Root Builder isn't showing up in the tools menu or MO is throwing an error when launched.
The most likely cause is that it wasn't installed properly. The first folder in the zip (just a single folder called 'rootbuilder') needs to be directly extracted into the plugins folder. If you extract the contents of the folder into plugins ('rootbuilder','shared' and '__init__.py') then it'll break MO. To fix this you will need to take a fresh copy of __init__.py from a clean MO install and replace the one in the plugins folder and then install Root Builder again properly. Remove the __init__.py that was added, and the two folders and try installing again.
If this is not the issue, check that you have a newer version of MO. The minimum supported version is 2.4.*, if you have 2.3.* then Root Builder will not work.
Root mods aren't being copied to the game folder or launching SKSE throws an error that it cannot find SkyrimSE.exe
This is usually a result of having a 'Data' folder inside a 'Root' folder. You should place the contents of any 'Data' folder alongside the 'Root' folder in a mod and not inside the 'Root' folder itself. If a Root mod has a 'Data' folder inside the 'Root' folder, the mod will be skipped entirely by Root Builder.
Example: INCORRECT: \Root\SomeDll.dll \Root\SomeIni.ini \Root\Data\SomePlugin.esp \Root\Data\SKSE\SomeScript.py CORRECT: \Root\SomeDll.dll \Root\SomeIni.ini SomePlugin.esp \SKSE\SomeScript.py If this is not the problem, there is another issue on the MO side of things that occasionally causes problems. What happens is that when running some tools through MO, when they exit, MO doesn't pick up on them closing and doesn't tell Root Builder to clear up, which means a flag in Root Builder is never set and causes autobuild to stop working. The workaround for this is to manually use the Build/Clear in the tools menu or to restart MO. When MO is next launched, the issue will be resolved.
Building/Clearing is incredibly slow or causes MO to crash.
This is caused by having a large number of files or a very large file being managed by Root Builder. The first thing to make sure of is that MO is NOT installed inside the game folder, this is an unsupported setup. MO should always be installed outside the game folder or issues will occur. The next thing to check for is Root mods which have source code included. A lot of mods will come with an 'src' folder, which contains source code, this usually adds a large number of files that are simply not needed for the mod to work. Once you identify the files causing the issue, you can delete them or add them to the exclusions setting in Root Builder so that they are ignored.
Root Builder doesn't work with WINE or on OS X or Linux etc.
There's nothing I can do about this, it's a limitation of MO not being able to track when apps are running or when they close. You can disable autobuild in the Root Builder tools menu and use the manual Build/Clear tools and this may allow you to use Root Builder. You may also need to disable redirect in the settings as well if that is not working and add executables using the alternative method described in the documentation (run a build, add the exe from the game folder and then run a clear).
I am using USVFS or Link mode and something is not working.
These modes work for some setups and not for others. If you are having issues with them, switch back to copy mode and test with that. Copy mode is the only mode that is compatible with everything and there's a good chance that it's simply not possible for USVFS or Link mode to work with the given mod.
Root Builder isn't working with my non- TES/Fallout/Starfield(probably) game.
While Root Builder can work with other games, it is often quite slow. You will likely need to identify which folders inside the base game are folders you will not be modding and add them to Root Builder's exclusion setting. Link and USVFS modes will probably not work (although can be worth experimenting with). If the issue is just speed, and you cannot resolve it with the exclusions setting, the best answer I can give is to disable autobuild, run manual builds when you need to add new mods and then run a clear once when you're ready to close MO.
I still need help!
If you need help, or have suggestions and feature requests, the best place to check is the dedicated Discord server for my mods.
Im trying to use it to back up the game version 1.5.97 in response to Bethesda s updates. But, I found that when I tried to restore the files, it was not successful. Im not sure where the problem lies. Do you have any suggestions?
How would I install Reshade inside MO2? By default, reshade installs in the game directory, but I'd obviously rather have it installed in virtual folders.
Is it normal for this to sometimes mess up and load things even though I've disabled them?
