msw-general

MSW General — Foundation Skill

The foundation skill for MSW (MapleStory Worlds) creation, integrating shared tools, domain knowledge, platform rules, and file authoring. Every other MSW skill depends on it.

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Core Principle: Visual Polish

MSW is a game creation platform. The goal is not a prototype where logic merely runs — it is a polished game players can enjoy.

So whatever entity you create — monster, NPC, tower, item, background object — search for and apply appropriate resources (sprites, animations, sounds) that match its role and personality. Do not leave the default sprite in place or leave SpriteRUID empty.

Resource application principle when creating an entity:

1. After creating the entity, use the msw-search skill to find sprites/animations that fit it
2. Apply the RUID of the found resource to SpriteRendererComponent so the entity is visually represented
3. If there is combat, also set hit/explosion effects; if there is interaction, set sound effects

Functionality implemented != finished. A polished game requires appropriate resources plus visual presentation.

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When making a .model — catalog first

Do not start a new .model from an empty file. The skill-local models/ folder contains validated templates organized by category — monsters (ChaseMonster/MoveMonster/StaticMonster), NPC (StaticNPC), players (Player/DefaultPlayer), terrain (Foothold/Ladder/Rope/Portal), map objects (MapObject/SkeletonMapObject/ItemAsset), particles (BasicParticle/SpriteParticle/AreaParticle/AnimationPlayer), sound (Sound/SoundEffect), tile map containers (TileMap/RectTileMap), UI (UIButton/UIText/UISprite/UIGroup, etc.), external media (WebSprite/YoutubePlayerWorld).

Workflow: Read references/model.md IN FULL FIRST (mandatory — see "Model Work Preflight — MUST" below) → pick the closest template from the catalog → load it with skills/msw-general/scripts/model/msw_model_builder.cjs (ModelBuilder.fromTemplate) → replace the 3 identifiers (EntryKey, Id, Name) through the builder → customize Components/Values/Properties/Children through the builder → save under a typed subfolder of RootDesk/MyDesk/Models/ (e.g. Models/Monsters/{Name}.model, never directly under MyDesk/) → refresh. Detailed catalog and builder procedure: references/model.md §2.

The builder emits the required value metadata, so agents do not need to read or hand-write .model format internals.

For a monster, start with models/MonsterCanonical.model and references/monster.md. The other monster templates (ChaseMonster / MoveMonster / StaticMonster) leave ActionSheet empty and use defaults that silently fail (uppercase keys, SortingLayer="Default", IsLegacy=true).

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Placing multiple entities — model first

If the same entity is going to appear twice or more in a map (5 monsters, 10 trees, 3 portals, …), author a .model first and place each instance via modelId rather than copy-pasting inline @components.

Instance count of same composition	Choice
1 (truly one-off decoration in a single map)	inline @components is acceptable
≥2	.model + modelId instances (default)
Spawned at runtime (SpawnByModelId)	.model is required regardless of count

Why this is the default:

• Edit once, propagate everywhere — change SpriteRUID/HP/ActionSheet in the model and every instance updates. Inline copies require touching N entities each time.
• Smaller, reviewable .map diffs — modelId instances carry only Transform overrides; inline copies bloat the map by hundreds of lines per entity.
• Avoids drift — five inline copies silently diverge (one gets IsLegacy: true, another forgets SortingLayer: "MapLayer0"). The model anchors the canonical values.
• Required for SpawnByModelId — without a registered model id, dynamic spawning fails.

Workflow:

1. Author .model under RootDesk/MyDesk/Models/{Category}/{Name}.model (see folder rule above).
2. Place each instance with skills/msw-general/scripts/map/msw_map_builder.cjs (MapBuilder.read(...).placeModel(...).write(...)) so ids, paths, componentNames, origin metadata, and per-instance component overrides stay synchronized.
3. refresh.

Details and the inline-vs-modelId comparison: references/entity.md "Two-Step Map Editing Workflow", references/model.md §1.

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Entity Work Preflight — MUST

If the task involves an entity in any way, you must read references/entity.md first. No exceptions.

