# Maintaining Modding Environments > Use after first-run for ongoing modpack maintenance: update/install KB packs, author or register custom/mod KB packs, maintain localization glossary KBs for translator use, prune KB cache, health-check the environment, version-pin KB/tooling, or handle recurring BGS modding environment care. - Skill: `thedixitjain/maintaining-modding-environments` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add thedixitjain/maintaining-modding-environments` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/thedixitjain/maintaining-modding-environments/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: thedixitjain (https://skillmd.com/u/thedixitjain) - Updated: 2026-09-08 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/thedixitjain/maintaining-modding-environments --- # Maintaining Modding Environments ## When to use - The environment is already set up and the user asks to maintain, refresh, update, or health-check it. - The user says "register custom pack", "install my KB pack", "set `BGS_KB_USER_PACKS`", or asks how to author a local KB pack. - The user asks how to maintain a mod knowledge base, a translator glossary KB, or a third-party localization KB for Skyrim/Fallout/Starfield. - The user asks to install, upgrade, repair, or verify the standalone `xtl`/`bgs-translator` CLI after first-run. - The user asks to check or apply knowledge-base updates after first-run. - The user asks to prune the KB cache or clean old pack versions. - The user asks whether to pin a KB pack version, follow latest, or handle a `minPluginVersion` warning. ## What this skill replaces Use `setting-up-bgs-modding-environment` for first-run: MO2 detection, control-plane install, visible MO2 launch, first xEdit acquisition, first KB pack acquisition, and first semantic smoke. This skill owns ongoing care after that first-run boundary: KB updates, cache hygiene, custom-pack authoring and registration, translator CLI maintenance, recurring environment health checks, and version-pinning advice. ## Translator CLI maintenance `xtl` is the standalone AI translation CLI/Web GUI launcher. It is published on PyPI as `bgs-translator`; the portable plugin may include translator-facing skills, but a fresh user machine still needs the Python package installed before high-speed agents can call `xtl`. Start every maintenance pass with an explicit readback: ```powershell # Check whether xtl is installed and can report its version/capabilities. xtl version # Inspect top-level commands before choosing a workflow. xtl --help ``` If `xtl` is missing or too old, prefer an isolated user-level CLI install: ```powershell # Install the current release-candidate build as an isolated command-line tool. pipx install bgs-translator==0.9.0rc1 # Upgrade an existing pipx-managed xtl install when a newer stable build exists. pipx upgrade bgs-translator ``` If `pipx` is unavailable, or the user explicitly wants `xtl` inside a project virtual environment, use Python's package installer from that environment: ```powershell # Install or upgrade xtl inside the selected Python environment. py -3.12 -m pip install --upgrade bgs-translator==0.9.0rc1 ``` For a future stable release, use the unpinned package name for normal installs: `pipx install bgs-translator`, `pipx upgrade bgs-translator`, or `py -3.12 -m pip install --upgrade bgs-translator`. Do **not** use broad `--pre` during routine maintenance; it can allow prerelease dependency versions that were not part of the tested translator build. Pin an exact prerelease only when the user intentionally wants that version. After any install or upgrade, inspect subcommand help instead of assuming specific option values: ```powershell # Verify provider-profile setup options, including all supported SDK kinds. xtl profile add --help # Verify web GUI launch options and ports. xtl gui --help # Verify batch controls before telling an agent to submit or resume work. xtl batch --help ``` If a GUI or background translator service gets into an inconsistent state, restart it with the repo's reusable helper instead of inventing process-kill steps: ```powershell # Restart the translator GUI/service stack using the project helper. pwsh tools\bgs-translator\scripts\restart-web-gui.ps1 -Port 7847 ``` If that helper is absent in an older checkout, fall back to the current `using-bgs-translator` instructions for launching `xtl gui`, then file a note in the environment maintenance log that the helper should be added or backported. ## Check + apply KB updates 1. Start with `bgs_kb_status({})` to see loaded packs, versions, cache root, user roots, and warnings. 2. If `bgs_kb_check_updates` exists, call it for the installed pack IDs. Surface available updates, `breakingChange`, and release URLs before taking action. 3. If `bgs_kb_check_updates` is not present yet (pre-KB-6), check GitHub Releases for `bgs-modding-superpowers` KB pack artifacts and `manifest-index.json`. Do not invent release names. 