Dummies Guide to Building: 2DA Files

A 2DA file is a "Two Dimensional Array". A 2DA file contains columns of constants that tell the ACR what to do for a given set of actions or visuals. It provides a table of constants with their fields of associated data. Plug in that constant to your scripting and the right things happen. 2DAs exist for Skills, Spells, Feats, Appearances and many more. I find those four to be of the most use during scripting.

The easiest way to access the 2DAs is in toolset, through View/2DA. This brings up a sortable list of 2DA content.

Using a 2DA at its most entry-level means, for me, searching for the keyword I want in it, and finding the constant associated with it. For instance, trying to implement a swim appearance outside of a swim trigger, I open up the Appearance.2DA and search for "Swim". That yields constant integers 3500 - 3522, each assigned to one racial model swim animation/appearance. Trying to tool a Web spell trap, I search the Spells 2DA for "Web" and find that it is constant integer 192.