Understanding the Control Panel (Build 41)

Navigating the Rivix Control Panel

The Rivix control panel provides a comprehensive set of tools to manage your Project Zomboid server. This guide will help you understand the key features and how to use them effectively.

Dashboard Overview

When you first log in to your control panel at panel.rivixservers.com, you'll see the main dashboard with these key elements:

• Server Status Indicator - A colored dot (green for online, red for offline, yellow for starting) shows your server status at a glance
• Quick Actions Panel - Prominently displayed Start, Stop, and Restart buttons for immediate server control
• Resource Usage Graphs - Real-time monitoring of CPU, RAM, and disk usage with historical data
• Server Information Box - Your server's IP address, port, and other connection details that you can easily copy with one click
• Navigation Sidebar - Quick access to all control panel features including File Manager, Console, and Settings
• Recent Activity Log - Shows recent actions and events on your server

Server Control

The server control section allows you to manage the basic operation of your server:

• Start Server - The green play button launches your Project Zomboid server. Initial startup may take 1-2 minutes as the world loads.
• Stop Server - The red stop button safely shuts down the server, ensuring all world data and player inventories are saved properly.
• Restart Server - The yellow restart button performs a complete restart of the server, which is useful after configuration changes.
• Force Stop - The emergency stop button (with warning icon) should only be used if the server is unresponsive. This may cause data loss, so use with caution.

Always use the regular Stop button when possible to ensure all player data is saved properly. The Rivix panel will show a confirmation dialog for potentially destructive actions like Force Stop to prevent accidents.

Configuration Files

The Rivix File Manager gives you easy access to all server settings files with a built-in editor:

To access your configuration files:

1. Click on "File Manager" in the left sidebar
2. Navigate to the "Zomboid/Server" directory
3. Click on any file to open it in the built-in editor

Key configuration files include:

• server-settings.ini - Basic server configuration including:
  • ServerName - Your server's name in the browser
  • ServerPassword - Password protection for your server
  • PublicServer - Whether your server appears in the public list
  • MaxPlayers - Maximum number of concurrent players
• servertest.ini - Detailed gameplay settings including:
  • Zombie population and behavior
  • Loot rarity and respawn
  • Day length and season settings
  • Safe house and PvP rules
• spawnregions.lua - Custom spawn point configuration for new players
• sandbox-options.ini - Additional gameplay customization options

After making changes to configuration files, click the "Save" button in the editor and restart your server for the changes to take effect. The Rivix editor will highlight syntax errors to help prevent configuration mistakes.

File Manager

The Rivix File Manager provides a comprehensive interface for managing all your server files:

Key features of the Rivix File Manager include:

• Drag-and-Drop Uploads - Simply drag files from your computer directly into the browser
• Multi-File Selection - Select multiple files for batch operations
• Search Function - Quickly find files by name
• Permission Management - View and modify file permissions when needed
• Archive Handling - Extract or create ZIP archives directly in the browser

Important directories to know:

• Zomboid/Server/Saves - Contains your world save files
• Zomboid/mods - Location for custom mod files
• Zomboid/Server/db - Player database and whitelist information
• logs - Server logs for troubleshooting
• backups - Access to your automated and manual backups

The Rivix File Manager includes built-in editors for text files, INI files, and Lua scripts, making it easy to modify your server configuration without downloading files. For larger files like world saves, use the download and upload functions.

Backup System

The Rivix backup system provides comprehensive protection for your server data:

To access the backup system:

1. Click on "Backups" in the left sidebar
2. View your existing backups and backup schedule
3. Use the "Create Backup" button for manual backups

Key backup features include:

• Automated Backups - Configure daily, weekly, or custom schedule backups that run automatically
• Retention Policies - Set how many backups to keep (e.g., keep 7 daily backups, 4 weekly backups)
• Manual Backups - Create on-demand backups before making significant changes
• One-Click Restore - Roll back to previous server states with a single click
• Selective Restore - Choose to restore only specific files or directories
• Download Backups - Save backup archives to your local computer for extra safety
• Backup Naming - Add custom descriptions to your manual backups for easy identification

Rivix automatically creates a backup before major server updates for additional safety. We recommend keeping at least 7 days of backups at all times to prevent data loss. The backup system is optimized to minimize server performance impact during backup creation.

Console

The Rivix Console provides real-time access to your server's command line with enhanced features:

To access the console:

1. Click on "Console" in the left sidebar
2. View the real-time server output in the main window
3. Enter commands in the input field at the bottom

Exclusive Rivix Console features:

• Live Output - See server messages as they happen with automatic scrolling
• Command History - Access previously used commands with up/down arrows
• Command Autocomplete - Press Tab to autocomplete common commands
• Quick Commands - Buttons for common actions like listing players or saving
• Log Search - Search through console output to find specific messages
• Log Filtering - Filter console output by type (info, warning, error)

Common Project Zomboid server commands:

• players - List all connected players
• kickuser "username" - Remove a player from the server
• banuser "username" - Ban a player from the server
• unbanuser "username" - Remove a player from the ban list
• adduser "username" - Add a player to the whitelist
• removeuser "username" - Remove a player from the whitelist
• save - Force an immediate world save
• servermsg "message" - Send a message to all connected players
• quit - Save and shut down the server

The Rivix Console maintains a scrollback buffer of 1000 lines and automatically saves console logs for later reference. You can access historical console logs through the File Manager in the logs directory.

Scheduled Tasks

The Rivix Scheduler allows you to automate server management tasks:

To access the scheduler:

1. Click on "Scheduler" in the left sidebar
2. View existing scheduled tasks
3. Click "New Task" to create a new scheduled task

Types of tasks you can schedule:

• Server Restarts - Schedule regular server restarts for optimal performance
  • Daily restarts at low-traffic times (recommended)
  • Configure countdown warnings to notify players
  • Set custom restart messages
• Server Announcements - Configure automated server messages
  • Welcome messages for new players
  • Regular server rule reminders
  • Community event announcements
• Backups - Schedule regular data backups
  • Daily, weekly, or custom schedule
  • Configure retention policies
  • Set backup descriptions
• Custom Commands - Schedule any console command to run automatically
  • World saves at specific intervals
  • Custom scripts or actions
  • Maintenance tasks

Rivix recommends setting up daily server restarts (every 24 hours) during low-traffic periods for optimal performance. Project Zomboid servers benefit significantly from regular restarts to clear memory and prevent potential issues. The scheduler allows you to configure countdown notifications to warn players before restarts occur.

Rivix-Exclusive Features

The Rivix control panel includes several exclusive features designed specifically for Project Zomboid servers:

• One-Click Workshop Mod Installation - Install Steam Workshop mods directly from the control panel
• Server Performance Optimizer - Automatically adjust server settings based on your hardware allocation
• Player Statistics - View detailed player activity and server population graphs
• Map Renderer - Generate and view maps of your current world
• Discord Integration - Connect your Discord server for notifications and player management

Mobile App Access

The Rivix control panel is fully responsive and works on mobile devices, allowing you to manage your server from anywhere:

• Start, stop, or restart your server from your phone
• View server status and player count
• Receive notifications for important server events
• Access the console to run commands remotely

Need Help?

If you need assistance with the Rivix control panel, our support team is available 24/7:

• Contact our support team through the support ticket system
• Join our Discord server for community support and tips
• Check our Knowledge Base for additional guides and tutorials
• Use the live chat feature in the bottom-right corner of the control panel for immediate assistance