I'm working on a mod, but keep running into two problems:
1. The mod validation log keeps returning an error when I try referencing a custom sprite. Specifically, this is what I keep seeing:

mod\spellDB.xml
1 error(s) found.
Line 28, Position: 8 -- The animation, 'sprites/spells/cookie_cast/cookie_cast', was not found.

That directory is exactly where my file is located, where the "/cookie_cast" is the name of the sprite. I have no better luck when I specify the file type.

2. One of the spells in my mod is supposed to grant the player a custom item. The item drops randomly in game, but when I try casting the spell in question the cooldown counter is activated without any item being granted to the player.

Has anyone had any similar problems that they've solved? I'm not sure how to fix either of these problems.

EDIT: I've solved the first issue. For anyone experiencing the same problem, here's what worked: you don't need a .xml file for spell animations. In fact, they won't work if you have one- they're only for use in monster animations. Once I got rid of that, the sprite worked perfectly.

EDIT 2: The second problem I just decided to solve by spawning the item on the player's location instead of directly in their inventory. It basically does the same thing.