Creating an Inventory
This guide will walk you through creating your first zMenu inventory from scratch.
Step 1: Create the File
Create a new file in the plugins/zMenu/inventories/ folder. Name it something descriptive like my_first_menu.yml.
plugins/zMenu/inventories/my_first_menu.yml
Naming Convention
Use lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores for file names. Avoid spaces and special characters.
Step 2: Define Basic Properties
Start with the essential inventory properties:
# The title shown at the top of the inventory
name: "&6&lMy First Menu"
# The size of the inventory (must be 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, or 54)
size: 27
# Whether this inventory is enabled
enable: true
Step 3: Add a Fill Item (Optional)
Fill empty slots with a decorative item:
name: "&6&lMy First Menu"
size: 27
enable: true
fillItem:
material: GRAY_STAINED_GLASS_PANE
name: "&8"
This makes your inventory look cleaner by filling empty spaces.
Step 4: Add Your First Button
Now let's add an interactive button. Buttons are defined in the items section:
name: "&6&lMy First Menu"
size: 27
enable: true
fillItem:
material: GRAY_STAINED_GLASS_PANE
name: "&8"
items:
welcome-button:
slot: 13
item:
material: DIAMOND
name: "&b&lWelcome!"
lore:
- "&7Click me to see a message"
actions:
- type: message
messages:
- "&aHello, %player%!"
- "&7Thanks for using zMenu!"
Let's break down what each part does:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
welcome_button | A unique name for this button |
slot: 13 | Position in the inventory (center of row 2) |
item | The visual appearance of the button |
material | The Minecraft item type |
name | The item's display name |
lore | Description lines below the name |
actions | What happens when clicked |
Step 5: Test Your Inventory
- Save the file
- Run
/zm reload inventory my_first_menu - Open it with
/zm open my_first_menu
You should see a 27-slot inventory with a diamond in the center!
Step 6: Add More Buttons
Let's expand the menu with more functionality:
name: "&6&lMy First Menu"
size: 27
enable: true
fillItem:
material: GRAY_STAINED_GLASS_PANE
name: "&8"
items:
# Title item (non-interactive)
title:
slot: 4
item:
material: BOOK
name: "&6&lServer Guide"
lore:
- "&7Welcome to our server!"
- ""
- "&7Select an option below."
# Teleport to spawn
spawn:
slot: 11
item:
material: RED_BED
name: "&c&lSpawn"
lore:
- "&7Teleport to spawn point"
- ""
- "&eClick to teleport!"
actions:
- type: close
- type: player-command
commands:
- "spawn"
# View player info
info:
slot: 13
item:
material: PLAYER_HEAD
playerHead: "%player%"
name: "&a&l%player%"
lore:
- "&8&m─────────────"
- ""
- "&7Health: &c%player_health%"
- "&7Level: &a%player_level%"
- ""
- "&8&m─────────────"
# Open shop
shop:
slot: 15
item:
material: GOLD_INGOT
name: "&e&lShop"
lore:
- "&7Browse our shop"
- ""
- "&eClick to open!"
actions:
- type: inventory
inventory: "shop"
# Close button
close:
slot: 22
item:
material: BARRIER
name: "&c&lClose"
lore:
- "&7Close this menu"
actions:
- type: close
Step 7: Add Sound Effects
Make the menu more interactive with sounds:
items:
spawn:
slot: 11
item:
material: RED_BED
name: "&c&lSpawn"
sound: ENTITY_ENDERMAN_TELEPORT
actions:
- type: close
- type: player-command
commands:
- "spawn"
Or add a sound in the actions:
actions:
- type: sound
sound: UI_BUTTON_CLICK
pitch: 1.2
volume: 0.5
- type: player-command
commands:
- "spawn"
Step 8: Add Requirements (Optional)
Restrict who can click a button:
items:
vip-area:
slot: 16
item:
material: DIAMOND_BLOCK
name: "&b&lVIP Area"
lore:
- "&7Exclusive VIP teleport"
click-requirement:
requirements:
- type: permission
permission: "server.vip"
deny:
- type: message
messages:
- "&cYou need VIP rank to use this!"
