MODPACK HELP: VANILLA ISSUE

[TheGatorcraft]

So I am currently trying to create a modpack. I have put all the mods into my mods folder, (including coremods) and I tested it and it works perfectly in-game. However when I upload it to dropbox, give it the direct link into the direct link thing when asking where the custom.zip is and then try to load it in technic, it loads in Vanilla. Here are my questions. Do I need to create a coremods folder? (I don't think I need to because it dosent automatically generate a folder like it used to) Does the file need to be named "custom.zip" or what does it need to be named? When i zipped the folder by compressing it (im in a Mac) it was named Minecraft.modded, but I renamed the zip file to modpack.zip; does that effect anything? Any help is GREATLY appreciated!

[plowmanplow]

Please provide a link to your Technic pack page and/or API URL.

[TheGatorcraft]

http://www.technicpack.net/api/modpack/the-swamp-strikes-back

[plowmanplow]

• The contents of your modpack are in a subfolder called "minecraft.MODPACK". All of the required folders (bin, Chocolate, config, mods) must be at the top level of the folder structure in your modpack archive. Your modpack should be about 55Meg. Because of the way this has been assembled your modpack archive is 350Meg.
• You have zipped up the entire client folder as your modpack archive. This is "bad". Your modpack should contain four folders: bin, Chocolate, config, mods. The bin folder, which you are missing completely, should ONLY contain a file called "modpack.jar". That modpack.jar file is simply the correct version of the Forge universal binary jar renamed to modpack.jar.
• You have left the file "BetterDungeons1-6-4_2091.zip" in your mods folder. This is the installation zip for BetterDungeons/ChocolateQuest and should be removed.
• You have an ancient version of Galacticraft with known crashes which can be fatal to a modpack. You have Build #978 where the current version is Build #1080: http://ci.micdoodle8.com/job/Galacticraft/

Making these changes allowed me to start your pack successfully.

[TheGatorcraft]

 

• The contents of your modpack are in a subfolder called "minecraft.MODPACK". All of the required folders (bin, Chocolate, config, mods) must be at the top level of the folder structure in your modpack archive. Your modpack should be about 55Meg. Because of the way this has been assembled your modpack archive is 350Meg.
• You have zipped up the entire client folder as your modpack archive. This is "bad". Your modpack should contain four folders: bin, Chocolate, config, mods. The bin folder, which you are missing completely, should ONLY contain a file called "modpack.jar". That modpack.jar file is simply the correct version of the Forge universal binary jar renamed to modpack.jar.
• You have left the file "BetterDungeons1-6-4_2091.zip" in your mods folder. This is the installation zip for BetterDungeons/ChocolateQuest and should be removed.
• You have an ancient version of Galacticraft with known crashes which can be fatal to a modpack. You have Build #978 where the current version is Build #1080: http://ci.micdoodle8.com/job/Galacticraft/

Making these changes allowed me to start your pack successfully.

 

Okay so I still need help. @plowmanplow Basically I delete all the client related items such as assets, crash-reports, All the forge logs and stuff, any types of logs, launcher.jar, launcher.pack.lzma, libraries, options.txt, versions, stars, saves and resource packs. But I should grab the forge.jar file from the versions and rename it "modpack.jar" and place it within the bin folder. Then I should name the folder "modpack" and then zip it correct? It will be "modpack.zip" when I upload it correct? Is that how it should be done? 

[plowmanplow]

Is that how it should be done? 

 

Not exactly. Pay particular attention to the second bullet point. This is precisely and exclusively what should be contained in your modpack archive. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

As for the name of the final modpack archive ZIP file it can be anything you want. That being said, I do recommend a few conventions:

• Make the name of your modpack archive something relevant. In your case I would do something like SwampStrikesBack-MA-MI-UP.zip (the last bit I'll explain next)
• In the first bullet the MA, MI and UP are this: Major version number, Minor version number, Update number. Major versions are for things like complete modpack re-creations or major Forge version increases (from 1.6.4 to 1.7.2 for example). Minor versions are for adding or removing mods to the pack. Updates are for version updates of existing mods or config file changes. So, for the first version of your pack it might be SwampStrikesBack-1.0.0.zip. If you added a new mod it would be SwampStrikesBack-1.1.0.zip. If you then updated one of the mods it would be SwampStrikesBack-1.1.1.zip. If you update one of the components of the version number the subsequent numbers revert to zero so if you removed a mod from the pack it would be called SwampStrikesBack-1.2.0.zip.

