Create Tab - Creating & Sharing Collections
The Create tab allows you to export your modlist as a shareable file, use profiles to manage different configurations, and preserve FOMOD installer choices. This is useful for:
- Sharing your curated mod setup with friends
- Creating backups of your collection configuration
- Managing multiple configurations with profiles
- Preserving FOMOD choices for reinstallation
Sidebar Overview
The Create tab has a left sidebar with four sections and a search box above the mod table:
Export Section
- Export MO2 Collection - Export your setup as a shareable .zip file
Actions Section
- Refresh Data (green) - Run maintenance tasks and reload mod data from MO2
- Rescan FOMODs - Re-detect FOMOD installers for all mods (slower than Refresh)
- Settings - Open settings dialog
- Create Description - Generate a BB code description for your Nexus Mods page
- Create Author Notes - Write install instructions shown to users after import
Profile Section
- Profile dropdown - Select which profile to work with
- New - Create a new profile with name, version, and author
- Edit - Edit the current profile metadata (name, author)
- Save - Save current table state to the profile
- Load - Load settings from the profile
- Del (red) - Delete the current profile
Version Section
- Version dropdown - Select a saved version to load
- New Version - Create a new version snapshot
The Search box appears above the mod table in the main content area.
Working with Profiles
Profiles save your mod flags and settings so you can quickly switch between different configurations.
Creating a Profile
- Click New next to the Profile dropdown
- Enter a name for your profile
- Configure your mod flags (Essential, Optional, External, Bundle)
- Click Save to store the configuration
Saving and Loading
Profiles capture the current state of all checkbox flags in the mod table:
- Save - Captures current Export, Essential, Optional, External, Bundle, and Capture checkbox states
- Load - Restores all saved flag states from the profile
Auto-save: You can enable auto-save in Settings to automatically save changes whenever you toggle a flag.
Profile Versions
Each profile can have multiple saved versions, allowing you to keep snapshots of different configurations:
- Use the Version dropdown to switch between saved versions
- Click New Version to create a snapshot of the current state
- The last used profile and version are remembered between sessions
Mod Table Columns
The mod table displays all mods with collection markers and their export settings.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| No. | Install order position |
| Export | Checkbox - include this mod in the export |
| Mod Name | Display name of the mod |
| Mod Version | Version number |
| Config | Button showing count of config file edits - supports INI, JSON, and TOML files (click to configure) |
| FOMOD | Button showing FOMOD status (Configured/Unconfigured/-) |
| Essential | Checkbox - mark as required mod |
| Optional | Checkbox - user can skip this mod |
| External | Checkbox - downloaded from non-Nexus source |
| Bundle | Checkbox - include in bundle archive |
| Capture | Checkbox - save mod's file structure |
| URL | Text field for external download link |
| Link Type | Dropdown: auto/direct/page |
Sorting and Filtering
- Click column headers to sort
- Use the search box in the toolbar to filter mods by name
Mod Flags
Each mod can have flags that affect how it's handled during installation:
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| Essential | Required mod - the collection won't work without it |
| Optional | User will be prompted to install or skip |
| External | Downloaded from a source other than Nexus Mods |
| Bundle | Include the mod archive directly in the collection |
| Capture | Save the mod's installed file structure |
Tip: Toggle flags directly by clicking the checkboxes in the table. If auto-save is enabled, changes are saved immediately.
Config Editor
The Config column shows a gear button for mods that have editable configuration files. Click the button to open the Config Editor.
Supported File Types
- INI files - Standard Windows configuration format
- JSON files - JavaScript Object Notation (common for mod settings)
- TOML files - Tom's Obvious Minimal Language (used by newer mods)
Editor Features
- Split view - Full config text on the left, changes panel on the right
- Live diff - See exactly what you've changed compared to the original
- Syntax highlighting - Green for additions, red for removals
- Click to jump - Click a change in the right panel to jump to it in the editor
- Horizontal scrolling - Long lines display properly without wrapping
- Restore Original - Revert all changes with one click
How Config Diffs Work
When you first open a config file, a backup is created in a hidden folder (.collectionsmanager_config_backup). The diff panel shows differences between your current edits and this backup.
Green border: Mods with saved config changes show a green border on their Config button, so you can see at a glance which mods have custom settings.
