🧰️ 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

Details

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 epel-release (fedora doesn't need this) and finally 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
      -l or --lib                         Backup and update the game steamclient library using steamcmd
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 and workshop mods
/<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

Check out my other useful guide!

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

Project Zomboid Steam Guide > Linux Server: Firewall