SMAPI/docs/technical/mod-package.md at develop · Mizzion/SMAPI

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The mod build package is an open-source NuGet package which automates the MSBuild configuration for SMAPI mods and related tools. The package is fully compatible with Linux, Mac, and Windows.

Use
Features
Code warnings
Special cases
- Custom game path
- Non-mod projects
For SMAPI developers
Release notes

Use

Create an empty library project.
Reference the Pathoschild.Stardew.ModBuildConfig NuGet package.
Write your code.
Compile on any platform.
Run the game to play with your mod.

Features

The package automatically makes the changes listed below. In some cases you can configure how it works by editing your mod's .csproj file, and adding the given properties between the first <PropertyGroup> and </PropertyGroup> tags.

Detect game path

The package finds your game folder by scanning the default install paths and Windows registry. It adds two MSBuild properties for use in your .csproj file if needed:

property	description
`$(GamePath)`	The absolute path to the detected game folder.
`$(GameExecutableName)`	The game's executable name for the current OS (`Stardew Valley` on Windows, or `StardewValley` on Linux/Mac).

If you get a build error saying it can't find your game, see custom game path.

Add assembly references

The package adds assembly references to SMAPI, Stardew Valley, xTile, and MonoGame (Linux/Mac) or XNA Framework (Windows). It automatically adjusts depending on which OS you're compiling it on.

The assemblies aren't copied to the build output, since mods loaded by SMAPI won't need them. For non-mod projects like unit tests, you can set this property:

<CopyModReferencesToBuildOutput>true</CopyModReferencesToBuildOutput>

If your mod uses Harmony (not recommended for most mods), the package can add a reference to SMAPI's Harmony DLL for you:

<EnableHarmony>true</EnableHarmony>

Copy files into the `Mods` folder and create release zip

Files considered part of your mod

These files are selected by default: manifest.json, i18n files (if any), the assets folder (if any), and all files in the build output. You can select custom files by adding them to the build output. (If your project references another mod, make sure the reference is not marked 'copy local'.)

You can deselect a file by removing it from the build output. For a default file, you can set the property below to a comma-delimited list of regex patterns to ignore. For crossplatform compatibility, you should replace path delimiters with [/\\].

<IgnoreModFilePatterns>\.txt$, \.pdf$, assets[/\\]paths.png</IgnoreModFilePatterns>

Copy files into the `Mods` folder

The package copies the selected files into your game's Mods folder when you rebuild the code, with a subfolder matching the mod's project name.

You can change the folder name:

<ModFolderName>YourModName</ModFolderName>

Or disable deploying the files:

<EnableModDeploy>false</EnableModDeploy>

Create release zip

The package adds a zip file in your project's bin folder when you rebuild the code, in the format recommended for sites like Nexus Mods. The zip filename can be changed using ModFolderName above.

You can change the folder path where the zip is created:

<ModZipPath>$(SolutionDir)\_releases</ModZipPath>

Or disable zip creation:

<EnableModZip>false</EnableModZip>

Launch or debug game

On Windows only, the package configures Visual Studio so you can launch the game and attach a debugger using Debug > Start Debugging or Debug > Start Without Debugging. This lets you set breakpoints in your code while the game is running, or make simple changes to the mod code without needing to restart the game.

This is disabled on Linux/Mac due to limitations with the Mono wrapper.

To disable game debugging (only needed for some non-mod projects):

<EnableGameDebugging>false</EnableGameDebugging>

Preconfigure common settings

The package also automatically enables PDB files (so error logs show line numbers for simpler debugging), and enables support for the simplified .csproj format.

Add code warnings

The package runs code analysis on your mod and raises warnings for some common errors or pitfalls. See code warnings for more info.

Code warnings

Overview

The NuGet package adds code warnings in Visual Studio specific to Stardew Valley. For example:

You can hide the warnings using the warning ID (shown under 'code' in the Error List). See...

for specific code;

for a method using this attribute:

[System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis.SuppressMessage("SMAPI.CommonErrors", "AvoidNetField")]

for an entire project:
1. Expand the References node for the project in Visual Studio.
2. Right-click on Analyzers and choose Open Active Rule Set.
3. Expand StardewModdingAPI.ModBuildConfig.Analyzer and uncheck the warnings you want to hide.

