directory=C\:/Games/Oblivion
awt.useSystemAAFontSettings=on
swing.aatext=true
window.main.position=650,357
plugin.directory=C\:/Games/Oblivion/Data
Don't worry about the date at the top - Gecko will update that when you run the program.
The properties file tells Gecko where Oblivion is installed. You can install Gecko anywhere you like. Gecko will look for the properties file in AppData\Local\Oblivion as I said in step 1.
If a moderator sees this, could you pin it please?
Step 1:
Download Launch4j (http://launch4j.sourceforge.net/)
Step 2:
Extract the TES4Gecko .7z file
Step 3:
Temporarily place the contents in an easily accessed location
Step 4:
Run Launch4j
Step 5:
In Lauch4j, you should see (under the basic tab) a section labeled 'Jar'. Navigate to the file location for the TES4Gecko.jar file (it is in the 'easily accessed location'). Open that.
Step 6:
In Lauch4j, you should see (under the basic tab) a section labeled 'Output File'. Copy the text in the 'Jar' text box. Paste that into the 'Output File' text box. In the 'Output', you will want to change the final '.jar' to '.exe'.
Step 7:
In Lauch4j, you should see (under the 'JRE' tab) a section labeled 'Min JRE version'. In the text box next to it, enter the text '1.0.0' (without quotes).
Step 8:
In the top bar of Lauch4j, you should see a gear icon (labeled 'Build Wrapper'). Click that.
Step 9:
Lauch4j should now proceed to ask you where to save your wrapper. It does not matter where you save it, as we will later be deleting it.
Step 10:
Navigate to your 'easily accessed location'. There now should be an .exe version of the .jar file (if so, you can delete the wrapper file).
Step 11:
Right-click on the 'TES4Gecko.exe' file. Click 'create shortcut'. Move the shortcut to wherever you'd like (desktop, ect.). Move the contents of the .7z file to wherever you'd like (program files, ect.).
Step 12:
Right-click on the shortcut. Click on properties. Click on advanced. Click on 'Run as administrator'.
Finale:
Now TES4Gecko will always run as administrator (so you can access the Oblivion 'program files' directory when in TES4Gecko), and you can ACTUALLY OPEN TES4Gecko.
Note:
It took me hours to figure this out, so please do not trash this post with rude comments. Thanks
edit: https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?showtopic=30305/#entry39906505 this fixed the problem
Make sure to also apply the fix linked by Bykusch in this message chain, or alternatively scroll down for the instructions written by DaggerfallTeam, and you are good to go ^^
shortcut and specify "javaw -Xmx1024m -jar <install-directory>\TES4Gecko.jar"". However, it doesn't say how. When I click create, I only have the option create shortcut and there isn't a place to specify create a program
shortcut and specify "javaw -Xmx1024m -jar <install-directory>\TES4Gecko.jar". I need more details.
You can then move the shortcut where ever you want, such as the inside the Apps folder in Wrye Bash, so that you can access TES4Gecko through Wrye Bash.
It's recommended in the TES Alliance tutorials, & with OpenMW, it's an important utility, though Windows 10 installs:
java version "1.8.0_391"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_391-b13)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.391-b13, mixed mode)
The included shortcut actually is System 32, & simply doesn't work, not actually. In java 1.8, there's not an included java.exe file, not actually. Etc.
It seems like great work. Please update.
My game is located in C:Games/Bethesda/Oblivion. It was installed from the DVD GOTY edition. How can I get this program to locate this directory, and where is the best place to run it from? My computer has Java version 8, update 391 on a Windows 11 system.
Thanks
I keep getting the message
Exception during program initialization
java.io.IOException: Unable to locate Oblivion installation directory
TES4Gecko.Main.main(Main.java:145)
I have tried
Find this folder up at the top: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE] and click on it to open it up. More folders will be inside. Find the one that says SOFTWARE and open that. Now inside that find Bethesda Softworks, then Oblivion.
If you don't have those entries, you'll have to create them. Do that by right clicking whichever folder is supposed to contain the entry but doesn't, and pick New > Key. (A key is a folder, essentially.) Type in the name of the key you need to create.
For instance, inside the SOFTWARE folder there should be a Bethesda Softworks folder - if it isn't in there, right-click SOFTWARE and create a new key called Bethesda Softworks. Then right-click the key you just created, Bethesda Softworks, and create another key inside it called Oblivion.
