This FAQ covers the user-visible warnings and errors most commonly shown by PZWorldEd, TileZed, and BuildingEd. Find the dialog title or the first line of its message below.
An error normally cancels only the operation named in the dialog. It does not mean that the whole project is damaged. Keep the source file, read the complete message, and correct the path, input, or configuration before trying again.
Each application creates a new log in settings/logs inside the portable
PZTools directory. Use the newest log whose name starts with the application
that displayed the error. See Logs and useful issue reports
for the file names and the information to include in a report.
- Configuration directory contains files such as
Tilesets.txt,BuildingTMX.txt,BuildingTiles.txt,FurnitureGroups.txt, andBuildingTemplates.txt. - Tiles directory contains the extracted mapping PNG sheets, either
directly or in supported
1x,2x, and custom subdirectories. - Project Zomboid installation is optional. It provides game data such as TileDefs, packs, WorldGen data, and procedural loot. It does not replace the extracted mapping Tiles directory.
Set these paths in Preferences, then restart the application after changing a core configuration or Tiles path.
The TMX or TBX references a tileset name for which no readable PNG was found. The project data is still present, but the source image is unresolved.
What to do: open Preferences and verify the shared Tiles directory. Check that the expected PNG exists in the correct subdirectory and that it opens as an image. In WorldEd, Project Doctor can remove references that no longer resolve to a PNG.
How to avoid it: move the complete Tiles tree with a project and do not rename PNG sheets after they have been referenced. Do not remove a tileset only because it is currently unused if another project still needs it.
It is the diagnostic display for a valid fully transparent tile while Show Invisible Tiles is enabled. It is not a missing tileset and does not need to be repaired.
Titles include Open Failed, Error Opening Map, Error Reading World,
Error reading building, Error Saving Map, Error Saving Building,
Save Failed, and Error writing file.
Why it appears: the path no longer exists, the file is not in the expected format, another program has locked it, the destination is read-only, or the disk does not have enough free space. The detailed text normally names the file and the parser or operating-system error.
What to do: verify the named file, copy it to a writable local directory, close other programs that may hold it, and retry. If the message reports an XML line, fix that line in a copy or restore a known-good backup.
How to avoid it: keep projects in a writable directory, let the application finish saving before synchronization software moves the file, and retain autosaves or versioned backups.
Related titles include Tileset Configuration Error, Building Configuration Error, Building Tiles Error, Furniture Configuration Error, Building Templates Error, Tile Properties Error, and Tileset Metadata Error.
Why it appears: a required text file is absent, unreadable, malformed, or refers to data that cannot be resolved. The message identifies the file being read or written.
What to do: point Preferences to the packaged config directory. Restore
the named file from the same PZTools release if it was edited incorrectly. A
custom file should be compared with the packaged version before being restored.
How to avoid it: keep configuration files from one release together. Do
not mix a new executable with an incomplete older config directory. Back up
custom configuration before editing or updating it.
Why it appears: the selected directory is neither the Project Zomboid
installation root nor its valid media directory.
What to do: browse to the installed game directory or its media
subdirectory. Clear the optional path if game data is not needed.
How to avoid it: select the installed game, not a Workshop mod, save folder, or mapping project.
Titles include Error Loading Image, Invalid Images, Invalid Image Size,
Size Mismatch, Image Export Error, and Error Saving Image.
Why it appears: the image is missing, damaged, encoded in an unsupported form, has the wrong dimensions, or cannot be written to the destination.
What to do: open the file in an image editor, save it as a normal PNG, and verify the dimensions required by the dialog. Paired map images must cover the same area and have identical dimensions.
How to avoid it: keep one pixel per map square, use lossless PNG input, and do not independently resize paired ground, vegetation, zone, or heatmap files.
Do not overwrite the original file while investigating. Restart the standalone
application from the release bin directory, check the Welcome page for an
autosave, and reproduce the shortest possible sequence once. Keep the newest
matching application log and the smallest source file that reproduces the
problem.
