Removing specific animations from SLAL animation packs

[Innitaris]

Hey there. Pretty simple question: if I go into the meshes/actors/character/animations path in a SLAL animation pack, and delete specific animation files that I know I'm not a fan of, will that completely mess something up if I then re-run FNIS and try to start a new game?

 

There's specific animations in most packs that aren't my thing, but excluding them specifically whenever I start a new game (which is often) and load the animations is really time consuming, so I'd like a way to do it outside the game if it's not too advanced. I've done very simple TES5Edit mod tweaks before, simple Creation Kit things, and...that's mostly it, honestly, aside from editing textures which is more of an artist thing. I'm by no means an adept modder.

 

Can I literally just delete the specific animation file (e.g. thatsnotmybagbaby_1.hkx) and be fine, or will that break something?

[Hex Bolt]

32 minutes ago, Innitaris said:

Can I literally just delete the specific animation file (e.g. thatsnotmybagbaby_1.hkx) and be fine, or will that break something?

No, there's more to it than that.

 

If you've already saved your game with that animation enabled, toggle it off and save (not needed for a new game, pf course).

 

Be careful with this process.  If you miss a step or add/remove a delimiter, you'll really mess things up, so back up your original files so that you can recover if you need to.

 

In data\SLanims\json\ edit the json file for the animation pack.  Remove the animations you don't want.  Be extra careful not to add or remove a bracket, brace, or comma where you shouldn't.  If you remove the last animation in that file, you must remove the comma after the } at the end of the new last animation.  Look at the animation file names in the json file.  These are the ones you want to keep in the next step.

 

Go into data\meshes\actors\character\animations\ and delete the animation files that you don't want.  In that folder, edit the FNIS_xxxxxxxx_List.txt file and delete the animations you don't want.  If creatures are involved, you'll have to repeat this in more than one animation folder (look at the animation pack archive and see which folders it is installing).  It's easier with human-only animations.

 

Run FNIS and watch for errors.  In the SLAL MCM you should only see the animations that you wanted in that pack.

[Innitaris]

Thank you, those are exactly the directions I was looking for. I did take a look at the .json files for a few packs and wondered if I'd have to do anything with those. I've edited files like them before so I'm used to being wary of deleting various punctuation. I appreciate the help!

[Grey Cloud]

9 minutes ago, HexBolt8 said:

No, there's more to it than that.

 

I

 

Thanks for that. This has been on my 'to do' list for quite a while.

[Tseverin]

On 12/16/2021 at 3:39 PM, HexBolt8 said:

No, there's more to it than that.

 

If you've already saved your game with that animation enabled, toggle it off and save (not needed for a new game, pf course).

 

Be careful with this process.  If you miss a step or add/remove a delimiter, you'll really mess things up, so back up your original files so that you can recover if you need to.

 

In data\SLanims\json\ edit the json file for the animation pack.  Remove the animations you don't want.  Be extra careful not to add or remove a bracket, brace, or comma where you shouldn't.  If you remove the last animation in that file, you must remove the comma after the } at the end of the new last animation.  Look at the animation file names in the json file.  These are the ones you want to keep in the next step.

 

Go into data\meshes\actors\character\animations\ and delete the animation files that you don't want.  In that folder, edit the FNIS_xxxxxxxx_List.txt file and delete the animations you don't want.  If creatures are involved, you'll have to repeat this in more than one animation folder (look at the animation pack archive and see which folders it is installing).  It's easier with human-only animations.

 

Run FNIS and watch for errors.  In the SLAL MCM you should only see the animations that you wanted in that pack.

Thanks for directing me to this thread. I can't find that file route (data\SLanims\json). I have my mod stuff on a seperate hard drive. I have searched my MO2\mods folder (which is not in 'Steam Library\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Mods'. I did an over all file explorer search and found nothing. My mods are 'Modding Utilities\MO2\mods'. Whereabouts should it be? I did my setup a while back ago after I had a hd failure. Since then I have a set up where I've dedicated a big hard drive solely to skyrim and it works. No doubt I'm missing something obvious.

Edited January 2, 2022 by Tseverin

[Hex Bolt]

5 minutes ago, Tseverin said:

My mods are 'Modding Utilities\MO2\mods'. Whereabouts should it be?

Every mod package that uses SLAL Animations comes with a json file that goes in Data\SLAnims\json.  I can't help with mod manager questions, but that's the folder that a mod manager would be mimicking.

