How to build a mod pack: For mac. Details

[Stop mocking me0]

After weeks of trying to build a mod pack on my mac with little help from confusing guides that one has to translate to mac-terms, I finally received help from one guy who throughly explained everything easy- peasy. Which is what I'm trying to do here: 

 

I SHOULD MENTION THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CONFIGURATION FOR MODS LIKE FLANS!

But flans is buggy at best, so don't feel left out. This works for other mods. 

 

Here are a few main issues I came across with my mac: 

 

I could not use the default zip-program installed on my computer. I had to go and download a new one, which BTW is about 40 times cooler. I recommend Keka, it's free, It's simple, it has a little roll-polly bug on it. 

 

You will need a file sharing website. Dropbox refused to work for me, but it may for you. I recommend "Copy.com" as it's very simple to install, use, and it works. 

 

Make sure you are using the ORIGINAL and LATEST download for your files. The best way to check this is to simply type in "(Modpackname) minecraftforums" and that will bing up the MCF page for it, which typically either has the right download, or it will link you to the right download. 

 

I should mention: You shouldn't be using Safari for your downloads, as some files will not download as .zips or .jars and will automatically decompress into folders. You can NOT use folders. Now, the ORIGINAL and LATEST version of the files can be downloaded as the correct .zip or .jar files from safari for many mods like "dimensional doors", "tinker's construct", "Galacticraft". However some mods, like the Ichun mods and mystcraft. Just do not download correctly. So While safari is good for finding the RIGHT files, it does not work for ALL mod files. 

 

 

 

WIth that let's get started!:

 

To begin, and once you've acquired everything you need (file share-et (copy.com), new .zip-ing program (keka), and a mindset of which mods you want), you will likely want to start with the latest mine craft forge. Or if you want to do things easy and just bypass NEI configuration, use this: 

 

https://copy.com/z8rGwlb6nnaR

 

 

That was created for me by the guy who helped me. It includes the basics: NEI, WAILA, Current version of FORGE (as of May 17th 2014), and it's configuration.

(If you need a more current version people of the future, just replace the mod pack file, under .bin, with the instructions on it's site.) 

 

Now, once you've got the files downloaded, I'm guessing you don't want a mod pack called "base" so change the name of the file to whatever you want it to be. CAPITALIZATION AND SPACING IS IMPORTANT! 

 

 

Ok, the first thing you should do now is compress it WITH THE KEKA, and put that file into your copy folder. Make sure that the name of the .zip matches the name you want (with a .zip at the end) for example: 

 

Waffe-craft= Waffe-craft.zip

 

Wait for it to sync with the internet, and then from there click the share button. Copy extension… Should look something like this: https://copy.com/z8rGwlb6nnaR

and head for the "technic platform" button above.

 

Click that, and find your account, access it, and get to the page where it says create new mod pack. You can create it, add some info about it, what mods are in it, a few colorful pictures, the licensing and agreements so mod authors get their deserved rights. 

 

Anyways, you will finish and the pack will be incomplete. Go back into it via the edit button and NOW you should see a little empty text box to put "file location" in. 

 

 

What you want to do, 

 

NOW LISTEN HERE THIS IS IMPORTANT! 

 

 

 

Is paste the copy.com sharing link in the box, then at the end add a ?download=1 to the end of it, so it will look like:  https://copy.com/z8rGwlb6nnaR?download=1 when you're finished. 

 

Make sure you're also using the correct version of mine craft too with all your mods (for example: this one is set up for 1.6.4 ) 

 

 

 

 

 

MAKE SURE YOU CLICK THE GREEN SAVE-MODPACK BUTTON AT THE bottom before leaving, then make sure you have the mod pack address (aka the url code you put into your technic launcher to activate the pack) 

 

Put that code in the technic launcher and run it.  It should create a regular 1.6.4 version of MC with WAILA, NEI, through forge. (You'll know by the little button on the menu saying "Mods") 

 

Issues: 

The 3 mods aren't downloading. I keep getting some nonsense text: 99% of the time this has to do with your sharing site, if you've linked it as I have shown you. The other 1% is you're not zipping your files correctly. You must use KEKA or something other then the simple zip archiver. 

 

If you don't see the little white box appear in the lower-center-left of your screen, it didn't work. Make sure you fallowed ALL the steps.  (oh and if you clicked a little box that said "Force directory change", yeah don't do that…) 

 

 

 

 

Now you need to add your mods! 

 

 

This is a very simple process: 

 

Download, 

Add, 

Compress, 

Check. 

 

The DACC process if you will. 

 

D: 

First download the CORRECT version of your mod (meaning if you got a 1.6.4 mod pack you need the latest 1.6.4 version of the mod, not all mods have this and thus can't be used… Sorry) From the ORIGINAL author. 

 

A:

If all goes to plan you'll have a .jar file or a .zip file.  Put this file into the mods folder, (NOTE: Some mods, like galacticraft, Ichuns, and TMmech works require other mod files to operate. Make sure you have all the files needed downloaded!) 

 

C: 

Now compress the bin, config, and mods together again, with the mods added. This will give you a .zip . Remember to rename it! Then put that file into your copy folder!
 

(Pro tip: for faster linking, if your file already matches the name of the last file you can replace it. By replacing it you don't have to go through the hastle of changing the sharing URL from copy.com, it's much faster.) 

 

C: 

Wait for everything to sync and then DELETE the old mod pack from your technic launcher. If you just try to update it nothing will change. 

