dztui/docs/dzgui.adoc

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= DZGUI documentation
DayZ official/community server graphical launcher for Linux | Last updated: {d}

Click https://aclist.github.io/dzgui/dzgui_dark.html[here] for dark mode

== What this is
A GUI version of https://github.com/aclist/dztui[DZTUI] for Linux. 
Used to list official and community server details and quick connect to preferred servers 
by staging mods and concatenating launch options automatically. 

Development on DZTUI (terminal client) has stopped at this time. 
Instead, DZGUI brings numerous functionality and security improvements and is intended to be a more user-friendly, 
turnkey solution for graphical desktop environments, and can also be used on the Steam Deck or similar devices.

== Setup
=== Dependencies
If not already installed, the below can be found in your system's package manager. 

If any dependencies are missing when the application starts, it will warn you, so you need not take any preemptive measures here.

- `curl` 
- `jq`
- `zenity`
- `steam`
- `wmctrl` or `xdotool`

=== Preparation
. **Download DZGUI and make it executable:**

Automatic method: generic OS (skip to step 3 below when complete)

```
curl -s "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aclist/dztui/main/install.sh" | bash
```

Automatic method: nix-based systems (contributed by lelgenio)

Follow the instructions at https://github.com/lelgenio/dzgui-nix to ingest the package and dependencies
into your system using flakes. 

Manual method

```
git clone https://github.com/aclist/dztui.git
chmod +x dzgui.sh
```

'''
[start=2]
. **Update the `vm.max_map_count` value (see https://www.protondb.com/app/221100)**

**Automatic method:**

This is handled automatically by DZGUI if you just choose to run the application out of the box.
You will be prompted for your sudo password in order to check whether the system map count is too small.
This is a one-time check that will not be triggered again once the map count is updated.
If you used the automatic method, you can skip to Step 3 below.

[NOTE]
The map count check prompts for a sudo password. If you are using a Steam Deck, this check is not necessary.

This process writes the count to the file `/etc/sysctl.d/dayz.conf`. 

If the map count was lower than the threshold, it is updated to 1048576. 
If the system map count was already higher, that value is interpolated into this file as a redundancy check.

[NOTE]
If, for reasons unrelated to DayZ, you choose at a later time to raise your system map count higher than it originally was and
you find that the count is not sticking, check for the presence of the `dayz.conf` file to see if it is taking precedence and delete it accordingly.

**Ephemeral method:**
the map count will revert after the system is rebooted.

```
sudo sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=1048576
```

**Persistent method:**
```
echo 'vm.max_map_count=1048576' | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/dayz.conf
```

[start=3]
. **Prepare a Steam account with a DayZ license**
. **Enable a Proton version ≥ `6.8` (or use Experimental) in the `Compatibility` field of the game's right-click options.**

=== API key & server IDs
==== BattleMetrics API key
1. Register for an API key at https://www.battlemetrics.com/account/register?after=%2Fdevelopers[BattleMetrics] (free)
2. From the **Personal Access Tokens** area, Select **New Token**
3. Give the token any name in the field at the top
4. Leave all options **unchecked** and scroll to the bottom, select **Create Token**
5. Copy the access token for later use (see below). This is the unique token you will use to query servers.

==== Steam API key
1. Register for a https://steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey[Steam API key] (free) using your Steam account. You will be asked for a unique URL for your app when registering. 
2. Since this key is for a personal use application and does not actually call back anywhere, set a generic local identifier here like "127.0.0.1" or some other name that is meaningful to you.
3. Once configured, you can insert this key in the app when launching it for the first time.

=== First-time launch

0. It is always advised to have Steam running in the background. DZGUI is meant to run "on top of" Steam.

1. DZGUI can be launched one of two ways. 

**From the terminal:**

```
./dzgui.sh
```

Launching from the terminal gives more verbose information in the event of a crash, 
and can be a good way of troubleshooting problems.

**From the shortcut shipped with the application** (if using a desktop environment based on the Freedesktop specification):

- Located under the "Games" category of your system's applications list.
- Via the DZGUI desktop shortcut (Steam Deck only)

[start=2]
2. Follow the menu prompts given by the app. You will be asked to provide:

- Player name (a generic handle, required by some servers)
- BM API key (see above)
- Steam API key

==== Steam path discovery

DZGUI will then attempt to locate your default Steam installation and DayZ path. You *must* have DayZ installed in your Steam library in order to proceed. (It can be installed to any drive of your choosing.)
If DZGUI cannot find Steam or cannot find DayZ installed at the detected Steam path, it will prompt you to manually specify the path to your Steam installation.