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Model Work Preflight — MUST

If the task involves authoring or editing a .model file in any way — including any invocation of skills/msw-general/scripts/model/msw_model_builder.cjs (ModelBuilder.read / snapshot / fromTemplate / write and any other builder API), creating a new model from a template, mutating components/values/properties/children/event links on an existing model, or even a one-line tweak — you must Read references/model.md IN FULL FIRST (no offset/limit, no cat/Get-Content). No exceptions.

The builder's template catalog, the 3-identifier replacement rule (EntryKey / Id / Name), required value metadata, property/child/event-link API surface, and the typed save-folder layout under RootDesk/MyDesk/Models/ live only in model.md. Calling the builder without reading model.md first silently produces broken models (missing value metadata, mismatched identifiers, wrong save folder, default-value silent failures). Reading scattered template files or guessing the API from memory is not a substitute — re-confirm at the start of every new turn that touches a .model, even if a previous turn already loaded it.

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Map Work Preflight (do this BEFORE any map work)

Before starting any map-related task — entity placement, spawn, movement scripts, model authoring, tile edits, etc. — you must complete these two steps in order:

1. Identify the target map — its path (./map/{mapname}.map), its root entity, and its location in the Hierarchy.
2. Use MapBuilder.read(...).getTileMapMode() to read MapComponent.TileMapMode as a number. Keep the value in mind for the rest of the session.

Value	Mode	Required Body	Runtime log on mismatch / missing Body
0	TileMap (MapleTile, side-view + Foothold)	RigidbodyComponent	[LEA-3004] MissingComponent : Entity is missing 'RigidbodyComponent'.
1	RectTileMap (RectTile, top-down)	KinematicbodyComponent	[LEA-3004] MissingComponent : Entity is missing 'KinematicbodyComponent'.
2	SideViewRectTileMap (SideViewRectTile, side-view tile)	SideviewbodyComponent	[LEA-3004] MissingComponent : Entity is missing 'SideviewbodyComponent'.

Never start map work without knowing the current TileMapMode. The three modes differ completely in Body component, gravity, collision, and event stacks. A mismatch is almost never a compile-time error — it shows up either as a silent failure (entity doesn't move / passes through walls / invisible) or as one of the three [LEA-3004] MissingComponent runtime logs above. Whenever you see one of those three messages, suspect a TileMapMode ↔ entity Body mismatch first.

Recommending the right mode — MUST when starting a new map or when the current mode is clearly wrong for the user's goal

Whenever the user describes what game / map they want to build (new map authoring, "make a side-scroller", "I want a top-down dungeon", or you read the current .map and find its TileMapMode does not fit the user's intended gameplay), you must explicitly recommend the appropriate TileMapMode to the user and explain why before proceeding with any further entity / model / script work.

Use this decision matrix as the source of truth:

User's intended game / gameplay	Recommend	Why
MapleStory-style side-scrolling action · jump · ladder · freely placed footholds (platformer)	0 MapleTile	Side-view + gravity, FootholdComponent line-segment platforms — non-grid, freely placed platforms
Top-down RPG · maze · board game · dungeon crawler · Bomberman-style · RTS-style · farming sim	1 RectTile	Top-down 4-directional free move, no gravity, square-tile grid
Tile-based side-scrolling platformer · Mario-style pixel action · side-view puzzle (square-tile side-view)	2 SideViewRectTile	Side-view + gravity on a tile grid (not freely placed footholds)

Procedure:

1. If the user has not yet told you what kind of game they want, ask before recommending a mode (one short question is enough — e.g. "Is it top-down, or side-scrolling (jump/ladder)? And is the terrain based on freely placed footholds, or a square tile grid?").
2. Once the intent is clear, state the recommendation (mode number + name + one-sentence rationale) and the matching Body / map component the user will need (platform.md §4 mapping table).
3. Lock the choice in early — switching TileMapMode later wipes terrain, forces every Body / movement script to be re-checked, and may force re-painting all tiles (platform.md §4 "Cautions When Switching Map Type").

Changing TileMapMode — user action in Maker, not an AI file edit

The AI must never flip MapComponent.TileMapMode by editing the .map JSON directly. Mode switching requires swapping tile components, rebuilding footholds, converting tile-data formats, and resetting terrain — all internal Maker operations.