 

Instead just re-enter the URL code (It shouldn't change BTW, so just keep a little tab open to where you can access the same text) then run the new mod pack. 

 

If all is well and good you should have the new mod installed! Make sure you go in and check to see none of the features of a mod crashes the game. That is common and VERY unwanted. 

 

Issues: 

 

My mod didn't load in, but NEI and everything is still there. WTF?: You're still using the same mod pack from the first session. From the technic launcher, press the little red button under your old Mod pack, then click "add new mod pack" and input the URL code again. It may work now. If it didn't check to make sure you have all the mod files needed for that file to run, for example: TMmech works can't run without tinker's construct. 

 

There are no mods, just mine craft version 1.6.4: Simple, either how you set up your sharing file, or how you set up the mod pack is flawed. Make sure you still have the ?download=1 at the end, and that the file still has the same code: https://copy.com/z8rGwlb6nnaR

 

Repeat: 

Now, you have added one of your mods! Cool! Now, continue to add the rest of your mods through the same process. I recommend you go one or two mods at a time so if your game breaks you can find the source easy.  

 

 

 

If you have any questions, or anything, feel free to comment it below. 

 

I didn't add the name of the guy who helped me to avoid people constantly bombarding him for help. That'd get annoying real fast, and I don't want to do that to him. 

 

Enjoy your modded mine craft mac community! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your mod pack is still not working it may be a config issue!

 

-To properly deal with configs: Your best bet is to run the game, which will then fail, then look at the crash report (little gear under the mod pack logo, then click open folder-->crash reports) 

 

The first general section (paragraph, whatever you want to call the initial chuck of text) will say something like:

 

-Missing class directory-XXXX:  Your missing a file for mod XXXX. 

 

-ID conflict: 2 mods have item IDs set for the same thing, to fix this there should be a file marked "id conflicts" (nifty) which you can open with text edit. Now, that list shows you all the items that are conflicting. With that open head into the config folder (should be right near the crash reports folder) and open the file of one of the conflicting mods ( EX: XXXX---Id 115, YYYY---Id 115, open either the XXXX or YYYY folder) 

 

Once open, find the item id that matches the one in the conflict text. It may not be word-for-word the same so find the NUMBER not the name.. (Pro tip: command-F) 

 

Once you have the number, look back at the list.. It should say a section of numbers that aren't occupied by other IDs. Change the number to one of those numbers. 

--- NOTE: You can not re-use numbers, one number, (1115) then it can never be used again, I suggest going in order: 1116,1117, 1118…..

 

​Make sure to save your file then try to run the pack again. If it works, place the changed config folder into the ORIGINAL config folder (The one you created your pack with, don't mind if it's not an EXE file.) Then compress and start again. 

 

 

Dimension ID: There's always the off-chance you'll run into a dimension ID error. Where two mods have generated dimensions in the same location, it's solved much like the ID conflict issue, only the crash report will tell you where to go, and what to change.. Should be simple, just use text edit in a config folder to change dimension ID from, oh say, 20 to 21. Never let two dimensions be set at the same Diminsion-ID so always use different numbers. Save-->re-run the pack--> If it works put that in the original config folder-->then re-compress and start again.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Stop mocking me0

[plowmanplow]

Always interesting to see other folks' processes. I would make a couple suggestions concerning config files:

1. I would be a bit more clear about the why and how of including config files. This is the biggest challenge I have when helping other people with their packs and it would be great to see more emphasis on that.
2. It would be helpful to have at least something about ID conflicts in Pre-1.7 packs. You could mention something about searching the ForgeModLoader client log for the word CONFLICT and the need to resolve those.

[Stop mocking me0]

 

Always interesting to see other folks' processes. I would make a couple suggestions concerning config files:

1. I would be a bit more clear about the why and how of including config files. This is the biggest challenge I have when helping other people with their packs and it would be great to see more emphasis on that.
2. It would be helpful to have at least something about ID conflicts in Pre-1.7 packs. You could mention something about searching the ForgeModLoader client log for the word CONFLICT and the need to resolve those.

 

Yeah… Bout that… Didn't run into any of those issues while building mine.. How would one consult these issues.  Also, I never needed to use a config. file after the initial WAILA, NEI, and other things built into the download above. I understand how to find a Conflict error, but not how to deal with it...

[plowmanplow]

In Forge/MC <=1.6.4 all items and blocks in game are explicitly defined with IDs in the mod's config files. The config files have default values that get created when the mod is first injected into Forge (often just a full default config file stored inside the mod itself). There are a lot of IDs to play with so with a few mods it is common to have few or no conflicts. The more mods you have the more likely you are to have a conflict which would require changing the values in one or more config files.

 

The IDs are just one aspect to consider. Without configs it is impossible to set up which blocks will have microblocks, which trees will be TreeCapitated by which axes, which ores get generated with the world and how much of each, etc. It is often desirable to tune how much power is created or converted between mods. There are a TON of reasons to include a full set of balanced config files. This applies even with Forge/MC >=1.7 which (should) eliminate the numerical ID conflicts.

[Stop mocking me0]

Ok I tried looking for an answer but couldn't find one… How does one create a .cfg file to put into  a mod pack's config? 

[plowmanplow]

The config files have default values that get created when the mod is first injected into Forge (often just a full default config file stored inside the mod itself).

 

The first time the mods is loaded it will make its default config file.

[Stop mocking me0]

Ah! Ok I'll experiment and troubleshoot and work out the best way I can communicate this  

[Stop mocking me0]

Finally updated this ! 

[Mini_Me]

Do I need forge in the folder too before I start adding mods?