How to use .rar file for mods

[parzival1114]

When i download any clothing mod it comes out as a .rar file if i try to open it, it asks me if i want to open it in media player notes or word. i have followed the instillation rules on nexus mods but the clothing items never work. I don't know what to do i have tried to use 7zip but it doesn't change anything.

[Silverbane7]

You might need to look at the 'choose another Program' part when you open the file.
Check your default programs list to see if you can choose which Program opens a WinRAR file.
You might also need to make sure you are using the 64bit version of 7zip (if there is one) or grab the 64bit version (trial) of WinRAR from a source you trust to download from.

[Bogmore]

You need an extraction program then drop the files/folders into the Cyberpunk main folder.

[parzival1114]

is there a video that could help explain it because i just recently learned how to mod and winrar and 7zip really confuse me.

[Titan Awaken]

There’s nothing to learn to be honest. I’ve been using WinRAR for god knows how many years (still get the pop-up to purchase a license lol) and I can safely say that 99% of the buttons I have never ever used or bothered with.

Basically download the mod -> open it in WinRAR or 7zip or whatever zip program you use -> drag and drop the contents of the mod to your desktop. That’s it,

[Tokenn]

After downloading a mod file using Zip, all you need to do is right-click it, choose Extract All, then browse to your game folder (Cyberpunk 2077), select it and the hit the Extract button. It's very easy. When it goes wrong, it's usually because the modder hasn't created the proper file structure.

Using RAR seems much more complex...I can never do a simple extraction to my game. I always extract to a self-named folder, then drag-and-drop the mod files to the proper destination. On Nexusmods, every mod file page has a 'Preview File Contents' that _should_ show you where the files need to be installed. Some modders are lazy and don't provide the full path, but with a bit of experience, it's fairly obvious where files need to go.

I don't know why mod creators use WinRAR...the resulting archive takes more steps to get right. You don't seem to be able to do a simple extraction as with Zip. If it _is_ possible, the process is by no means as intuitive...but maybe I'm just too dumb to figure it out.

[Azrael]

Originally posted by Tokenn:

After downloading a mod file using Zip, all you need to do is right-click it, choose Extract All, then browse to your game folder (Cyberpunk 2077), select it and the hit the Extract button. It's very easy. When it goes wrong, it's usually because the modder hasn't created the proper file structure.

Using RAR seems much more complex...I can never do a simple extraction to my game. I always extract to a self-named folder, then drag-and-drop the mod files to the proper destination. On Nexusmods, every mod file page has a 'Preview File Contents' that _should_ show you where the files need to be installed. Some modders are lazy and don't provide the full path, but with a bit of experience, it's fairly obvious where files need to go.

I don't know why mod creators use WinRAR...the resulting archive takes more steps to get right. You don't seem to be able to do a simple extraction as with Zip. If it _is_ possible, the process is by no means as intuitive...but maybe I'm just too dumb to figure it out.

Please stop with your nonsense. rar is not different to zip in any way. Rar is used because it has way better compression method than zip, thats why people use it instead. But extracting and handling rar files is the exact same what you would do with zip.

[Tokenn]

Originally posted by LORd_RiVE:

Please stop with your nonsense. rar is not different to zip in any way. Rar is used because it has way better compression method than zip, thats why people use it instead. But extracting and handling rar files is the exact same what you would do with zip.

If mod files were huge, I could understand using better compression...but they aren't.

If it's 'exactly the same' why do I get different menus when I right-click of the archive files? Zipfiles are simple. 7Z and Rar archives force me to hunt through several menus and never extract properly into my game file. Many times a mod 'didn't work' for me, and after investigating, I discover that there's an extra folder layer in there.

I've tried many options, made many attempts. Now what I do is extract the archive to its own folder and drag and drop the contents in their proper destinations. It's slower and less convenient. And you know what? The majority of modders put their creations in straightforward .zip archives that work perfectly well. I have yet to hear any reason for using a more complex method when simple works _perfectly_.

