Eagle Dynamics "modular" dedicated server installer

[Maverick87Shaka]

2 hours ago, Raviar said:

it will all depens on :
1. if dedicated server use the same amount of resources compare to dcs standalone by pass "--server" parametere to it, if it gave me same exact perfomance, well, you are right
2. if I can run the DCS standalone as a server in multi instances 
3. being able to run the standalone while the server is running 

I am using multiple machines, and the one I am talking about is not mine gamming rig, but it has decend resources to run multiple instaces of server, and I might need to fireup standalonme time to time while keeping the server modular ( ex: only use syria and Nevada on the server - I know I can create aliases but again repair will be messy )

 

1. Yes, performance it's the same, even the RAM that is the most impacted at the moment.
2. Yes, you just have to give a different working directory ( -w parameter , -w server1, -w server2 and so on) 
3. Yes, just remember that each things need to run in their own working directory.

Normally I don't change any parameter of the client/standalone shortcut on desktop after the installation, so it will work on SavedGames\DCS.OpenBeta and I also use it to perform update, and then I create a shortcut to start the server, using -w DCS.server1 --server etc.

this is the best scenario (in terms of disk footprint that was the initial request) if you want have a client and a server running from the same machine.
I do have this configuration for years in the past, works really fine and make me able to open mission editor ( full client installation ) to adjust a .miz file directly from the machine that we use as a server. 

Of course to update stuff, all server instances and client must be switched off to run updater.


 

Edited August 25, 2023 by Maverick87Shaka

[OzDeaDMeaT]

@Jakko For the stable version it is referred to as @dcs_server.release

@BIGNEWY Can we also add that @dcs_server.release to the original post? Also, might be worth mentioning the --quiet option as its quite handy for people to be able to script automated updates. I got that info from the ED Discord when I was asking about the modular server install.

[Mistermann]

Okay.  So I am brand new to this dedicated server business and want to host several servers for my squadron.  I installed the OB Dedicated server and it is running perfectly.  What I don't understand is how to add a second, third, etc.

On 8/25/2023 at 7:18 AM, Maverick87Shaka said:

Normally I don't change any parameter of the client/standalone shortcut on desktop after the installation, so it will work on SavedGames\DCS.OpenBeta and I also use it to perform update...

So far, I am tracking with what Maverick said.  Install and don't change anything after the install.  CHECK.

On 8/25/2023 at 7:18 AM, Maverick87Shaka said:

... and then I create a shortcut to start the server, using -w DCS.server1 --server etc.

Here's where I get confused.  The shortcut to start the server was created in the installation.  It calls "DCS_server.exe"  Are you saying that I need to copy that and create one for every server I want using the command line option -w DCS.server1 where the name after the switch is the name of the server?

Where do I establish the ports for these servers?

Is there a separate folder structure under the saved games for each -w server I start?

Sorry for the complete newb questions.  If there's a guide for how to do this please point me in that direction.  Thank you.

EDIT:  Found this resource that helped me out tremendously.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a9QKMhSPMF-gS4rAH-mWc45ziD1mooleQGQnwa9JoDs/edit?pli=1

Edited October 21, 2023 by Mistermann
Added guide for multiple server setup

[OzDeaDMeaT]

On 10/22/2023 at 12:26 AM, Mistermann said:

Okay.  So I am brand new to this dedicated server business and want to host several servers for my squadron.  I installed the OB Dedicated server and it is running perfectly.  What I don't understand is how to add a second, third, etc.

So far, I am tracking with what Maverick said.  Install and don't change anything after the install.  CHECK.

Here's where I get confused.  The shortcut to start the server was created in the installation.  It calls "DCS_server.exe"  Are you saying that I need to copy that and create one for every server I want using the command line option -w DCS.server1 where the name after the switch is the name of the server?

Where do I establish the ports for these servers?

Is there a separate folder structure under the saved games for each -w server I start?

Sorry for the complete newb questions.  If there's a guide for how to do this please point me in that direction.  Thank you.