Why it appears: the selected PZW could not be parsed. The detailed error usually identifies invalid XML, an unsupported value, or a missing referenced file.
What to do: open a backup of the PZW. If an XML line is reported, correct that line only in a copy. Also verify that assigned TMX and TBX paths still resolve relative to the project.
How to avoid it: save through WorldEd, keep the PZW with its project folders, and avoid manual XML editing without a backup.
Why it appears: the WorldEd defaults file is missing or malformed.
What to do: restore the packaged defaults file from the same release and verify the configured application or configuration directory.
How to avoid it: do not replace individual configuration files with files from unrelated releases.
Why it appears: WorldEd cannot find TileZed.exe beside
PZWorldEd.exe, or TileZed could not be started with the selected TMX.
What to do: restore the complete portable release so both executables are
in the same bin directory. Verify that antivirus software did not quarantine
an executable, then open the TMX directly in TileZed to see any map error.
How to avoid it: distribute and update the complete bin directory rather
than copying a single WorldEd executable into another installation.
Why it appears: a required input is absent. Common cases are an invalid LOT
output directory, no Zombie Spawn Map, no directory containing
newtiledefinitions.tiles, an invalid custom hole-fill tile, or incomplete mod
export information.
What to do: use the path named by the message. For a custom hole fill,
enter a complete tile name such as blends_natural_01_0 and make sure its PNG
is available. For mod export, provide an existing parent directory, a mod name,
a valid mod ID, a valid map folder name, and an existing PNG poster when one is
selected.
How to avoid it: keep export presets inside the project workflow and verify the Zombie Spawn Map and TileDefs path after moving a project to another computer.
Why it appears: validation passed, but a TMX, tileset, LOT file, header, spawn map, or destination failed during generation. The detailed message is the useful part of the error.
What to do: keep the source project unchanged, read the named file and cell in the message, then correct that input. Run Project Doctor if the failure mentions unresolved tilesets or invalid paths. Confirm that the export directory is writable and has free space.
How to avoid it: resolve Project Doctor errors before a release export and do not generate into a directory currently being synchronized or used by the game.
Hole Detection treats a square as filled when a real tile is present. It does
not require the tile to have solidfloor. Water and custom building tiles are
valid coverage when they actually occupy the square.
What to do: inspect unexpected empty squares. During LOT generation, enable automatic hole filling and choose the configured fallback or a valid specific tile if the empty squares should be repaired on the generated map.
How to avoid it: do not leave accidental empty ground squares between terrain operations. If intentional absence is required in a Native256 cell, use Partial Chunks instead of filling the omitted chunks.
Why it appears: the selected repair mode has no valid fill tile, the target map is unavailable, or the scan no longer contains a repairable empty square.
What to do: rescan, verify the assigned ground TMX, and select an available tile. Save the repaired TMX before LOT generation.
How to avoid it: keep the assigned cell maps writable and rescan after any manual terrain change.
Why it appears: Partial Chunks was enabled for a legacy 300-square project.
What to do: use normal whole-cell export for that project. Partial Chunks is available only when the project grid is Native256.
How to avoid it: choose Native256 when creating a project that is intended to export selected 8 x 8-square chunks.
Why it appears: BMP To TMX is missing Rules.txt, Blends.txt, the map
template, source images, or a writable output folder. A later failure can also
identify an invalid rule, color, TMX, or tileset.
What to do: choose the packaged terrain Rules.txt and Blends.txt, the
correct MapBase template, and the matching terrain images. If the output
folder does not exist, choose Create Directory or select another folder.
Use Validation and Repair for unknown bitmap colors when appropriate.
How to avoid it: keep all terrain source images at identical dimensions, retain the project Rules and Blends files, and generate into a dedicated writable directory.
Why it appears: the entered export path names a file, does not exist, or cannot be created.
