Can anyone provide me with some insight and knowledge regarding Carvariations.meta and Vehicles.meta?  I understand that these files are associated with spawning various liveries, vehicle options, light patterns, and vehicle handling.  However, I am a bit confused.

I recall inserting a carvariation or vehicle file for one different vehicle, but then the LED light patterns on the dash and deck changed to the halogen rotator style flash pattern for my Ford Taurus in the Police3 slot.

I can't be too specific because I don't remember the details, but since then, I have not bothered to install any of the carviarations.meta and vehicles.meta files that are sometimes included with custom vehicle models.

As a result, my FBI2 Ford Explorer still handles like the bulky Grainger from vanilla GTAV, and the Police3 Ford Taurus never spawns with the lightbar on the roof unless I spawn it from the Rage console.

Any information would be appreciative.  I am still learning the modding process.  I have successfully accomplished installing custom vehicle models, liveries, and custom sounds using the correct mods folder and OpenIV.  I am using a retail DVD set of GTAV as well, NOT the Steam version.  Thanks :D

I don't know anything about modifying .meta files but you could try merging the parts you want to keep with each other into one file.

The vehicles.meta file applies to handling, camera view, what officers drive the vehicle, what weapons can be equipeed when entering the vehicle, dashboard type,extras and so forth. The carvariations.meta file pertains to how many liveries a vehicle can have and the lighting settings. It is recommended that you use the carvariation.meta or/and vehicles.meta file that come with the vehicles. The same goes for the vehicles.meta file. If you already have a modified version of those files then all you need to do is find the info that pertains to your vehicle and copy and paste to your modified files

4 hours ago, majorpaine2015 said:

The vehicles.meta file applies to handling, camera view, what officers drive the vehicle, what weapons can be equipeed when entering the vehicle, dashboard type,extras and so forth. The carvariations.meta file pertains to how many liveries a vehicle can have and the lighting settings. It is recommended that you use the carvariation.meta or/and vehicles.meta file that come with the vehicles. The same goes for the vehicles.meta file. If you already have a modified version of those files then all you need to do is find the info that pertains to your vehicle and copy and paste to your modified files

So how many "default" vehicles.meta and carvariations.meta files are there?  From some of the custom models I have seen, there are various locations for these files scattered about the gtav directory.

I would like to know that I am on a "clean" slate before modifying, if that is possible.  Is it?

There are multiple ones throughout the dlc's and in the updates.rpf. The ones that come with the vehicles tells you where to place them in order for them to work as intended. If you ever run into a problem where you've accidently put one in the wrong place all you have to do is delete the dlc or rpf that you placed it in and just copy a fresh one to the mods folder and try again.

17 minutes ago, majorpaine2015 said:

There are multiple ones throughout the dlc's and in the updates.rpf. The ones that come with the vehicles tells you where to place them in order for them to work as intended. If you ever run into a problem where you've accidently put one in the wrong place all you have to do is delete the dlc or rpf that you placed it in and just copy a fresh one to the mods folder and try again.

Isn't it possible that one carvariation.meta and/or vehicles.meta file will contain information for various cars, and if you install the one that came with the custom model, it may overright your other custom settings for another vehicle?

Which I believe is what happened when it changed the LED pattern to rotating light pattern for my Police Taurus.

Every time Cockstar(not Rockstar) updates GTAV the files gets change and the place where your carvariations and/or vehicles.meta file was placed becomes inoperable. for example, the police3 slot used to work when GTAV came out and modded cars for that slot was placed in x64e, and the meta files in the corresponding places. Then when GTA V got updated with the dlc  patchday3ng the slot in x64e with the modded vehicle stopped working because the police3 slot in the updated dlc became the working slot. and by that happening so did either or both the meta files. The main working vehicles.meta file is placed in the update.rpf file, but the carvariations goes to different dlcs. You usually have to look in each one to find where it goes. Some people have made they're own configs for they're cars and placed them in the most recent or updated carvariatio.meta dlc.

Edited March 14, 201610 yr by majorpaine2015
fixing typos

29 minutes ago, majorpaine2015 said:

Every time Cockstar(not Rockstar) updates GTAV the files gets change and the place where your carvariations and/or vehicles.meta file was placed becomes inoperable. for example, the police3 slot used to work when GTAV came out and modded cars for that slot was placed in x64e, and the meta files in the corresponding places. Then when GTA V got updated with the dlc  patchday3ng the slot in x64e with the modded vehicle stopped working because the police3 slot in the updated dlc became the working slot. and by that happening so did either or both the meta files. The main working vehicles.meta file is placed in the update.rpf file, but the carvariations goes to different dlcs. You usually have to look in each one to find where it goes. Some people have made they're own configs for they're cars and placed them in the most recent or updated carvariatio.meta dlc.

What a pain!  Meh!

1 minute ago, SoloMan said:

What a pain!  Meh!

It takes some getting used to but it gets really easier aftewards...lol

2 minutes ago, majorpaine2015 said:

It takes some getting used to but it gets really easier aftewards...lol

I suppose it does.  Adding vehicles was a pain.  Now it is easily accomplished.

At first I had issues with the same thing regarding patches.  Like there is an FBI2 model in various locations, but only the one in the patchdayx location works.  Ghey!

1 minute ago, SoloMan said:

I suppose it does.  Adding vehicles was a pain.  Now it is easily accomplished.

At first I had issues with the same thing regarding patches.  Like there is an FBI2 model in various locations, but only the one in the patchdayx location works.  Ghey!

It's so gay...lol

14 minutes ago, majorpaine2015 said:

It's so gay...lol

I am finding that there is no direct way to edit .meta files in OpenIV.  You must export and then edit, and then replace.  Is my assumption correct?

4 minutes ago, SoloMan said:

I am finding that there is no direct way to edit .meta files in OpenIV.  You must export and then edit, and then replace.  Is my assumption correct?

correct, notepad++ works perfectly for it.

Edited March 14, 201610 yr by majorpaine2015
added text

6 minutes ago, majorpaine2015 said:

correct, notepad++ works perfectly for it.

Yes.  It all gets confusing when you are merging three files into one, though.  Picking and choosing and copying and pasting.  Have to get it right!  I am being adventurous now...

The suck happens when you change a model in the future and they don't provide any corresponding flags or .metas!

Edited March 14, 201610 yr by SoloMan

Wouldn't you know it, the minute I get done doing about two hours work of carvariations.meta and vehicles.meta work, I go to start the game, and it updates, and now my update folder in OpenIV is outdated!  GRRRRRRRR!