See below for help with each specific warning.

Avoid implicit net field cast

Warning text:

This implicitly converts '{{expression}}' from {{net type}} to {{other type}}, but {{net type}} has unintuitive implicit conversion rules. Consider comparing against the actual value instead to avoid bugs.

Stardew Valley uses net types (like NetBool and NetInt) to handle multiplayer sync. These types can implicitly convert to their equivalent normal values (like bool x = new NetBool()), but their conversion rules are unintuitive and error-prone. For example, item?.category == null && item?.category != null can both be true at once, and building.indoors != null can be true for a null value.

Suggested fix:

Some net fields have an equivalent non-net property like monster.Health (int) instead of monster.health (NetInt). The package will add a separate AvoidNetField warning for these. Use the suggested property instead.
For a reference type (i.e. one that can contain null), you can use the .Value property:
```
if (building.indoors.Value == null)
```
Or convert the value before comparison:
```
GameLocation indoors = building.indoors;
if(indoors == null)
   // ...
```
For a value type (i.e. one that can't contain null), check if the object is null (if applicable) and compare with .Value:
```
if (item != null && item.category.Value == 0)
```

Avoid net field

Warning text:

'{{expression}}' is a {{net type}} field; consider using the {{property name}} property instead.

Your code accesses a net field, which has some unusual behavior (see AvoidImplicitNetFieldCast). This field has an equivalent non-net property that avoids those issues.

Suggested fix: access the suggested property name instead.

Avoid obsolete field

Warning text:

The '{{old field}}' field is obsolete and should be replaced with '{{new field}}'.

Your code accesses a field which is obsolete or no longer works. Use the suggested field instead.

Special cases

Custom game path

The package usually detects where your game is installed automatically. If it can't find your game or you have multiple installs, you can specify the path yourself. There's two ways to do that:

Option 1: global game path (recommended).
This will apply to every project that uses the package.
1. Get the full folder path containing the Stardew Valley executable.
2. Create this file:
  
  platform path
  
  Linux/Mac ~/stardewvalley.targets
  
  Windows %USERPROFILE%\stardewvalley.targets
3. Save the file with this content:
```
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
   <PropertyGroup>
     <GamePath>PATH_HERE</GamePath>
   </PropertyGroup>
</Project>
```
4. Replace PATH_HERE with your game's folder path.
Option 2: path in the project file.
You'll need to do this for each project that uses the package.
1. Get the folder path containing the Stardew Valley .exe file.
2. Add this to your .csproj file under the <Project line:
```
<PropertyGroup>
  <GamePath>PATH_HERE</GamePath>
</PropertyGroup>
```
3. Replace PATH_HERE with your custom game install path.

platform	path
Linux/Mac	`~/stardewvalley.targets`
Windows	`%USERPROFILE%\stardewvalley.targets`

The configuration will check your custom path first, then fall back to the default paths (so it'll still compile on a different computer).

You access the game path via $(GamePath) in MSBuild properties, if you need to reference another file in the game folder.

Non-mod projects

You can use the package in non-mod projects too (e.g. unit tests or framework DLLs). Just disable the mod-related package features:

<EnableGameDebugging>false</EnableGameDebugging>
<EnableModDeploy>false</EnableModDeploy>
<EnableModZip>false</EnableModZip>

If you need to copy the referenced DLLs into your build output, add this too:

<CopyModReferencesToBuildOutput>true</CopyModReferencesToBuildOutput>

For SMAPI developers

The mod build package consists of three projects:

project	purpose
`StardewModdingAPI.ModBuildConfig`	Configures the build (references, deploying the mod files, setting up debugging, etc).
`StardewModdingAPI.ModBuildConfig.Analyzer`	Adds C# analyzers which show code warnings in Visual Studio.
`StardewModdingAPI.ModBuildConfig.Analyzer.Tests`	Unit tests for the C# analyzers.