What to do: choose another folder or allow WorldEd to create the missing directory. If creation fails, select a writable parent directory.
How to avoid it: use the browse button rather than typing a path and create project export folders before batch generation.
Why it appears: a TMX could not be read, did not contain the required map data, or the output images could not be created.
What to do: open the TMX in TileZed first, resolve its missing tilesets, and select a writable image output directory.
How to avoid it: keep the complete TMX tileset header and do not remove embedded BMP metadata needed by the conversion workflow.
Why it appears: a FromTo definition is missing required fields, names an unknown tileset or tile, contains no definitions, or its target TMX cannot be written.
What to do: correct the exact line reported, add the required tileset through TileZed when its PNG exists, and run the operation on a writable TMX copy.
How to avoid it: keep FromTo files with the tileset configuration they were written for and validate every referenced tile after renaming a sheet.
Why it appears: Project Doctor found a repair, but could not back up or atomically update the tileset catalog or a TMX.
What to do: keep the scan results open, make the project and configuration directories writable, close the affected TMX in other applications, and retry. No source should be considered repaired until the success result is shown.
How to avoid it: let Project Doctor create its backup before cleanup and do not run cleanup inside a read-only release or game directory.
Why it appears: the selected worldmap.xml or worldmap-forest.xml is
missing, malformed, or does not contain readable overlay geometry.
What to do: select the XML file rather than its .bin, validate the XML,
and reload it from View > World Map Overlays.
How to avoid it: keep read-only overlay XML files separate from compiled binary output and do not rename a binary as XML.
Why it appears: WorldEd cannot load a source map, initialize the thumbnail renderer, allocate the requested image, or write the PNG.
What to do: close open cell documents to release memory, resolve missing tilesets, select a writable output path, and retry. Restart WorldEd if the message explicitly recommends it.
How to avoid it: regenerate thumbnails after the complete tileset catalogue has loaded and avoid creating very large previews while multiple large cells are open.
Why it appears: a zone image or definitions file contains an unknown type, invalid color, missing required name, invalid enum, or malformed line.
What to do: correct the line, zone type, or property named by the message and retry with a writable destination.
How to avoid it: use the editor's defined object and property types and keep custom definitions with the project that uses them.
Why it appears: the related Lua output path is invalid, locked, or read-only.
What to do: select or restore a writable project output directory and close other programs using the Lua file.
How to avoid it: keep generated Lua outputs inside the writable project and deploy copies only after WorldEd finishes saving.
Why it appears: WorldEd found a SpawnPoint, WaterFlow, WaterZone, or
RoomTone record that the Build 42 Lua loader cannot use safely. The detailed
list identifies missing properties, unsupported SpawnPoint profession all,
non-integral coordinates, an invalid geometry type, or an incorrect size.
What to do: open each listed object, correct its geometry and properties,
then save or export again. WaterFlow and RoomTone must be 1 x 1 rectangles.
WaterZone can cover a larger rectangle but requires boolean WaterGround and
WaterShore. SpawnPoint requires one or more explicit professions.
How to avoid it: create these records with their matching object group or dedicated placement tool. WorldEd then supplies valid default properties. Invalid records are omitted from the Lua file, but remain in the PZW and do not disable LOT generation.