It doesn't happen 95% of the time but occasionally I've disabled ENB + reshade only to have them load anyway and get put in my Overwrite for some reason. I think it happens more when I'm manipulating other windows or unlocking MO2 to look at something (which admittedly I shouldn't do, but it's never caused anything as serious like a mod to improperly load). Is it just fragile?
They probably wound up in your game folder at some point. Just delete backup and cache and make sure the game folder is vanilla.
It only breaks if you unlock MO2 while something is running, which will break it 100% of the time and after that, it's permanently broken until you clear backup and cache and reset the game folder to vanilla.
I'm looking to run two different runtime versions under one mod list—versions 1.5.97 (BoBW) and 1.6.640. What is the best way to go about this? I've read through some older comments and replies, but I wasn't 100% clear on some details. If I could get a relatively detailed explanation, that would be greatly appreciated. With that being said, thank you so much for creating such an amazing tool!
What files would you suggest to keep in the game's install directory for RB to cache? I was thinking everything that both versions share, and then just build the files that are different from one version to the other.
Subject: Feedback on Plugin Management in MO2 Dear [Kezyma], I'd like to share some feedback regarding the plugin management functionality in MO2. Firstly, I find the option of restoring the backed-up contents from plugins\data\RootBuilder to the game folder highly convenient. This feature allows users to easily maintain a backup of their content, ensuring they always have access to the original data. However, I have some concerns about the way changes made to the game folder automatically overwrite the contents of MO2's ROOT folder. In my opinion, it would be preferable if changes were only copied to MO2\overwrite\ROOT folder instead. This approach would give users the flexibility to choose whether to incorporate these changes or not. In essence, using the "clear" function to copy changes solely to the MO2\overwrite\ROOT folder would enable users to make informed decisions about which modifications to apply while preserving the integrity of the original data within MO2's ROOT folder. Thank you for considering this feedback. I believe implementing these adjustments could enhance the usability and flexibility of the plugin management system in MO2. Best regards, [cptuser]
I can't get enbseries to work with rootbuilder. All the files will appear, except for the enbseries, and enbcache folder. I only needed to use the copy mode instead of the other ones.
Same question, it will remove creation kit when launching through MO2, i tried delete cache - create cache - Build, and add CreationKitPrefs.ini in exclusion, and it stop removing creation kit, but i still cant launch creation kit properly, anyone know how to make it work? I could use both properly last time i mod skyrim.
I'm wanting to use Creation Kit with Rootbuilder and Stock Game Folder. I have the Creation Kit activated as it's own mod in my MO2, inside a Root folder. I have MO2 linking to the CreationKit.exe within this root folder. I have the Overwrite Steam AppID checked with the value 1946180 in the field. When I try to run the Creation Kit, it doesn't start. Any help getting this to work will be greatly appreciated, thanks!
Run a build manually from the tools menu. Then try launching CK through MO2. If it still doesn't work, it's an issue with how you've got it set up through MO2 and not something related to using RB.
So I put the creationkit.exe in my stock game folder, I went to the tools menu in MO2 > Root Builder > and Clicked on Build. I have MO2 linking to creation kit inside the stock game folder as per instructions here: https://github.com/The-Animonculory/Modding-Resources/blob/main/Stock%20Game%20Setup.md#creation-kit.
I click run, it doesn't run. I check the overwrite folder and creationkit.exe has been moved to my overwrite folder.
I went to the Root Builder GUI, I clicked delete next to Backup and Cache. I moved Creationkit.exe back into my stock game folder. I click Build for root builder. Same results... it's so weird...
Here's a screenshot of my Creation Kit setup in MO2 and also images showing what is happening with the folders/files: https://imgur.com/a/QPY7ZWi
Link mode could very well be a problem. Copy mode is the only one that mimics manual installation. If any files in root folders are required by the CK, there's a non-zero chance that using link mode simply wont work.
If CK is installed in the game folder already and not working when you launch it, that's not going to be due to RB, that's going to be due to how the CK executable is set up in MO2.