FOMOD Status
The FOMOD column shows whether each mod has a FOMOD installer and its configuration status using a gear icon:
| Display | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ⚙ (green gear) | FOMOD installer present and choices have been saved |
| ⚙ (orange gear) | FOMOD installer present but no choices saved yet |
| - | No FOMOD installer for this mod |
Click the gear button to run or re-run the FOMOD installer and configure choices for that mod.
Important: All mods with FOMOD installers must have saved choices before you can export. Mods with missing FOMOD choices will show an orange warning.
Exporting a Collection
Export your collection as a .zip file that can be shared or imported later.
How to Export
- Select a profile or configure your mod flags
- Check the Export checkbox for mods you want to include
- Ensure all FOMOD mods have saved choices (no orange gear icons)
- Click Export MO2 Collection in the sidebar
- Choose a save location and filename
After export, a summary shows the breakdown by section (Essential, Optional, External, Bundle).
Export Requirements
Before you can export, ensure:
- Profile selected - Have a profile active to organize your export
- FOMOD choices saved - All mods with FOMOD installers need saved choices
- Export boxes checked - Only mods with the Export checkbox will be included
FOMOD Validation: If any FOMOD mods are missing saved choices, the export will warn you. Click the orange gear icon to configure each one.
What's Included in the Export
The exported .zip file contains JSON data with:
- Mod names, IDs, versions - Identification info for each mod
- Install order - The sequence mods should be installed
- FOMOD choices - Saved installer selections
- Section flags - Essential, Optional, External, Bundle status
- Download URLs - Links for external mods
- Author and version info - Collection metadata
Note: The export does NOT include actual mod files, only the metadata needed to download and install them (unless mods are marked as Bundle).
Importing a Collection
To import a collection created with Export MO2 Collection:
Important: The Import MO2 Collection button is located in the Collections tab sidebar.
How to Import
- Go to the Collections tab
- Click the Import MO2 Collection button in the sidebar
- Select the .zip file from Export MO2 Collection
- A collection card with a CREATION badge will be created
Loading the Imported Collection
After importing:
- The collection appears as a card with a CREATION badge in your Collections tab
- Click Load on the card to select it
- Proceed with installation as normal
- FOMOD choices will be automatically applied during mod installation
FOMOD Auto-Apply: When installing mods from an imported collection, any saved FOMOD choices will be automatically applied without user interaction.
Settings Dialog
Click the Settings button in the sidebar to configure Create tab options:
General
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Save changes automatically | Automatically save profile changes when toggling flags, editing URLs, or other fields. A light green flash confirms each save. |
Export
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Save Skyrim INI settings to bundle | Include your current MO2 profile INI settings in the exported bundle |
| Include collection history | Track which collections each mod came from (reveals your collection sources) |
| Export mod INI edits as diffs (recommended) | Store INI changes as binary diffs - smaller bundles, requires bsdiff on install |
| Export mod INI edits as full INI files | Store entire edited INI files - larger bundles, no bsdiff needed on install |
FOMOD Detection
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Deep scan archives for FOMODs | Use archive file listings to detect nested FOMOD installers (slower, requires 7-Zip for .7z archives) |
Sharing Collections with Others
To share your collection with friends or the community:
Step-by-Step
- Set up your modlist with the desired mods enabled
- Configure FOMOD choices for all installers
- Mark mods appropriately (Essential, Optional, etc.)
- Export the collection to a .zip file
- Share the .zip file (Discord, email, cloud storage, etc.)
What Recipients Need
- MO2 with Collections Manager installed
- Nexus Mods account (Premium recommended for auto-download)
- The same game installed
Best Practice: Include a README with your export explaining any manual steps, recommended settings, or mod conflicts to watch for.
Backup and Restore
Use the Create tab to backup your collection configuration:
Creating a Backup
- Configure your mods and save to a profile
- Export the collection with all FOMOD choices
- Save the .zip to a backup location (cloud storage recommended)
Restoring from Backup
- Create a fresh MO2 profile
- Import the .zip file via the Collections tab sidebar (Import MO2 Collection button)
- Run the installation process
Note: Backups don't include actual mod files unless marked as Bundle. You'll need to re-download non-bundled mods.
Tips for Sharing
- Test your exported collection by importing it into a fresh profile
- Document any mods that require special handling
- Use profile versions to maintain different configurations
- Consider creating separate exports for large collections