Many gamers are not sophisticated computer users...just check the Technical Discussions forum for evidence. Modding a game is tricky enough without mod creators making things more complicated than necessary with fancy compression methods. If anything is 'nonsense', it's that.

[Azrael]

Originally posted by Tokenn:

If mod files were huge, I could understand using better compression...but they aren't.

There are indeed huge multiple GB mod files for CP2077. Also i wasn't specifically talking about CP but the technology behind rar vs zip.

Originally posted by Tokenn:

If it's 'exactly the same' why do I get different menus when I right-click of the archive files? Zipfiles are simple. 7Z and Rar archives force me to hunt through several menus and never extract properly into my game file. Many times a mod 'didn't work' for me, and after investigating, I discover that there's an extra folder layer in there.

Why do you get different menus between completely different software? Gee i don't know... Do you have any more smart questions like this?

Originally posted by Tokenn:

. Many times a mod 'didn't work' for me, and after investigating, I discover that there's an extra folder layer in there.

Irrelevant. Blame the mod maker not the compression software.

Originally posted by Tokenn:

I've tried many options, made many attempts. Now what I do is extract the archive to its own folder and drag and drop the contents in their proper destinations. It's slower and less convenient. And you know what? The majority of modders put their creations in straightforward .zip archives that work perfectly well. I have yet to hear any reason for using a more complex method when simple works _perfectly_.

There is no difference in rar and zip files when it comes to folder and file structure in them. As i said before, blame the mod maker, not the software they compress it with.

Originally posted by Tokenn:

Many gamers are not sophisticated computer users...just check the Technical Discussions forum for evidence. Modding a game is tricky enough without mod creators making things more complicated than necessary with fancy compression methods. If anything is 'nonsense', it's that.

If you're unable to understand such an easy concept as there are multiple compression software, then you'll better use an abacus than a PC.

[Tokenn]

Originally posted by LORd_RiVE:

If you're unable to understand such an easy concept as there are multiple compression software, then you'll better use an abacus than a PC.

Unnecessary complications are simply bad technology, no matter how 'clever' the programming seems to be.

And we are getting away from the ACTUAL DIFFICULTIES that the OP is having with a .rar file. Perhaps you could provide some useful advice for him/her rather than argue with my opinions.

[Azrael]

Easy, right click on the file select "extract here" or "extract in /folder", and then move the extracted files to their proper location in the game's directory following the instructions by the mod creator. So simple and not a single difference is seen compared to zip. So magical!

[Gillx83]

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[Tokenn]

Originally posted by LORd_RiVE:

Easy, right click on the file select "extract here" or "extract in /folder", and then move the extracted files to their proper location in the game's directory following the instructions by the mod creator. So simple and not a single difference is seen compared to zip. So magical!

No.

When I R-click on a highlighted .zip file there is an 'Extract All' command on the menu. I click that and I get a pop-up box that says 'Select a Destination and Extract Files'. I hit the Browse button and select my CyberPunk 2077 folder (which it remembers) and hit 'Extract'. The files are immediately placed in the proper subfolders, assuming the mod creator set it up right (usually it's fine). Easy, peasy.

If it's a .7z or a .rar file, I get something quite different. First I have to go to 'Show More Options'. Then I have to go to 7-Zip. Then there are _two_ extract choices, one of which simply creates a new folder in my Download folder with the mod files in it. Subsequently I have to drag and drop the files to their proper locations, assuming I know what they are.

The other 'extract here' command gives me the choice of creating a folder in my Download folder (which is redundant) or searching my entire file/folder structure for my game folder. Then when I extract it it creates a NEW subfolder in my game folder, or someplace, rather than putting the mod files in the proper folders. Complicated, confusing and prone to error.

Obviously, I have made the effort to figure all this out, but either something weird and unique is happening with my version of WinRAR, or it's a messy, complicated, error-inducing process which, I reiterate, is simply bad tech.