Guide the user to do this in the Maker editor:

1. Open the Maker editor's Hierarchy window.
2. Right-click the target map entity in the Hierarchy.
3. From the context menu, choose the "Switch ..." option that matches the target mode (Switch TileMap / RectTileMap / SideViewRectTileMap). Maker performs the conversion, swaps the tile component, and resets terrain as needed.
4. After the user confirms the switch is complete, call MCP refresh, then re-read MapComponent.TileMapMode to verify and re-check every dynamic entity's Body component against the new mode.

The AI's role in mode changes: recommend → wait for user to right-click-switch in Maker Hierarchy → refresh → fix Body components / scripts that no longer match. Never write a new value to TileMapMode from a file edit.

The table above is a summary. The mode-switch procedure, the post-Body-swap checklist, and the silent-failure symptom dictionary beyond LEA-3004 live only in references/platform.md §4 (mapping + check protocol + switching policy) and references/troubleshooting.md (full symptom dictionary) — you must Read them when changing modes / swapping Body / debugging silent failures. Per-map-type detail patterns: platform-maple.md / platform-rect.md / platform-sideview.md. Tile painting: references/tile.md. Map Work Preflight: references/entity.md.

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Platform Rules Preflight — MUST when any of these triggers fire

If any of the following triggers matches your task, Read the corresponding reference before editing code or proposing a plan. These triggers are intentionally broad — when in doubt, read. The "8 Core Rules" in this SKILL.md are a summary only; the symptom→cause→fix tables, per-map-type code patterns, the MovementComponent conversion formulas, and SortingLayer/SpriteRUID details live only in references.

Trigger (keyword / situation)	File to read
jump, gravity, movement, MoveVelocity, InputSpeed, JumpForce, WalkSpeed, SpeedFactor, foothold, patrol	The matching map type's references/platform-maple.md / platform-rect.md / platform-sideview.md (in full) + references/platform.md §10
spawn / _SpawnService / SpawnByModelId / SpawnByEntity / "summon a monster" / "runtime creation"	references/platform.md §8 + §8.5
Screen coordinates / camera range / "is it on screen" / "pixel units" / OrthographicSize / world unit	references/platform.md §5
Occluded / invisible / "should render on top" / SortingLayer / OrderInLayer / Z value	references/platform.md §6 + §7
LEA-3004 in the log / "won't move" / "floating in mid-air" / "stuck in wall" / "bouncing off" / "disappears off the map" / "falls off the foothold edge"	references/troubleshooting.md (in full) first, then the matching map type's platform-{type}.md §7
shader / material / outline / glow / blur / pixelate / rainbow / tint / grayscale / vignette / screen filter / lens distortion / wave / ripple / distortion / dissolve / additive / blend mode / hologram / mask / post-process / MaterialID / MaterialId / ChangeMaterial / _MaterialService / .material file	references/material.md (in full) — then drive shader catalog / property names / per-component compatibility via mlua_Document_Retriever + mlua_API_Retriever MCP lookups (do NOT memorize)
New map setup / new project / .config / CoreVersion verification / sector registration / folder metadata Refresh	references/platform.md §2 + §15 + §16
MapleTile (TileMapMode = 0) work — Foothold, Gravity, WalkSpeed, PredictFootholdEnd	references/platform-maple.md (in full)
RectTile (TileMapMode = 1) work — SpeedFactor, 4-directional movement, Movable tiles, dynamic tiles	references/platform-rect.md (in full)
SideViewRectTile (TileMapMode = 2) work — JumpSpeed/JumpDrag, wall detection (Normal), EnableDownJump	references/platform-sideview.md (in full)

If two or more triggers match, read all of them. "I already saw the 8 Core Rules in SKILL.md" is not an excuse for skipping references.

