# Help adding mod into mod manager

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/help-adding-mod-into-mod-manager/5269>\
**Category:** The Toolbox\
**Created:** [March 2, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/help-adding-mod-into-mod-manager/5269 "2014-03-02T16:53:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/help-adding-mod-into-mod-manager/5269/1 "2014-03-02T16:53:11Z")

</div>

Hello. I haven’t played/modded this game in a while but now that it has a mod manager, I want to make a mod for it using all the items I added to the core files ages ago.

I’m currently having a problem, though. I get an error message: Error loading data from mods/chiko/armor.json: line 1:1: expected object or array, but found ’ ’

I took a look at the armor.json in the core files to see what I was doing wrong but I can’t identify the problem. This is what’s inside the armor.json file inside the mod folder:

`[
    {
        "type" : "ARMOR",
        "id" : "armguard_paper",
        "name" : "paper arm guards",
        "weight" : 360,
        "color" : "blue",
        "covers" : ["ARMS"],
        "to_hit" : 1,
        "storage" : 0,
        "symbol" : "[",
        "description" : "Armguards made of magazines or stacked paper sheets held together with duct tape.",
        "price" : 30,
        "material" : ["paper", "null"],
        "volume" : 1,
        "cutting" : 0,
        "warmth" : 10,
        "phase" : "solid",
        "enviromental_protection" : 0,
        "encumberance" : 1,
        "bashing" : -5,
        "coverage" : 50,
        "material_thickness" : 3
    },
    {
        "type" : "ARMOR",
        "id" : "legguard_paper",
        "name" : "paper leg guards",
        "weight" : 370,
        "color" : "blue",
        "covers" : ["LEGS"],
        "to_hit" : 1,
        "storage" : 0,
        "symbol" : "[",
        "description" : "Legguards made of magazines or stacked paper sheets held together with duct tape.",
        "price" : 30,
        "material" : ["paper", "null"],
        "volume" : 1,
        "cutting" : 0,
        "warmth" : 10,
        "phase" : "solid",
        "enviromental_protection" : 0,
        "encumberance" : 1,
        "bashing" : -5,
        "coverage" : 50,
        "material_thickness" : 3
    },
    {
        "type" : "ARMOR",
        "id" : "headrags",
        "name" : "headrags",
        "weight" : 120,
        "color" : "white",
        "covers" : ["HEAD"],
        "to_hit" : -3,
        "storage" : 0,
        "symbol" : "[",
        "description" : "Rags worn around the head.",
        "price" : 50,
        "material" : ["cotton", "null"],
        "volume" : 1,
        "cutting" : 0,
        "warmth" : 20,
        "phase" : "solid",
        "enviromental_protection" : 0,
        "encumberance" : 1,
        "bashing" : -5,
        "coverage" : 50,
        "material_thickness" : 1
    },
    {
        "type" : "ARMOR",
        "id" : "cowl_rag",
        "name" : "rag cowl",
        "weight" : 372,
        "color" : "white",
        "covers" : ["HEAD", "MOUTH", "TORSO"],
        "to_hit" : -3,
        "storage" : 0,
        "symbol" : "[",
        "description" : "A cloth cowl that covers the head, mouth and the upper half of the torso.",
        "price" : 75,
        "material" : ["cotton", "null"],
        "volume" : 8,
        "cutting" : 0,
        "warmth" : 35,
        "phase" : "solid",
        "enviromental_protection" : 2,
        "encumberance" : 2,
        "bashing" : -5,
        "coverage" : 65,
        "material_thickness" : 2
    },
    {
        "type" : "ARMOR",
        "id" : "tunic_rag",
        "name" : "rag tunic",
        "weight" : 683,
        "color" : "light_red",
        "covers" : ["TORSO", "LEGS"],
        "to_hit" : 0,
        "storage" : 0,
        "symbol" : "[",
        "description" : "A poorly made long tunic with a string around the waist to keep it all in place. Better than nothing.",
        "price" : 70,
        "material" : ["cotton", "null"],
        "volume" : 4,
        "cutting" : 0,
        "warmth" : 15,
        "phase" : "solid",
        "enviromental_protection" : 0,
        "encumberance" : 1,
        "bashing" : -5,
        "coverage" : 70,
        "material_thickness" : 2
    },
    {
        "type" : "ARMOR",
        "id" : "handrags",
        "name" : "handrags",
        "weight" : 238,
        "color" : "light_blue",
        "covers" : ["HANDS"],
        "to_hit" : 1,
        "storage" : 0,
        "symbol" : "[",
        "description" : "Rags used as gloves. The cheapest protection for your hands.",
        "price" : 45,
        "material" : ["cotton", "null"],
        "volume" : 1,
        "cutting" : 0,
        "warmth" : 25,
        "phase" : "solid",
        "enviromental_protection" : 0,
        "encumberance" : 1,
        "bashing" : -5,
        "coverage" : 85,
        "material_thickness" : 1
    },
    {
        "type" : "ARMOR",
        "id" : "footrags",
        "name" : "footrags",
        "weight" : 260,
        "color" : "blue",
        "covers" : ["FEET"],
        "to_hit" : 0,
        "storage" : 0,
        "symbol" : "[",
        "description" : "Like socks but a bit more cumbersome and cheaper.",
        "price" : 80,
        "material" : ["cotton", "null"],
        "volume" : 1,
        "cutting" : 0,
        "warmth" : 30,
        "phase" : "solid",
        "enviromental_protection" : 0,
        "encumberance" : 1,
        "bashing" : -5,
        "coverage" : 85,
        "material_thickness" : 1
    },
    {
        "type" : "ARMOR",
        "id" : "helmet_nomad",
        "name" : "nomad headgear",
        "weight" : 470,
        "color" : "white",
        "covers" : ["HEAD", "EYES", "MOUTH"],
        "to_hit" : -3,
        "storage" : 0,
        "symbol" : "[",
        "description" : "A makeshift cowl with protection for the eyes and a peak or visor. It covers the head and face nicely.",
        "price" : 380,
        "material" : ["cotton", "leather"],
        "volume" : 10,
        "cutting" : 0,
        "warmth" : 35,
        "phase" : "solid",
        "enviromental_protection" : 4,
        "encumberance" : 3,
        "bashing" : -5,
        "flags" : ["VARSIZE", "WATERPROOF"],
        "coverage" : 95,
        "material_thickness" : 4
    },
    {
        "type" : "ARMOR",
        "id" : "armor_nomad",
        "name" : "nomad gear",
        "weight" : 5830,
        "color" : "light_red",
        "covers" : ["TORSO", "ARMS", "LEGS"],
        "to_hit" : -3,
        "storage" : 80,
        "symbol" : "[",
        "description" : "A makeshift outfit made from pre-cataclysm clothing. Specially useful for constant travelers.",
        "price" : 1250,
        "material" : ["cotton", "leather"],
        "volume" : 30,
        "cutting" : 0,
        "warmth" : 40,
        "phase" : "solid",
        "enviromental_protection" : 1,
        "encumberance" : 3,
        "bashing" : -5,
        "flags" : ["VARSIZE", "WATERPROOF"],
        "coverage" : 95,
        "material_thickness" : 8
    }
]`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/help-adding-mod-into-mod-manager/5269/2 "2014-03-02T19:21:08Z")