4. Before installing or replacing a pack, get user consent for the download / cache mutation. 5. If `bgs_kb_install_pack` exists, use it with an exact `{ packId, version }`. Prefer `dryRun: true` before live install when the tool supports it. 6. If the install tool is not present yet, download the Release asset manually only after consent, verify the published sha256, extract into the cache layout below, then restart or reconnect the MCP so discovery runs again. 7. After any update, run the health checks below. ## Cache hygiene Cache root (all platforms — unified with `xtl` / `bgs-translator`): ```text ~/.bgs-modding-superpowers/kb/packs/// ``` The legacy Windows-only cache at `%LOCALAPPDATA%/bgs-modding-superpowers/kb/packs/` is **no longer used**. If `bgs_kb_status` surfaces packs that are not visible to `xtl batch plan`, suspect a legacy cache and either: - move the directory tree from `%LOCALAPPDATA%/bgs-modding-superpowers/kb/` to `~/.bgs-modding-superpowers/kb/`, or - export the legacy root via `$env:BGS_KB_USER_PACKS` so the MCP keeps reading it as an additional read-only root while the user finishes migrating. Each version directory contains `manifest.json`, `records/`, and `kb.sqlite`. Current policy: retain the current version and the immediately previous version as rollback/fallback. Prune versions older than that only after confirming the pack is not pinned by the user or referenced by a current modpack workflow. Use the KB MCP CLI for routine pruning: ```powershell # Preview which cached pack versions would be removed. node \tools\bgs-kb-mcp\dist\cli.js prune-cache --dry-run # Apply the prune after the user accepts the preview. node \tools\bgs-kb-mcp\dist\cli.js prune-cache ``` The dry run should be surfaced before deletion when the user has not already approved cache mutation. The command keeps the highest version and the immediately previous version per pack, then removes older cached versions. Do not delete `incoming/` while an install is running. If an install failed earlier and no installer is active, stale `incoming/` contents can be removed after surfacing the path to the user. ## Custom pack authoring + registration Author records as: ```text /records//.md ``` Record frontmatter uses the same schema as official packs under `knowledge/bgs-kb/schema/record.schema.json`: stable `id`, `title`, `domains`, `appliesTo`, `canonical`, `sources`, `lastReviewed`, and `schemaVersion` are the important fields to check first. Every pack needs a `bgs-kb-meta.yml` at the pack root. Minimum fields: ```yaml packId: user-my-pack displayName: My Modpack Knowledge version: 2026.06.02 schemaVersion: 1 minPluginVersion: 0.2.0 ``` Reserved official pack IDs: `bgs-kb-core`, `bgs-kb-skyrim`, `bgs-kb-fallout4`, `bgs-kb-fallout3-fnv`, `bgs-kb-starfield`. End-user packs must not use the `bgs-kb-*` namespace; recommend a `user-*` prefix. Build the pack: ```powershell # Build kb.sqlite and manifest.json from the pack's records/ tree. node \tools\bgs-kb-mcp\dist\cli.js build ``` This produces `kb.sqlite` and `manifest.json` next to `records/`. Validate and inspect: ```powershell # Validate every Markdown record against the official KB schema. node \tools\bgs-kb-mcp\dist\cli.js validate # Inspect pack metadata, counts, games, and domains. node \tools\bgs-kb-mcp\dist\cli.js info ``` Important `BGS_KB_USER_PACKS` semantics: each entry is a directory that contains one or more pack directories, not a pack directory itself. Multiple roots are separated by `;` on Windows. Worked example: ```text C:\my-kb-roots\ my-custom-pack\ bgs-kb-meta.yml manifest.json kb.sqlite records\ load-order\ my-local-rule.v1.md ``` Set: ```powershell # Point discovery at the directory that contains one or more pack folders. $env:BGS_KB_USER_PACKS = "C:\my-kb-roots" ``` Do not set it to `C:\my-kb-roots\my-custom-pack`; that points at the pack itself and discovery will look one level too deep. After registration, restart/reconnect the MCP so pack discovery runs, then call `bgs_kb_status({})` and verify the custom pack appears with the intended `packId`. ## Pack discovery + collision recovery `bgs_kb_status({})` may report two warning codes when discovery sees the same `packId` at multiple roots: | Code | Meaning | |---|---| | `pack_id_overridden` (MEDIUM, informational) | Multiple sources for the same `packId`; precedence picked a winner automatically and listed the loser(s). All packs still load. | | `pack_id_collision` (HIGH, fail-closed fallback) | Precedence could not choose a winner — should be rare; all colliding copies are refused. | **Discovery precedence (apply in order):** 1. Sort candidates with the same `packId` by `builtAt` timestamp DESC — newest manifest wins. 2. Tie-break by root class: `bundled > cache > user`. **Common cause: `install-pack` over an already-bundled `packId`.