- type: sound
sound: ENTITY_VILLAGER_NO
success:
- type: player-command
commands:
- "warp vip"
Understanding Slot Numbers
Slots are numbered from 0 to (size - 1), starting from the top-left:
Row 1: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Row 2: 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Row 3: 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Row 4: 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
Row 5: 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
Row 6: 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53
For a 27-slot inventory (3 rows), slots 0-26 are available.
Using Multiple Slots
A button can occupy multiple slots:
items:
big-button:
slots:
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 20
- 21
- 22
item:
material: EMERALD_BLOCK
name: "&a&lBig Button"
Or use a range:
items:
row-button:
slots:
- 10-16 # Slots 10 through 16
item:
material: GOLD_BLOCK
name: "&e&lGold Row"
Complete Example
Here's a complete, functional menu:
name: "&6&lServer Menu"
size: 45
enable: true
fillItem:
material: BLACK_STAINED_GLASS_PANE
name: "&8"
openActions:
- type: sound
sound: BLOCK_CHEST_OPEN
pitch: 1.0
items:
# Decorative top border
top-border:
slots:
- 0-8
item:
material: BLUE_STAINED_GLASS_PANE
name: "&8"
# Title
title:
slot: 4
item:
material: NETHER_STAR
name: "&6&l✦ Server Menu ✦"
lore:
- ""
- "&7Welcome, &f%player%"
- ""
- "&7Choose an option below"
glow: true
# Spawn teleport
spawn:
slot: 19
item:
material: RED_BED
name: "&c&lSpawn"
lore:
- "&7Return to spawn"
- ""
- "&e▸ Click to teleport"
sound: UI_BUTTON_CLICK
actions:
- type: close
- type: player-command
commands:
- "spawn"
- type: message
messages:
- "&aTeleporting to spawn..."
# Warps menu
warps:
slot: 21
item:
material: ENDER_PEARL
name: "&5&lWarps"
lore:
- "&7Browse warp locations"
- ""
- "&e▸ Click to open"
sound: UI_BUTTON_CLICK
actions:
- type: inventory
inventory: "warps"
# Player info
profile:
slot: 23
item:
material: PLAYER_HEAD
playerHead: "%player%"
name: "&a&lYour Profile"
lore:
- "&8&m────────────────"
- ""
- "&7Name: &f%player%"
- "&7Balance: &6$%vault_eco_balance%"
- "&7Playtime: &e%zmenu_statistic_time_played%"
- ""
- "&8&m────────────────"
# Settings
settings:
slot: 25
item:
material: COMPARATOR
name: "&e&lSettings"
lore:
- "&7Configure preferences"
- ""
- "&e▸ Click to open"
sound: UI_BUTTON_CLICK
actions:
- type: inventory
inventory: "settings"
# Bottom border
bottom-border:
slots:
- 36-44
item:
material: BLUE_STAINED_GLASS_PANE
name: "&8"
# Close button
close:
slot: 40
item:
material: BARRIER
name: "&c&lClose Menu"
lore:
- "&7Close this menu"
sound: UI_BUTTON_CLICK
actions:
- type: close
Tips for Good Menu Design
- Use consistent styling - Keep colors and formatting similar across your menus
- Add visual borders - Use glass panes or other items to frame your content
- Provide feedback - Use sounds and messages to confirm actions
- Group related items - Place similar options near each other
- Include navigation - Always provide a way to go back or close
- Use clear icons - Choose materials that visually represent their function
- Keep lore concise - Don't overload buttons with too much text
Next Steps
Now that you can create basic inventories:
- Learn about all Button Options
- Explore different Button Types
- Add complex Actions to your buttons
- Create Patterns for reusable elements