[Overeagerdragon]

Originally posted by Tokenn:

Originally posted by LORd_RiVE:

Please stop with your nonsense. rar is not different to zip in any way. Rar is used because it has way better compression method than zip, thats why people use it instead. But extracting and handling rar files is the exact same what you would do with zip.

If mod files were huge, I could understand using better compression...but they aren't.

If it's 'exactly the same' why do I get different menus when I right-click of the archive files? Zipfiles are simple. 7Z and Rar archives force me to hunt through several menus and never extract properly into my game file. Many times a mod 'didn't work' for me, and after investigating, I discover that there's an extra folder layer in there.

I've tried many options, made many attempts. Now what I do is extract the archive to its own folder and drag and drop the contents in their proper destinations. It's slower and less convenient. And you know what? The majority of modders put their creations in straightforward .zip archives that work perfectly well. I have yet to hear any reason for using a more complex method when simple works _perfectly_.

Many gamers are not sophisticated computer users...just check the Technical Discussions forum for evidence. Modding a game is tricky enough without mod creators making things more complicated than necessary with fancy compression methods. If anything is 'nonsense', it's that.

YOU get different menu's because your file association/ contextual menu is different... nothing more... I work plenty with WinRaR and WinZip in my line of work and they both work exactly the same if you have them setup properly... frack most of the times it doesn't matter which program I use both will respond to "extract here" or "extract to .." IF setup properly...

As for most gamers not being sophisticated computer users; that's on the modder not supplying a guide on how to handle their mod OR the user for not actually reading the guide (and usually the latter) but hardly ever (less than 1% of the cases) the problem of the program...

Also... why use .RAR when the file is smaller than 1GB? Well... ever considdered that even those files take up server space and that server might not host JUST that archive but maybe thousands more? Space starts to matter if you have to pay for it.

EDIT: If you REALLY want to get pedantic then blame CDPR for not coding CP2077 Redmod for being able to read straight from the archive itself; plenty of games can do that without problem...

[Azrael]

Originally posted by Tokenn:

Originally posted by LORd_RiVE:

Easy, right click on the file select "extract here" or "extract in /folder", and then move the extracted files to their proper location in the game's directory following the instructions by the mod creator. So simple and not a single difference is seen compared to zip. So magical!

No.

When I R-click on a highlighted .zip file there is an 'Extract All' command on the menu. I click that and I get a pop-up box that says 'Select a Destination and Extract Files'. I hit the Browse button and select my CyberPunk 2077 folder (which it remembers) and hit 'Extract'. The files are immediately placed in the proper subfolders, assuming the mod creator set it up right (usually it's fine). Easy, peasy.

If it's a .7z or a .rar file, I get something quite different. First I have to go to 'Show More Options'. Then I have to go to 7-Zip. Then there are _two_ extract choices, one of which simply creates a new folder in my Download folder with the mod files in it. Subsequently I have to drag and drop the files to their proper locations, assuming I know what they are.

The other 'extract here' command gives me the choice of creating a folder in my Download folder (which is redundant) or searching my entire file/folder structure for my game folder. Then when I extract it it creates a NEW subfolder in my game folder, or someplace, rather than putting the mod files in the proper folders. Complicated, confusing and prone to error.

Obviously, I have made the effort to figure all this out, but either something weird and unique is happening with my version of WinRAR, or it's a messy, complicated, error-inducing process which, I reiterate, is simply bad tech.

You could simply double click on any compressed file to open the actual file then decide where you want to extract it in a browse window.

[Azrael]

Originally posted by Overeagerdragon:

...

Honestly, nowadays it could be quite acceptable to actually provide a simple mod management system for games which allows mod makers to build proper mod files and players could simply doubleclick and download said mods and the mod management system would do everything in the background automagically. At least for example Notepad++ which is literally just a text editor has this functionality where a simply search field allows you to find any extension you want, then a simple checkbox allows you to download and apply said extention in the editor. But afaik steam workshop does exactly this already.