To prepare a build of the NuGet package:

Install the NuGet CLI.
Change the version and release notes in package.nuspec.
Rebuild the solution in Release mode.
Open a terminal in the bin/Pathoschild.Stardew.ModBuildConfig package and run this command:
```
nuget.exe pack
```

That will create a Pathoschild.Stardew.ModBuildConfig-<version>.nupkg file in the same directory which can be uploaded to NuGet or referenced directly.

Release notes

Upcoming release

Updated for SMAPI 3.0 and Stardew Valley 1.4.
Added automatic support for assets folders.
Added $(GameExecutableName) MSBuild variable.
Added support for projects using the simplified .csproj format.
Added option to disable game debugging config.
Added .pdb files to builds by default (to enable line numbers in error stack traces).
Added optional Harmony reference.
Fixed Newtonsoft.Json.pdb included in release zips when Json.NET is referenced directly.
Fixed <IgnoreModFilePatterns> not working for i18n files.
Dropped support for older versions of SMAPI and Visual Studio.

2.2

Added support for SMAPI 2.8+ (still compatible with earlier versions).
Added default game paths for 32-bit Windows.
Fixed valid manifests marked invalid in some cases.

2.1

Added support for Stardew Valley 1.3.
Added support for non-mod projects.
Added C# analyzers to warn about implicit conversions of Netcode fields in Stardew Valley 1.3.
Added option to ignore files by regex pattern.
Added reference to new SMAPI DLL.
Fixed some game paths not detected by NuGet package.

2.0.2

Fixed compatibility issue on Linux.

2.0.1

Fixed mod deploy failing to create subfolders if they don't already exist.

2.0

Added: mods are now copied into the Mods folder automatically (configurable).
Added: release zips are now created automatically in your build output folder (configurable).
Added: mod deploy and release zips now exclude Json.NET automatically, since it's provided by SMAPI.
Added mod's version to release zip filename.
Improved errors to simplify troubleshooting.
Fixed release zip not having a mod folder.
Fixed release zip failing if mod name contains characters that aren't valid in a filename.

1.7.1

Fixed issue where i18n folders were flattened.
The manifest/i18n files in the project now take precedence over those in the build output if both are present.

1.7

Added option to create release zips on build.
Added reference to XNA's XACT library for audio-related mods.

1.6

Added support for deploying mod files into Mods automatically.
Added a build error if a game folder is found, but doesn't contain Stardew Valley or SMAPI.

1.5

Added support for setting a custom game path globally.
Added default GOG path on Mac.

1.4

Fixed detection of non-default game paths on 32-bit Windows.
Removed support for SilVerPLuM (discontinued).
Removed support for overriding the target platform (no longer needed since SMAPI crossplatforms mods automatically).

1.3

Added support for non-default game paths on Windows.

1.2

Exclude game binaries from mod build output.

1.1

Added support for overriding the target platform.

1.0

Initial release.
Added support for detecting the game path automatically.
Added support for injecting XNA/MonoGame references automatically based on the OS.
Added support for mod builders like SilVerPLuM.

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Contents

Use

Features

Detect game path

Add assembly references

Copy files into the `Mods` folder and create release zip

Launch or debug game

Preconfigure common settings

Add code warnings

Code warnings

Overview

Avoid implicit net field cast

Avoid net field

Avoid obsolete field

Special cases

Custom game path

Non-mod projects

For SMAPI developers

Release notes

Upcoming release

2.2

2.1

2.0.2

2.0.1

2.0

1.7.1

1.7

1.6

1.5

1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1

1.0

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Contents

Use

Features

Detect game path

Add assembly references

Copy files into the Mods folder and create release zip

Launch or debug game

Preconfigure common settings

Add code warnings

Code warnings

Overview

Avoid implicit net field cast

Avoid net field

Avoid obsolete field

Special cases

Custom game path

Non-mod projects

For SMAPI developers

Release notes

Upcoming release

2.2

2.1

2.0.2

2.0.1

2.0

1.7.1

1.7

1.6

1.5

1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1

1.0

Copy files into the `Mods` folder and create release zip