Modder's Tip: The 'Merge' Folder.

[nanenj]

Any section of the torchlight 'tree' can have a sub-folder called 'merge' where you can add new content to be merged into the existing content without replacing it.

Currently, several mods are incompatible, hence why I released the 'RespecPotion [Plays nice with other mods]' mod. The only time you should completely replace an existing element and not use the merge folder is when you're changing an existing element or removing it. If your mod is simply adding more content you should use the 'merge' folder.

For an example of this behavior, look at: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=5554&p=58658#p56932 and viewtopic.php?f=20&t=5629

That's the redone respecpotion mod and bank mod. Both use the merge folder to add items to general item vendor without blocking or ruining other mods that might edit that vendor.

All the updated pet shop mods would be able to make good use of this too. They've got a good number more pets than my original mod.

[Pendragn]

Woo! Thanks for this, I'm waiting for TorchEd before I start work on my own mods, hanging on the Top 10 list, but this one tip alone blows that entire list out of the water IMO.

[Marsh]

a heads up. The merge only works for room pieces. Not monsters, Items - just room pieces. BUT yes use merge. We don't want to have thousands of towns floating around.

[nanenj]

I'm not sure why you're saying this. It works, and I've used it in released mods. Either it's unintended behavior, or something working, but not quite. It does work and merges the content into the existing lists rather than replacing it. Maybe there is something I'm misunderstanding, but, the results of combining the mods makes it appear to work as I stated. ^^;

[nanenj]

Well, the tip partially works, I figured it out, and it doesn't work for the reasons I thought it worked. It's because the files are in different paths but still being parsed, if the files are identical in path to any other omd installed you'll still end up with a conflict.

So, for example, instead of needing a merge folder, name your MERCHANT_GENERAL_INVENTORY.DAT file something unique, but leave the name string inside the file the same.

If your mod is RespecPotion, for example. Name it MGI_RespecPotion.DAT it'll load and not conflict with other addons.