It is now possible to define objects directly in mod.json instead of

using path to file with object definition

config/schemas/mod.json

@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@
 	"description" : "Format used to define main mod file (mod.json) in VCMI",
 	"required" : [ "name", "description", "modType", "version", "author", "contact" ],
 	"definitions" : {
+		"fileListOrObject" : {
+			"oneOf" : [
+				{
+					"type" : "array",
+					"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+				},
+				{
+					"type" : "object"
+				}
+			]
+		},
 		"localizable" : {
 			"type" : "object",
 			"additionalProperties" : false,
@@ -35,9 +46,8 @@
 					"description" : "If set to true, vcmi will skip validation of current translation json files"
 				},
 				"translations" : {
-					"type" : "array",
 					"description" : "List of files with translations for this language",
-					"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+					"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -122,9 +132,17 @@
 			"description" : "If set to true, mod will not be enabled automatically on install"
 		},
 		"settings" : {
-			"type" : "object",
 			"description" : "List of changed game settings by mod",
-			"$ref" : "gameSettings.json"
+			"oneOf" : [
+				{
+					"type" : "object",
+					"$ref" : "gameSettings.json"
+				},
+				{
+					"type" : "array",
+					"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+				},
+			]
 		},
 		"filesystem" : {
 			"type" : "object",
@@ -206,94 +224,76 @@
 			"$ref" : "#/definitions/localizable"
 		},
 		"translations" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of files with translations for this language",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"factions" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for towns/factions",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"heroClasses" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for hero classes",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"heroes" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for heroes",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"skills" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for skills",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"creatures" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for creatures",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"artifacts" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for artifacts",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"spells" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for spells",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"objects" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for objects",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"biomes" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for biomes",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"bonuses" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for bonuses",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"terrains" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for terrains",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"roads" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for roads",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"rivers" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for rivers",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"battlefields" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for battlefields",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"obstacles" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for obstacles",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"templates" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for RMG templates",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		},
 		"scripts" : {
-			"type" : "array",
 			"description" : "List of configuration files for scripts",
-			"items" : { "type" : "string", "format" : "textFile" }
+			"$ref" : "#/definitions/fileListOrObject"
 		}
 	}
 }

lib/json/JsonUtils.cpp

@@ -230,6 +230,27 @@ void JsonUtils::inherit(JsonNode & descendant, const JsonNode & base)
 	std::swap(descendant, inheritedNode);
 }
 
+JsonNode JsonUtils::assembleFromFiles(const JsonNode & files, bool & isValid)
+{
+	if (files.isVector())
+	{
+		auto configList = files.convertTo<std::vector<std::string> >();
+		JsonNode result = JsonUtils::assembleFromFiles(configList, isValid);
+
+		return result;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return files;
+	}
+}
+
+JsonNode JsonUtils::assembleFromFiles(const JsonNode & files)
+{
+	bool isValid = false;
+	return assembleFromFiles(files, isValid);
+}
+
 JsonNode JsonUtils::assembleFromFiles(const std::vector<std::string> & files)
 {
 	bool isValid = false;

lib/json/JsonUtils.h

@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ namespace JsonUtils
 	 * @brief generate one Json structure from multiple files
 	 * @param files - list of filenames with parts of json structure
 	 */
+	DLL_LINKAGE JsonNode assembleFromFiles(const JsonNode & files);
+	DLL_LINKAGE JsonNode assembleFromFiles(const JsonNode & files, bool & isValid);
 	DLL_LINKAGE JsonNode assembleFromFiles(const std::vector<std::string> & files);
 	DLL_LINKAGE JsonNode assembleFromFiles(const std::vector<std::string> & files, bool & isValid);
 

lib/modding/CModHandler.cpp

@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ std::set<TModID> CModHandler::getModDependencies(const TModID & modId, bool & is
 
 void CModHandler::initializeConfig()
 {
-	VLC->settingsHandler->loadBase(coreMod->config["settings"]);
+	VLC->settingsHandler->loadBase(JsonUtils::assembleFromFiles(coreMod->config["settings"]));
 
 	for(const TModID & modName : activeMods)
 	{
@@ -401,21 +401,6 @@ CModVersion CModHandler::getModVersion(TModID modName) const
 	return {};
 }
 
-static JsonNode loadReferencesList(const JsonNode & source)
-{
-	if (source.isVector())
-	{
-		auto configList = source.convertTo<std::vector<std::string> >();
-		JsonNode result = JsonUtils::assembleFromFiles(configList);
-
-		return result;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		return source;
-	}
-}
-
 void CModHandler::loadTranslation(const TModID & modName)
 {
 	const auto & mod = allMods[modName];
@@ -423,8 +408,8 @@ void CModHandler::loadTranslation(const TModID & modName)
 	std::string preferredLanguage = VLC->generaltexth->getPreferredLanguage();
 	std::string modBaseLanguage = allMods[modName].baseLanguage;
 
-	JsonNode baseTranslation = loadReferencesList(mod.config["translations"]);
-	JsonNode extraTranslation = loadReferencesList(mod.config[preferredLanguage]["translations"]);
+	JsonNode baseTranslation = JsonUtils::assembleFromFiles(mod.config["translations"]);
+	JsonNode extraTranslation = JsonUtils::assembleFromFiles(mod.config[preferredLanguage]["translations"]);
 
 	VLC->generaltexth->loadTranslationOverrides(modName, baseTranslation);
 	VLC->generaltexth->loadTranslationOverrides(modName, extraTranslation);

lib/modding/ContentTypeHandler.cpp

@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ ContentTypeHandler::ContentTypeHandler(IHandlerBase * handler, const std::string
 	}
 }
 
-bool ContentTypeHandler::preloadModData(const std::string & modName, const std::vector<std::string> & fileList, bool validate)
+bool ContentTypeHandler::preloadModData(const std::string & modName, const JsonNode & fileList, bool validate)
 {
 	bool result = false;
 	JsonNode data = JsonUtils::assembleFromFiles(fileList, result);
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ bool CContentHandler::preloadModData(const std::string & modName, JsonNode modCo
 	bool result = true;
 	for(auto & handler : handlers)
 	{
-		result &= handler.second.preloadModData(modName, modConfig[handler.first].convertTo<std::vector<std::string> >(), validate);
+		result &= handler.second.preloadModData(modName, modConfig[handler.first], validate);
 	}
 	return result;
 }

lib/modding/ContentTypeHandler.h

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public:
 
 	/// local version of methods in ContentHandler
 	/// returns true if loading was successful
-	bool preloadModData(const std::string & modName, const std::vector<std::string> & fileList, bool validate);
+	bool preloadModData(const std::string & modName, const JsonNode & fileList, bool validate);
 	bool loadMod(const std::string & modName, bool validate);
 	void loadCustom();
 	void afterLoadFinalization();

lib/texts/TextLocalizationContainer.h

@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ protected:
 		void serialize(Handler & h)
 		{
 			h & translatedText;
-			//h & baseLanguage;
 			h & identifierModContext;
 			h & baseStringModContext;
 		}