Modding: Custom component Groups, vehicle sizes, and other problems

[Noble713]

Problem 1:
I know that you can make custom component Groups by setting a number for the components in the components.txt file. I have done this for two externally-mounted 1-shot missiles (both set to custom group 1). I've gone into the vehiclesizes.txt file to set a maximum for the number of external missiles that all the ship sizes can have, but I can't get it to work. This is the code I'm using:

Requirement 1 Max Amount := 6

What is the correct way to type the requirements for a custom group?

Problem 2:
I'm using the path.txt file to direct SE4 to a different directory for the data, but it is still looking in the default AI directory for the data files. Can we use the path file for other subdirectories, or just the data?

Problem 3:
I had a problem with my mod that would cause the system area and galaxy mini-map to be totally black. I tried switching to other races but the problem remained. Hasn't occurred in the past few updates though...

[Shadow99]

P1- That will not work. Requirements set a percent you need per ship (like Carriers & fighter bays). You also cannot just add new entries into item lists, because the code won't even attempt to figure them out...

P2- I don't use this so I can't help there...

P3- such things did happen on certain computers, because of graphics glicthes but I don't believe it was something that had anything to do with modding text files...

[Trancejeremy]

I dunno about 1 or 2, but the answer to #3 seems to be that it's caused when you add an extra blank line in the data file between items. Atleast, that was the case with me. I accidently added one, and I got that black map. Then I took it out, and it was fixed.