Mod Folder Location Change Information

[SylenThunder]

Ok so for those of you who have been paying attention, you are aware of this change that is being started in a20.4.

Mods are now loaded from <UserDataFolder>/Mods (i.e. the folder that also stores saves, e.g. on Windows %APPDATA%/7DaysToDie/Mods) in addition to <game folder>/Mods. In a future build this will change to only load from that new location so no data is written/changed in the program folder at any time.

Do note that currently either the old location or the new location will function.

However for those who like to run larger mods like Darkness Falls, and are short on C-drive space, are going to be impacted largely.

Do not despair.
There is a pretty simple workaround for this.

Some of you may already be aware of the method for moving the save location to another drive. Though not as critical now, it was a real life saver when a single game save could run upwards of 12GB just by itself.
The same method will also work for the Mods folder. It will use the stored save location.

Unfortunately, that is just a little bit more advanced than some people are comfortable with. Earlier today I discovered a game starup argument that I wasn't aware existed previously. (and TBH, it may not have existed previously. I'll need to test that later.)
You can just add the startup argument -UserDataFolder=

So basically, right-click the game in the Steam list and choose Properties. Then add the argument plus the path where you want the save location to be.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2801477714

You can even make desktop shortcuts to the .exe file and add that argument to the shortcut for the file so you can have a different folder for each different set of mods you're running.


(Lastly, this change is because of the expansion to Microsoft Games and is not likely to be reverted. Workshop support is planned though, and that will change everything again.)

[Mardoin69]

Nice job @SylenThunder. First I'm hearing of that startup option '-userdatafolder=' also. Makes me wonder how you stumbled upon that, o_O?!
Personally, I feel like the change to mods being in user's folder is brilliant. Keeping it separate like that makes it super simple to revert back to vanilla without a bunch of guesswork (if a person hadn't kept track of their modding.) Maybe other game devs will start doing something similar for their games.....would be kinda nice imo.

[Red Eagle LXIX]

I had been using the config file option for so long I didn't notice the command line option get added either.
Happened back in 2019-02-27 - A17.2 is out!

For serverowners:
Added: serverconfig property “UserDataFolder” to specify where all generated data on the server is stored, including generated RWG worlds

[Mighty Pancake]

Does this mean 7 days to die will get a full on workshop page so that mods can be configured and easily accessible Rather than having to track them down? Able to get simple upgrades in texture qualities, new weapon skins and weapons in general, to full overhauls?

[Shurenai]

Originally posted by Mighty Pancake:

Does this mean 7 days to die will get a full on workshop page so that mods can be configured and easily accessible Rather than having to track them down? Able to get simple upgrades in texture qualities, new weapon skins and weapons in general, to full overhauls?

There are plans for workshop integration, but it won't happen until release or just before release.

[Grank]

Its possible load User Data from FTP? something like "-UserDataFolder=ftp:\\ftpuser:password@0.0.0.0\Userdata"

[SylenThunder]

Originally posted by Grank:

Its possible load User Data from FTP? something like "-UserDataFolder=ftp:\\ftpuser:password@0.0.0.0\Userdata"

Not that I am aware of. You really wouldn't want to do that anyway. The game requires on fast access to data. FTP is kind of the opposite of fast.

[Grank]

Originally posted by SylenThunder:

Originally posted by Grank:

Its possible load User Data from FTP? something like "-UserDataFolder=ftp:\\ftpuser:password@0.0.0.0\Userdata"

Not that I am aware of. You really wouldn't want to do that anyway. The game requires on fast access to data. FTP is kind of the opposite of fast.

Yeah... sounds weird trying to load world data from ftp.
I'm looking for a way to load mods (small mods like UH60) from geforce now, I´m trying everything I can think of.

Thanks for the reply.

[SylenThunder]

Originally posted by Grank:

Originally posted by SylenThunder:

Not that I am aware of. You really wouldn't want to do that anyway. The game requires on fast access to data. FTP is kind of the opposite of fast.

Yeah... sounds weird trying to load world data from ftp.
I'm looking for a way to load mods (small mods like UH60) from geforce now, I´m trying everything I can think of.

Thanks for the reply.

Pretty sure it is not possible. Will likely have to wait for workshop support.

[seven]

Ok, is this a bug or am i having a stupid moment.

If I try to use the -UserDataFolder= option with a double quoted path I get a few errors and then an endless string of NullReferenceException messages.

Example: If my shortcut is

"E:\MoreSteamGames_II\steamapps\common\7 Days To Die\7DaysToDie_EAC.exe" -UserDataFolder="E:\7D2D\Saves\a20x-test" -logfile E:\7D2D\output_log.txt -force-d3d11 -usenativeinput -nogs

then I get

2022-05-14T12:19:04 1.437 ERR [EOS] [LogEOS - Error] Invalid CacheDirectory supplied in platform options, Path: "E:/7D2D/Saves/a20x-test", Error: Cache directory path is relative, it must be an absolute path
2022-05-14T12:19:04 1.438 ERR [EOS] Failed to create platform

and then a couple of "ArgumentException: Path contains invalid chars" messages

If I take out those quotes then it works fine, but if my data folder path has spaces in (didn't use one in this example), don't I need to use double quotes?

