This is my first time using any modding tool, so I've started by following some of the tutorials on the creation kit wiki. The first think I tired to do was make an Ebony Shield that had the Spellbreaker enchant on it. I did the following:

1. File>data>selected Skyrim.esm
2. Make a duplicate of the Ebony Shield
3. Change "ID" to ArmorEbonyShieldSpellbreaker
4. Add the enchant "DA13SpellBreakerEnch"
5. OK>No (to create new form)>Yes
6. Save as Test.esp
7. Launch Skyrim Portal and select data to ensure that Test.esp is selected
8. Load a saved file, open the console command (`) and type, "player.addItem ArmorEbonyShieldSpellbreaker 1" (of course without the "" )


The issue is that the console flags an error message on the item ID name. In the past, whenever I wanted to use player.addItem, I would have to find the item code (something like 0CD117). What am I doing wrong here?

in the console you need to add by Numeric ID.
try typing help ArmorEbonyShieldSpellbreaker 4 to get this numeric on your item.

The console tells me, "Viewer String not available" . I tired this using ArmorEbonyShield and I got the same message as well. I also tried using player.EquipItem and was still not able to add either the Ebony Spellbreaker or a standard Ebony Shield.

I've run into the same problem actually. It seems that the way the console is used in the tutorials is not the way it actually works. I have no idea why this is. I actually tried to refer to refID and that didn't work either.

Just chimming in, I have had this problem as well.

if this was fo/geck, i'd have told you:
in console, you need to separate with a comma (AddItem YourItem,1);
and i think (but not 100% sure even for fo) for items that have an item condition, you need to add a value for it (AddItem YourWeapon,1,100) - can't tell you yet how much of this applies to skyrim though (the item condition part likely won't, since apparently weapons/armor don't break in the game (which doesn't necessarily mean they don't have a condition value though)