** Plugin distributions ship per-game packs (e.g. `bgs-kb-fallout4`) in the bundled tree. If a user runs `bgs_kb_install_pack({ packId: "bgs-kb-fallout4", ... })` to fetch a Release-channel update, the new version lands in the cache root `~/.bgs-modding-superpowers/kb/packs/bgs-kb-fallout4//`. On the next MCP restart: - If the cache copy has a newer `builtAt` (the normal update case) → cache wins, bundled loser warning. No action needed. - If the bundled copy is somehow newer (e.g. you pulled a plugin update that shipped a newer KB) → bundled wins, cache becomes the loser. To make the cache copy authoritative, install a newer Release or remove the stale cache copy. **Other causes:** - Two `$BGS_KB_USER_PACKS` parent directories contain pack folders with the same `packId` → warning per loser. - Manual file copy of a pack between roots without removing the original. **Preview before restarting MCP:** the bgs-kb-mcp CLI exposes a read-only `dev-status` subcommand that shows the same discovery decision the MCP would make, without requiring a server restart: ```powershell # Preview every discovered packId, every candidate source, and which one would win. node \tools\bgs-kb-mcp\dist\cli.js dev-status # Filter to one pack id (useful before install-pack or before editing user packs). node \tools\bgs-kb-mcp\dist\cli.js dev-status --pack bgs-kb-fallout4 # Machine-readable output for scripting. node \tools\bgs-kb-mcp\dist\cli.js dev-status --json ``` **Recovery patterns:** - **Want the cache copy to win**: ensure its `builtAt` is newer than the bundled copy's (run `bgs_kb_install_pack` for a fresh Release version), restart MCP, verify. - **Want the bundled copy to win**: remove or rename the cache pack directory, restart MCP. - **Two user roots collide**: drop one parent from `$BGS_KB_USER_PACKS`, or rename the colliding pack folder to a unique `packId` (after also updating its `bgs-kb-meta.yml`), restart MCP. - **Pre-flight before authoring or installing**: always run `dev-status --pack ` first — it surfaces collisions before the next MCP restart turns them into status warnings. Do not delete cache copies aggressively as a first-line fix; the precedence rule selects automatically, so warnings are usually informational, not blocking. ## Localization and translator KBs Localization glossary packs are KB packs whose SQLite store includes `glossary_entries` and `glossary_aliases`. They feed `bgs-translator` RAG so an LLM receives canonical terms such as places, factions, item names, UI concepts, and do-not-translate entries. Put this guidance here, not in `using-bgs-translator`, because the same maintenance rules apply to official, mod-specific, and third-party glossary packs. Official bundled policy: - `bgs-l10n-starfield-zhhans` is the only official zh-Hans glossary pack we ship from vanilla game data because Starfield is the only supported BGS game with official Simplified Chinese localization. - Do not fabricate official Skyrim/Fallout4 Chinese packs. If the user wants them, create third-party/user packs with explicit source, license, scope, and review notes. - The Starfield official pack is large and should be distributed through KB Release artifacts, not copied into the portable plugin tree. For a mod-specific translator KB, prefer a user namespace such as `user-l10n---zhcn`. Include only the mod's accepted terminology, character/place names, recurring UI labels, and do-not-translate terms. Do not dump every translated sentence into a term KB unless the user explicitly wants a translation-memory style pack and accepts the recall/noise tradeoff. For a third-party game localization KB, require: - source language, target language, game, source project/version, and license; - provenance in `bgs-kb-meta.yml` and in generated notes; - a stable pack id outside reserved `bgs-kb-*` official namespaces; - a small sample query after registration to verify the pack is discoverable. If the input is an xTranslator SST dictionary, the translator tool has a one-shot builder that creates the glossary SQLite shape directly: ```powershell # Build a user-maintained glossary pack from an SST dictionary. py -3.12 tools\bgs-translator\bgs_translator\tools\xtranslator_sst_to_kb_pack.py ` --input "D:\path\to\source_english_chinese.sst" ` --output-dir "C:\my-kb-roots\user-l10n-skyrim-thirdparty-zhcn" ` --pack-id user-l10n-skyrim-thirdparty-zhcn ` --display-name "User Skyrim zh-CN Localization Glossary" ` --game SkyrimSE ` --source-lang en ` --target-lang zh-cn ``` Then set `BGS_KB_USER_PACKS` to the parent root, restart/reconnect the MCP, and query a known term. For translator-only packs, use `xtl`/translator glossary smokes as the stronger check because `bgs_kb_query` only searches Markdown-style records unless the MCP has been upgraded for glossary-table queries. ## Official KB release maintenance For project maintainers cutting a KB Release, use the release staging script: ```powershell # Rebuild source-record packs, verify prebuilt glossary packs, zip all packs, # and write dist/kb-release/manifest-index.json. pwsh scripts/build-kb-release.ps1 -Force ``` The script includes the generated Starfield zh-Hans glossary pack in the release index but does not rebuild it from Markdown records. If `kb.sqlite` hash verification fails, regenerate that pack from its approved source SST before publishing. The script prints the exact `gh release create ...