Items Libraries
Why use libraries?
There are two kind of libraries in AoW Editor – Item Libraries and Hero Libraries. Normally, new maps that are created contain heros and items loaded into their respective tabs from the System Libraries. (You can’t touch these – they cannot be edited.) . Normally, a new item is created and only stays available on that map. If, for an example, you would like to use that item again in your future maps, you can create a Library. That’s what they are for – storing your items/heros so you can carry them over to other maps.
Here’s how it goes for Item Libraries:
On the left hand corner of the Items Tab, you will find this: 
which means to open a library. If you haven’t created one, there is only a System Library on the pull down menu.
Click on a selected library from the menu, and you will get an Item Library Floater as shown below. This is my library.
Okay, as you can see some of the buttons on this floater look like the ones in the Items tab.
But now, the means to Create New Library. The one next to that is Delete Library (Careful, touch that and it’s all gone forever.). And don’t mix it up with the third button from the left! (That one means Delete Item.)
The others are the same in function as the ones on the Item floater.
Click on the Sword with the plus sign (Create Item) and you can make your first item for your library; it works like normal creation of items (see Making Items).
The Difference Between Add and Copy
When you Add an item, the selected item is added to the main editor window’s Items Tab. When someone else downloads your map and opens your map in the editor (provided you did not put a password), he/she cannot edit your item.
However, if you Copy the item, the item will be copied to the Items Tab. The item will be indicated as a user item and anybody else who downloads your map, will be able to open up the editor (ie if you did not put a password on it) and change the item’s properties. If you Copy items from the System Library, it will be duplicated as a user item and that may the only way to edit those items. As you can see the item’s tab will have ‘user’ indicated on it. As long as an item has a ‘user’ indicated on it, it can be edited by anyone who opens up the map with editor.
Saving the Library
Close the library and everything should be automatically saved. (I usually manually save the entire map after any changes…just in case.) Note that new item libraries are created as *.ail files in the Users folder in your AoW game folder
Known Problem:
Case: I know I’ve created enough items in the library and added them all to the items tab, but when I’m playing with my friend or when I give the map to my friends, the crypts, caves, castles and pyramids always come out ‘explored’. Why is this happening?
I’ve seen this problem in a few forums and so far no one has been able to answer that. Now you know you did make enough items to go around but somehow they are just not turning up. I was making a map with someone when we encountered this problem ourselves. This may be the solution:
If you had used Add command to transfer items from library to item tab, no indicator ‘user’ would have appeared and in the properties (double click on item in the tab to bring it up) the source library would indicate which library you took it from. What you might try to do is to send the library file (this goes with the Heros Libraries as well) together with your map out to people. The library file (*.ail) is in the Users folder in your AoW game folder. The whole problem may be solved just by making sure that the source library exists in the players’ User folder.