Multi-Install Tool

A Gibberlings Three Mod
Author: andrewas, Orion's Stardom

Version 5.1.12 - Check for the most recent version

Overview

The multi-install tool is a program which allows side-by-side installs of Baldur's Gate II at a minimal size. This can be useful for example when playing incompatible mods, or when wanting to test a mod on a fresh install. Specifically, it follows the instructions posted by igi in Discussion: Multiple BG2 Installations.

Requirements

To use the multi-install tool, you will need:

Supported Infinity Engine Games

The Multi Install Tool will work on any of the following Infinity Engine games:

Note: Mac OS 9 games are not supported.

In general, any patches or mods after the official patches for each game will have no impact on support by the Multi Install Tool.

Usage Instructions

  1. Ensure that you have met the requirements above.
  2. Download and run the multi-install tool.
  3. Fill in the fields as follows:
    • Source: an existing installation, to be used as a basis for the clone.
    • Sink: where you want the new installation to live on your disk.
  4. Optionally, change any available preferences in the lower pane. Depending on the game you have selected to clone, your operating system, and whether you have any save games, not all of the displayed options will be enabled. Each option will increase the size of the clone directory, but may be required for certain functionality or mods.
    Note: if 'data' is selected, 'music' will always be copied, regardless of whether that checkbox is selected.
  5. Click 'Go'.
  6. Wait until the progress bar fills in and says 'Done'.
  7. Run the clone with the main executable (eg, 'bgmain.exe' - not baldur.exe) in the clone folder.

The newly-created install will have the same set of patches and mods to start with as the one it was cloned from. You can apply mods as usual to the cloned game, and they will not affect any other installation you have on your system.

Command-Line Options

The Multi-Install Tool supports the following command-line options, useful for batch-mode operations and for launching the Multi Install Tool from another application with pre-filled default values.

--source=[path]
Select a folder to use as a source game.
--sink=[path]
Select a destination folder for the clone.
--batch
If provided, do not launch the GUI, and operate in batch mode. Otherwise operate interactively.
--copy-data
If given, duplicate the entire contents of the 'data' folder, the 'music' folder, and the 'movies' folder, if they exist. Also change the value of hd0: in the ini file to point to the sink, rather than patching the main executable.
Otherwise, create a data folder in the sink directory filled with nonsense data (so that mods checking for the existance of an expansion pack will work properly).
--copy-music=
If given, duplicate the entire contents of the 'music' folder, if it exists. Otherwise, create a cloned game which reads this information from the original game.
Note: This preference is implicitly given by giving '--copy-data'.
--copy-characters
If given, duplicate the entire contents of the 'characters' folder, if it exists. Otherwise, create a cloned game without this data.
--copy-save
If true, duplicated any save games that exist. Otherwise, create a clone game with no saved games.
--copy-portraits
If true, duplicate the entire contents of the 'portraits' folder, if it exists. Otherwise, create a clone without this information.
-v, --verbose
If given, print everything that's happening to STDOUT. Otherwise, be quiet unless something goes wrong.

Not all --copy-* options are meaningful on all configurations. In particular, if the Multi-Install tool detects that it can use symbolic links, then only --copy-save has any effect.

Contact Information

This tool was created by andrewas and Orion's Stardom. Visit the Gibberlings Three forums for information on this and any other Gibberlings Three projects on which they may be working.

Credits and Copyright Information

The Multi Install Tool, and this readme, are copyright 2006-2007, Multi-Install Tool contributors. All rights reserved.

The Multi Install Tool is Free Software released under the GNU General Public License, version 2 or any later version. The source code is included in the package.
This readme is released under the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version, with no front-cover texts, no back-cover texts, and no invariant sections.

The Multi Install Tool uses and includes jargs. Copyright and licensing information for jargs can be found in the 'jargs' folder in the jar.

Version History

Version 5.1.12 - September 20, 2007

Version 5.1.11 - July 12, 2007

Version 5.1.10 - Feburary 15, 2007

Version 5.1.9 - February 14, 2007

Version 5.1.8 - February 14, 2007

Version 5.1.7 - February 14, 2007

Version 5.1.6 - February 13, 2007

Version 5.1.5 - Feburary 13, 2007

Version 5.1.4 - February 13, 2007

Version 5.1.3 - Februrary 12, 2007

Version 5.1.2 - February 12, 2007

Version 5.1.1 - Feburary 12, 2007

Version 5.1 - Feburary 7, 2007

Version 5.0.1 - January 27, 2007

Version 5.0 - September 18, 2006

Version 4.2 - January 28, 2006

Version 4.1 - October 30, 2005

Version 4 - June 14, 2005

Version 3

Version 2

Version 1