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8 Core Rules (must memorize)

1. If you don't align TileMapMode ↔ Body mapping, the entity will not move (no error) or raises [LEA-3004] MissingComponent at runtime → references/platform.md §4 (or if approaching by symptom, references/troubleshooting.md)
2. User scripts only work as a .mlua + .codeblock pair — .codeblock is generated by Maker Refresh
3. If SpriteRUID is an empty string, the entity is invisible on screen (no error)
4. When calling SpawnByModelId, not passing a map entity (self.Entity.CurrentMap) as parent causes a runtime error
5. Coordinates are in world units (1 unit = 100 px). Pixel values are off by 100x
6. Maker only scans RootDesk/ — user files placed in Global/ will not be recognized
7. Do not modify .d.mlua or .codeblock.
8. CoreVersion is 26.5.0.0 — do not work if there is a mismatch

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MCP Tool Quick Reference (msw-maker-mcp)

Tool	Purpose
play / stop	Enter / exit play mode
refresh	Sync Maker after file change (not allowed during play)
logs / clear_logs	Read / clear runtime and build logs
screenshot	Call only when explicitly requested by the user
keyboard_input / mouse_input	Simulate input in play mode

Usage limits, parameters, async behavior detail → references/mcp-tools.md On MCP call failure / "MCP connection" / "API Key" requests → msw-env-setup skill

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Per-task routing — which reference to read

File	Scope	When to read
mcp-tools.md	msw-maker-mcp tool spec (parameters, constraints, async)	Calling any MCP tool
workspace.md	World instance / Room / DataStorage, folder layout, file paths, Play mode, refresh, mid-workflow failure recovery	Workspace / instance / mode-transition work
platform.md (core)	8 core rules, file authority + folder metadata, .mlua+.codeblock pair, TileMapMode↔Body mapping + LEA-3004, coordinate system / on-screen range, SortingLayer/OrderInLayer, SpriteRUID, SpawnByModelId usage / initialization order, MovementComponent per-map-type InputSpeed conversion formula, ECS, ID generation, .config, CoreVersion	TileMapMode mapping / mode switching / spawn / coordinates / RUID / SortingLayer / .config & CoreVersion / folder metadata — rules common to all map types
platform-maple.md	MapleTile (TileMapMode = 0) only — Foothold physics, Gravity/WalkSpeed/WalkJump, PredictFootholdEnd, IsOnGround, DownJump, FootholdEnter/LeaveEvent, MapleTile-only troubleshooting + checklist	Side-scrolling action / jump / ladder / freely placed footholds (MapleStory-style platformer)
platform-rect.md	RectTile (TileMapMode = 1) only — KinematicbodyComponent, SpeedFactor, free 4-directional movement, visual-only jump, Movable tile collision, ToCellPosition/ToWorldPosition, RectTileEnter/LeaveEvent, dynamic tiles (SetTile/BoxFill), RectTile-only troubleshooting + checklist	Top-down RPG / maze / board game / dungeon crawler / Bomberman-style / RTS / farming sim
platform-sideview.md	SideViewRectTile (TileMapMode = 2) only — SideviewbodyComponent, JumpSpeed/JumpDrag, EnableDownJump, wall detection (RectTileCollisionBeginEvent + Normal), GetUnderfootTile, SideView-only troubleshooting + checklist	Tile-based side-scrolling platformer / Mario-style pixel action / side-view puzzle
troubleshooting.md	Unified symptom dictionary — LEA-3004 table / "won't move" / "won't render" / "floating in mid-air" / "stuck in wall" / "disappears off the map" / "falls off the foothold edge" / "100× off" / "doesn't show in Maker" / "client-only sync" and other silent-failure symptom→cause→fix unified index	Symptom-first debugging — go here first when the user reports the above or [LEA-3004] appears in the log
authoring.md	Shared authoring principles across 5 file types (schema consistency, hand-edit hazards)	Entry point before any file authoring
tile.md	Tile painting — Maker UI domain, AI guides only	Tilemap work
entity.md (+ entity/map-builder.md)	.map builder-first placement, modelId vs inline, snapshot workflow, RUID, coordinate rules	.map editing / entity placement
model.md	.model builder-only authoring, template catalog, component/value/property/child/event link APIs	Writing / editing .model
monster.md	Monster canonical 11 components, lowercase ActionSheet keys, mandatory IsLegacy / SortingLayer overrides	Authoring a monster model
material.md	.material file anatomy, shader category index (10+ categories), applying MaterialID on renderer components via .model / .map / runtime ChangeMaterial, _MaterialService:ChangeMaterialProperty (ClientOnly), and the MCP-driven lookup loop (mlua_Document_Retriever / mlua_API_Retriever) that replaces memorizing the per-shader catalog	Any shader / material / visual effect work — outline, glow, blur, vignette, rainbow, hologram, blend mode, post-process, hit-flash, screen filter, etc.
msw-ui-system skill (invoke via the Skill tool)	Single UI entry point. Design judgment (coordinates/anchors/pivot, UIGroup/CanvasGroup, component selection) + component property/method/event API + enum values + layout recipes + mlua runtime patterns (popup/toast/HP/grid/drag) + Runtime UI Caveats + UUID binding + .ui CJS UIBuilder invocation protocol (panel/text/sprite/button/slider/scroll/script/group/mask/grid/avatar/touch/skeleton/particle, anchor presets, component add/replace/patch/remove, write-time auto lint)	Any UI-related task / creating or editing .ui files — read FIRST
msw-ui-system/references/templates files	UI structure pattern templates by complexity (simple popup, minimal HUD, multi-tab, shop/purchase flow) with .ui + .mlua examples and button handler patterns	Adding new UI groups/popups/HUD, structuring button handlers, or choosing a UI layout pattern (read directly after msw-ui-system)
dataset.md	UserDataSet / LocaleDataSet runtime, .userdataset + .csv pair, _LocalizationService is ClientOnly, serveronly	Datasets / i18n / translation

