2 Questions: How do you keep items in a shopkeeper's inventory? Everytime the mud is rebooted or the area is reloaded, the items are gone. Any help?
Also, how do you change the max number of items in the shopkeeper's inventory?
If you follow the instructions in help makeshop (or something similar) you should have no problem with items reseting in the shopkeepers inventory.
Max number of items? Could you explain what you mean a little more?
You do that with appropriate "resets" in the area file.
The Area Editor (from this site) lets you add items to the shopkeeper's inventory.
AFAIK he has an unlimited supply of items.
To change the max individual items that a shopkeeper sells (i.e. how many different items he sells), adjust his strength. Too low and you may not be able to give him everything you want him to sell, too high and players may try 'giving' the shopkeeper items. I've seen taht cause some weird issues before :-\
My preferred method of setting up a shop (after using makeshop) is to litterally give the shopkeeper what I want them to sell then do an 'instaroom' to set up the resets. Quick, easy and I've never had any problems with it.
Note: strength should have no affect on how little a shopkeeper can carry if you set the resets manually. Though you should still keep in mind the 'too much' strength aspect.