QMod SAM (Simple Activation Manager)

Area of ​​responsibility

Since there have been occasional misunderstandings in the past regarding the area of ​​responsibility of QMod SAM, a few explanatory words in advance.

How it started: SAM was originally designed as an internal tool for mod developers and mod testers to simplify the handling of mods during testing. SAM should help to be able to activate/deactivate the mods easily and also take the dependencies into account. The decision to publish SAM in general was only made during further development. SAM is basically intended as a GUI for QModManager, which by the way is not a "manager" in the true sense, but a mod loader.

What it is today: SAM has now built in many functions with which general errors at the installation level of the mods can be detected and visualized using colors and tooltips. In this way, SAM not only helps the users of QMM, but also the QMM supporters, since the players can fix "simple" problems themselves in advance, even before the game and QMM are started. An online version check of the mods completes the information on the mods.

Vortex: SAM does not compete with Vortex in any way. Vortex is a manager for many games, SAM is a manager especially for Subnautica/Below Zero. Mods cannot be installed or updated with SAM, which in turn can be done with Vortex. SAM, on the other hand, specializes in activating/deactivating mods, taking into account the dependencies and offers other functions that are QMM-specific. SAM can be used together with Vortex, for which SAM is specially designed in several points. SAM does not change any properties or files of Vortex. So there is no question of using Vortex or SAM. Both tools have their focus and together form a good team when it comes to Subnautica/Below Zero.

Features

• Shows a list with the names, IDs, and versions of all mods. The sorting of the list can be changed.
• You can simply enable/disable one or more mods by clicking the mod name and clicking "Apply".
• With the buttons "Enable all" and "Disable all" you can mark all mods for activation/deactivation with one click.
• There is a context menu (right click) for each mod that can be used to perform various actions:
  
  • Only this
  • Open in Explorer
  • Open on Nexus
  • Open Mod Website
  • Open Wiki page
  • Open custom page: {title}
  • Edit/Delete custom page...
    
• You can define exclusions for "Enable all", "Disable all" and "Only this" on all mods.
• Supports the "Dependencies" entry from QMM 2.0 and "VersionDependencies" entry from QMM 2.1 in mod.json. It means if you enable a mod which has defined dependencies, then it would enable also all required mods. It also takes into account all dependencies of the required mods. This works also with "Only this".
• If a mod has defined dependencies, then it shows if they are complete or not. The status COMPLETE is only set for a mod if the following conditions apply:
  
  • All dependencies are present (installed).
  • All dependencies have the required minimum version.
  • All dependencies are activated.
    
• In addition to the dependencies, duplicate mod IDs are also checked. The multiple use of an ID can occur if the folder name of a mod has been changed by the modder and the player has installed this mod with the new folder name, but has not removed the mod with the old folder name.
• In the list, colors help to identify the status of the mods more quickly. In the "DisplayName" column, green means "activated", red means "deactivated", blue means "planned change" and gray means "wrong game / deprecated". In the other columns, green generally means that everything is OK and red that there is a problem and tooltips then show the details of the problems.
• Offers a check for new versions of the mods, provided that the modders have defined the corresponding property in their mods. Also provides a version check for QModManager and SAM.
• Supports Subnautica and Below Zero. In the list, the mods are filtered after these two games. That is, if SAM is set to the folder of Subnautica, then all mods are displayed, but only mods of Subnautica can be controlled and mods that are suitable for both games. Inappropriate mods (wrong game) are displayed in gray color and can not be controlled. Inappropriate mods are also automatically deactivated. The same applies vice versa for Below Zero.
• Shows also a status bar with some stats and QModManager's version and also the game (Subnautica/Below Zero) and their build number.
• Works also if Vortex is installed. You can still manage the mods with Vortex (install, update, remove) and with SAM you can enable/disable the mods with the advantages of SAM. In the mod list, the column "Information" also shows which mods are controlled by Vortex.
• Can create a ready-to-post report for Nexus Mods (text with BBcode) directly into the clipboard. You can also save the report as a file (text).
• A mod recommendation list can be created. This contains the name, the version and, if available, the URL to the associated Nexus page or Mod Website.
• Profiles can also be saved and loaded. A profile stores the active mods and active exclusions. If such a profile is loaded, then only those mods are activated, which were stored in the profile, all others are deactivated. The same applies to the exclusions.
• The game can be started directly from SAM via the responsible game launcher. This function is especially useful for mod developers and mod testers, as they can start the game directly from SAM after changing the status of mods. If errors are found in the mods, you will be asked whether the game should be started anyway. The following game platforms are currently supported:
  • Steam
  • Epic Games
  • Microsoft
    
• SAM can optionally minimize or exit automatically when the game starts.
• SAM does not need to be installed and does not require any runtime libraries. It runs without any dependencies on Windows 7 and higher. SAM stores its data not in the registry, but in a standard INI in the same folder where SAM is located. SAM and its INI can also be moved to another folder at any time.
  

Installation

Steam / MS Store
The "QMod_SAM" folder can be copied into any folder including the Subnautica and Below Zero game folder. If the folder "QMod_SAM" is copied into the game folder and SAM is started there for the first time, all required paths are determined automatically.

If the "QMod_SAM" folder was not copied to the games folder, the path to the games folder must be specified manually once SAM is started for the first time:
File > Configuration > Game path > Change path

Epic Games
The "QMod_SAM" folder can be copied to any folder except the Subnautica and Below Zero game folder. SAM must not be located in the games folder, not even in a subfolder of the games folder. We are aware of several issues with the Epic Launcher when SAM is inside the games folder.

As soon as SAM is started for the first time, the path to the game folder must be specified:
File > Configuration > Game path > Change path

Set up SAM for both games (Subnautica and Below Zero)
If you want to use SAM for both games, then simply copy QMod_SAM.exe to QMod_SAM_bz.exe (for example). Then this copy of SAM will use his own INI and you can set up both SAM's independently.

Start SAM

You can start SAM by double clicking on QMod_SAM.exe. The first start automatically creates an INI with default settings.

Information for modder

Modders can define the following SAM functions in mod.json:

• Open the associated Nexus website.
• Open the associated Mod website.
• Open an associated Wiki.
• Check the version on Nexus or a third-party mod website.
• Defining deprecated mods.
  

Further information see QMod_SAM_modder_manual.rtf.

Background

The idea for SAM came spring 2018, when I installed QModManager for the first time. During my activity as a beta tester for FCStudios I finally realized this idea.

Special Thanks

• FCStudios - for testing, suggestions and for the Discord channel.
• AlexejheroYTB - for permission to use the QModManager icon, for thoughts on various things like NexusId and for information on QMM.
• Ward, Jos, TheXman (AutoIt community) - for the JSON UDF.
• Malkey (AutoIt community) - for the ArrayMultiSort UDF.
• MrPurple6411 - for testing, suggestions, thoughts on various things like NexusId and for information on QMM.
• PrimeSonic - for thoughts on various things like NexusId and for information on QMM.
• tobeyStraitjacket - for thoughts on various things like NexusId and for information on QMM.
• Pickysaurus - for information on Vortex, such as the tip about the master list. Also for the information about the Nexus API.
• M3dicCookie - for information on MS Store.
• GrenoZee - for testing and suggestions.
• Vylayan - for testing and suggestions.
• McKaby - for testing.
• desperationfighter - for testing and suggestions.
  

Links

QMod SAM on Discord: Field Creators Studios (channel: #?qmod-sam-support)