| Message | Why it appears | What to do | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|---|
Missing Input |
Map, vegetation, selected zone source, or output path is empty. | Select Map.png, Map_veg.png, the zone source, and an output directory. |
Keep all source layers together. |
Size Mismatch |
Map and vegetation images have different dimensions. | Resize or restore the incorrect image so both cover the same squares. | Export paired layers together. |
Invalid Biomemap Size |
Dimensions are not exact multiples of the project cell size. | Use multiples of 256 for Native256 or the project cell size shown by the message. | Do not crop a layer independently. |
Biomemap Size Does Not Match Project |
WorldEd zone rasterization requires complete project coverage. | Supply images matching the full project width and height. | Create full-project layers before selecting WorldEd zones as the source. |
Invalid Zone Layer |
The zone image is missing or does not match Map.png. |
Select the correct zone PNG or rasterize zones from the project. | Keep the zone layer aligned with the other images. |
Invalid Foraging Zone IDs |
The green channel contains values not mapped to a zone. | Repaint those values with supported zone IDs. | Use the generator's green-channel mode and the Build 42.20 Biomemap reference. |
Biomemap Validation Warnings |
Red values are unknown, have no effect, require an override, or green chunks contain mixed IDs. | Review every listed value before choosing Continue. Correct unintended values instead of accepting them. | Paint with supported IDs and keep one green zone ID per 8 x 8 chunk. |
Output Error, Generation Failed, or Save Failed |
The destination cannot be created, processed, or written. | Select a writable output folder with sufficient free space. | Generate outside protected and synchronized directories. |
Why it appears: the ground image, vegetation image, preview, and editing headroom exceed the configured memory limit. The maximum configurable limit is 64 GiB. Extremely large raster requests cannot be made safe by changing one setting.
What to do: if the suggested value fits the computer's available RAM, choose Increase and Continue. Otherwise reduce the project dimensions, use a wider real-world scale, or split the work into smaller images.
How to avoid it: estimate image dimensions before generation and avoid keeping other large map documents open while editing very large terrain images.
| Message | Why it appears | What to do | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|---|
Location Required |
No place, coordinates, or supported map link was entered. | Enter a place name, latitude and longitude, or an OpenStreetMap or supported map link. | Use Open Map to locate the area and paste the centered link or coordinates. |
Place Not Found or Coordinates Not Found |
The search was too broad or the shortened link did not expose coordinates. | Add a country or state, paste numeric coordinates, or paste the full centered map URL. | Prefer full links over shortened redirect links. |
Place Search Rate Limit |
Searches were sent less than one second apart. | Wait one second and retry. | Do not repeatedly press Find while a request is pending. |
Place Search Failed or Map Link Could Not Be Resolved |
The geocoder, redirect, or network request failed. | Retry later, paste coordinates, or select a valid HTTPS search endpoint. | Keep a copy of the coordinates for large projects. |
HTTPS Is Unavailable |
The portable runtime cannot initialize TLS. | Restore the OpenSSL runtime supplied with PZTools and restart WorldEd. | Keep the complete portable runtime together. |
Invalid Overpass Endpoint |
The endpoint is not a valid HTTPS Overpass API URL. | Reset the importer parameters or enter a valid HTTPS endpoint. | Keep the packaged endpoint list unless a known compatible service is required. |
OpenStreetMap Download Failed |
Every configured Overpass attempt failed. HTTP 429 means rate limiting. HTTP 502, 503, and 504 usually mean a busy or timed-out public server. | Let automatic waits and endpoint retries finish. Then retry later, reduce the margin, disable unneeded layers, or select a smaller area. | Reuse the cache and avoid repeatedly downloading the same large area. |
No Clear Road Grid Found |
The downloaded roads do not provide a confident dominant orientation. | Set the rotation manually using the preview. | Use a smaller urban area with a consistent street grid for automatic detection. |
Why it appears: the requested cells extend beyond an open project, a new project has no PZW destination, no source layer is selected, or the output exceeds the fixed 268-million-pixel technical limit.
What to do: reduce or move the selected area, select at least one OSM layer, choose the new PZW path, or use fewer cells or a wider scale.
How to avoid it: review the cell count and final pixel dimensions in the preview before downloading.
Why it appears: the OSM response downloaded, but its geometry could not be rendered or the PZW, TMX, TBX, streets, zones, or InGameMap project data could not be written.
What to do: read the named output in the detailed message. Choose a new, writable project directory and retry with fewer optional outputs if necessary. The existing project is not replaced when atomic creation fails.
How to avoid it: create OSM projects in an empty writable directory, keep free disk space available, and do not open generated files in another program while generation is running.
