[Dubious]

What's really needed is a "difference engine": a tool which would take a modder's files (which would only have their mods and nothing else; i.e. only their "differences") and MERGE them with the existing files in the ModPack directory or if there is no existing file by copying the original and then merging.

A more sophisticated Version would compare the ModPack directory files with the original files first, and if the merging mods would replace something which was not in the original, prompt for which to use: the old mod or the new one.

It might be necessary to establish a format for modder difference files to be able to "designate" a component which is to be replaced or removed or simply added, but that should be fairly simple with keywords such as "REPLACE title" or "ADD title AFTER title" or "DELETE title". (I haven't gotten into modding as yet, so I don't know all the ramifications.) But with the work going on to make the modding process easier, this should be fairly easy to implement.

-Dubious-

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"All sources are dubious until their reliabilty has been repeatedly proven. Even then their information should be independently verified." - The unwritten "spooks handbook"

[This message has been edited by Dubious (edited 08 March 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Dubious (edited 08 March 2001).]