Find dangerous ESLs - xEdit script

[Papitas]

View File

Find dangerous ESLs - xEdit script

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Finds ESL plugins that can corrupt save games and cause crashes.

 

Usage

1. Load all your plugins in xEdit.
2. Run this script.
3. Tell mod author to fix their plugin.

 

Warning
This script warns about new cell records in ESL plugins, which for many years caused bugs on SE, but the CK mod Survival Mode bundled in AE has that kind of records.

 

So, ask nicely the mod author about this topic before pointing fingers at them.

Maybe that bug was fixed in AE at last. I'll be grateful if someone can confirm in the comments.

 

All other errors reported by this script are a source of save game corruptions and CTDs and must be reported to their author ASAP.

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• Submitter
  Papitas
• Submitted
  05/30/2022
• Category
  Regular Mods
• Requires
  SSEEdit
• Regular Edition Compatible
  Not Applicable

 

[Andarus]

Well, there will only be a problem when new cells added by ESLs are edited by other plugins.

[Papitas]

59 minutes ago, Andarus said:

Well, there will only be a problem when new cells added by ESLs are edited by other plugins.

 

Thanks. 

I got some feedback about that on Nexus, but things aren't still quite clear to me.

May you give me more insight? I'd like to know more about the topic.

 

What kind of editions are problematic on cell records?

[safado]

11 hours ago, Papitas said:

 

Thanks. 

I got some feedback about that on Nexus, but things aren't still quite clear to me.

May you give me more insight? I'd like to know more about the topic.

 

What kind of editions are problematic on cell records?

 

Quote from cfs111 about ESL flag

DO NOT CONVERT MODS THAT ADD NEW CELL RECORDS. In SSE it appears that any mod that adds a new CELL record and then that cell is overwritten by another mod the game will only show persistent references in game any temporary references (items that can be moved or picked up) will not show. This bug is for SSE only, FO4 does not have this issue.

Source at Steam Community

 

From Arthmoor

Spoiler

Using ESL flagged files come with some important issues to consider:

 

• You must be playing on a copy of SSE version 1.5.3 or newer in order to use ESL flagged files.
• You must be using a copy of the SSE CK version 1.5.3 or higher in order to properly recognize these files for editing.
• The file cannot contain more than 2048 records in it or the form IDs will overflow into another FE slot and corrupt the save.
• Form IDs need to be compacted for the file to be considered valid. The CK has an option called "Compact Active File Form IDs" in the file menu. xEdit also has a function for this. When using either of these, PAY ATTENTION TO THE WARNINGS.
• You cannot compact IDs on a file you intend to continue using in an existing save or you WILL corrupt it due to the form IDs contained within it being rewritten. Only do this on files you have not yet begun using, and which do not yet exist as public releases.
• Other mods which reference form IDs in the mod you are compacting (compatiblity patches, script calls, etc) will break if you compact the form IDs on a mod that's been released to the public.
• NMM does not work with files that have the .esl extension or carry an ESL flag. It has been reported to completely lock up if even one of these is present in your Data folder. Use a functional mod manager such as Wrye Bash to manage these types of mods.
• If by some wierd twist of fate you end up with a ESL flagged file that's also ESM flagged and someone uses a standard .esp file as a master to it for some reason, that file will be forced to load into the wrong part of your setup. Normally a standard .esp file will never load before anything ESM flagged, this is the one exception to that now and it should be considered a bug to report to any mod's author who has done this.
• DO NOT attempt to patch anything inside of a CELL record that originates with a file flagged as ESL. Doing so will cause the cell to break and not load most of its contents when you enter it. This includes any official Creation Club content you may have. It doesn't matter who made the file, it will break.
• Mods that use the GetFormFromFile() function in their scripts to reference things within them cannot be compacted unless the scripts are also recompiled with the new form ID.
• Mods using recorded voice lines or that include NPC facegen data cannot be compacted because all of those asset files will need to be manually renamed to match the new dialogue and NPC form IDs.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2022 by safado

[Papitas]

44 minutes ago, safado said:

 

Quote from cfs111 about ESL flag

DO NOT CONVERT MODS THAT ADD NEW CELL RECORDS. In SSE it appears that any mod that adds a new CELL record and then that cell is overwritten by another mod the game will only show persistent references in game any temporary references (items that can be moved or picked up) will not show. This bug is for SSE only, FO4 does not have this issue.