` command; review the staged `manifest-index.json` before running that network-side publish. ## Version-pinning advice Follow latest when the user wants current general guidance and accepts normal KB refresh cadence. Pin a specific pack version when a modpack release, guide, benchmark, or reproducibility note depends on exact advice staying stable. Record the pin in the modpack dev-log or release docs. If a new pack's `minPluginVersion` exceeds the installed plugin version, warn and stop. Do not auto-upgrade the plugin. Offer choices: update the plugin with user consent, keep the older pack version, or pin the previous version until the plugin can be upgraded. KB cadence is independent of plugin cadence. A new KB pack can be consumed when `schemaVersion` and `minPluginVersion` are compatible; it does not automatically imply an xEdit or MO2 change. ## Health checks Quick KB smoke after maintenance: ```text bgs_kb_status({}) bgs_kb_query({ query: "plugins", maxResults: 3 }) ``` Expected: at least one loaded pack, no unexpected collision / integrity warnings, and at least one query hit. If the target game is known, include the game filter, for example: ```text bgs_kb_query({ query: "plugins", games: ["Fallout4"], maxResults: 3 }) ``` For custom packs, query a term from one of the custom records and verify hits are tagged with the custom `packId`. If maintenance touched MO2 or xEdit runtime state, also use the appropriate setup / xEdit skill checks. Do not treat KB health as proof of live load-order or plugin state. ## Anti-patterns + warnings - Never write directly into Stock Game / vanilla game `Data`. Any game-local change goes through an MO2 mod overlay or overwrite surface. - KB records are advisory. xEdit MCP readback remains authoritative for actual plugin, record, conflict, and load-order state. - Do not use `BGS_KB_USER_PACKS` to point at a single pack directory; point it at a root containing pack directories. - Do not use reserved `bgs-kb-*` pack IDs for local packs. - Do not install or upgrade KB packs with a `minPluginVersion` the current plugin does not satisfy. - Do not delete all old cache versions; keep current + previous unless the user explicitly chooses otherwise. ## Refreshing Nexus update state without opening MO2 (Option B) Use this when the user wants fresh `newestVersion`, `nexusFileStatus`, `lastNexusQuery`, and `lastNexusUpdate` metadata without opening MO2 and running `Tools -> Check All for Updates`. Why this exists: mobase's Python API does not expose the GUI update-check trigger, and three of the four timestamp fields are not on the abstract `IModInterface`. See KB record `install-planning.nexus-direct-api-update-check.v1`. The direct Nexus API read path works for both Free and Premium accounts; these read endpoints are not Premium-gated. Prerequisite: the user must already have Nexus auth configured in MO2. That same MO2 credential store is the API-key source for the agent; see the next section. Endpoints used: ```text GET https://api.nexusmods.com/v1/games/{game_domain}/mods/updated.json?period=1m GET https://api.nexusmods.com/v1/games/{game_domain}/mods/{id}.json ``` The first endpoint is one bulk call to discover recently updated mods. The second endpoint is one per-mod call for fresh metadata. Nexus' rate budget is 20,000 calls/day; a full 300-mod refresh is about 301 calls and is comfortable. Per-mod `meta.ini` update shape: ```powershell $statusMap = @{ "published"=1; "hidden"=9; "removed"=6; "wastebinned"=6; "under_moderation"=9 } $mod = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "https://api.nexusmods.com/v1/games/starfield/mods/$modid.json" -Headers $headers $statusInt = if ($statusMap.ContainsKey($mod.status)) { $statusMap[$mod.status] } else { 1 } $nowIso = (Get-Date).ToUniversalTime().ToString("yyyy-MM-ddTHH:mm:ssZ") $updatedIso = [DateTimeOffset]::FromUnixTimeSeconds($mod.updated_timestamp).ToString("yyyy-MM-ddTHH:mm:ssZ") $content = [IO.File]::ReadAllText($metaPath, [Text.UTF8Encoding]::new($false)) $content = $content -replace '(?m)^newestVersion=.*$', "newestVersion=$($mod.version)" $content = $content -replace '(?m)^nexusFileStatus=.*$', "nexusFileStatus=$statusInt" $content = $content -replace '(?m)^lastNexusQuery=.*$', "lastNexusQuery=$nowIso" $content = $content -replace '(?m)^lastNexusUpdate=.