Specify the top-level entry point to Steam, not DayZ. E.g.,

`/media/mydrive/Steam`, not `/media/mydrive/Steam/steamapps/common/DayZ`

If your Steam installation is in a hidden folder but the file picker dialog does not show hidden folders, ensure that your GTK settings are set to show hidden files.

For GTK 2, edit the file below so that `ShowHidden=true`:

`~/.config/gtk-2.0/gtkfilechooser.ini`

For GTK 3, invoke the command: 

`gsettings set org.gtk.Settings.FileChooser show-hidden true`

=== Steam integration & artwork 

==== Adding to steam

DZGUI can be added to Steam as a "non-Steam game" in order to facilitate integration with Steam Deck or desktop environments.

1. Launch Steam in the "Large" view. 

[NOTE]
Steam Deck: you must switch to "Desktop Mode" and launch Steam from the desktop.

[start=2]
2. Select **Add a Game** > **Add a Non-Steam Game** from the lower left-hand corner.

image::https://github.com/aclist/dztui/raw/testing/images/tutorial/01.png[01,500]

[start=3]
3. Navigate to `$HOME/.local/share/applications/` and select `dzgui.desktop`
4. Select **Add Selected Programs**.

==== Controller layout

An official controller layout for Steam Deck is available in the Steam community layouts section. Search for "DZGUI Official Config" to download it. Long-press the View button and Select button (☰) to toggle D-pad navigation. This creates an additional layer that lets you navigate through menus using the D-pad and A/B to respectively confirm selections and go back. Remember to toggle this layer off again after launching your game to revert back to the master layer.

==== Artwork

The application also ships with Steam cover artwork. It is located under:

```
$HOME/.local/share/dzgui
```

The artwork consists of four parts:

1. Grid: a vertical "box art" grid used on library pages
2. Hero: a large horizontal banner used on the app's details page
3. Logo: a transparent icon used to remove Steam's default app text
4. dzgui: used by freedesktop shortcut to generate a desktop icon; not intended for the user

Updating the artwork:

1. Navigate to the app's details page and right-click the blank image header at the top.

image::https://github.com/aclist/dztui/raw/testing/images/tutorial/03.png[03,700]

[start=2]
2. Select **Set Custom Background**
3. Select to display All Files from the File type dropdown
4. Navigate to the artwork path described above and select `hero.png`.
5. Next, right-click the image background and select **Set Custom Logo**. 

image::https://github.com/aclist/dztui/raw/testing/images/tutorial/04.png[04,700]

[start=5]
5. Navigate to the same path and select `logo.png`. Notice that this removes the redundant app name that occluded the image.

image::https://github.com/aclist/dztui/raw/testing/images/tutorial/05.png[05,700]

[start=6]
6. Next, navigate to your Library index (looks like a bookshelf of cover art) and find the DZGUI app. 

[start=7]
7. Right-click its cover and select **Manage** > **Set custom artwork**.

image::https://github.com/aclist/dztui/raw/testing/images/tutorial/06.png[06,700]

[start=8]
8. Navigate to the same path and select `grid.png`. The final result:

image::https://github.com/aclist/dztui/raw/testing/images/tutorial/07.png[07,700]


=== Updating the app
If DZGUI detects a new upstream version, it will prompt you to download it automatically. 
It backs up the original version before fetching the new one, then updates your config file with your existing values. Once finished, it will ask you to relaunch the app.

If you decline to upgrade to the new version, DZGUI will continue to the main menu with the current version.

[NOTE]
New versions may include changes to bugs that could prevent you from playing on certain servers.
Upgrading is always advised.

If you experience a problem or need to restore the prior version of DZGUI and/or your configs, 
it is enough to simply replace the new version with the old one and relaunch the app. 
The files can be found at:

Script:
```
<path to script><script name>.old
```
E.g., if DZGUI is named `dzgui`, in the path `$HOME/bin`, it will be located at
```
$HOME/bin/dzgui.old
```
If launching DZGUI via its system shortcut, the backup file (similarly for log files) will be located under:

```
$HOME/.local/share/dzgui
```

Backup config file:
```
$HOME/.config/dztui/dztuirc.old

```

== Usage
Select from among the <<Menu options>> below.

Connecting to a server consists of fetching metadata for the server IDs you have previously saved/are searching for.

DZGUI will check the server's modset against your local mods. If you are missing any, 
it will prompt you to download them through the Steam Workshop and open a window in the background in the system browser.

