modfolder

Tool tools/live/modfolder.py (program, The running game). Put a folder of changed files into a game's install folder, list what is there, take it out.

Run it with ./gameframe run modfolder ARGS or python3 tools/live/modfolder.py. Source on GitHub.

Its own help

This is the help text in the tool itself, as ./gameframe tool modfolder prints it.

Put a folder of changed files into a game's install folder, list what is there, take it out.

Usage: modfolder.py install MOD_DIR INSTALL_DIR
       modfolder.py list INSTALL_DIR
       modfolder.py clear INSTALL_DIR

  MOD_DIR      a folder laid out like the game's data tree: Data/Binary/Voitures/CAR.BIN
  INSTALL_DIR  the game's install folder: under Wine, drive_c/GAME inside the prefix
               (derived/wine/drive_c/POD); in a VM, the same path there (run this inside it)

install first removes the files an earlier install put there. Then it copies every file of
MOD_DIR to the same relative path under INSTALL_DIR. A second install replaces the first. No
stale file stays behind. It refuses to replace a file the game already had. Those files are the
player's own. A mod that needs one of them changed is a patch. It writes a manifest,
INSTALL_DIR/.gameframe-mod.json, with every file it added. list prints the manifest. clear
removes those files, then any folder left empty, then the manifest.

Why: many CD-era games open each data file under the install folder first. They fall back to
the CD when the file is not there. A changed file placed in the install folder replaces the
disc's copy with no patch to the game (docs/knowhow/context-mods-install-folder-first.md).
Before recording a reference run, `list` says whether any mod is in place
(docs/knowhow/mods-loaded-in-a-reference-recording.md).

Under Wine the folder names match in any case. On a case-sensitive file system the files are
copied with MOD_DIR's spelling. It does not edit ini files or the registry. It does not change
the game's own files or touch the disc. Standard library only.