[{HVY-E}Jinxx]

For new users of this program and for those that don't know how, here is how to add mods to the JSGME for easy activation/deactivation.

1. Download the mod you want.
2. Extract the folder/mod to your JSGMEMods folder.
ie. After you extract Mod XYZ you should have C:\IL-2 1946\JSGMEmods\XYZ
3. Now open the folder XYZ and take note of what files/folders it contains.
ie. XYZ might contain some files or additional folders.
4. Create a new directory, (folder), in the Mod's folder called 'Files'. ie. IL-2 1946\JSGMEmods\XYZ_Mod\Files
5. Now move all the other folders and files that XYZ contained previously to the new 'Files' folder you just created.

That's it. Your new mod is ready to be activated by JSGME.
This procedure works for pretty much any mod that would normally go into your 'Mods' folder.

S!

Since so many of us have very short attention spans and don't like reading through posts, I've moved Aces post up here and merged it with my original instructions.


Submitted by Ace-of-Aces:

Ok first things first..

There are 'mods' that you download and there is a MODS directory in IL-2

To get rid of that confusing I will refer to the 'mods' that you download as 'add-ons'

First lets define a 'generic' game install path aka directory tree, i.e.

c:\games\il-2

Now just to provide you a little background as to how JSGME works, it simply copies files out of the JSGME directory into 'another' directory, and that 'other' directory is the '\Files' directory, i.e.

c:\games\il-2\Files

Inside the \Files directory you will find the following sub-directory, i.e.

c:\games\il-2\Files\3do
c:\games\il-2\Files\com
c:\games\il-2\Files\Effects
c:\games\il-2\Files\gui
c:\games\il-2\Files\i18n
c:\games\il-2\Files\maps
c:\games\il-2\Files\Missions
c:\games\il-2\Files\presets
c:\games\il-2\Files\Samples

These are the standard/typical IL-2 directories

When you download a 'add-on' know that they will typically contain this same directory path/structure..

Unless the 'add-on' has been repackaged into a .SFS file

Up to now most 'add-ons' where NOT intended to be used with JSGME, they were intended to be installed into the MODS folder, i.e.

c:\games\il-2\MODS

But, as Jinxx pointed out you can make a 'add-on' compatible by simply adding the '\Files' sub-directory in the directory of the 'add-on' directory inside your JSGME directory and simply copying/moving the files into that sub-directory

NOTE I recommend that you still use the '\MODS' directory to install aircraft 'add-on', or any other 'add-on' that require you to manually edit files like the air.ini file, Because JSGME does NOT edit those files for you. Sure you could set it up to do that but that is beyond this lesson.

But for all other 'add-ons' I would recommend you use JSGME to enable and disable them

With all that in mind lets take a look at the JSGME directory in the IL-2 directory, i.e.

c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods

What directories are inside the JSGEM directory depends on a lot of things..

The following is an example of mine

c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\01_Zuti_DSMod_v1.12_UP
c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\6DOF_Tracker_2_0_sHr
c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\Advanced Engine Management
c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\Atm_mod Original
c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\EFFECTS High
c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\EFFECTS Low
c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\Stock 4.09m
c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\Stock Clouds
c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\Effects PropTextures

NOTE I renamed and/or removed a few directories so they may not match what you have

The orange directories names are what you will see listed in JSGME..

Most of these are the stock JSGME 'add-on' that came with my install of HSFX..

And most of these make use of the .SFS files

But for our example lets look at the Effects PropTextures directory, in that it is an 'add-on' that I modified to work with JSGME

When you navigate into the Effects PropTextures you will see the following sub-directory, i.e.

c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\Effects PropTextures\Files

Just as Jinxx said, there is the famous '\Files' directory that you have to manually create and than move your 'add-on' files into that directory..

After navigating into the \Files sub-directory we see the following, i.e.

c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\Effects PropTextures\Files\3do

At this point we should take note that this directory path past the \Files\ directory matches that of the standard/typical IL-2 directories listed above

The reason being is JSGME basically copies the files and directories from the 'add-on' directory into the standard/typical IL-2 directories, as per our example, i.e.

FROM c:\games\il-2\jsgmemods\Effects PropTextures\Files\

TO c:\games\il-2\Files\

So it should make your life easier knowing the 'add-on' directories have to match that of the standard/typical IL-2 directories listed above.

[HH_Cipher]

Sticked!

[8FS_Bulau]

Great post Jinxx!
How would you use this method for MODS that require editing of air.ini, or other .ini files, and/or updated buttons?
I've been thinking about this and haven't really got it figured out. You could, I suppose, have the JSGME also copy the edited .ini or buttons to the right location, but I'm not sure if that might cause other problems. Haven't tried it out at all yet.

[Guest]

Why do the files have to be moved to a 'files' location in the MODS folder? I have never done this, and I have never had any problems. It will only mean that the files in the mods folder get loaded first, and if mods conflict in JSGME then the files in the mods folder will be present to read from unconflicted. :-?

