Never touched Lua before. Attempting my own bug fix on "Extra Controller Features" mod. Where do I start?

[Hijynks]

This is my first time posting in these Forums and also my first time interacting with mods on this level. We're breaking some serious ground today. 

So I play DST on PC with a Controller. That's just how I started, and what I've stuck with. In vanilla, that means there are certain things you just can't do. 
Enter Electroely's mod "Extra Controller Features" .https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1706782853 
"Great!" I think. And it is.

One of its features is the ability to more easily move items around in and out of containers when in the inventory management menu opened up with RT. Open a container, RT, hover over an item and LB, it's in the container now. About equivalent to a shift-click on mouse and keyboard. Neat.

Unfortunately, the mod has a repeatable crash when attempting to do this with equipped items (in the Hand, Body or Head slot). Hover over an active item in the RT menu, hit LB, instant crash. I've attached a screenshot of the error message. 

I've posted about the bug in the comments on the mod page, but the author Electroely so far hasn't responded. I'm guessing he's just not as active a modder as he used to be. 

So I figured someone ought to take a crack at it. 

To put the message in raw text form (I hope I've typed it out correctly, couldn't copy and paste so I had to read it off manually):

[string "../mods/workshop-1706782853/modmain.lua"]:361: attempt to call method "TradeItem" (a nil value)
LUA ERROR stack traceback:
../mods/workshop-1706782853/modmain.lua:361 in (method) TradeActiveSlot (Lua) <359-363>
../mods/workshop-1706782853/modmain.lua:379 in (upvalue) original_OnControl (Lua) <372-385>
../mods/workshop-2302837868/modmain.lua:387 in (method) OnControl (Lua) <386-395>
scripts/widgets/widget.lua:129 in (method) OnControl (Lua) <123-137>
scripts/widgets/widget.lua:129 in (method) OnControl (Lua) <123-137>
scripts/widgets/widget.lua:129 in (method) OnControl (Lua) <123-137>
scripts/widgets/widget.lua:129 in (method) OnControl (Lua) <123-137>
scripts/widgets/widget.lua:129 in (field) OnControl (Lua) <123-137>

So, for those in the audience unfamiliar with Lua, would somebody mind explaining what this error message is telling me and what may need to be done to fix the crash? Would I need any specific software or tools to tinker with this? Anything important I need to know about the process of tinkering with other people's mods before going in?

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Hijynks

[goodguythatguy]

I've been using Extra Controller Features for awhile. I wouldn't play DST if this Mod didn't exist. 
I've also noticed that when trying to move an equipped item into a chest using the LB Method, it will crash the game. I've gotten used to selecting the Equipped Item, moving it into a regular Inventory Slot, then pressing LT.
I'm proud of myself, it's been a long time since I've accidentally forgotten to do that and crashed the game. However it is annoying, so I do appreciate what you're trying to solve here. 
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with Coding. Part of me wishes I had that skill set. I hope you're able to make your own version that does everything you want it to do. 

I came across this on the Steam Workshop...

 

Hijynks Sep 27, 2022 @ 10:00am 

Since you made a mod disabling the feature, that means you know how to use it in the first place, right? Can you explain how to use Target lock? Because I can't figure out how to do it and the menus don't seem to have any information about it.

I assume you were trying to figure out if DST had a 'Tab Targeting" or a "Active Target Lock" system built into the game itself that enabled Controller Users to actively Lock-On to specific targets? This doesn't exist on DST for PC, but I have been told that the Console versions of DST have implemented that feature. I've never played DST on Console, so I don't know if it's true or not. 
I hope you're trying to add an "Active Target Lock" system to Extra Controller Features, that would be epic beyond epic. If you could accomplish that, Klei would be smart to hire you as Head Of Controller Support department. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by goodguythatguy