Newbie with editing - how to edit the 25/26 data update files in the fm editor

Hello,

I have just downloaded the newest update for FM24 for the 25/26 season.

It's great but I would like to make a few tweaks to it, namely some player attributes, but can't for the life of me figure out what I'm supposed to do.

Here's what I have tried:

I have first loaded database 24.3.0

Then from the File menu I have tried: File > Import -  and I only see the folder Optional and config.xml

When I click config, I get the message ‘This file was saved from an older database, some changes etc… may fail’

I click OK, not really knowing what I'm doing, and assumed I should click database on left menu, then try searching for a team/player whatever. So use the Names - Contains filter but no team or player comes up.

So next I have tried using ‘Load editor data' from the File menu.

Now I see all of the sortitoutsi.net files. 

From all these files I guess that Changes is the correct one to load? 

So I do this and have Database on the left menu selected (it seems to be this should be the right one instead of File, Database changes and Test competitions?)

Again, I try to use the Filter thing to search and it's still all the old data.

Please, can anyone help with this? All I want to do is change a few players' attributes from the new data update.

(Also, sorry if the post is long)

Which version of the Data Update do you have (free or paid)? I'm asking because the files that are included vary slightly and I don't want to misguide you.

In the free version, I don't believe there are any altered player attributes at all. The free update does include the newly-created players and those are in the Changes.fmf file.

In the paid/enhanced version, I believe the CA/PA changes (which is the extent to which the Data Update changes players) are held within the file named ‘Classic FM - Non Dynamic Data.fmf’.

However, as an aside, if you only intend to change details of players who are in the original database (i.e. not newly-created players introduced by the Data Update), then you don't need to Load Editor Data at all.

You can just make the changes you want into a new file and save it with a filename that is later alphabetically than the SortItOutSI Data Update files (i.e. call it something beginning with ‘z’). Then, you'll have a supplementary editor data file that you can load alongside the Data Update. If your changes did alter a value that some other file also altered, your file would overwrite previous changes to that value on account of loading last.

The advantages of this are numerous - the big three are the fact that it'll be quicker to work in the editor with that smaller file, if you make a mistake you won't be breaking the main ‘Changes.fmf’ file and, perhaps most fundamentally of all, you can keep getting the latest version of the Data Update without overwriting the changes you made to one of the files. Otherwise, if you downloaded tomorrow's update, to use it you'd need to replace the Changes.fmf file (with the latest one) and that file would now contain your tweaks, which would be overwritten…

Hi M.C,

Thanks for the explanation. I have downloaded the free one. If I understand you correctly, this one has done all the transfers, promotions etc… But none of those players transferred have had anything changed in their attributes?

And also just to be clear, I need only to load the 24.3.0 database and nothing else, and then edit the players there? Even though some are still at their old clubs? (then like you say, save that as a new fmf file). 

And the other thing is some of these players might not exist on the 24.3.0 database, but do on the update. Does that mean it's just impossible to edit those guys?

Oh and one more thing, there's going to be another update tomorrow?

Thanks again.

Yes, I don't believe that the free version of the update contains any updated player attributes (neither CA, PA nor individual attributes) for players in the 24.3 database. The paid/enhanced version contains updated CA/PA values for all players in the 24.3 database.

Both versions of the update add the many thousands of new players that are created through community submissions through this site. In both cases, those players exist because they are built into the Changes.fmf file.

If you want to edit any details of players in the 24.3 database, I recommend you make those changes in a new file (i.e. just load the database and then perform your edits and save them to a new file). You only need to adjust the values that you want to change - you don't need to replicate values that are changed in the Data Update files. The concept here is that you're supplementing those changes.

If you want to edit any details of players who are introduced as new players, by the update, for those you will need to load the Changes.fmf file and make the adjustments in that file…because those players only exist in that file, so there is no way to edit them otherwise.

SortItOutSI releases a new version of the Data Update every day. This incorporates any transfers and contractual changes, or updates to the new players (including the creation of new ones), that have been submitted and approved throughout the previous day. All of this is in the Changes.fmf file, so really that is the one that iterates daily. The other files that make up the Data Update get iterated, but less frequently - for example, we are still working on updated league constitutions/structures for some nations and those will be integrated as-and-when they are ready.

Thanks a lot for that explanation, you've been very helpful with this.