Dayz Server Linux - Service For Restart Cycle

[Ivan Connor 5]

After installing steamcmd and the DayZ server on Linux, the restart cycle can be configured through a server shutdown time in messages.xml.
To restart the DayZ server software automatically after a timed shutdown a Linux service is needed.
This is a systemd configuration file of a DayZ Service on a Linux Server. The DayZServer startup command itself is pretty much the same, as always.
The nice value is set to -19, so that the OS treats the DayZ service with the highest priority possible. In this thread I will describe controlling the service and other details.

File Name And Path:
/lib/systemd/system/dayz-server.service

Content Of The File:
[Unit]
Description=DayZ Dedicated Server
Wants=network-online.target
After=syslog.target network.target nss-lookup.target network-online.target
StartLimitIntervalSec=600
StartLimitBurst=3

[Service]
Type=exec
ExecStartPre=/home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/update.sh
ExecStart=/home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/DayZServer "-mod=3364216187;3038576574;2832884779;2602208478;2950097655;1646187754;" "-serverMod=2472500243" -cpuCount=8 -BEpath=battleye -profiles=profiles -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -dologs
WorkingDirectory=/home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/
LimitNOFILE=100000
ExecReload=/bin/kill -s HUP $MAINPID
ExecStop=/bin/kill -s INT $MAINPID
User=dayzserver
Group=dayzserver
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10s
TimeoutSec=600s
Nice=-19

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

[Ivan Connor 5]

The commands to control the DayZ systemd service are as follows:

"systemctl enable dayz-server" -> Enables and installs the service

"systemctl stop dayz-server" -> Stops the DayZ Server
"systemctl start dayz-server" -> Starts the DayZ Server

"systemctl daemon-reload" -> Reloads the service configuration after changes, like when adding mods
"systemctl reset-failed" -> Resets the "failed" counter when there's a prob and max retries were reached

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The systemd service configuration also has a "ExecStartPre" parameter, which can be used to execute a script before service startup.

It can be used to backup the world and to check for server and mod updates. Note: The scripts have to be executable or service startup will fail without a specific error.

Here are examples for two shell scripts to backup the world (and delete old logfiles) and to check for updates.

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Script Name: update.sh

Content:

#!/bin/bash

# backup dz mission & gameworld

min=$(date "+%Y%m%d_%H%M%S");

# Create Dirs

mkdir -p /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/$min

mkdir -p /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/$min/logs

cp -r /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/mpmissions/dayzOffline.sakhal /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/$min

# delete world backups older than a week

find /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/* -mtime +7 -exec rm -rf {} \;

# backup dz server log files

cp /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/profiles/* /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/$min/logs

#cp /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/profiles/VPPAdminTools/Logging/* /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/$min/logs

#cp -r /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/profiles/CodeLock/Logs/* /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/$min/logs

# delete dz server log files

rm -f /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/profiles/*.log

rm -f /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/profiles/*.RPT

rm -f /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/profiles/*.mdmp

#rm -f /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/profiles/VPPAdminTools/Logging/*.txt

#find /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/profiles/CodeLock/Logs -maxdepth 1 -mindepth 1 -mtime +1 -exec rm -f {} \;

# Make Tarball Of DZ Backup Dir

tar -czvf /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/$min.tar.gz /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/$min

# Delete Backup Dir

rm -rf /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/$min

# Make Tarball Of Full Server

#tar -czvf /home/dayzserver/BACKUP_WORLD/dayzserver_20240506.tar.gz /home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server

#check for dz server and mod updates

/home/dayzserver/servers/exp-dayz-server/update_mods.sh

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As one can see, the last line calls the script that checks for updates. When I am working on the server I often deactivate it with a comment # because the update checks take some time.

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Script Name: update_mods.sh

Content:

#!/bin/bash

#check for server update

/home/dayzserver/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/ +login YourSteamUser +app_update 223350 +quit

#check for mods update

/home/dayzserver/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/ +login YourSteamUser +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 3467647389 +quit

/home/dayzserver/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/ +login YourSteamUser +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 1646187754 +quit

/home/dayzserver/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/ +login YourSteamUser +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 2950097655 +quit

/home/dayzserver/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/ +login YourSteamUser +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 2602208478 +quit

/home/dayzserver/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/ +login YourSteamUser +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 2832884779 +quit

/home/dayzserver/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/ +login YourSteamUser +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 3038576574 +quit

/home/dayzserver/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/ +login YourSteamUser +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 3364216187 +quit

/home/dayzserver/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dayzserver/servers/dayz-server/ +login YourSteamUser +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 2472500243 +quit

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Note: I use a 2nd Steam account with another copy of DayZ for the server to avoid authorization issues.

Edited April 22 by Ivan Connor