Tools I'm using to modify/tweak mods and files

[Taa]

Hi

Just want to share what tools I use to modify/tweak mods and files. All is free to use.
Would be great if you also shared your tools.

Notepad++ - used to edit/search files. It store history and you can save session, and run multiple instances.
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/

WinMerge - used to compare files and folders. Can be used to check changes for errors or just compare.
https://winmerge.org/

AstroGrep - used to search for keywords inside multiple files/folders at the same time.
http://astrogrep.sourceforge.net/

DB Browser for SQLite - used to check gameplay datebase (DebugGameplay.sqlite) if changes from mods/tweaks is there.
https://portableapps.com/apps/development/sqlite_database_browser_portable

 

[Taa]

Here is some pictures from the tools.

 

[Laurana Kanan]

There's a Compare plugin for Notepad++.

 

[Taa]

Nice suggestion, I actually have it but forget to use it, I'm used to using WinMerge

 

[LeeS]

I use Notepad++ primarily for debugging purposes since it displays line numbers in a code file such as lua or sql.

But for actually editing and creating the code within a file I prefer the simplicity and un-clutteredness of plain old Notepad. I never actually create the XML, SQL, or lua code of a mod within Modbuddy. I just create the needed files in Modbuddy, assign the needed actions, and then close modbuddy and directly edit the code-files of the mod from Notepad. Once I have the code completed I close everything in Notepad and reload the mod in Modbuddy so I can build the mod and look for any errors Modbuddy does report (which aren't many and really aren't terribly useful for actual code-fixing).

Regardless of which actual apps you use, the four basic non-Modbuddy tools for code creation and debugging are (as you have)

1. a text file editor that does not add hidden file format characters in the body of the file (ie, stores as plain text correctly: Notepad, Notepad++, etc.)
   • for log-file error debugging Notepad++ is better than Notepad since Notepad++ handles the encoding in the log files without troubles whereas plain Notepad doesn't recognize the end-of-line characters used in the Civ6 log files
2. a database viewer program that can open .SQLite files
3. a file search engine which allows searching for text-strings, filenames, etc., in multiple folders and over differing file formats.
4. some type of file compare app, though I don't find this quite as essential except right after a patch by our fiends at Firaxis

Having one of Photoshop, GIMP, etc is also handy if one intends to do any 2d image creation, manipulation.

And the other essential modding tool that I think people often overlook is simply a link to the game's folder where the database (xml/sql) tables are defined. Understanding the definition of a game-table and what type of data a column expects can save a lot of time. The vanilla Civ6 in-game database tables are defined at

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization VI\Base\Assets\Gameplay\Data\Schema/01_GameplaySchema.sql

The expansions each add more tables and the definitions of those in-game tables are found at

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization VI\DLC\Expansion1\Data/Expansion1_Schema.sql

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization VI\DLC\Expansion2\Data/Expansion2_Schema.sql