[Heroine HoneyCrotch]

3 hours ago, Tseverin said:

. I have searched my MO2\mods folder

[Tseverin]

21 minutes ago, Heroine HoneyCrotch said:

Thanks for breaking that down for me. I'm a retard

 

[Heroine HoneyCrotch]

1 minute ago, Tseverin said:

I'm a retard

We all start in the same place

[bnub345]

I don't know why you want to manually edit the .json files and make life harder for yourself. The SLAL packs should come with a source file (.txt) in Data\SLAnims\Source. You can edit this text file without worrying about the awkward syntax of the .json. Then use the python script that comes with the SLAnim Loader mod called SLAnimGenerate.pyw, in the same source directory. It will build the .json for you and also print out errors if the formatting is wrong. 

[ChiefChubyChaser]

On 1/2/2022 at 5:54 PM, bnub345 said:

I don't know why you want to manually edit the .json files and make life harder for yourself. The SLAL packs should come with a source file (.txt) in Data\SLAnims\Source. You can edit this text file without worrying about the awkward syntax of the .json. Then use the python script that comes with the SLAnim Loader mod called SLAnimGenerate.pyw, in the same source directory. It will build the .json for you and also print out errors if the formatting is wrong. 

Do you have to install the animation packs to edit them, or can you unzip and edit the animation packs prior to installing them. And for us small brains who are new at this, is there a straight forward guide for how to do this?

[donttouchmethere]

3 hours ago, ChiefChubyChaser said:

Do you have to install the animation packs to edit them, or can you unzip and edit the animation packs prior to installing them. And for us small brains who are new at this, is there a straight forward guide for how to do this?

Small brain here too, but I also try to follow bnub345's idea after your question.

I checked a few SLAL packs. Not all come with a source file included.

 

Theoretical procedure:

• download https://www.python.org/downloads/
  • install
    • don't install it in program files (x86) because of UAC and Virus scanners, choose some alternate drive or folder
• download SLAL (Sexlab Animation Loader)
  • unzip it and check for SLAnimGenerate.pyw
    • it's in SLAL SLAnims folder
• download SLAL pack (maybe check if there is an additional download for source)
  • unzip the SLAL pack (check source folder for a txt)
    • move SLAnimGenerate.pyw into the SLAL pack folder > into SLAnims folder (json and source folder should be visible)
• run SLAnimGenerate.pyw
  • if all files are present you should see
    • Categories: Name of the pack
    • Animations: list of all included animations
    • log: hopefully no errors
• manipulate the source txt (you can do that with notepad++ for better overview (language: Phyton) , editor works too tho)
  • remove one animation (maybe even rename mcm_name and txt name)
    • remember the animation name
      • run SLAnimGenerate.pyw again and check for errors
        • check animations window, one should be missing now
          • choose "Build Category" (choose the one you manipulated or renamed)
    • check the json folder, if you renamed the txt a new json should be found there
• Run generatefnisformodders from \Skyrim\Data\tools\GenerateFNIS_for_Modders
  • click Generate Mod Behavior
    • the generator will ask where the FNIS animation list is
      • you can find it in \<folder with your uncompressed SLAL pack>\meshes\actors\character\animations\<name of the fnis list txt you created>
        • The tool will generate your mod specific behavior file behaviors/FNIS_<modname>_Behavior.hkx
• now I can only guess:
  • pack you modified SLAL pack and install it via modmanager or manual install
    • run fnis_for_users as usal
      • test ingame?!
        • if you changed the mcm name in source files it might even show up like that ^^
• I guess that's it? Would need to test ingame
  • ... that's how far I got. There is a readme in the SLAL zip that would be good to read.
    • lets experiment lol

 

See! Much easier than to modify json and check it in an online json syntax checker ?‍♂️??

Edited March 17, 2022 by donttouchmethere
Why do i have a bad feeling about this lol

[bnub345]

@ChiefChubyChaser @donttouchmethere

 

The process I use is like this:

 

• Download the SLAL pack and unzip it to a folder
• Edit the source text and delete the text block for any unwanted animations
• Place the SLAnimGenerate.pyw into the SLAL folder (doesn't have to be under SLAnims)
• Run the .pyw and check for errors, select build category if everything is okay
• Run GenerateFNISForModders and navigate to wherever you unpacked the SLAL folder, under meshes\actors\character\animations\<SLAL pack name>\FNIS_<SLAL pack name>_list.txt
• You may need to manually add the behavior.hkx file to the SLAL folder if you are using MO2 and it goes to the overwrite file
• Pack the SLAL folder into an archive and add using a mod manager
• Run GenerateFNISForUsers as usual and enjoy

 

Basically the same thing as donttouchmethere laid out in detail, except it isn't necessary to run the .pyw before you have edited anything. All of the big SLAL packs on LL have source files I think. The ones for FunnyBizness are in a separate folder and not bundled with the animations. 

