Panel/docs/features/XML_SYSTEM.md

XML Game Configuration System

Purpose

The XML game configuration system describes how a game server should be started, queried, and customized.

Primary files:

• Panel/modules/config_games/schema_server_config.xml
• Panel/modules/config_games/server_config_parser.php
• Panel/modules/config_games/xml_config_creator.php
• Panel/modules/config_games/config_servers.php
• Panel/modules/config_games/cli-params.php
• Panel/modules/config_games/set_params.php

What XML Controls

The schema supports:

• game and installer names
• startup command templates
• CLI parameter substitution
• reserved ports
• query port calculation
• control protocol selection
• mod definitions
• custom fields
• server parameter groups
• text replacement helpers

Important Variables

The schema and startup builder can work with variables such as:

• GAME_TYPE
• HOSTNAME
• IP
• MAP
• PID_FILE
• PLAYERS
• PORT
• QUERY_PORT
• BASE_PATH
• HOME_PATH
• SAVE_PATH
• OUTPUT_PATH
• USER_PATH
• CONTROL_PASSWORD

Startup Parameters

The Panel builds startup parameters from the XML template and the stored server configuration.

Key concepts:

• cli_template
• cli_params
• reserve_ports
• server_params
• custom_fields
• clean_server_param_value

The XML file defines:

• which parameters exist
• how they are quoted or spaced
• whether the parameter is editable by the customer
• what defaults should be used

Query Definitions

The XML schema supports query-related concepts such as:

• gameq
• lgsl
• teamspeak3
• query port offset calculations
• control protocol selection

These values are used by gamemanager and the agent status logic to calculate query metadata, not to decide online/offline by themselves.

Installation and File Editing

XML definitions also feed:

• config file shortcuts
• install-time behavior
• docs links
• reserved ports
• mod or content behavior

Recommended Mental Model

Think of the XML system as the capability definition layer:

game XML
  -> startup template
  -> parameter rules
  -> query rules
  -> content/mod hooks
  -> docs links
  -> scheduler and status hints