Mod Files Disappearing Pls Help

I would like to publish a mod to test it, but after every time I place the zip file in the corresponding spot and publish the mod the file is seemingly erased from the mod and renders it useless. In game, the file size is 0 every time despite it taking up space. I do not know how to fix this problem, can anyone help provide possible solutions or steps towards fixing this?

i put mine in my user folder under games/aoe2de/some numbers etc/mods/local/MY MOD FOLDER

within that i put the .dat in the data folder i think, and graphics in the drs/graphics,… anyway point is i dont ever use a .zip and maybe its thiking that isnt a mod file and its removing it since its not one of the normal game files.