 

Manually editing the .json would also require editing the FNIS_animname_List.txt, because that is the part needed to generate the behavior.hkx. The behavior file controls which anims are loaded by FNIS when you play the game. You might as well just use python to generate the .json and .txt file for you and also error check everything. Manually editing the .json might be simpler if you only wanted to edit the SLAL tags or something.

 

[donttouchmethere]

3 hours ago, bnub345 said:

except it isn't necessary to run the .pyw before you have edited anything

I needed to test first, never tried that procedure before (I learned while typing and shuffled files around until I didn't saw any errors anymore).

It's better to know how things look unchanged before brutally stating to delete.

 

Thanks for the additional details about the process.

Edited March 17, 2022 by donttouchmethere

[worik]

9 hours ago, donttouchmethere said:

Thanks for the additional details about the process.

?

I have these 3 quick guides in my link list:

• by MMG : https://www.loverslab.com/topic/69936-devious-devices-framework-developmentbeta/page/93/#comment-2271175
• by Hexbolt8 https://www.loverslab.com/topic/144072-installing-fewer-animations/#comment-2990199
• and rydin's guide https://www.loverslab.com/files/file/2506-sexlab-animation-loader-guide/

 

[belegost]

Excellent Guide @HexBolt8, much appreciated.

[Giora93]

On 12/16/2021 at 5:39 PM, HexBolt8 said:

No, there's more to it than that.

 

If you've already saved your game with that animation enabled, toggle it off and save (not needed for a new game, pf course).

 

Be careful with this process.  If you miss a step or add/remove a delimiter, you'll really mess things up, so back up your original files so that you can recover if you need to.

 

In data\SLanims\json\ edit the json file for the animation pack.  Remove the animations you don't want.  Be extra careful not to add or remove a bracket, brace, or comma where you shouldn't.  If you remove the last animation in that file, you must remove the comma after the } at the end of the new last animation.  Look at the animation file names in the json file.  These are the ones you want to keep in the next step.

 

Go into data\meshes\actors\character\animations\ and delete the animation files that you don't want.  In that folder, edit the FNIS_xxxxxxxx_List.txt file and delete the animations you don't want.  If creatures are involved, you'll have to repeat this in more than one animation folder (look at the animation pack archive and see which folders it is installing).  It's easier with human-only animations.

 

Run FNIS and watch for errors.  In the SLAL MCM you should only see the animations that you wanted in that pack.

 

Hello, I know the topic is kind of old but maybe you'll see it. I did all that you mention, and it worked. I wanted to go a bit further, but in this case it didn't work, and I would like to know if there is a way.

 

I tried to combine stages from various artists into a single animation. Obviously, all this respecting certain factors, such as the type of actors, the number of actors and objects in the scene (in this case, without objects"). I did almost all the steps that I should do to remove animations, only in this case I did stages replacements, but it didn't work.

 

I must probably be missing a step that should not be easy at all. I sense that it must be something related to the "behaviors" folder of the actors... is the only thing I couldn't touch. Is there any way to do that? Thank you.

[Hex Bolt]

3 minutes ago, Giora93 said:

I tried to combine stages from various artists into a single animation.

I don't think that's possible, but I haven't tried.  The approach I outlined is as simple as I could make it, avoiding having to run GenerateFNIS_for_Modders.

 

I know that one can replace one stage with another, as long as it's not the first stage.  For example, if you really dislike the stage 3 animations, you could rename those hkx files to something that won't be used, then copy the stage 2 files and give them the former names of the stage 3 files.  The stage 2 animation will then run twice, proceeding into stage 4.  I've done this to salvage an otherwise nice animation that had one weird or annoying stage.

[Giora93]

2 hours ago, HexBolt8 said:

I don't think that's possible, but I haven't tried.  The approach I outlined is as simple as I could make it, avoiding having to run GenerateFNIS_for_Modders.

 

I know that one can replace one stage with another, as long as it's not the first stage.  For example, if you really dislike the stage 3 animations, you could rename those hkx files to something that won't be used, then copy the stage 2 files and give them the former names of the stage 3 files.  The stage 2 animation will then run twice, proceeding into stage 4.  I've done this to salvage an otherwise nice animation that had one weird or annoying stage.

 

Yes, I did some experiments, but unfortunately I couldn't combine them. I really like the animations of Anub and Billyy, they are the best in my opinion, and I came up with the idea of mixing both of them ?. Thanks for your time.