Why it appears: a cell TMX, placed lot, embedded RoomDef, or feature could not be read while generating world-map features.
What to do: open the cell named by the error in TileZed, resolve its map and tileset errors, save it, then regenerate the feature type.
How to avoid it: validate assigned TMX files before generating InGameMap features and keep their relative paths valid.
Why it appears: Create World Image was given terrain Rules.txt or an
invalid MapToPNG color-rule file.
What to do: select the packaged config/MapToPNG.txt. It is different from
the terrain Rules file used by BMP To TMX.
How to avoid it: keep the packaged file at its default location and do not reuse the BMP Rules path in the World Image dialog.
Why it appears: XML or binary output failed validation or could not be written. WorldEd validates the Build 42.20 signature, version, 256-square cell size, and dimensions before replacing existing output.
What to do: select a writable output directory and regenerate the complete pair or Forest bundle. Keep the detailed validation message with a report.
How to avoid it: move XML and matching .bin files together and never mix
the XML from one generation with the binary from another.
Why it appears: the binary is not a valid Build 42.20 InGameMap binary, belongs to another format or version, or no longer matches the XML beside it.
What to do: remove the invalid output from the mod copy and regenerate
worldmap-forest.xml and its .bin together with Write Worldmap-Forest.
Do not rename an unrelated binary to worldmap-forest.xml.bin.
How to avoid it: always deploy the complete output pair produced in one operation and do not retain an older binary after replacing its XML.
Why it appears: Overwrite was used before this project had a recorded export path.
What to do: use the normal export command once and choose the destination.
How to avoid it: keep the project with its saved export preference after the first export.
Why it appears: the selected Lua file uses symbolsAPI:add... calls but
contains no text annotations supported by the structured editor.
What to do: keep the original file unchanged and edit unsupported Lua constructs manually. Use the editor only for supported translated or literal text symbols.
How to avoid it: open worldmap-annotations.lua, not an unrelated gameplay
Lua file, and retain a source backup when combining manual and structured
editing.
Why it appears: the Regions editor cannot parse the Lua table, a region has invalid dimensions or property values, or the destination cannot be written.
What to do: correct the region identified by the message in a copy, then
save to a writable file. Restore a known-good regions.lua if the table syntax
was changed manually.
How to avoid it: edit region names, dimensions, and properties through the Regions editor and keep the generated Lua structure intact.
Why it appears: the XML version, a point, street width, or destination is invalid.
What to do: use streets XML version 1, correct the street named by the message, and save to a writable path.
How to avoid it: use the Street Names editor for geometry and preserve the file header when editing XML manually.
Titles include Invalid feature name, Invalid prefab name, Invalid biome name, Could not save feature, Could not save prefab, Prefab import stopped, Could not stage prefab, and Could not save biome.
Why it appears: a name is empty or duplicated, referenced tiles are missing, imported data has no valid placements, a required parent is invalid, or the game data or project override destination cannot be written.
What to do: use a unique valid name, resolve every listed tile, select the correct parent biome or feature, and verify the Project Zomboid and project override paths.
How to avoid it: inspect imported prefabs before saving, keep official game data read-only, and write map-specific changes to the project override.
Why it appears: the TMX is missing, malformed, references invalid external data, or was created in an unsupported map format.
What to do: read the parser detail, open a backup, and correct only the reported XML or path. If the map opens elsewhere but not in TileZed, include the complete TMX and log in a report.
How to avoid it: save TMX through TileZed, keep external TSX files with the project, and avoid editing global tile IDs by hand.
Why it appears: an export name has no recognized extension, or more than one exporter matches the selected extension.
What to do: choose a specific format in the Save dialog and use its normal
extension, such as .tmx.
How to avoid it: select the file-type filter before entering the export name.
Why it appears: BuildingEd.exe is missing beside TileZed.exe, blocked,
or cannot be started.