When a new backup & cache are taken, those files are considered the vanilla game and anything that changes or is new past that will get moved to overwrite when an application closes. This has nothing to do with whether or not the CK worked as nothing is getting moved until after the CK executable closes, which in this case is happening immediately due to some crash.
If you want to remove all the current data for RB, delete MO2\plugins\data\rootbuilder, make sure the CK is installed and then try running it through MO2. If the CK doesn't run after this, that's an issue with your CK configuration in MO2 and unrelated to RB. If the CK files get moved to overwrite afterwards, that's an issue with RB, but it's unrelated to the issue of the CK not running.
OMG I'm an absolute gremlin. Why I didn't think to test without root builder is beyond me. All my issues were because I didn't downgrade the Creation Kit. For anyone struggling like me, I followed this guide (I'm a visual learner) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q4O30xINB4 - and used this mod to downgrade my Creation Kit to 1.5.97 - now it works with Root Builder and my downgraded Stock Game.
After I made this comment, I figured that out. But I then had a separate issue. The mods I was trying to get to work for Root worked, but they would be placed in the actual Skyrim folder. So they deployed like it was Vortex. Did I miss something? I used the Root builder fine with DDDA.
Give Feedback
662 comments
- Root Builder isn't showing up in the tools menu or MO is throwing an error when launched.
The most likely cause is that it wasn't installed properly. The first folder in the zip (just a single folder called 'rootbuilder') needs to be directly extracted into the plugins folder. If you extract the contents of the folder into plugins ('rootbuilder','shared' and '__init__.py') then it'll break MO.To fix this you will need to take a fresh copy of __init__.py from a clean MO install and replace the one in the plugins folder and then install Root Builder again properly.Remove the __init__.py that was added, and the two folders and try installing again.If this is not the issue, check that you have a newer version of MO. The minimum supported version is 2.4.*, if you have 2.3.* then Root Builder will not work.
- Root mods aren't being copied to the game folder or launching SKSE throws an error that it cannot find SkyrimSE.exe
This is usually a result of having a 'Data' folder inside a 'Root' folder. You should place the contents of any 'Data' folder alongside the 'Root' folder in a mod and not inside the 'Root' folder itself. If a Root mod has a 'Data' folder inside the 'Root' folder, the mod will be skipped entirely by Root Builder.Example:
INCORRECT:
\Root\SomeDll.dll
CORRECT:\Root\SomeIni.ini
\Root\Data\SomePlugin.esp
\Root\Data\SKSE\SomeScript.py
\Root\SomeDll.dll\Root\SomeIni.ini
SomePlugin.esp
\SKSE\SomeScript.py
If this is not the problem, there is another issue on the MO side of things that occasionally causes problems. What happens is that when running some tools through MO, when they exit, MO doesn't pick up on them closing and doesn't tell Root Builder to clear up, which means a flag in Root Builder is never set and causes autobuild to stop working.The workaround for this is to manually use the Build/Clear in the tools menu or to restart MO. When MO is next launched, the issue will be resolved.
- Building/Clearing is incredibly slow or causes MO to crash.
This is caused by having a large number of files or a very large file being managed by Root Builder.The first thing to make sure of is that MO is NOT installed inside the game folder, this is an unsupported setup. MO should always be installed outside the game folder or issues will occur.
The next thing to check for is Root mods which have source code included. A lot of mods will come with an 'src' folder, which contains source code, this usually adds a large number of files that are simply not needed for the mod to work.
Once you identify the files causing the issue, you can delete them or add them to the exclusions setting in Root Builder so that they are ignored.
- Root Builder doesn't work with WINE or on OS X or Linux etc.
There's nothing I can do about this, it's a limitation of MO not being able to track when apps are running or when they close.You can disable autobuild in the Root Builder tools menu and use the manual Build/Clear tools and this may allow you to use Root Builder. You may also need to disable redirect in the settings as well if that is not working and add executables using the alternative method described in the documentation (run a build, add the exe from the game folder and then run a clear).
- I am using USVFS or Link mode and something is not working.
