Mod Zip Files

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Content

Your mod .cfg file should be in the root of the created zip file and not in a mod name folder. Some TNG users extract the zip file directly to the TNG mods folder. The Mod Manager expects the mod .cfg file and any associated sub folders to reside in the TNG mods folder and not in a sub folder. If you use a mod name folder to create your zip file, then the Mod Manager will not find your mod when unzipped directly to the mods which will also result in unnecessary issues being reported on the TNG Community Forum or the user2 email list.

Mod Zip Files created for the Mod Manager .cfg files and associated folders should normally contain:

  • only the .cfg file for the mod itself
  • associated folder if the mod provides scripts that are copied using the %copyfile or %copyfile2 directives

See Dealing With Different Zip Files that were not created using the above guidelines.

Upload to the TNG Wiki

Your mod zip file should be uploaded to the TNG Wiki using the Tools, Upload File link at the bottom of the left nav sidebar.

If you host your mods on your own site and your site disappears, TNG users can no longer download your mods and other developers will not be able to take over supporting your mods.

Thankfully Bart Degryse's mods were all uploaded to the TNG Wiki so that other TNG mod developers can continue to support his wonderful mods.

You should upload new versions of your mod to the TNG Wiki before you update the mod article. Failure to do this results in a TNG User getting the File Upload dialog instead of the mod zip file.

Download Name Display

If you use Bart Degryse's Click Counter II to track the downloads of your mods, you should display the actual zip file name in the download link. If you do not use the actually zip file name you uploaded to the TNG Wiki or you point the Click Counter to your own site and your site goes away, we may not be able to find the zip file for your mod so that the TNG Wiki can be updated to point to the file location on the TNG Wiki

If you do not display the actual zip file name for your mod on the TNG Wiki as the download link, then you are also causing additional work for the TNG Wiki sysops who will try to find your mod so your mod page can be updated to allow other TNG users to download your mod when your site goes away.

You should use the HTML comment characters to indicate the zip file name in your TNG mod article to make it easier in case your site goes away.

If you host your own web server and power off the server because you are away for an extended period of time, then users are not be able to download your mods when you use the Click Counter to track downloads, whether the mod zip file is on the TNG Wiki or not. You should update the TNG Wiki articles for your mods to use the file on the TNGWiki before you power down your server because you will be away for an extended period of time.

Click Counter Email Notify

The Click Counter II Email Notify mod has been updated to allow downloads from sites that require login and when the mod developer's site is in TNG Maintenance Mode

Guideline Summary

The following guidelines should be followed:

  • Your TNG Mod zip files should reside on the TNG Wiki - use the Tools, Upload file in the bottom left nav sidebar to upload your mods to the TNG Wiki
  • Your TNG Mod zip files should be uploaded before you update your mod article on the TNG Wiki.
  • Your TNG mod zip file name display should match the actual file name uploaded to the TNG Wiki, so that the zip file can be found if your site goes away
  • Your mod cfg file should be in the root of the zip file.
See Dealing With Different Zip Files for zip files created on a MacIntosh that contain the mod folder name and MacOS data