What to do: restore the complete release bin directory and check
antivirus quarantine. Start BuildingEd directly once to reveal any runtime or
setup error.
How to avoid it: do not deliver TileZed without the matching standalone BuildingEd executable and runtime files.
Why it appears: TileZed cannot find or start the matching WorldEd executable.
What to do: restore the complete portable release and launch
PZWorldEd.exe directly from bin.
How to avoid it: update the three applications as one release.
Why it appears: the selected terrain Rules or Blends file is missing, malformed, or refers to an alias or tile that cannot be interpreted.
What to do: read the line reported by the parser and compare the file with the packaged version. Importing replaces the Rules or Blends snapshot embedded in the current TMX. Save the TMX to keep the replacement.
How to avoid it: do not press Reload immediately after Import. Import already applies the selected snapshot, identical imports are skipped, and Reload is only for rereading a file that changed on disk.
Older TMX files can retain obsolete embedded Rules and Blends snapshots and tileset declarations whose PNG files no longer exist. Regeneration still has to examine applicable metadata, and the cost depends on the map, brush area, and computer.
What to do: import the current Rules and Blends once, save the TMX, and use Project Doctor in WorldEd to remove only unresolved tileset references. Do not remove valid but currently unused tilesets blindly.
How to avoid it: replace embedded snapshots instead of layering repeated Import and Reload actions, and clean unresolved tilesets when migrating an old project.
Why it appears: a TSX or PNG cannot be read, does not follow Project Zomboid sheet geometry, or exceeds the supported tile count or image limits.
What to do: open the PNG, verify tile dimensions and spacing, and create the tileset from a supported sheet. Correct the source image rather than editing generated tile indexes.
How to avoid it: use standard PZ tileset dimensions and test a new sheet in TileZed before referencing it across maps.
Why it appears: the TMX declares sheets that are absent from the configured Tiles tree.
What to do: restore the PNG, correct the Tiles path, or remove only the unresolved reference if the project no longer needs it. Keep the ordered TMX tileset header intact for every sheet that still exists.
How to avoid it: keep custom PNG files in stable subdirectories and share the same Tiles tree with collaborators.
Why it appears: a TileDefs file, property file, enum, object type, or tile reference is missing or malformed.
What to do: select the correct .tiles or property file, correct the line
and value named by the message, or restore the matching official file. Use the
repair action only after reviewing its proposed changes.
How to avoid it: do not mix TileDefs from different game builds and keep custom definitions separate from official source data.
Why it appears: an Automapper rule, alias, layer, tile name, or map state is invalid. A warning can also indicate a recoverable skipped rule.
What to do: read the complete rule and line detail, correct the rule file, and verify every referenced layer and tileset before applying it again.
How to avoid it: test new rules on a small TMX copy and keep layer names consistent with the project level convention.
Why it appears: the selected tool configuration is missing or contains an invalid line, tile, or rule.
What to do: restore the packaged file or fix the exact line reported in the message. Confirm that every referenced tileset is loaded.
How to avoid it: preserve the configuration syntax and update tile names when custom sheets are renamed.
Titles include Depth Map Load Error, Depth Map Save Error, Depth Map Geometry Error, Depth Map Geometry Mismatch, Tile Geometry Load Error, and
Tile Geometry Save Error.
Why it appears: the atlas or tileGeometry.txt is missing, cannot be
decoded, contains geometry for the wrong tile, or cannot be atomically
replaced.
What to do: verify both files belong to the same tileset and game build, correct invalid primitives, and save to a writable directory. Keep the old atlas until both outputs have saved successfully.
How to avoid it: move the atlas and geometry file together and do not edit their tile indexes independently.
Titles include Error reading .pack file, Pack comparison failed,
Extraction failed, Export Tilesets Failed, and Error creating .pack file.
Why it appears: the pack is invalid or incomplete, the output directory cannot be created, a texture cannot be decoded, or an output PNG cannot be written.
