GUIDE [WIP] DDSopt & Texture Overhauls

[z929669]

Discussion thread:
DDSopt Guide by STEP
Wiki Link

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GET DDSopt:
Github Pre-release versions
Official Nexus versions (select pre-release update 4)

[phazer11]

Since someone changed the time limit for editing... Anyways I just tried the batch files for the HRDLC repair and it didn't work the error log files say it couldn't find the file or path specified.

The folders in my Vanilla Extracted folder are STD, HRDLC1, HRDLC2, HRDLC3, Dawnguard, Dragonborn, Hearthfires.

[Kelmych]

Some of the url references in the DDSopt guide for the archive file with all the batch files pointed to the wrong place. The one in the header for each page in the guide is the correct url. I fixed the ones that pointed to the wrong url, so now all the references point to the correct one.

 

The batch files are intended to reduce the user interaction needed to optimize the vanilla textures, so ideally the video would be simpler. With the batch files there is no need to use DDSopt filters to select the right files; lots of people including me were making mistakes when doing this.

[phazer11]

Still no go captain. The 1_HRDLC_Clean actually seemed to run but 1_HRDLC_Clean-START failed again. I even ran in admin mode to be sure.

The log for HRDLC_Clean seems to be fine to me but then again I didn't write it so I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

Attaching the logs....

Or I would if I could find the attach button...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7bd0t6x3azadyjo/Logs.7z

[Kelmych]

From your logs it looks like you might have run the batch file in Vanilla Extracted vs. the "To Be Optimized" working directory. The batch files need to be in the working directory. The first line in 1_HRDLC_Clean.log should be:

D:\Optimization\To Be Optimized>REM This file is for the updated version of Skyrim HRDLC repair that does not use drive substitution

 

 

All the 1_HRDLC_Clean-START file does is to start 1_HRDLC_Clean and configure it to log status and errors; you don't actually need it and you can just run 1_HRDLC_Clean if you don't want the logs. If you already ran 1_HRDLC_Clean and it ran successfully there will be errors in the new log file if you then use 1_HRDLC_Clean-START since all the deletions and changes have already been done.If you want to run the START file again make sure the 1_HRDLC_Clean-START file looks like the one here (https://wiki.step-project.com/Guide:DDSopt/Batch_Files#tab=1_HRDLC_Clean-START). However, if you successfully created log files then the batch file is OK.

[phazer11]

I ran the batch files from my working directory. I'll show you a screenshot.

[Kelmych]

Hmmm. The lines with "del ..." in your HRDLC_Clean.log look correct, so the deletions and changes are likely completed. You can spot check a few to make sure. When I run it I don't get the "Vanilla Extracted" in initial directory name, but all that actually matters is the structure of the del and rd commands and they seem fine.

[phazer11]

I'm probably over thinking. something...

I'll start anew in the morning and let you know. Now... until I can get some sleep I will write another chapter in my story. Night guys.

[Kelmych]

When I run the pre-optimization batch file it takes 15-20 minutes, by the way. The DDSopt runs themself take a lot longer (at least the one that optimizes Vanilla Textures), but you can go away and do something else. The batch file that creates the archive files is one you would want to start up and then go away for hours. If your CPU and storage device are faster than mine then, of course, it won't take as long as I mentioned.

[phazer11]

Oh well in that case I'll move them over to my SSD (this process won't be shown on video) and have it do it in an hour or so while I'm writing (for tonight not the video)

[Kelmych]

I'd be interested in how fast these processes run on your computer.

[z929669]

I haven't run all the scripts, but the DDSopt takes longest for me (about 30-60 min tops), and just a bit less for LZMA2, fastest, non-solid 7z packing via the GUI. I am running all operations on a software RAID0 drive.

[Kelmych]

The command line version of 7zip isn't as fast as the GUI version, at least for me, even through it is also set for non-solid LZMA2 with multiple cores.

[phazer11]

I guess I'm missing something as I tried using 1_HRDLC_Clean-START and got the errors "The network path was not found" and "The system cannot find the path specified" etc. in the error log and I had just extracted pristine copies of the extracted files (from .7z archive I made before I ran the bat files the first time).

[Kelmych]

One of the problems with batch file processing in Windows is that it usually works fine, but when it doesn't it can be a PITA to find all-too-often esoteric problem that caused the issue. The two lines at the top used to ensure that the %cd% command gets the correct path is an example of this.

 

I don't understand how there could be a network path error when all the processing is on a single computer unless you are using drive substitution somewhere in the path, so I don't understand this message.

 

The last time you posted logs the 1_HRDLC_Clean.log showed the del and rd commands with the correct directories in the batch line. Was that true this time? Did you check whether the deletions were made anyway?

[phazer11]

I didn't think of that... I just got back to my computer but before I left I deleted the batch files and the extracted ones and re-extracted the vanilla ones. I moved everything over to my SSD completely forgot about the drive lettering, it's been a little crazy over here I swear these storms are going to be the end of me.