*$', "lastNexusUpdate=$updatedIso" [IO.File]::WriteAllText($metaPath, $content, [Text.UTF8Encoding]::new($false)) ``` For production-grade automation, prefer the helper script: ```powershell pwsh scripts\refresh-nexus-update-state.ps1 -MO2Root -Game starfield ``` Caveat: direct `meta.ini` writes do not refresh MO2's in-memory `ModInfoRegular` until the next `organizer.refresh()` or MO2 restart. ## Reading Nexus credentials from MO2's Windows Credential Manager store MO2 stores Nexus credentials globally for the current Windows user, not per MO2 instance. All portable MO2 instances under the same Windows account share them. MO2 uses `getWindowsCredential` / `setWindowsCredential` in `settings.cpp`. Credential Manager targets: | Target | Meaning | |---|---| | `ModOrganizer2_APIKEY` | Legacy 162-character personal API key. | | `ModOrganizer2_NEXUS_OAUTH_TOKENS` | Compact JSON `{access_token, refresh_token, expires_at, scope, token_type}` from the modern OAuth flow. | Read pattern: ```powershell $signature = @' using System; using System.Runtime.InteropServices; using System.Text; public class CredMan { [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError=true, EntryPoint="CredReadW", CharSet=CharSet.Unicode)] static extern bool CredRead(string target, uint type, uint flag, out IntPtr cred); [DllImport("advapi32.dll")] static extern void CredFree(IntPtr p); [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet=CharSet.Unicode)] public struct CREDENTIAL { public uint Flags,Type; public IntPtr TargetName,Comment; public System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME LastWritten; public uint CredentialBlobSize; public IntPtr CredentialBlob; public uint Persist,AttributeCount; public IntPtr Attributes,TargetAlias,UserName; } public static string Read(string t) { IntPtr p; if (!CredRead(t,1,0,out p)) return null; try { var c=(CREDENTIAL)Marshal.PtrToStructure(p,typeof(CREDENTIAL)); byte[] b=new byte[c.CredentialBlobSize]; Marshal.Copy(c.CredentialBlob,b,0,(int)c.CredentialBlobSize); int nz=0; for(int i=1;i(b.Length/4)?Encoding.Unicode.GetString(b):Encoding.UTF8.GetString(b); } finally { CredFree(p); } } } '@ Add-Type -TypeDefinition $signature -Language CSharp $apiKey = [CredMan]::Read("ModOrganizer2_APIKEY") $oauthJson = [CredMan]::Read("ModOrganizer2_NEXUS_OAUTH_TOKENS") ``` Verification call: ```powershell Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "https://api.nexusmods.com/v1/users/validate.json" -Headers @{ APIKEY = $apiKey } ``` Expected fields include `user_id`, `name`, `is_premium`, and `is_supporter`. [WARNING] Reading user credentials requires explicit user consent. Mask the key in any logged output, for example `d0Ra...72d4 (len=162)`. Recommend key rotation after the session if there is any leak risk. Failure modes: - `cmdkey /list | findstr nexus` returns nothing because the target name has no `nexus` string. Use `cmdkey /list | findstr ModOrganizer2` instead. - HKCU registry entries such as `HideCreateInstanceIntro` are cosmetic flags, not credentials. - `ModOrganizer.ini` `[Settings]` has no auth fields. - If `CredRead` returns null, Nexus auth is not set up in MO2 yet. Direct the user to `Settings -> Nexus -> Connect to Nexus`. See KB record `install-planning.mo2-windows-credential-mining.v1`. ## Script Extender (xSE) update workflow — game-root drop, runtime-pinned Use this when Steam updates the game runtime and the existing xSE DLL no longer matches it. The signal is a launch refusal through the xSE loader because the DLL runtime tag does not match the current `.exe` `FileVersion`. Detection: ```powershell # Current xSE version (filename pattern) Get-ChildItem "$gameRoot\sfse_*.dll" | Select Name # e.g. sfse_1_15_222.dll = SFSE for runtime 1.15.222 # Current Steam runtime (Get-Item "$gameRoot\Starfield.exe").VersionInfo.FileVersion # e.g. 1.16.244.0 # If they do not match, update is needed. ``` Latest-version sources: silverlock.org points to Nexus mod `#106` for SFSE, `#100216` for SKSE64, and `#42147` for F4SE. Update workflow: 1. Get the latest `file_id` from `/v1/games/{game}/mods/{xse_mod_id}/files.json`; use the file with `category_name=MAIN`. 2. Premium: call `POST /v1/games/{game}/mods/{xse_mod_id}/files/{file_id}/download_link.json`. The response is an array of seven CDN mirrors (Chicago, Amsterdam, Prague, LA, Miami, Dallas, plus Nexus CDN). Pick the first URL. 3. Free: open the Nexus page in a browser, click manual download, and save the `.7z` to a known location. 4. Extract the `.7z`. Gotcha: the archive expands to an `_/` subdirectory, such as `sfse_0_2_21/`, not a flat folder. Glob-find files: `Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Filter "sfse_*.dll" | Select-Object -First 1`. 5. Backup current game-root xSE files to `\.backups\sfse-_pre--update_\`. 6. Copy the new DLL, readme, and whatsnew files to the game root. Skip files with unchanged sha256; the `_loader.exe` often does not change between minor versions. 7. Delete the old runtime DLL. This is optional but recommended for cleanliness; the loader auto-picks by runtime match and does not need the old DLL. 8. Verify sha256 for all four game-root files against staging. ### After SFSE: the cascade is the principle A game runtime bump is a dependency cascade, not a single-file event. xSE is only the first layer. Address Library and every runtime-bound DLL plugin also bind to runtime-specific addresses, so a correct maintenance pass follows the chain until the launch dialog stops reporting downstream leaks. Read the chain this way: 1. **xSE binary** is the game-root layer and must match `.exe`. 