[i_robot73]

Originally posted by seven:

Ok, is this a bug or am i having a stupid moment.

If I try to use the -UserDataFolder= option with a double quoted path I get a few errors and then an endless string of NullReferenceException messages.

Example: If my shortcut is

"E:\MoreSteamGames_II\steamapps\common\7 Days To Die\7DaysToDie_EAC.exe" -UserDataFolder="E:\7D2D\Saves\a20x-test" -logfile E:\7D2D\output_log.txt -force-d3d11 -usenativeinput -nogs

then I get

2022-05-14T12:19:04 1.437 ERR [EOS] [LogEOS - Error] Invalid CacheDirectory supplied in platform options, Path: "E:/7D2D/Saves/a20x-test", Error: Cache directory path is relative, it must be an absolute path
2022-05-14T12:19:04 1.438 ERR [EOS] Failed to create platform

and then a couple of "ArgumentException: Path contains invalid chars" messages

If I take out those quotes then it works fine, but if my data folder path has spaces in (didn't use one in this example), don't I need to use double quotes?

Try removing the '-' ("special characters") from the path *shrug*

[seven]

Originally posted by i_robot73:

Originally posted by seven:

Ok, is this a bug or am i having a stupid moment.

If I try to use the -UserDataFolder= option with a double quoted path I get a few errors and then an endless string of NullReferenceException messages.

Example: If my shortcut is

"E:\MoreSteamGames_II\steamapps\common\7 Days To Die\7DaysToDie_EAC.exe" -UserDataFolder="E:\7D2D\Saves\a20x-test" -logfile E:\7D2D\output_log.txt -force-d3d11 -usenativeinput -nogs

then I get

2022-05-14T12:19:04 1.437 ERR [EOS] [LogEOS - Error] Invalid CacheDirectory supplied in platform options, Path: "E:/7D2D/Saves/a20x-test", Error: Cache directory path is relative, it must be an absolute path
2022-05-14T12:19:04 1.438 ERR [EOS] Failed to create platform

and then a couple of "ArgumentException: Path contains invalid chars" messages

If I take out those quotes then it works fine, but if my data folder path has spaces in (didn't use one in this example), don't I need to use double quotes?

Try removing the '-' ("special characters") from the path *shrug*

That's just the normal '-' character but for testing I also tried this

"E:\MoreSteamGames_II\steamapps\common\7 Days To Die\7DaysToDie_EAC.exe" -UserDataFolder="E:\7D2D\Saves\a20x" -logfile E:\7D2D\output_log.txt -force-d3d11 -usenativeinput -nogs

and it gives the same error.

I guess I should post this in support and bugs, people seldom read pinned threads.

[radkid10]

this game needs Workshop support soon eliminate 90% of the hassles

[Shurenai]

Originally posted by radkid10:

this game needs Workshop support soon eliminate 90% of the hassles

And add 99% more, but different, hassles. Workshop support isn't a magic cureall, It just solves user inability to put a file in a specific location, and in return, takes away any version control from the user, and has very few options for version sorting- Meaning if you put in workshop support early in development, after a version change or three, suddenly 90% of the workshop is worthless to a game played in the current version, and just cause all kinds of problems for users who then have to try and figure out what will and wont work for the current version.

Plenty of examples on Steam that decided to do workshop too early and the workshop is just bogged down and it's all but impossible to find stuff that actually works.

[YG燕双鹰]

Originally posted by Mardoin69:

Nice job @SylenThunder. First I'm hearing of that startup option '-userdatafolder=' also. Makes me wonder how you stumbled upon that, o_O?!
Personally, I feel like the change to mods being in user's folder is brilliant. Keeping it separate like that makes it super simple to revert back to vanilla without a bunch of guesswork (if a person hadn't kept track of their modding.) Maybe other game devs will start doing something similar for their games.....would be kinda nice imo.

0.0

[Red Eagle LXIX]

Originally posted by seven:

Ok, is this a bug or am i having a stupid moment.

If I try to use the -UserDataFolder= option with a double quoted path I get a few errors and then an endless string of NullReferenceException messages.

Example: If my shortcut is

"E:\MoreSteamGames_II\steamapps\common\7 Days To Die\7DaysToDie_EAC.exe" -UserDataFolder="E:\7D2D\Saves\a20x-test" -logfile E:\7D2D\output_log.txt -force-d3d11 -usenativeinput -nogs

then I get

2022-05-14T12:19:04 1.437 ERR [EOS] [LogEOS - Error] Invalid CacheDirectory supplied in platform options, Path: "E:/7D2D/Saves/a20x-test", Error: Cache directory path is relative, it must be an absolute path
2022-05-14T12:19:04 1.438 ERR [EOS] Failed to create platform

and then a couple of "ArgumentException: Path contains invalid chars" messages

If I take out those quotes then it works fine, but if my data folder path has spaces in (didn't use one in this example), don't I need to use double quotes?

EDIT: UPDATE - sphereii gave me the answer here:
Apparently this does not work like most normal command line options.
You have to put the quotes around the whole command.
"-UserDataFolder=E:\Saves\a20x test"
As above to get the path with the spaces.