What to do: select a valid Project Zomboid pack, choose a new empty writable output directory, and make sure sufficient disk space is available. If only one pack fails, keep that source file with the log.
How to avoid it: extract directly from an intact game installation and do not modify a pack while it is being compared or unpacked.
Why it appears: the overlay configuration is malformed, references an unknown tile or property, or cannot be read or written.
What to do: correct the entry named by the message and confirm that its tileset is loaded before importing or exporting the overlay file.
How to avoid it: keep overlay configuration and custom tiles together and validate changes before replacing the deployed file.
Why it appears: the source or target tileset is missing, the mapping is incomplete, two outputs conflict, or a required file cannot be written.
What to do: select valid source and target sheets, resolve every mapping, and write the result to a new writable location before replacing project data.
How to avoid it: back up the tileset, TileDefs, and affected TMX files as one set before changing tile indexes.
Why it appears: official procedural-loot data or the project override is missing, malformed, from an incompatible build, or read-only.
What to do: verify the Project Zomboid installation path, correct the Lua error shown by the message, and save project overrides into a writable project location.
How to avoid it: read official game definitions from one game build and keep editable map overrides separate.
Why it appears: image export has no destination, cannot create its folder, or cannot encode or write the PNG.
What to do: select a writable output directory and reduce the requested image size if encoding fails because of memory.
How to avoid it: create an export directory before batch image output and keep sufficient RAM and disk space available.
Why it appears: a configured external command or Lua-requested executable is missing, blocked, cannot start, or returned an error code.
What to do: verify the executable path and arguments, start it directly to expose runtime errors, and read the command output in the TileZed console.
How to avoid it: use absolute executable paths and move the complete tool runtime together when relocating a portable installation.
Why it appears: the custom brush PNG is larger than 128 x 128, has no dark opaque pixels, cannot be read, or cannot be copied to the user brush folder.
What to do: save a smaller PNG with dark opaque mask pixels and choose a writable brush folder.
How to avoid it: use a simple lossless mask, preferably 32 x 32, with transparency or light pixels for the unpainted area.
Why it appears: the map is not a Native256 TMX, the sidecar selection could not be saved, or no WorldEd project is available for validation.
What to do: use Partial Chunks only on a Native256 project, keep the TMX
writable, and retain its .tmx.pzchunks sidecar beside it.
How to avoid it: open the TMX through its PZW project before partial LOT generation and move the sidecar whenever the TMX is moved.
Titles include Lua Tool Configuration Error, LUA Script Invalid, LUA Error, No World Selected, Backup Directory Invalid, Error Loading Map,
and Error Writing Map.
Why it appears: the Lua catalog or script has invalid syntax, no required map or world is selected, the backup destination is invalid, or the script requested a change that could not be written.
What to do: open the required document, select a writable backup directory, and correct the Lua error and line shown in the console. Do not run the script again until the original maps and backups are intact.
How to avoid it: test scripts on copies, keep backups enabled, and use the documented Lua API rather than modifying map files outside the transaction.
Why it appears: the folder name is invalid or already exists, the current Maps location is unavailable, or the parent is read-only.
What to do: choose a portable folder name and a writable parent in the Maps browser.
How to avoid it: create folders from the browser button or right-click menu instead of moving the project while it is open.
The OpenGL renderer remains an optional compatibility path. Some maps, drivers, and rule-reload workflows can display blank content or severe brush lag there.
What to do: disable OpenGL in Preferences and reopen the map. Use the Raster renderer for normal editing.
How to avoid it: leave OpenGL disabled unless testing it for a specific renderer issue, and mention both Raster and OpenGL results in a report.
Why it appears: BuildingEd has no valid extracted Tiles directory and cannot render a TBX safely.
What to do: configure the shared Tiles directory from an editor's Preferences or Initial Setup, then restart BuildingEd.
How to avoid it: complete initial setup before opening TBX files directly from Explorer or TileZed.
