Server Content Application Hooks

Server Content Application Hooks let installed server content manage companion applications such as BEC, Big Brother Bot, Discord bridges, RCON tools, and log watchers as part of the game server lifecycle.

The application files may live wherever the game requires them. GSP lifecycle metadata lives under each server home:

_gsp_content/
  hooks/
  generated/
  runtime/

Category And Hook Metadata

All server content uses the scripted installer workflow.

Server-side Application is a category used for sorting/filtering, plus a startup-hook metadata preset. Any content item with startup-hook metadata enabled writes a JSON hook manifest to:

_gsp_content/hooks/<app>.json

The agents read these manifests during server startup. The actual files for the content item may be installed anywhere the game requires them.

Hook Manifest

{
  "name": "BEC",
  "enabled": true,
  "platform": "windows",
  "working_dir": "bec",
  "start_command": "BEC.exe -f Config.cfg",
  "stop_command": "",
  "start_timing": "before_server",
  "stop_with_server": true,
  "watch": true,
  "critical": true,
  "kill_game_if_app_exits": false,
  "restart_app_if_exits": true,
  "pid_name": "bec",
  "app_name": "BEC.exe",
  "description": "Battleye Extended Controls watchdog for DayZ/Arma servers"
}

Supported platform values are windows, linux, and both. Supported start_timing values are before_server and after_server.

Runtime PID File

Agents write hook runtime PIDs to:

_gsp_content/runtime/server_content.pids

Format:

watchdog|BEC|12345
app|BEC|12346

The main game server watchdog PID is not stored in this file.

Lifecycle

On server start, the agent:

Creates _gsp_content/hooks, _gsp_content/generated, and _gsp_content/runtime.
Reads enabled hook manifests matching the agent platform.
Generates platform-specific hook watchdog scripts.
Starts before_server hooks.
Starts the game server.
Starts after_server hooks.
Cleans up hook watchdogs and apps when the game server exits.

On Panel Stop or Restart, agents kill hook watchdog PIDs first and hook app PIDs second, then continue normal game process and screen/session cleanup.

Legacy `_alsoRun.bat`

Windows _alsoRun.bat support remains for compatibility, but it is deprecated. New companion applications should be installed as Server-side Application content with hook metadata so both Linux and Windows agents can manage them through the same hook contract.

Examples

Ordinary mod install:

Category: Mod
Install script handles download/extract/move
No startup hook metadata

BEC install:

Category: Server-side Application
Install script places BEC files in the required folder
Startup hook metadata writes _gsp_content/hooks/bec.json

Config install:

Category: Config
Install script writes or patches config files
No special install mechanism beyond the scripted installer

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