🧰️ pzsvrtool

Did you...

• thought that running a docker on that expensive VPS is so wasting on your already limited paid resources?
• suddenly thought of doing a shutdown on the current restart countdown so you can apply some quick changes?
• saw those huge backup zip files, thinking it did be nice to be smaller so you can have more on your already limited resources?
• Tried VPS with virtualization securities that prohibit you from using some PZ tools because it uses some fancy ways to detach and attach PZ?
• get annoyed that some PZ tools doesn't restart because it couldn't detect unlisted mods updates, mods that you don't want others to use?
• get annoyed that your scheduled restart occur right after a mod update restart?
• hate it that when you try to update Zomboid but some PZ tools don't help you backup nor restore the previous modified .json or start-server.sh?

Well, I do and I waited but these tools never get updated so I made my own, much easier and cleaner. All in all, pzsvrtool is made by server owner for server owners.

🐧 Supported Platforms

Tested on Almalinux 9.5. Theorically the scripts should work in all linux enviroments as long the followings are met

Dependencies

Should come installed with linux but just incase

• bash
• procps
• findutils
• coreutils
• gawk
• util-linux
• tar

Need to install

• wget
• lz4
• python3
• python3-psutil
• python3-bcrypt, dnf requires epel-release repo to install
• sqlite or sqlite3
• tmux
• SteamCMD dpendency varies slightly on distro. On apt is lib32gcc-s1. On dnf is glibc.i686. I don't know about pacman or swupd.

🧐 General usage

The scripts should provide all basics you need to run a linux PZ server.

• If you need to do scheduled restart, you can add pzsvrtool restart --backupgrace 120 to crontab schedule
• If you want to periodically check mod updates, you can add pzsvrtool checkmodupdate to crontab schedule

✅ Features

• Able to detect unlisted mod update
• Always running unless explicitly shutdown
• Compresed backup with up to 10x smaller than PZ zip, highly recommended to disable PZ backup
• Bootloop detection to prevent unnecessary compressed backups thus data losses due to backup limits
• Console that looks like the real deal while able to scroll with page up, page down, arrow up and arrow down
• Countdown for restart and shutdown
• Unnecessary scheduled restart prevention option
• Reliable linux utilities used to run PZ in background
• Kick players before restart or shutdown to minimize data loss from PZ poor saving mechanic
• Numerous checks to prevent multiple PZ instances
• Change user password
• Reset zombie population
• Auto backup start-server-sh and ProjectZomboidXX.json when updating PZ with option to auto revert them
• Supports discord webhook to be informed of bootup, shutdown, backup, restart, bootloop and checkmodsneedupdate status

❤️ Support the work

I pretty much made this for a community server of mine which is totally community funded. If it went dead then I don't see a point in maintaining the script as well.

💻 Installations

For Fedora / RHEL / Rocky Linux / AlmaLinux, download RPM and run sudo dnf install <rpm file name> then run sudo dnf install python3-bcrypt python3-aiohttp glibc.i686, accept key if asked.

For Debian / Ubuntu, download DEB and place it in /tmp then run sudo apt-get install /tmp/<deb file name>.

You are not allowed to run this as root so do sudo useradd --create-home --shell /bin/bash <username> and sudo passwd <username> to set password. Do sudo -i -u <username> to quick switch from root to target user. In the new user account, do pzsvrtool install to install then pzsvrtool start to launch your server.

📄 Commands

Usage: pzsvrtool <command> <arg> <options>
Commands list
install <flags>                           Install or update steam and Project Zomboid
      -j or --json                        Backup and restore the previous ProjectZomboidXX.json
      -s or --startserver                 Backup and restore the previous startserver.sh
start                                     Start the server
restart <arg> <option>                    Restart the server
      -t or --time <minutes>              Custom countdown time in minutes
      -b or --backupgrace <minutes>       Skip restart if compressed backup made in past X minutes, useful for crontab schedule
cancelrestart                             Cancel restarting the server
quit <arg> <option>                       Shutdown the server
      -t or --time <minutes>              Custom countdown time in minutes
cancelquit                                Cancel shutting down the server
console <flags>                           Open console to the log and commandline to server if any
      -c or --chatonly                    Show only game chats
consoleold                                Read-only console, if the modern console doesn't work for you
checkmodupdate                            Check and restart on mod update, useful for crontab schedule
message <message>                         Send admin message, useful for crontab schedule
command <command>                         Send any commands, useful for crontab schedule
updateusrpw <username> <new password>     Change user's password
backupnow                                 Backup Project Zomboid saves
resetzpop                                 Reset Project Zomboid zombie population
kill                                      Kill all zomboid server process
reconfig                                  Reconfigure settings

📂 Directories

/<home>/Zomboid         Where your PZ saves, backup, server settings are at. pzsvrtool will save its compressed backups at the backup folder.
/<home>/pzserver        PZ server software itself where you find ProjectZomboid64.json and start-server.sh
/<home>/pzsvrtool       Where you can find pzsvrtool config and hidden var file, should you want to edit your backup limit or server names etc.
/<home>/steam           SteamCMD folder where the mods are at

Check out my other useful guide!

Project Zomboid Steam Guide > Linux Server: Java, Garbage Collector and Memory

Project Zomboid Steam Guide > Linux Server: Firewall