2. **Address Library** (Nexus mod #3256 for Starfield, #32444 for SkyrimSE, #47327 for Fallout4) is a normal MO2 mod projected into `Data\SFSE\Plugins\`. It supplies `versionlib-.bin` for the current runtime. 3. **SFSE/SKSE/F4SE plugin mods** each ship their own DLL and may need an author-side rebuild. The SFSE Plugin Loader dialog is the cascade readback surface: - `address library needs to be updated` means the plugin could not find the new versionlib file; update Address Library first. - `incompatible with current version of the game` means the plugin DLL itself is behind the game runtime; investigate whether the author has released a compatible build. For the actual update of each SFSE plugin mod, the mechanical pattern remains: - Premium API: `POST /v1/games/{game}/mods/{id}/files/{file_id}/download_link.json` - Extract to staging (remember the 7z subdirectory gotcha noted above) - Backup current MO2 mod folder contents - Replace files in mod folder - Update meta.ini's `version`, `newestVersion`, `installationFile`, `lastNexusUpdate` - If folder name encodes a version (for example ` - AddLib 18` or ` - Game version 1.15.222`), rename folder and update `modlist.txt` to match. If Nexus reports `status=not_published` or `status=hidden`, treat it as a continuity investigation signal, not an instant disable verdict. Check whether the same author republished or moved the release before proposing replacement. ### Intent-aware mutation methodology A mod update is complete only when the observed post-state satisfies the intent that motivated the update. Replacing files proves one effect; it does not prove runtime compatibility, curator-visible classification, metadata consistency, or enablement. After acting, ask: **did this satisfy the intent across all dependent MO2 state dimensions, or only the dimension I directly touched?** The dependent dimensions usually include: - files in the mod folder; - `meta.ini` version/source/status fields and visible annotations; - folder name when it encodes version or runtime support; - `modlist.txt` line text after any rename; - separator ownership, especially for mods previously parked in `版本已过期`, `等待作者更新`, or `[弃用]`; - enable flag when the original disable reason has been resolved; - for DLL plugins, the author's claimed runtime support versus the local game runtime. This is a ReAct-style observation rule at the level of intent, not a rote checklist. If observation shows that only files changed while the mod remains in a waiting separator, still disabled, or still behind the current runtime, report the intent gap and propose the next reconciliation step before declaring done. Do not trust an action return value or a delegated fixer's summary as proof; read `modlist.txt`, read affected `meta.ini` files, and use launch readback when runtime compatibility is load-bearing. Cross-link: KB record `install-planning.mod-update-post-state-discipline.v1` for the full discipline. ### Placeholder dummy mod for xSE binary tracking (curator convention, optional) BB84's personal pattern: keep an empty MOD folder under `/mods/ /` (e.g. `Starfield Script Extender 1-15-222/`) with a single `sfse_/` empty subdir + a complete `meta.ini` carrying the real `modid=106` + `version=` + `installationFile=` + nexus-side metadata. Effect: the MO2 mod list visibly tracks the current SFSE binary version even though the actual SFSE binaries live in game root and are otherwise invisible to MO2's update-tracking. On each xSE update, rename both the outer folder and the inner marker dir, and update the meta.ini. This is a curator preference, not a required workflow. [WARNING] This writes to the real game install, for example `D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\\`. It requires explicit per-session user confirmation. xSE has no MO2 VFS overlay path: the loader must spawn `.exe`, so it has to live next to it. For production-grade automation: ```powershell pwsh scripts\install-xse-update.ps1 -GameRoot -XseMod sfse|skse|f4se|nvse ``` See KB record `engine.xse-update-workflow.v1`. ## xEdit binary upgrade workflow — sister of xSE upgrade, but tools-tree-local Use this when the user wants to verify or upgrade the xEdit installation without launching the MO2 GUI by hand. Sister flow to xSE upgrade but with different mechanics: xEdit lives in `/tools/xEdit/` (NOT game root, NOT under STOCK001 protection), and its runtime carries a versioned binary cache that must be invalidated on every binary swap or the daemon launches against a stale cache and either crashes or returns wrong data. ### When to check - The user explicitly asks to verify / upgrade xEdit. - A scheduled environment health pass is running. - The xEdit MCP daemon fails to launch, crashes mid-session, or returns unexpected protocol errors against a load order