When you get down to the Oblivion key, you need to right-click and choose to create a new String Value. Call it "Installed Path" without the quotes. Now right-click the thing you just created and modify the value, which should be this:
"C:\Folder\Folder" where Folder is the name of wherever you installed the game. For instance, mine says C:\Games\Oblivion.
editor (I like Notepad++).
obviously.
Step 1:
Download Launch4j (http://launch4j.sourceforge.net/)
Step 2:
Extract the TES4Gecko .7z file
Step 3:
Temporarily place the contents in an easily accessed location
Step 4:
Run Launch4j
Step 5:
In Lauch4j, you should see (under the basic tab) a section labeled 'Jar'. Navigate to the file location for the TES4Gecko.jar file (it is in the 'easily accessed location'). Open that.
Step 6:
In Lauch4j, you should see (under the basic tab) a section labeled 'Output File'. Copy the text in the 'Jar' text box. Paste that into the 'Output File' text box. In the 'Output', you will want to change the final '.jar' to '.exe'.
Step 7:
In Lauch4j, you should see (under the 'JRE' tab) a section labeled 'Min JRE version'. In the text box next to it, enter the text '1.0.0' (without quotes).
Step 8:
In the top bar of Lauch4j, you should see a gear icon (labeled 'Build Wrapper'). Click that.
Step 9:
Lauch4j should now proceed to ask you where to save your wrapper. It does not matter where you save it, as we will later be deleting it.
Step 10:
Navigate to your 'easily accessed location'. There now should be an .exe version of the .jar file (if so, you can delete the wrapper file).
Step 11:
Right-click on the 'TES4Gecko.exe' file. Click 'create shortcut'. Move the shortcut to wherever you'd like (desktop, ect.). Move the contents of the .7z file to wherever you'd like (program files, ect.).
Step 12:
Right-click on the shortcut. Click on properties. Click on advanced. Click on 'Run as administrator'.
Finale:
Now TES4Gecko will always run as administrator (so you can access the Oblivion 'program files' directory when in TES4Gecko), and you can ACTUALLY OPEN TES4Gecko.
Note:
It took me hours to figure this out, so please do not trash this post with rude comments. Thanks
No luck with any of these. I'm running windows 10 and have updated Java.
Any suggestions
It's because Gecko is looking for a specific registry entry and Windows x64 systems have the entry tucked behind another key instead of where it ought to be. You have to manually add another entry where Gecko expects it to be.
Open your registry with RegEdit. Just do it, it isn't that scary.
Find this folder up at the top: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE] and click on it to open it up. More folders will be inside. Find the one that says SOFTWARE and open that. Now inside that find Bethesda Softworks, then Oblivion.
If you don't have those entries, you'll have to create them. Do that by right clicking whichever folder is supposed to contain the entry but doesn't, and pick New > Key. (A key is a folder, essentially.) Type in the name of the key you need to create.
For instance, inside the SOFTWARE folder there should be a Bethesda Softworks folder - if it isn't in there, right-click SOFTWARE and create a new key called Bethesda Softworks. Then right-click the key you just created, Bethesda Softworks, and create another key inside it called Oblivion.
When you get down to the Oblivion key, you need to right-click and choose to create a new String Value. Call it "Installed Path" without the quotes. Now right-click the thing you just created and modify the value, which should be this:
"C:\Folder\Folder" where Folder is the name of wherever you installed the game. For instance, mine says C:\Games\Oblivion.
I have Steam version of Oblivion on W7 and setting my registry manually helped. Gecko is up and running and I was able to merge my own version of Unique Landscapes.
Thank you!
After I has deinstalled the 64-bit version and install the 32-bit version the problem was gone.
I have multiple Oblivion Installs set up through mTES. Now, for some squirrely reason, Gecko could see the main install fine but would start giving the install path error when I would switch to a clone. This behaviour was new to Win10, which came preinstalled on my new rig I bought in early 2020. Since I could get Gecko working with the main install, I didn't worry too much. Then I wanted to get back to modding... and promptly realized one of my primary tools was broken for my modding install.
However, after applying this fix, everything works exactly as expected on all clones. Bravo! Now I can get back to mod editing without imperilling my current play install once more.
Time to find and mash the kudos button.
Thank you!!!
I can share it here or make a new "mod page", dunno what is best, there is no news that dev_akm will update its file ever.
Feel free to ask or to tell me "bad bad Abby, don't upload without asking.
TBH this post is kinda asking if I can share :o
Please provide enlightenment
Edit: It's got a few more functions than the Fallout equivalents, tbh I haven't touched them yet, and the layout's a little different, but merging mods was just as painless as OP's other utilities. Highly recommended. It's plug and play, no long installation, all it wants is java.