[TheGatorcraft]

 

Not exactly. Pay particular attention to the second bullet point. This is precisely and exclusively what should be contained in your modpack archive. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

As for the name of the final modpack archive ZIP file it can be anything you want. That being said, I do recommend a few conventions:

• Make the name of your modpack archive something relevant. In your case I would do something like SwampStrikesBack-MA-MI-UP.zip (the last bit I'll explain next)
• In the first bullet the MA, MI and UP are this: Major version number, Minor version number, Update number. Major versions are for things like complete modpack re-creations or major Forge version increases (from 1.6.4 to 1.7.2 for example). Minor versions are for adding or removing mods to the pack. Updates are for version updates of existing mods or config file changes. So, for the first version of your pack it might be SwampStrikesBack-1.0.0.zip. If you added a new mod it would be SwampStrikesBack-1.1.0.zip. If you then updated one of the mods it would be SwampStrikesBack-1.1.1.zip. If you update one of the components of the version number the subsequent numbers revert to zero so if you removed a mod from the pack it would be called SwampStrikesBack-1.2.0.zip.

 

Thanks for the name suggestion However I do still have a major question: is it fine the way I have it? The way I explained in my last post. I am new to this type of modding. 

[plowmanplow]

As for the name of the final modpack archive ZIP file it can be anything you want.

[MCMaster87]

So I am currently trying to create a modpack. I have put all the mods into my mods folder, (including coremods) and I tested it and it works perfectly in-game. However when I upload it to dropbox, give it the direct link into the direct link thing when asking where the custom.zip is and then try to load it in technic, it loads in Vanilla. Here are my questions. Do I need to create a coremods folder? (I don't think I need to because it dosent automatically generate a folder like it used to) Does the file need to be named "custom.zip" or what does it need to be named? When i zipped the folder by compressing it (im in a Mac) it was named Minecraft.modded, but I renamed the zip file to modpack.zip; does that effect anything? Any help is GREATLY appreciated!

You probably already have already fixed this but TOO BAD I'm saying how to make a modpack:

 

• Download ForgeModLoader (Make sure to use the universal .jar and the latest one too)
• Rename ForgeModLoader.jar to modpack.jar (Do NOT capitalize modpack.jar)
• Make four folders (Maybe more if you have mods like Flan's mod or ChocoCraft) bin, mods, coremods, config (Again do not capitalize)
• Add modpack.jar to the bin folder
• Add your mods and dependencies in mods (do not put dependencies in the coremods folder, Also you need the mods from the ORIGINAL authors )
• Zip all the folders together and call that whatever you want

         So that's how to make a modpack I'm not going into debugging or whatever i missed to making a modpack

[TheGatorcraft]

Okay so I just uploaded the new file to dropbox, got the direct link and then edited the link via the dashboard. It still opens in Vanilla. 

[plowmanplow]

• The contents of your modpack are still in a subfolder called "TheSwampStrikesBack1.0.0". You need to go INTO that folder, select the folders "bin", "Chocolate", "config", and "mods" (leave out coremods, it is superfluous) and zip those up in an archive.
• Your bin folder contains a modpack.jar file, but it looks like you renamed the minecraft.jar instead of the Forge universal binary jar file. Do not include minecraft.jar, only include modpack.jar and that being the Forge universal jar renamed to modpack.jar.

[TheGatorcraft]

 

• The contents of your modpack are still in a subfolder called "TheSwampStrikesBack1.0.0". You need to go INTO that folder, select the folders "bin", "Chocolate", "config", and "mods" (leave out coremods, it is superfluous) and zip those up in an archive.
• Your bin folder contains a modpack.jar file, but it looks like you renamed the minecraft.jar instead of the Forge universal binary jar file. Do not include minecraft.jar, only include modpack.jar and that being the Forge universal jar renamed to modpack.jar.

 

Still isn't working I went and downloaded the LATEST 1.6.4 forge universal file and renamed it modpack.jar and put it into bin, selected all the files and compressed it and named it "SwampStrikesBack1.0.0.zip" and got the direct download link.

[plowmanplow]

Using my test installation your pack contents seem well structured and I am able to use them to start the client.

 

You need to uncheck the box on your pack settings page labeled "Force Directory Change". Do that and I'll try adding your pack directly to my launcher.

[TheGatorcraft]

Using my test installation your pack contents seem well structured and I am able to use them to start the client.

 

You need to uncheck the box on your pack settings page labeled "Force Directory Change". Do that and I'll try adding your pack directly to my launcher.

I unchecked the box. I tried it myself and it didn't work. 

[plowmanplow]

I don't know what to tell you. I added your API URL to my Launcher and started the pack. Everything worked as expected. Try removing the pack from your launcher and re-adding it.

[TheGatorcraft]

I don't know what to tell you. I added your API URL to my Launcher and started the pack. Everything worked as expected. Try removing the pack from your launcher and re-adding it.

It works now I really want to thank you for your patience and time you put in to help me! It is greatly appreciated!

[plowmanplow]

My pleasure. Always good to see a successful conclusion.