[8FS_Bulau]

Why do the files have to be moved to a 'files' location in the MODS folder?

That's not quite what was described...you create a Files folder in the Mod's folder, not MODS folder. A subtle but important difference. What doing that means is that the JSGME will copy everything into the Files folder of your game install.

JSGME does not prevent or eliminate conflicts, but it *does* warn you about the possibility, and it does keep track when it copies the same file to the same location.

[Guest]

So where is this mod's folder then? I don't have one :-? (or one that is visible)

[8FS_Bulau]

It's a possessive...apostrophe 's'...it means, the folder of the mod you downloaded, whatever it is named...it won't actually be named "Mod's". Instead of putting it in the MODS folder, (old way), you put it in the jsgmemods folder, and create another folder inside it.

[Guest]

makes perfect sense, thanks. Silly internet misunderstandings

[8FS_Bulau]

...and I see Jinxx has already reworded his instructions to eliminate the misunderstanding.

[Doolittle81]

okay....

For clarification, one specific question/example:

I have placed the SAS buttons Mod as shown:
IL-2 Sturmovik 1946\jsgmemods\SAS_Offline_Buttons_v5.8

In that "SAS_Offline_Buttons_v5.8" FOLDER, I have only one FILE: "buttons"


In JSGME, can I simply now drag the "SAS_Offline_Buttons_v5.8" mod from left to right to activate?
OR
Must I first place the "buttons" file into a "Files" folder which I create inside the "SAS_Offline_Buttons_v5.8 FOLDER"

[Guest]

Do this:

IL-2 Sturmovik 1946\jsgmemods\Files\STD\GUI\Game\ and then the actual buttons file

This should work. I've never done it like this, so I'm guessing

[8FS_Bulau]

I have placed the SAS buttons Mod as shown:
IL-2 Sturmovik 1946\jsgmemods\SAS_Offline_Buttons_v5.8
In that "SAS_Offline_Buttons_v5.8" FOLDER, I have only one FILE: "buttons"
Must I first place the "buttons" file into a "Files" folder which I create inside the "SAS_Offline_Buttons_v5.8 FOLDER"

The basic operation of the JSGME is this:
JSGME will copy whatever is in the folder to the location that you recreate inside the folder. So essentially, what you need to do is duplicate the folder structure in your game install that you want the files to end up.

Example: if you have ...IL-2 Sturmovik 1946\jsgmemods\MyNewMod\Files\part.xxx

When you activate the "MyNewMod" in JSGME, the file "part.xxx" will get copied to IL-2 Sturmovik 1946\Files\part.xxx

Simple?

So, for your SAS buttons, decide where you want that buttons file to end up for you to use it, then recreate that identical folder structure inside your "SAS_Offline_Buttons_v5.8" FOLDER.

In the example that Philip.ed gave, your buttons would end up copied to:
IL-2 Sturmovik 1946\Files\STD\GUI\Game\

If that's where you want it, fine. That is a pretty standard location for buttons. If not, then you need to change the folder structure to be what you want. Keep in mind, that anything that is in the MODS folder (could be buttons) will take precedence over the same file that is in the Files folder. So if you copy a buttons to Files\STD\gui\game, but there is another buttons in MODS\STD\gui\game, then that latter one is the one that will get used.

[Guest]

I think the buttons has to go in that folder doesn't it?

[{HVY-E}Jinxx]

Sorry I've been neglecting my duties, but had a family emergency to tend to.

The point of activating mods in this fashion is to get them to work with JSGME and not have to put them into the MODS folder in the first place. This will allow you to activate, deactivate them at your leisure.

From my experience thus far, (still need to test some other things such as air.ini and buttons files), you just need to keep the structure correct in the 'Files' folder within the mod in JSGME and you can still use alternate buttons files, planes, air.ini's etc.

So, to recap, you would take Mod XYZ, create a 'Files' folder in it, move all the files in the mod into the 'Files' folder.
If adding, say, buttons, you'd have the following Folders within Mod XYZ

XYZ\Files\gui\game

I hope this helps some.
If you have any other questions, comments, let me know and we'll do some testing together.

S!

[Doolittle81]

Another question regarding JSGME:

Anyone know how I install a campaign using JSGME?? I like the simplicity of JSGME, once one has installed a MOD (Campaign?). If one encounters significant glitches, such as may exist in the particular Campaign of interest to me, , it seems very easy to just De-activate the MOD (Campaign?) in JSGME...rather than manually 'cleaning up' many files in 3 or 4 separate folders.

The downloaded campaign folder contains a "Gabby in Korea" folder, in which is an "IL-2 Sturmovik 1946" folder with sub-folders: "Missions", "MODS", "Paintschemes", and "samples".

Do I just drop the "Gabby in Korea" folder into my "jsgmemods" folder, then enable (and if necessary later de-enable) in JSGME?

This is probably a silly question...I just want to be certain on the procedure.

Any advice or help will be appreciated.