Is there any way to edit a plugin? specifically where it looks for something

[Saiko.Systems]

To start: i like my files hidden away under masses of folders. categorized, then subcategorized, then subsubcategorized, etcetera.

To examplize this inquiry, I'd rather have nertea's mods take up one folder in my gamedata, not ten folders (thus, making gamedata easier to navigate if/when i wish to edit or delete something from these mods or others. smaller gamedata = easier to find everything).... however, dropping all 6 near future's, cryo, atomic, heat control, and station parts, into a single folder named "nertea", then editing every config which points to a folder, to point to "nertea/originalfolder/", has worked thus far up to: near future electrical plugin. i get an icon on my toolbar to manage my reactors. im assuming that is the plugin adding that toolbar button.... and that button has no icon. im also assuming it doesnt have an icon because the dll plugin is looking for the icon in nearfutureelectrical/ui, and not nertea/nearfutureelectrical/ui

So..... how would i go about editing this plugin (as well as others) to look for icons/resources somewhere other than default? ..... or is it impossible / extremely difficult / a lost cause, and i should just deal with a more-cluttered gamedata folder?

 

as a side-note, i use nertea as an example because it is popular and recognizable, and wish this information in regards to many mods.... no ill thoughts to nertea and the beautiful work they do.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Saiko.Systems

[steve_v]

20 minutes ago, Saiko.Systems said:

So..... how would i go about editing this plugin (as well as others) to look for icons/resources somewhere other than default?

Load the source code in Monodevelop / Xamarin Studio / Visual Studio. Change the paths & recompile, assuming they are hardcoded - you can probably search for the filenames.  Replace the .dll with your modified one, repeat for every update.
Not worth the effort, IMO, but whatever floats your boat.

Edited March 12, 2018 by steve_v

[Saiko.Systems]

Quick response, and seems very helpful.... i'll give it a go.

I have a feeling you made it sound easier than it is, but i have a knack for learning new things, so if it works..... i'll thank you tons.

About repeating for every update: i dont intend to do so.... GOG hasnt yet updated to 1.4, so i intend to take this opportunity to get every decent mod i can find for 1.3.1, edit/rearrange everything, create patches for interoperability, etcetera...... then store it all, so i have a ready-to-go installer and gamedata folder for any time i wish to play. (i dont intend to update for quite some time)

[steve_v]

45 minutes ago, Saiko.Systems said:

I have a feeling you made it sound easier than it is

I did, but learning how to modify & recompile  other people's code is worthwhile, even if you have no intention of getting into serious coding yourself. And one can probably figure it out in a few minutes.

[goldenpsp]

IMO that sounds like a stupid amount of extra effort vs just dealing with the existing folder structure.  Especially if you have to recompile (and invariably troubleshoot) every time a mod is updated.