Changes

===Assets===

===Assets===

An ''asset'' is essentially a file in the game's <tt>Content</tt> folder with a unique ''asset name''. The asset name never includes the <tt>Content</tt> path, language, or file extension (you can use tokens to target specific languages). For example:

An ''asset'' is essentially a file in the game's <samp>Content</samp> folder with a unique ''asset name''. The asset name never includes the <samp>Content</samp> path, language, or file extension (you can use tokens to target specific languages). For example:

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

! asset name

! asset name

|-

|-

| <tt>Content/Portraits/Abigail.xnb</tt>

| <samp>Content/Portraits/Abigail.xnb</samp>

| <tt>Portraits/Abigail</tt>

| <samp>Portraits/Abigail</samp>

|-

|-

| <tt>Content/Maps/spring_beach.xnb</tt><br /><tt>Content/Maps/spring_beach.es-ES.xnb</tt><br /><tt>Content/Maps/spring_beach.fr-FR.xnb</tt>

| <samp>Content/Maps/spring_beach.xnb</samp><br /><samp>Content/Maps/spring_beach.es-ES.xnb</samp><br /><samp>Content/Maps/spring_beach.fr-FR.xnb</samp>

| <tt>Maps/spring_beach</tt>

| <samp>Maps/spring_beach</samp>

|}

|}

An asset may contain multiple sprites or data entries. For example, here's what <tt>Portraits/Abigail</tt> contains if you unpack it:

An asset may contain multiple sprites or data entries. For example, here's what <samp>Portraits/Abigail</samp> contains if you unpack it:

[[File:Modding - creating an XNB mod - example portraits.png]]

[[File:Modding - creating an XNB mod - example portraits.png]]

So if you wanted to change Abigail's portraits, you would use Content Patcher to load or edit <tt>Portraits/Abigail</tt>.

So if you wanted to change Abigail's portraits, you would use Content Patcher to load or edit <samp>Portraits/Abigail</samp>.

===Load vs edits===

===Load vs edits===

There are two conceptual ways you can change an asset:

There are two conceptual ways you can change an asset:

* ''Load'' the initial version of an asset. Each asset can only be loaded by one mod at the same time. This is mainly useful for total replacement mods (like a mod that completely changes an NPC's portraits), or to provide files that don't exist in the <tt>Content</tt> folder.

* ''Load'' the initial version of an asset. Each asset can only be loaded by one mod at the same time. This is mainly useful for total replacement mods (like a mod that completely changes an NPC's portraits), or to provide files that don't exist in the <samp>Content</samp> folder.

* ''Edit'' an asset after it's loaded. Any number of edits can be applied to the same asset.

* ''Edit'' an asset after it's loaded. Any number of edits can be applied to the same asset.

</pre>

</pre>

This is divided into four main action types (<tt>Load</tt>, <tt>EditData</tt>, <tt>EditImage</tt>, <tt>EditMap</tt>), which are explained in more detail in the Content Patcher readme (see below).

This is divided into four main action types (<samp>Load</samp>, <samp>EditData</samp>, <samp>EditImage</samp>, <samp>EditMap</samp>), which are explained in more detail in the Content Patcher readme (see below).

==Get started==

==Get started==

===Intro to JSON===

===Intro to JSON===

You'll notice a lot of files with <tt>.json</tt> at the end of the name when creating mods for Stardew Valley. That means they're formatted as JSON, which is just a way of writing text that's readable to code. If you haven't used JSON before, reading ''[https://towardsdatascience.com/an-introduction-to-json-c9acb464f43e An Introduction to JSON]'' first will be very helpful to understand what the files are doing.

You'll notice a lot of files with <samp>.json</samp> at the end of the name when creating mods for Stardew Valley. That means they're formatted as JSON, which is just a way of writing text that's readable to code. If you haven't used JSON before, reading ''[https://towardsdatascience.com/an-introduction-to-json-c9acb464f43e An Introduction to JSON]'' first will be very helpful to understand what the files are doing.

===Create example mod===

===Create example mod===

<ol>

<ol>

<li>Install [https://smapi.io/ SMAPI] and {{nexus mod|1915|Content Patcher}}.</li>

<li>Install [https://smapi.io/ SMAPI] and {{nexus mod|1915|Content Patcher}}.</li>

<li>Unpack the game's <tt>Content</tt> folder so you can see what each asset contains (see [[Modding:Editing XNB files#Unpack game files]]).</li>

<li>Unpack the game's <samp>Content</samp> folder so you can see what each asset contains (see [[Modding:Editing XNB files#Unpack game files]]).</li>

<li>[[Modding:Content packs#Create a content pack|Create a SMAPI content pack per step 3 of the general Create a Content Pack page]].</li>

<li>[[Modding:Content packs#Create a content pack|Create a SMAPI content pack per step 3 of the general Create a Content Pack page]].</li>

<li>Create a <tt>content.json</tt> file in the same folder with this content:

<li>Create a <samp>content.json</samp> file in the same folder with this content:

{{#tag:syntaxhighlight|

{{#tag:syntaxhighlight|

{

{

===Content format===

===Content format===

The <tt>content.json</tt> file you created above is what tells Content Patcher what to change. This has two main fields:

The <samp>content.json</samp> file you created above is what tells Content Patcher what to change. This has two main fields:

* <tt>Format</tt>: the format version. You should always use the latest version (currently 1.23.0) to enable the latest features and avoid obsolete behavior.

* <samp>Format</samp>: the format version. You should always use the latest version (currently 1.23.0) to enable the latest features and avoid obsolete behavior.

* <tt>Changes</tt>: the changes you want to make. Each entry is called a ''patch'', and describes a specific action to perform: replace this file, copy this image into the file, etc. You can list any number of patches.

* <samp>Changes</samp>: the changes you want to make. Each entry is called a ''patch'', and describes a specific action to perform: replace this file, copy this image into the file, etc. You can list any number of patches.

You can list any number of patches in the <tt>Changes</tt> field, each surrounded by <code>{</code> and <code>}</code>. See the next section for more info, but here's a quick example:

You can list any number of patches in the <samp>Changes</samp> field, each surrounded by <code>{</code> and <code>}</code>. See the next section for more info, but here's a quick example:

{{#tag:syntaxhighlight|

{{#tag:syntaxhighlight|

{

{

}|lang=javascript}}

}|lang=javascript}}

(There are other fields like <tt>ConfigSchema</tt> and <tt>DynamicTokens</tt> for more advanced usage; these are covered in the full readme.)

(There are other fields like <samp>ConfigSchema</samp> and <samp>DynamicTokens</samp> for more advanced usage; these are covered in the full readme.)

==Next steps==

==Next steps==