Open each link and click Subscribe to schedule these for download. 
[NOTE]
You must be logged into Steam for mod changes to take effect.
It can take some time for the subscribed mods to download and update.

Once all of the mods are downloaded and staged, DZGUI will notify you that it is ready to connect.
The app hands the launch parameters to Steam and exits.

== Menu options

==== Server browser
The server browser retrieves and lists all publicly broadcasting servers (including official ones) in a table.
These servers can be filtered by various parameters in order to display a more granular result.

After a server is selected from the list, the application continues to the mod validation step.

[NOTE]
It is not currently possible to save servers from the full server browser.

===== Filters

[%autowidth]
The server browser exposes the following filters. These options can be combined.

Untick filters to exclude those matches from the returned results. The "All maps" and "Keyword search" filters have special behavior (see below).
You must have a minimum of one filter active to return any results.

|===
|Filter|Usage

|All maps|Return all available map types being served. 
Note: unticking this filter will present a list from which you can select one specific map type (e.g., namalsk)
|Daytime|Include servers with gametime between 0600 and 1659
|Nighttime|Include servers with gametime between 1700 and 0559
|Empty|Include servers with 0 current players
|Full|Include servers at maximum capacity
|Low population|Include servers with fewer than 10 players online
|Non-ASCII titles|Include servers with special symbols, Unicode, or text in the title. 
Note: unticking this filter will also exclude CJK languages, Cyrillic, and other special character sets.
|Keyword|Select this option to filter by server titles matching a specific word or phrase (case insensitive)
|===

===== Table details
After retrieval, the browser presents a table of results with the following parameters.
Due to the density of information, the table will try to render at a minimum of 1920x1080 
on a desktop or at fullscreen on a Steam Deck.

- Total matches/total servers queried
- Total players online on all servers
- Map name
- Server title
- Gametime: the in-game time
- Players: this is zero-padded for sorting purposes
- Max players: this is zero-padded for sorting purposes
- Distance: the physical distance to the server in kilometers, calculated by geolocation
- IP: the IP address and port
- Qport: the query port used to retrieve metadata and rules

==== My servers
Fetches detailed server information on the list of servers saved by <<Add server by ID>>.
Outside of the server browser, this is the main place you interact with DZGUI when choosing a server from your list. These details are:

- **Server**: name of the server, truncated to 50 chars
- **IP/port**: IP address and port in the format `ip:port`
- **Players**: online players, in the format `current/max`
- **Gametime**: in-game time on the 24-hour clock
- **Status**: whether the server is online or not
- **ID**: numerical ID from BattleMetrics, used as a reference when troubleshooting or sharing servers
- **Ping**: round-trip response time from the server

In the event that a server has multiple maps behind different ports, these will all be displayed 
after selecting the initial server.

==== Quick connect to favorite server
Bypasses the server list and quick-connects to a single favorite server specified in advance using the <<Add favorite server>> option.

==== Connect by IP
Instead of relying on server IDs, returns the list of maps behind a given IP.
Provide only the IP; no port is necessary. This returns the server metadata for you to verify before connecting.

If there are multiple maps hosted behind an IP (e.g. different maps on varying ports), the application will list all of them.

==== Recent servers
This feature queries the history file for the last 10 servers connected to by any means
(server browser, favorite servers, connect-by-IP, etc.).

==== Add server by ID
Use the https://www.battlemetrics.com/servers/dayz[BattleMetrics site] to find servers of interest (proximity, player count, rules, etc.)

Each server has a unique ID. This is the string of numbers at the end of the URL. Copy these IDs.
For example, in the URL https://www.battlemetrics.com/servers/dayz/8039514, the ID is `8039514`.

An indefinite number of servers can be added. These will be listed when using the <<My servers>> option.

==== Add (change) favorite server
Prompts you to add/change a favorite server to the config file by ID. The name of the server will be updated in the header of the app. This server is used when selecting the <<Quick connect to favorite server>> option. If a favorite server is already enabled, this option switches to "Change favorite server."

==== Delete server
Prints a list of human-readable servers currently saved, and lets you delete them by selecting one from the list.

==== List installed mods
Prints a scrollable dialog containing all locally-installed mods and their corresponding symlink IDs and directory names.

==== View changelog
Prints the entire changelog up to the current version in-app.

==== Advanced options
If enabled, this menu contains a sub-menu with various advanced features, enumerated below.

