Could not find asset error on custom character mod

[summerlings]

Hello there! I was making a custom character mod based on this tutorial: 

1. However, when I launched a server with the mod with the TEX and XML files removed, I got the below error.

2. I tried placing the TEX and XML files from the example character which made the mod run but with the textures completely missing.

I don't see any .TEX files in the mod folder after running DST which I thought was supposed to run some kind of auto-compiler that turns the PNGs into TEX and presumably put them in the mod folder. I also didn't see any black window with white text like the tutorial says I should see.

I'd truly appreciate any help with this, shouldn't have put so much effort into the sprites before I knew how to actually make it work haha... Maybe some way to manually compile these?

 

[00:00:23]: [string "scripts/util.lua"]:630: Could not find an asset matching images/saveslot_portraits/charactername.tex in any of the search paths.
LUA ERROR stack traceback:
    =[C]:-1 in (global) assert (C) <-1--1>
    scripts/util.lua:630 in (global) resolvefilepath (Lua) <625-632>
    scripts/mainfunctions.lua:121 in (local) resolve_fn (Lua) <119-125>
    scripts/mainfunctions.lua:109 in (global) RegisterPrefabsImpl (Lua) <103-117>
    scripts/mainfunctions.lua:140 in (global) RegisterSinglePrefab (Lua) <139-141>
    scripts/mods.lua:682 in (method) RegisterPrefabs (Lua) <643-687>
    scripts/gamelogic.lua:316 in (upvalue) LoadAssets (Lua) <168-351>
    scripts/gamelogic.lua:1084 in (local) cb (Lua) <1079-1086>
    scripts/shardindex.lua:214 in (upvalue) OnLoadSaveDataFile (Lua) <196-215>
    scripts/shardindex.lua:231 in () ? (Lua) <230-232>
    =[C]:-1 in (method) GetPersistentStringInClusterSlot (C) <-1--1>
    scripts/shardindex.lua:230 in (method) GetSaveData (Lua) <223-244>

[Haruhi Kawaii]

14 hours ago, summerlings said:

Hello there! I was making a custom character mod based on this tutorial: 

1. However, when I launched a server with the mod with the TEX and XML files removed, I got the below error.

2. I tried placing the TEX and XML files from the example character which made the mod run but with the textures completely missing.

I don't see any .TEX files in the mod folder after running DST which I thought was supposed to run some kind of auto-compiler that turns the PNGs into TEX and presumably put them in the mod folder. I also didn't see any black window with white text like the tutorial says I should see.

I'd truly appreciate any help with this, shouldn't have put so much effort into the sprites before I knew how to actually make it work haha... Maybe some way to manually compile these?

 

[00:00:23]: [string "scripts/util.lua"]:630: Could not find an asset matching images/saveslot_portraits/charactername.tex in any of the search paths.
LUA ERROR stack traceback:
    =[C]:-1 in (global) assert (C) <-1--1>
    scripts/util.lua:630 in (global) resolvefilepath (Lua) <625-632>
    scripts/mainfunctions.lua:121 in (local) resolve_fn (Lua) <119-125>
    scripts/mainfunctions.lua:109 in (global) RegisterPrefabsImpl (Lua) <103-117>
    scripts/mainfunctions.lua:140 in (global) RegisterSinglePrefab (Lua) <139-141>
    scripts/mods.lua:682 in (method) RegisterPrefabs (Lua) <643-687>
    scripts/gamelogic.lua:316 in (upvalue) LoadAssets (Lua) <168-351>
    scripts/gamelogic.lua:1084 in (local) cb (Lua) <1079-1086>
    scripts/shardindex.lua:214 in (upvalue) OnLoadSaveDataFile (Lua) <196-215>
    scripts/shardindex.lua:231 in () ? (Lua) <230-232>
    =[C]:-1 in (method) GetPersistentStringInClusterSlot (C) <-1--1>
    scripts/shardindex.lua:230 in (method) GetSaveData (Lua) <223-244>

Have you installed Don't Starve Mod Tools?, install it on the same drive as DST

[summerlings]

2 hours ago, Haruhi Kawaii said:

Have you installed Don't Starve Mod Tools?, install it on the same drive as DST

Turns out yeah, the DSMT has to be installed on the same drive! That was my only problem.

[Manuloe]

I have this same exact error with dst mod tool and the same drive, can someone help?

[spooktspeek]

i also have this error with the mod tools and game in the same drive. not too sure what to do about it . . . but the compiler DID appear.

Edited November 29, 2025 by spooktspeek