These modes work for some setups and not for others. If you are having issues with them, switch back to copy mode and test with that. Copy mode is the only mode that is compatible with everything and there's a good chance that it's simply not possible for USVFS or Link mode to work with the given mod.
- Root Builder isn't working with my non- TES/Fallout/Starfield(probably) game.
While Root Builder can work with other games, it is often quite slow. You will likely need to identify which folders inside the base game are folders you will not be modding and add them to Root Builder's exclusion setting. Link and USVFS modes will probably not work (although can be worth experimenting with).If the issue is just speed, and you cannot resolve it with the exclusions setting, the best answer I can give is to disable autobuild, run manual builds when you need to add new mods and then run a clear once when you're ready to close MO.
- I still need help!
If you need help, or have suggestions and feature requests, the best place to check is the dedicated Discord server for my mods.It doesn't happen 95% of the time but occasionally I've disabled ENB + reshade only to have them load anyway and get put in my Overwrite for some reason. I think it happens more when I'm manipulating other windows or unlocking MO2 to look at something (which admittedly I shouldn't do, but it's never caused anything as serious like a mod to improperly load). Is it just fragile?
edit: makes sense, thank you
It only breaks if you unlock MO2 while something is running, which will break it 100% of the time and after that, it's permanently broken until you clear backup and cache and reset the game folder to vanilla.
Dear [Kezyma],
I'd like to share some feedback regarding the plugin management functionality in MO2.
Firstly, I find the option of restoring the backed-up contents from plugins\data\RootBuilder to the game folder highly convenient. This feature allows users to easily maintain a backup of their content, ensuring they always have access to the original data.
However, I have some concerns about the way changes made to the game folder automatically overwrite the contents of MO2's ROOT folder. In my opinion, it would be preferable if changes were only copied to MO2\overwrite\ROOT folder instead. This approach would give users the flexibility to choose whether to incorporate these changes or not.
In essence, using the "clear" function to copy changes solely to the MO2\overwrite\ROOT folder would enable users to make informed decisions about which modifications to apply while preserving the integrity of the original data within MO2's ROOT folder.
Thank you for considering this feedback. I believe implementing these adjustments could enhance the usability and flexibility of the plugin management system in MO2.
Best regards,
[cptuser]
I can't get enbseries to work with rootbuilder. All the files will appear, except for the enbseries, and enbcache folder.
I only needed to use the copy mode instead of the other ones.If it still doesn't work, it's an issue with how you've got it set up through MO2 and not something related to using RB.
I click run, it doesn't run. I check the overwrite folder and creationkit.exe has been moved to my overwrite folder.
I went to the Root Builder GUI, I clicked delete next to Backup and Cache. I moved Creationkit.exe back into my stock game folder. I click Build for root builder. Same results... it's so weird...
Here's a screenshot of my Creation Kit setup in MO2 and also images showing what is happening with the folders/files: https://imgur.com/a/QPY7ZWi
I have Root Builder set to "Link" mode.
If CK is installed in the game folder already and not working when you launch it, that's not going to be due to RB, that's going to be due to how the CK executable is set up in MO2.
When a new backup & cache are taken, those files are considered the vanilla game and anything that changes or is new past that will get moved to overwrite when an application closes. This has nothing to do with whether or not the CK worked as nothing is getting moved until after the CK executable closes, which in this case is happening immediately due to some crash.
If you want to remove all the current data for RB, delete MO2\plugins\data\rootbuilder, make sure the CK is installed and then try running it through MO2. If the CK doesn't run after this, that's an issue with your CK configuration in MO2 and unrelated to RB. If the CK files get moved to overwrite afterwards, that's an issue with RB, but it's unrelated to the issue of the CK not running.
Thanks for bearing with me Kezyma <3
After I made this comment, I figured that out. But I then had a separate issue. The mods I was trying to get to work for Root worked, but they would be placed in the actual Skyrim folder. So they deployed like it was Vortex. Did I miss something? I used the Root builder fine with DDDA.