===== Toggle branch
Used to toggle the branch to fetch DZGUI from between `stable` and `testing`.
The app ships with the stable branch enabled, with the testing branch being used to elaborate various experimental features.

===== Toggle debug mode
Toggles debug mode, which is used to perform dry-runs and output what parameters would have been used to connect to a server.

===== Generate debug log
Writes a list of your current settings to a local file that can be pasted into bug reports.

===== Toggle auto mod install
This feature is experimental. It attempts to queue the mods requested for download
automatically, rather than prompting the user to subscribe to each one. 

Both `wmctrl` and `xdotool` must be installed to use this feature.

[NOTE]
When using auto mod installation, the mods will not appear as subscribed to in the Steam Workshop.
DZGUI tracks their version internally and will trigger an update if necessary the next time you
attempt to connect.

===== Force update local mods
A convenience function that attempts to redownload all local mods. Can be used in the event of corruption
or file integrity issues. In conjunction with the <<Toggle auto mod install>> feature, this feature is experimental.

==== Help file
Uses xdg-open to open this documentation in the system browser.

==== Report bug
Uses xdg-open to open the https://github.com/aclist/dztui/issues[bug tracker] in the system browser.

==== Forum
Uses xdg-open to open the https://github.com/aclist/dztui/discussions[discussion forum] in the system browser.

== Config file key/value pairs
Under normal usage, these values are populated and toggled automatically in-app. This config file is partially compatible with DZTUI.


[%autowidth]
|===
|Key|Value

|`api_key`|the API key generated at BattleMetrics. See <<Setup>>
|`whitelist`|comma-separated list of server IDs from BattleMetrics; integer-values only
|`fav`|server to display in the `Fav` field and to quick-connect to (must be one only); integer-values only
|`name`|an arbitrary "handle" name used to identify the player on a server (required by some servers)
|`debug`|by default, set to 0; set to `1` to print launch options that would have been run, instead of actually connecting (used for troubleshooting and submitting bug reports)
|`branch`|by default, set to `stable`; set to `testing` to fetch the testing branch
|`seen_news`|stores a hash of the news item last seen by the client. This is used to suppress news messages until a new one is posted
|`term`|the preferred terminal emulator. This key is deprecated.
|`auto_install`|permissible values are 0, 1, and 2. These are set internally depending on if the user enabled auto mod installation
|`staging_dir`|a directory used to stage mods while downloading. This feature is deprecated and is no longer user-configurable
|`default_steam_path`|the path to the default Steam client installation
|`preferred_client`|whether the user prefers native Steam or Flatpak. This value is only set if concurrent installations are found on the system
|===

== Troubleshooting/FAQ

.Mods take a long time to synchronize when subscribing from Workshop
Steam schedules the downloads in the background and processes them as they are subscribed to.
This process is not instantaneous and can take some time.

.Game does not launch through Steam
Check the logs emitted by Steam in the terminal, or in `<steam path>/error.log`.

.Game launches, but throws a "mod missing/check PBO file" error when connecting
In rare cases, the server may be using misconfigured, malformed, or obsolete mods.
This depends on server operators checking their mods for integrity.

.Game and server launches, but when joining the game world, an error occurs
A mod is corrupted or the issue lies with the server. Replace the mods in question and reconnect.

.The game is slow or prone to crashing
DayZ does not manipulate the game itself and does not contribute to/degrade its performance.
If you are experiencing performance degradation, it can be caused by too many mods installed or
by a server-side problem (underpowered server, misconfiguration, etc.) Contract the server administrator
for assistance.

== Hall of fame

This section recognizes users who have gone above and beyond in submitting useful bug reports that helped in tracking down critical issues
or resulted in the elaboration of important features. This list is not exhaustive, and any missing parties are errors of omission, but this does
not diminish the gratitude I have for their contributions.

.bongjutsu

Consistently one of the first to report emergent bugs and provides clear, detailed ways of replicating the issue.

.dj3hac
Provided extensive debug information that was instrumental in solving issues with Flatpak Steam.

.jiriks74
Gives highly relevant information about edge cases, particularly as they concern the Steam beta client, Wayland, desktop environments, and experimental features.

.MatheusLasserr
Consistently provides constructive, straightforward suggestions about UI and readability improvements.

.scandalouss
Tracked down several highly obscure but key bugs in the early development of the application that were breaking discovery of mods.

.StevelDusa
Played a critical role in the elaboration of many of the features we now take for granted by being an early beta tester who not only reported bugs, but 
helped workshop and brainstorm various ideas that turned into QOL features.