Clicked "uninstall" and instead of uninstalling mod just dissapears from list

[K Szczech]

...and despite being only virtually linked to Meganes it also uninstalled them. Permanently Can't install Meganes now.


I've been doing some tests yesterday with virtual mod.

I had all ISI mods installed.
I have installed .rfcmp with Virtual_LM Mid Ohio

I've created a virtual mod with Meganes, Portugal, Malasya and Mid Ohio. I've unchecked all components and selected all layouts. My .rfmod file is around 5MB (just to confirm this is actually a virtual mod). Then I've installed it and submitted SubmitID in launcher.
Looked fine so far, but I've probably made a typo in version number and after launching server it said that SubmitID is incorrect for matchmaker.

Not a big problem, so I wanted to fix it. First thing was to uninstall my virtual mod and this is when something strange happened.
After I clicked "uninstall" in mod manager, my mod's status did not change to "Installed: NO". Mod just dissapeared from the list.
Same thing happened to Meganes mod.
Now I have 5 .rfmod files in my Packages folder (4 from ISI and one is my virtual mod) but mod manager can only see three .rfmod files that are currently installed.

In rFactor I can still see all tracks available, but Meganes are gone.



Additional info that may be important:
-I took rfm file from trainers in dev mode and just changed mod name inside that .rfm
-I copied both icon .dds files under new names and left them in ModDev/rFm folder
-I've created .mas out of it and left it in ModDev/rFm folder
-launched from rFactor2Data/Support/Tools the mas2.exe doesn't see any cars and tracks so I copied mas2.exe directly to rFactor2data folder and launched it from there
-Made my package, saved it to ModDev/rFm folder
-copied this .rfmod file to Packages folder
-entered mod manager from launcher and installed my virtual mod
-launched the server, got the SubmidID problem I mentioned
-launched mod manager again and uninstalled my virtual mod - this is when Meganes got uninstalled

.rfmod file of Meganes seems untouched (looking at file date), but mod manager no longer sees this file. Neither it can see my virtual mod file.

I have repeated the procedure - this time with FR3.5, same tracks and I've saved .rfmod file directly into Packages folder this time I've used the same name as before.
Everything went smoothly. I have installed my package using mas32.exe, god submit id and submitted it.
Server successfully announced in matchmaker.

Now I went to mod manager and uninstalled my virtual mod - it dissapeared from list although .rfmod file remains in Packages folder. Fortunately FR3.5 remained untouched.


I still have both versions of my .rfmod file (the one with Meganes and FR.35) so I may provide them for testing.

[Foxtrot]

Strange.
I've installed/uninstalled a car mod with virtual links to all the tracks multiple times without issues.
I've also installed/uninstalled a virtual mod with meganes and all the tracks without issues.

[mianiak]

This is probably where you went wrong

"-launched from rFactor2Data/Support/Tools the mas2.exe doesn't see any cars and tracks so I copied mas2.exe directly to rFactor2data folder and launched it from there"

You want to set up a completely separate folder system for packaging mods. Its possible that the packaging tool could have corrupted the mod installations. Once you set up your folder system for packaging (and after you have reinstalled ISI content), copy over the installed folder and the manifests folder to your packaging area, then you will have access to everything.

It's listed in the tutorial http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.ph...ding-Downloads There is also a video a few posts down.

[K Szczech]

Thanks for answer.

I've moved manifest file for Meganes somewhere else and .rfmod appeared again on the list in mods installer - I could install it now.

But it seems like a big inconvenience to keep a separate folder structure with a physical copy of my installed cars and tracks, just to create a virtual mod for them.
It seems better to work on my actual game file structure in that case, but to do that I need to copy mas2.exe for it to even see my installed cars and tracks.

If mas2.exe would follow the same rules of mod installation as mod manager does, then there would be no problem.
Looks like mas2.exe uninstalled Meganes from "installed" folder, but left the manifest file untouched.
Additionally, it shouldn't uninstall these Meganes files at all, because they were a part of another mod that was still installed.


The reason why using separate file structure was mentioned in tutorial was protecting yourself from corrupting your game by accidental file overwrites and such. Doesn't seem like a problem when comes to virtual mods, but turns out it is - because of inconsistencies in a way mas2.exe and mod manager handle mod installation.