Source at Steam Community

 

From Arthmoor

  Reveal hidden contents

Using ESL flagged files come with some important issues to consider:

 

• You must be playing on a copy of SSE version 1.5.3 or newer in order to use ESL flagged files.
• You must be using a copy of the SSE CK version 1.5.3 or higher in order to properly recognize these files for editing.
• The file cannot contain more than 2048 records in it or the form IDs will overflow into another FE slot and corrupt the save.
• Form IDs need to be compacted for the file to be considered valid. The CK has an option called "Compact Active File Form IDs" in the file menu. xEdit also has a function for this. When using either of these, PAY ATTENTION TO THE WARNINGS.
• You cannot compact IDs on a file you intend to continue using in an existing save or you WILL corrupt it due to the form IDs contained within it being rewritten. Only do this on files you have not yet begun using, and which do not yet exist as public releases.
• Other mods which reference form IDs in the mod you are compacting (compatiblity patches, script calls, etc) will break if you compact the form IDs on a mod that's been released to the public.
• NMM does not work with files that have the .esl extension or carry an ESL flag. It has been reported to completely lock up if even one of these is present in your Data folder. Use a functional mod manager such as Wrye Bash to manage these types of mods.
• If by some wierd twist of fate you end up with a ESL flagged file that's also ESM flagged and someone uses a standard .esp file as a master to it for some reason, that file will be forced to load into the wrong part of your setup. Normally a standard .esp file will never load before anything ESM flagged, this is the one exception to that now and it should be considered a bug to report to any mod's author who has done this.
• DO NOT attempt to patch anything inside of a CELL record that originates with a file flagged as ESL. Doing so will cause the cell to break and not load most of its contents when you enter it. This includes any official Creation Club content you may have. It doesn't matter who made the file, it will break.
• Mods that use the GetFormFromFile() function in their scripts to reference things within them cannot be compacted unless the scripts are also recompiled with the new form ID.
• Mods using recorded voice lines or that include NPC facegen data cannot be compacted because all of those asset files will need to be manually renamed to match the new dialogue and NPC form IDs.

 

 

 

Ok. 

I'll recap to make sure I understood well:

 

Cells created inside esls aren't dangerous per se, but if they are overwritten by another plugin, temporary references will not be shown.

 

Am I right?

[safado]

1 hour ago, Papitas said:

 

Ok. 

I'll recap to make sure I understood well:

 

Cells created inside esls aren't dangerous per se, but if they are overwritten by another plugin, temporary references will not be shown.

 

Am I right?

 

Allegedly Yes. 

New Skyrim SE 1.6 (AE) CC is mostly ESL, but if it add new cells is ESM instead (ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.esm).  Survival is the exception, but the new cell looks like is a test cell.

 

I have never tried to trigger the bug.  Mostly ESL flags override patches without any formid cell entry. 

 

I use the xEdit scripts "Find plugins which could be turned into ESL" or "Find ESP plugins which could be turned into ESL" for possible candidates and to know if it needs "compacting".  I evade compacting unless is an armor mod with no container or placement entry. 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by safado

[Papitas]

18 hours ago, safado said:

 

Allegedly Yes. 

New Skyrim SE 1.6 (AE) CC is mostly ESL, but if it add new cells is ESM instead (ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.esm).  Survival is the exception, but the new cell looks like is a test cell.

 

I have never tried to trigger the bug.  Mostly ESL flags override patches without any formid cell entry. 

 

I use the xEdit scripts "Find plugins which could be turned into ESL" or "Find ESP plugins which could be turned into ESL" for possible candidates and to know if it needs "compacting".  I evade compacting unless is an armor mod with no container or placement entry. 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for your feedback!

 

I deleted cell checking altogether because it seems that bug is quite benign and trying to programatically find it is too much buck for the bang

[aragonit]

There is a great script to convert esp to esl-tagged which checks for cell records. Check this out:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/56396

[Papitas]

On 6/3/2022 at 9:12 AM, aragonit said:

There is a great script to convert esp to esl-tagged which checks for cell records. Check this out:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/56396

 

Thanks for the heads up!

I'll study it and see if I can adapt it so it warns about those kind of things.

[Tlam99]

Never flag cell records esl.

It says when overwritten they temp will be lost.

But, you have no really control when a esl is loaded.

One could try esp-fe, but it's gambling.

[aragonit]

21 hours ago, Papitas said:

 

Thanks for the heads up!

I'll study it and see if I can adapt it so it warns about those kind of things.

 

On 6/3/2022 at 4:12 PM, aragonit said:

There is a great script to convert esp to esl-tagged which checks for cell records. Check this out:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/56396

It does warn, no need to adapt it.

 

If you try to run it on a file with cell records, it will abort with a warning. There IS a 2nd file which will work on files with cell records, but somehow will leave them untouched. I've never used it and don't know how it (the 2nd script) works.