that worked before. - New automation features are needed (multi-pattern filters, reverse navigation, WRLD parent coords, etc. — anything past the contract version the deployed binary supports). ### Stale detection — SHA-256 hash comparison `Get-Item.VersionInfo.FileVersion` is unreliable for xEdit because the contrib fork ships multiple builds under the same `4.1.5.0` / `4.1.6` label. Use SHA-256 against the reference source: ```powershell $mo2Bin = "$MO2_Root\tools\xEdit\SF1Edit64.exe" $refSource = "D:\TES5Edit-contrib\Build\xEdit64.exe" # OR the path returned by fetch-xedit-release.ps1 $mo2Hash = (Get-FileHash -LiteralPath $mo2Bin -Algorithm SHA256).Hash $refHash = (Get-FileHash -LiteralPath $refSource -Algorithm SHA256).Hash if ($mo2Hash -ne $refHash) { Write-Warning "xEdit stale: MO2 has $($mo2Hash.Substring(0,16))... reference has $($refHash.Substring(0,16))..." } ``` Also surface mtimes for human readability — a 10-day gap with non-matching hashes is a real version drift, not a build metadata glitch. For the `xEditHookBridge.dll`: compare against the plugin-tree source `\tools\xedit-hook-bridge\dist\xEditHookBridge.dll`. If hashes match, no swap needed. The HookBridge is owned by THIS plugin and follows the plugin's release cadence, not the xEdit binary's. ### Reference source — contrib build vs release channel Two reference sources exist: 1. **Local dev build at `D:\TES5Edit-contrib\Build\`** — the contrib fork's continuously-rebuilt artifacts. Captures unreleased features (contract 0.18 → 0.19 → 0.20 additions, WRLD parent, reverse navigation, etc.) and bug fixes. Use this when the user is developing against the latest automation surface or needs features not yet in a tagged release. 2. **GitHub release artifacts via `fetch-xedit-release.ps1`** — the `BB-84C/TES5Edit` tagged-release stream. Stable, reproducible, ships with a manifest. Use this for end-user installs, reproducible modpack build chains, or any scenario where the user is not the binary's author. For BB84's developer workstation: contrib build is canonical because BB84 authors the contrib fork. For end-user installs: release channel is canonical. The skill should ask which source the user wants when ambiguous. ### Upgrade workflow ```powershell $ts = Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss' # 1. Backup current tools/xEdit/ (full mirror, mtimes preserved) robocopy "$MO2_Root\tools\xEdit" "$MO2_Root\tools\xEdit.backup-$ts" /MIR /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS # 2. Swap binaries (rename to game-specific filename so xEdit auto-detects mode) Copy-Item "$refSource\xEdit64.exe" "$MO2_Root\tools\xEdit\SF1Edit64.exe" -Force # Starfield Copy-Item "$refSource\xEdit64.exe" "$MO2_Root\tools\xEdit\xEdit64.exe" -Force Copy-Item "$refSource\xEdit.exe" "$MO2_Root\tools\xEdit\xEdit.exe" -Force # (For other games: FO4Edit64.exe, SSEEdit64.exe, etc. — the xEdit binary # detects game mode from its filename when launched directly.) # 3. (Optional) Swap HookBridge.dll if hash differs from plugin-tree source & "\scripts\install-xedit-hook-bridge.ps1" -MO2Root "$MO2_Root" # 4. INVALIDATE CACHE — mandatory after any binary swap $cacheDir = "$MO2_Root\overwrite\Edit Cache" # e.g. SF1Edit Cache Move-Item -LiteralPath $cacheDir "$MO2_Root\overwrite\Edit Cache.stale-$ts" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue ``` ### Cache lifecycle — REQUIRED reading before launch xEdit's binary cache lives at `/overwrite/Edit Cache/` (e.g. `SF1Edit Cache/`, `FO4Edit Cache/`, `SSEEdit Cache/`). Files are named `___g_t_l_.refcache`. **The cache is binary-version-bound.** A binary upgrade invalidates every cache file because: - xEdit's internal record-parsing logic may have changed (new contract features, fixes to malformed-data tolerance, etc.). - The cache format itself may have evolved. - Stale caches produce subtle wrong-answer bugs that look like xEdit protocol errors but are actually parser drift. ALWAYS move the cache dir aside (don't delete — it's the safety net) before the first launch after a binary swap. Pattern: `overwrite/Edit Cache.stale-/`. The cache will be rebuilt automatically on first launch. Once stable and verified, the `.stale-*` backup can be removed in a future cleanup pass. ### First-launch timing (cold cache) Cache-cold launch on a 175-plugin Starfield profile takes **9-10 minutes**. This is real-time wall clock for xEdit to: 1. Parse every plugin in the load order. 2. Hash each plugin's records. 3. Write the per-plugin `.refcache` file. The current xedit-mcp `xedit-client.ps1` has a **240-second timeout** for daemon readiness. **First-launch on a real-world load order will exceed this timeout and fail.** Workaround options: 1. **Build cache via manual GUI launch first** (preferred for current tooling): run xEdit through MO2's normal launch path (either via `Mo2Mo2RunTool_tool` with the configured customExecutable, or have the user click the MO2 button). Wait until xEdit's window finishes loading (status bar shows "Background Loader: finished" or similar). Close xEdit. Then `xedit_start` will launch in <3 min wall-clock against the warm cache. 