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Absolute Principles (apply to every task)

0. If the task involves an entity, read references/entity.md first. No exceptions. 0-bis. If the user's request mentions any UI element (popup, HUD, button, toast, panel, dialog window, menu, tab, layout, screen, bar/gauge, slot) OR involves writing/editing .ui files, BEFORE proposing any plan, options, or questions to the user:
   1. Invoke msw-ui-system via the Skill tool first — the single UI entry point (design judgment, component API, enums, layout recipes, runtime patterns, UUID binding, builder invocation protocol unified in one skill).
   2. All .ui mutations must go through msw-ui-system's builder (scripts/msw_ui_builder.cjs) — no direct raw JSON editing or grep. Read existing .ui files via the read-side builder (UIBuilder.read/find/list_entities) too.
   3. (Optional) If you need UI pattern templates (simple popup, minimal HUD, multi-tab, shop flow), Read/Glob the files under msw-ui-system/references/templates/ directly (templates.md + style-N-*/ + ruid-map.md + Popupbutton.mlua). No exceptions. 0-ter. If the task will create, modify, rename, or delete ANY .mlua file — including new scripts, edits to existing scripts, adding/removing a Component/@Logic/@Event/@State/@BTNode, wiring lifecycle methods (OnBeginPlay/OnUpdate/...), or even small one-line fixes — you MUST Read BOTH msw-scripting/SKILL.md AND msw-scripting/references/verify-checklist.md IN FULL FIRST (no offset/limit, no cat/Get-Content). Reading msw-general plus scattered .d.mlua files is not a substitute. This applies even when a previous turn already loaded msw-scripting — re-confirm at the start of the new turn. Trigger phrases are intentionally broad: if there is any chance the turn will touch a .mlua, treat it as triggered. No exceptions, no "I already know this", no shortcut via memory. 0-quater. If the task involves spawning, movement, jump/gravity, coordinate placement, layer/order debugging, MapleTile/RectTile/SideViewRectTile-specific logic, OR you observe any silent-failure symptom ([LEA-3004] log, "won't move", "won't render", "floating in mid-air", "stuck in wall", "disappears off the map", "falls off the foothold edge", "100× off", "doesn't show in Maker", "client-only sync"), you MUST Read the matching references/platform*.md / references/troubleshooting.md IN FULL FIRST (no offset/limit). The 8 Core Rules in this SKILL.md are summary only — the symptom→cause→fix tables, per-map-type code patterns (Foothold patrol / RectTile 4-directional movement / SideView wall detection), the MovementComponent InputSpeed conversion formula, SpriteRUID, SortingLayer/OrderInLayer detail, SpawnByModelId initialization order, folder metadata Refresh policy, and CoreVersion policy live only in references. Trigger phrases are intentionally broad: if there is any chance the turn touches one of these areas, treat as triggered. For the matching Read targets, follow the trigger table in the "Platform Rules Preflight — MUST" section above. No exceptions, no "I already know this from the 8 Core Rules", no shortcut via memory.
1. Visual polish — never leave SpriteRUID empty. Use msw-search to find resources.
2. refresh after content file changes that Maker must ingest (if in play mode, stop first). Folder-only changes do not need immediate refresh.
3. Never modify Environment/*.d.mlua — API definitions are read-only.
4. Never create .codeblock by hand — Maker refresh generates it from .mlua. Folder metadata is also generated from real folders during refresh.