Why it appears: the TBX or autosave is missing, malformed, incomplete, or uses data that the reader cannot interpret.
What to do: open a backup or autosave. If the detail names an XML line or property, correct that item in a copy. Verify that the file is a TBX and not a renamed TMX or compiled format.
How to avoid it: save buildings through BuildingEd and keep autosave enabled while making extensive changes.
Why it appears: BuildingEd cannot atomically write the TBX because the folder is read-only, the file is locked, the path is invalid, or the disk is full.
What to do: use Save As to a writable local project directory, close other programs using the TBX, and keep the current BuildingEd window open until the save succeeds.
How to avoid it: edit local working copies and let synchronization or backup software copy them only after saving.
Why it appears: the building template or TBX references one or more PNG tilesets that could not be loaded. Affected tiles use red question marks.
What to do: restore the listed PNG files or correct the shared Tiles path. If the sheet is obsolete, replace its tiles in the building before removing the reference.
How to avoid it: keep custom building tiles in stable paths and share them with every mapper opening the TBX.
Titles include Building Configuration Error, Building Tiles Error,
Furniture Configuration Error, Building Templates Error, and Error reading RoomNames.txt.
Why it appears: the named configuration file is absent, malformed, or contains a reference to a missing tile, template, furniture group, or room name.
What to do: restore the file from the same release or correct the exact line reported. Close all open BuildingEd documents before replacing or reloading building tile and furniture assignments.
How to avoid it: keep one coherent configuration set and close documents before importing configuration that changes their available definitions.
Why it appears: the selected definition file cannot be parsed, the current assignments are invalid, or one of the output files cannot be written.
What to do: close all open BuildingEd documents, verify the input against the packaged format, and export to a writable directory. Reopen a building only after the new configuration has loaded successfully.
How to avoid it: import templates, tiles, and furniture as one controlled configuration update and keep a backup of the previous text files.
Why it appears: no TBX was selected, a selected building cannot be read, or
the generated basements.lua content fails syntax validation.
What to do: select valid saved TBX files, resolve their normal building errors, and generate the Lua again. Do not deploy output that failed validation.
How to avoid it: save and reopen each basement TBX successfully before including it in a batch export.
Why it appears: BuildingEd could not convert the current building to TMX or write the destination.
What to do: resolve missing building tiles, choose a writable .tmx
destination, and retry. Open the exported TMX in TileZed before using it in a
project.
How to avoid it: validate the building's tile references before export and do not export over an open TMX.
Why it appears: an autosave selected for removal is open, locked, or in a read-only directory.
What to do: close other BuildingEd instances and remove it again from the Welcome page. If necessary, change the folder permissions.
How to avoid it: close recovered autosaves before cleaning old recovery files.
Why it appears: a Lua script was started without an open building, or the script reports an error in the Lua console.
What to do: open the target TBX first and correct the script error before retrying. Review the single Undo operation after a successful script.
How to avoid it: test automation on a copy and save a known-good building before running a new script.
This is not a normal clipboard result and should not be worked around by repeatedly pasting into the same file.
What to do: use the current release, reopen the latest autosave, and keep the original TBX. Reproduce once in standalone BuildingEd and provide the TBX, the selected layers and floors, whether the paste expanded the building, and the newest BuildingEd log.
How to avoid data loss: enable timed autosave and save before large multi-floor edits. Copy and paste pause timed autosave while their complete Undo transaction is being built, so wait for placement to finish before closing the application.
Include the following:
- application name and release
- exact dialog title and complete message text
- shortest reproduction steps
- expected and observed result
- newest matching application log
- smallest relevant PZW, TMX, TBX, PNG, Rules, Blends, Lua,
.tiles, or.packfile - project grid format and dimensions when relevant
- Raster and OpenGL result for rendering issues
Do not send only a screenshot of the title. The detailed text often contains the exact path, cell, line, tile, or operating-system reason needed to solve the problem.