2. **Bump the timeout in xedit-client.ps1** if scripting around step 1 is undesirable. The relevant constant is documented in the xedit-mcp broker source. ### Polling discipline during cold-cache launch `xedit_status({})` sends a lightweight read against the daemon's state file, but the daemon's response handler is on the same Pascal thread that's parsing the load order. **Aggressive polling during the cold-cache build can stall or crash xEdit's parser.** Empirically observed on a 175-plugin Starfield profile on 2026-06-27: 30-second poll cadence during cold-cache build correlated with a parse hang requiring manual kill. Polling discipline: - During cold-cache build (first launch after binary swap): wait at least 60 seconds between polls. Better: don't poll at all until 8+ minutes have elapsed, then check once. - During cache-warm launch (subsequent launches): 30-60 second poll cadence is fine. Total launch time ~3 minutes. - After `status: "ready"`: domain tools (`xedit_session`, `xedit_health`, `xedit_call`) can be called freely. ### Verification after launch ```text xedit_health({}) -> { responsive: true, pingEnvelope: { ok: true } } xedit_session({}) -> { gameMode: "Starfield", contractVersion: "0.20", loadOrderSize: N, consentEnabled: false (read-only) or true (mutations allowed) } xedit_dirty({}) -> { dirty: false, unsavedChangeCount: 0 } ``` Check `contractVersion` against the contract level the new binary should have shipped. If contractVersion is lower than expected, the binary didn't swap correctly OR the daemon picked up the wrong binary path. ### Clean shutdown — cache preserved `xedit_stop({})` on a clean dirty state preserves the cache for the next launch. Subsequent `xedit_start({})` will hit the warm cache and complete in ~3 minutes. Do not delete the cache dir between sessions unless a binary upgrade is happening. ### See also - KB record `engine.xedit-binary-cache-lifecycle.v1` for the full binary-cache binding mechanism. - KB record `engine.xedit-stale-detection-via-hash.v1` for the SHA-256 comparison method against reference sources. - KB record `tooling.xedit-contrib-build-vs-release-channel.v1` for the source-selection strategy. - KB record `debugging.xedit-cold-cache-launch-timeout-and-polling.v1` for the 240s timeout + polling-discipline gotchas. ## meta.ini `comments=` vs `notes=` as visibility design MO2 has two note-shaped fields because it has two different reading modes: visibility-at-a-glance and detail-on-demand. - **`comments=`** serves the at-a-glance mode. It appears in the mod-list Comments column, so it is the right place for short summaries, status tags (`[UPDATE→vX]`, `[WAITING-FOR-X.Y.Z]`), CC markers (`[CC]`, `[CC·汉化版]`), and other information the curator should see without opening a dialog. - **`notes=`** serves the detail-on-demand mode. It appears only in the mod's properties Notes tab, so it is the right place for install procedure memos, FOMOD choice records, conflict-resolution notes, and verbose version history. Choose the field by intended reader behavior. If the curator must see the fact while scanning the list, use `comments=`. If the fact is reference material for when the mod is already being inspected, use `notes=`. Automation that synthesizes 1-2 sentence per-mod summaries from `nexusDescription` therefore writes to `comments=` by default; putting those summaries in `notes=` makes the list look empty even though the information exists. ## Post-patch loose-extract hygiene (game-install Data\ stale CK extracts) After every BGS game patch, a standard maintenance pass should sweep the game-install `Data\` tree for stale Creation Kit loose extracts. The full methodology lives in KB record `archive-precedence.stale-ck-extract-loose-files.v1`; the operational shape for a maintenance pass is short: The trap. When the curator installs the Creation Kit alongside the game, the CK auto-extracts authoring-time loose files from `Tools\ContentResources.zip` into `Data\` — `Data\Materials\` (`.mat`), `Data\Particles\` (`.psfx`), `Data\Scripts\Source\` (`.psc`), plus editor metadata. Archive invalidation, which any modded curator has enabled, makes those loose files override the compiled BA2 databases at runtime. While the game version matches the CK extract version this is invisible; the moment the game patches its compiled material database, particle archive, or compiled scripts, the loose files become stale references against the new BA2 and the runtime breaks silently (purple/iridescent terrain, missing meshes, wrong VFX, subtle Papyrus drift). The cheap diagnostic test. Before bisecting mods on any post-patch visual or behavioral regression: ```powershell # Inspect the game-install Data\ for stale CK extracts. $gd = "\Data" Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath $gd -Directory | Where-Object { $_.Name - …(truncated)