5. Do not create new user files in Global/ — Maker will not recognize them. User files belong under RootDesk/MyDesk/.
6. Structured files prefer builders — .model/.ui are builder-only. .map work uses MapBuilder first; direct .map JSON edits are allowed only for explicitly unsupported gaps, with a minimal scoped change and refresh/log verification.
7. Entity reference binding (Entity/EntityRef property) — the AI injects the UUID string directly. Do not ask the user to drag in Maker.
8. Stop work on CoreVersion mismatch — first verify CoreVersion in Environment/config is 26.5.0.0.
9. Call screenshot only when the user explicitly requests it. Never call it automatically after task completion.
10. If a workflow step fails mid-flow, stop later steps — fix the root cause first.
11. Two-or-more = make a model. Whenever the same entity composition is placed ≥2 times in a map, author a .model first and instance it via modelId. Inline @components duplication is reserved for genuine one-off entities.
12. Models live in typed subfolders. Save new .model files under a category subfolder of RootDesk/MyDesk/Models/ (e.g. Models/Monsters/, Models/NPCs/, Models/Terrain/, Models/MapObjects/, Models/Particles/, Models/UI/) — never directly under MyDesk/ or Models/. When a needed subfolder does not exist, create the folder only; Maker Refresh will generate folder metadata later (see references/platform.md §2).
13. Translation is client-side only. _LocalizationService and Translator methods (GetText / GetTextFormat) are all ClientOnly. For server-originated localized messages, send the key over RPC and let the client resolve it.
14. Cross-platform tool selection — no shell for workspace exploration, use tools. Use the Glob / Read / Grep tools for all workspace file/folder exploration, reading, and search. Bash commands like ls / dir / Get-ChildItem / gci / cat / type / Get-Content / gc / head / tail / find / where / grep / findstr / Select-String are forbidden for workspace exploration — they are not compatible across Windows (PowerShell/Git Bash) and macOS (bash/zsh), due to shell/path-handling differences (notably, in bash a path like D:\path\foo has its backslashes consumed as escapes and collapses to D:pathfoo). Use Bash only for actual shell programs (git / npm / MCP / build scripts), and even then: (a) prefer workspace-relative paths, (b) if an absolute path is unavoidable, use forward slashes + double quotes ("D:/msw-world-projects/.../map/", never pass D:\... form), (c) use POSIX commands only (ls / mv / cp / rm). If you see an error like ls: cannot access 'D:msw-...': No such file or directory, stop immediately and retry via Glob / Read.
15. .model files are builder-only — and the builder requires references/model.md first. Do not open or edit .model JSON directly for inspection or mutation. Before using skills/msw-general/scripts/model/msw_model_builder.cjs (ModelBuilder.read / snapshot / fromTemplate / write), you MUST Read references/model.md IN FULL FIRST (no offset/limit) — see the "Model Work Preflight — MUST" section above. Only then invoke the builder so identifiers, value metadata, properties, children, and event links stay consistent.
16. .map files are builder-first. Use skills/msw-general/scripts/map/msw_map_builder.cjs (MapBuilder.read/snapshot/placeModel/write) for covered inspection and mutation so entity ids, paths, component names, origin metadata, and model instance mirrors stay consistent. If MapBuilder explicitly does not cover the required operation, make the smallest direct .map edit possible, then refresh and verify.