EDIT:  Found this resource that helped me out tremendously.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a9QKMhSPMF-gS4rAH-mWc45ziD1mooleQGQnwa9JoDs/edit?pli=1

 

Hey mate, 

So definition of ports for your various instances of a DCS server are done via the server profile. When you run a server with a -w in your Saved Games it will create a folder of that name. So for your example, there should be a folder called "DCS.server1". You put your configuration into that folder for that instances ports. If you have any further questions hit me up on the ED Discord or the Hoggit Discord and I can hopefully clear up any additional questions you have.

[schurem]

Do you need a seperate user account on DCS.world for this server or can I use my regular account? I keep getting wrong username or password..

[Maverick87Shaka]

41 minutes ago, schurem said:

Do you need a seperate user account on DCS.world for this server or can I use my regular account? I keep getting wrong username or password..

Same account will work, but I would recommend ( since is no more required to own the modules on server account ) to create a dedicated account just to use for server purpose. But it's the same ED account ( not the one for the forum )

[schurem]

Turned out I had a typo in the password. Password manager had three different ones. Go figure   

Ayway, instead of wasting a good 160 gb on copies of maps, I symlinked the mods folder from my regular DCS install and the server runs nicely.

[Maverick87Shaka]

1 hour ago, schurem said:

Turned out I had a typo in the password. Password manager had three different ones. Go figure   

Ayway, instead of wasting a good 160 gb on copies of maps, I symlinked the mods folder from my regular DCS install and the server runs nicely.

If you had the full client installation and need to run a server from the same machine, make another installation is completely wasting of resources.
You have to start an instance of your client acting like a server, that's it. You don't have to install dedicated modular server to do that.

[PickRelated]

How do I load scripts with this server?

On my normal DCS from steam I put a script into <saved-games>/DCS/Scripts/Inject/<my-module>/init.lua and it worked. With the dedicated server it does not. Am I doing something wrong?

[Maverick87Shaka]

what scripts are you trying to load?
Normally when hosting server, all scripts must be contained in the .miz file.

 

[PickRelated]

39 minutes ago, Maverick87Shaka said:

what scripts are you trying to load?
Normally when hosting server, all scripts must be contained in the .miz file.

 

They don't have to be. There is a ton of scripts outside of your .miz file. You can take a look at the Scripts directory both in your game folder and in saved games folder.

In any case I am answering my own question. I forgot to install the injector script into Hooks directory. That is the script responsible for loading scripts in the Inject directory.

[Phoenix FR]

What is the command to install the Kola map on the server ?

[HawaiianRyan]

5 minutes ago, Phoenix FR said:

What is the command to install the Kola map on the server ?

.\bin\DCS_updater.exe install KOLA_terrain

[Phoenix FR]

4 minutes ago, HawaiianRyan said:

.\bin\DCS_updater.exe install KOLA_terrain

Thx.

[pixie]

thx too !

 

 

[BIGNEWY]

first post edited 

added 

KOLA_terrain

[HC_Official]

thanks for the updated info Bignewy      damn tho   71Gig for Kola on a dedicated server yikes!

[TWC_Alamo]

When I try running ".\bin\DCS_updater.exe update "@dcs_server", I receive a message from DCS Updater 2.16.3.18 --->(BIG RED X) "404 Not Found".   Is something broke with the update from the old OpenBeta Dedicated Server to the New Modular Dedicated Server?

Is there a way to tell which version of the dedicated server is installed?  I'm trying to help a friend with his server and he is not sure which version he has installed?

[TWC_Alamo]

I've tried updating on two different DCS Openbeta Servers to the new modular DCS Server with the same resulting 404 ERROR.  

Here is the logfile that results when I try running the command:  ".\bin\DCS_updater.exe update "@dcs_server".

