ArchiveXL: Resource linking

Summary

Published: May 18 2024 by mana vortex Last documented update: May 18 2024 by mana vortex

Starting with version 1.14, ArchiveXL allows you to create resource symlinks. This guide will teach you how to avoid duplicate meshes for dynamic substitution that way.

If you want to avoid duplicate material definitions, check ArchiveXL: Resource patching.

Why do I need this?

While ArchiveXL: body mods and refits has solved one problem, it introduced a new one. If you want to use the preferred approach of mesh path substitution, you'll end up with a million duplicate files.

While ArchiveXL: Resource patching will let you keep your materials in one spot, why would the chest size be relevant for a pair of socks? Rhetorical question, it's not. But body types don't care.

This is where linking comes in.

Problem

You have a jacket, and you made abig_boobs refit for all fo the bodies with back problems:

yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__big_boobs.mesh

However, thanks to component stubstitution, the game will still try to load the following:

yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__lush.mesh
yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__ebb.mesh
yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__ebbp.mesh
yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__ebbrb.mesh
yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__ebbprb.mesh
yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__angel.mesh

... and if it doesn't find them, it will fall back to t2_084_pwa__base_body.mesh, which will clip.

Solution

The solution is as simple as it is brilliant: ArchiveXL can create links.

resource:
  link:  
    yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__big_boobs.mesh:
      - yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__lush.mesh
      - yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__ebb.mesh
      - yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__ebbp.mesh
      - yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__ebbrb.mesh
      - yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__ebbprb.mesh
      - yourname\clothing\torso\your_jacket\meshes\t2_084_pwa__angel.mesh

When the game tries to read t2_084_pwa__ebb.mesh, ArchiveXL will gently but firmly take it by the hand and point it towards t2_084_pwa__big_boobs.mesh instead. And it will never even know.

Now we can do away with the extra components and simply use body mod substitution — and anything duplicate can be linked.

You can now also give your .mesh files passive aggressive filenames and then use substitution to hook them up to the body mods. The possibilities are endless!