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Weird… I fixed it by replacing it the file with the core one, deleted everything inside and paste my edits in it.

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**Author:** ![CIB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/cib/32/903_2.png) [@CIB](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/CIB)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/help-adding-mod-into-mod-manager/5269/3 "2014-03-02T20:14:38Z")

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I have a shrewed guess: Is your editor set to use unicode, and does it insert a unicode BOM at the start of the file?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/help-adding-mod-into-mod-manager/5269/4 "2014-03-02T21:32:01Z")

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A format issue does make sense. I just use the notepad so there’s no choice in the type of format I can save a file. I’m guessing the only way I have to edit these files is to copy one of them and just edit it.

I have been able to add a lot of stuff now but I will probably post any future issues in this thread. 😛

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**Author:** ![i2amroy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/i2amroy/32/909_2.png) [@i2amroy](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/i2amroy)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/help-adding-mod-into-mod-manager/5269/5 "2014-03-03T02:52:21Z")

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If you are on windows I highly suggest picking up [Notepad++](http://notepad-plus-plus.org) as an editor, it’s way better then the default notepad for any sort of text editing things and it’s free.

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**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/help-adding-mod-into-mod-manager/5269/6 "2014-03-03T13:35:20Z")

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Thanks. I remember having this one in my old lappy but I totally forgot about it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/help-adding-mod-into-mod-manager/5269/7 "2014-03-03T23:47:07Z")

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I noticed you can replace items with the mod manager but it seems it cannot be done with recipes. Is there a way around that other than editing the core files?