================================================================================================

00000.373 --- Log file: C:\Users\REDROC~1\AppData\Local\Temp\DCS.openbeta_server\autoupdate_templog.txt
00000.000 === Log opened UTC 2024-05-13 14:48:35
00000.037 INFO : DCS_Updater/2.16.3.18 (Windows NT 10.0.19045; Win64; en-US)
00000.037 INFO : src-id: f697eb0b6959f621dddfde672932cdb00d183f23, lib-id: b88ea51ae2210987a3865f77cc1802548216d7a8
00000.038 INFO : cmdline: .\bin\DCS_updater.exe  update "@dcs_server"
00000.354 STATUS: Initializing...
00000.357 INFO : basedir: C:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta Server
00000.362 INFO : variant: openbeta_server
00000.367 INFO : DCS/2.9.4.53990 (x86_64; EN;  DEDICATED_SERVER,SINAIMAP_terrain,KOLA_terrain)
00000.367 INFO : branch: openbeta
00000.376 STATUS: Checking for updates...
00001.441 ERROR: www.digitalcombatsimulator.com replied HTTP 404 Not Found
00001.444 STATUS: 404 Not Found
00242.756 === Log closed.

==============================================================================================

Is this function broken or is it me?

[BIGNEWY]

edited the typo in the first post 

It should be 

dcs_server.release

[TWC_Alamo]

Thanks BigNewy!

 I can't believe that I'm the first person to uncover this problem or had something changed since the original post?

[TWC_Alamo]

Interestingly enough, when I updated the old OpenBeta Server to the "new" Modular server, the Mods folder shrank from 367GB to @267GB.  That is with all terrain maps installed.  IMO, it is worth doing the update just to reclaim a 100GB of SSD space.  Well done ED. 

Now if we could just have multi-threading.

[zildac]

I'd love to see a Linux version, without the need for any containerisarion via Docker or similar.

[Hootman9104]

A couple of questions on the server install:

1. I have two folders that reference the server

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World Server
C:\Users\Mike\Saved Games\DCS.server

What is the purpose of Saved Games\DCS.server? I see that It has about 10 folders. I also have the Liberation generator installed, and I see that Liberation created it's own folder in there and that appears to be where my "next turn" .miz files go. Is this a folder created by Liberation, or just an additional folder installed with the server installation? Just wondering.

2. (More important question) I run my server on the same PC as game. When I launch my server, run the GUI, load my mission and ensure it's running, and then go to multiplayer in-game, I am presented with 3 MP server options for the one I started. The differences are:
192.168.1.103:10308 (Ping 1)
127.0.0.1:10308 (Ping 1)
71.206.155.132.10308 (Ping 3)

71.206.155.132.10308 is the one shown in the GUI, and I realize that's the "public" server and others probably can't even see the other two.

So, which server should I join to ensure the best running of the mission, and hopefully eliminate "freezing" or "crashing"? I'm sure it's probably one of the internal ones?
 

[Maverick87Shaka]

25 minutes ago, Hootman9104 said:

A couple of questions on the server install:

1. I have two folders that reference the server

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World Server
C:\Users\Mike\Saved Games\DCS.server

What is the purpose of Saved Games\DCS.server? I see that It has about 10 folders. I also have the Liberation generator installed, and I see that Liberation created it's own folder in there and that appears to be where my "next turn" .miz files go. Is this a folder created by Liberation, or just an additional folder installed with the server installation? Just wondering.

DCS.server folder inside Saved Games is created by DCS itself and not by liberation. It's used as "working directory", all the logs for that server instance will be placed in there, as well as you can put custom code, .lua scripts etc, that the server will load.
 

25 minutes ago, Hootman9104 said:

2. (More important question) I run my server on the same PC as game. When I launch my server, run the GUI, load my mission and ensure it's running, and then go to multiplayer in-game, I am presented with 3 MP server options for the one I started. The differences are:

192.168.1.103:10308 (Ping 1)
127.0.0.1:10308 (Ping 1)
71.206.155.132.10308 (Ping 3)

71.206.155.132.10308 is the one shown in the GUI, and I realize that's the "public" server and others probably can't even see the other two.

So, which server should I join to ensure the best running of the mission, and hopefully eliminate "freezing" or "crashing"? I'm sure it's probably one of the internal ones?
 

 

 

For your personal best performance you can pick up 127.0.0.1