Any idea why an altered string file will work in a pk3 in base folder, but will not work in a pk3 in my mods folder launched with the mod???

Basic weapons mod here. New weapons and code, but I need to change the names of these things.
Can be accomplished by changing sp_ingame.str and putting it my pk3, but if I launch the pk3 from mods folder, it ignores .str files and reverts to the assetts0.pk3 string files. However, in base folder, works like a charm. But I want to keep ALL and ANY files out of base for obvious reasons.

What the heck am I missing? Anyone know another way to change to names besides .str files and menu files? Or why my .str files are ignored when launched from mods folder?

bleh, nevermind. Created new string files in base, and pointed source files to them.