Dedicated Server setup issues

[Unzen]

I'm either missing something blatantly obvious, or has the Dedicated Server for ACC had functionality removed in recent times?

I've gone through watching videos online, read the associated PDF guide and got what I believe are the JSON files setup as I need them. I'm trying to run ACC Dedicated Server on a separate PC that will have access for myself and friends to simply practice upon, without interfering with other players lap times, etc.

Whenever the server is run, the text displayed shows none of the settings that I've tried to implement. If I have the files edited in Notepad++, I get a message that they have been accessed by another program and when I click OK, the defaults come back on.

Rather than change a lot of settings in one go, I'm simply changing the server name from the default to something like 'Test Race Server' - but when run, the name reverts back again to the Kunos default.

I've tried the recommended plugin from RaceCentral, but I believe that that is a few years old now and not really relevant. I can however see the server I've created on there when I search under the LAN Servers tab, but nothing when I search online (which I'll guarantee will be down to ACC only utilising the default ports through the router).

I believe that I am editing the correct files, but cannot understand why each and every time they are being written over and back to the defaults again.

Any ideas or suggestions would be most welcome.

Thanks.

[Saffaboy]

I hire a server so don't run one on my own system but whenever there is one error in any command line (missing comma, track spelled wrong, anything really) it automatically reverts to the base settings.

Does your server launch at all? Can you see it in game?

[Unzen]

I did think about hiring one - but the amount of use it will get, I just wanted to have control of one under my desk, so to speak.

The only way I can see the server is via the LAN server search - and that was when using the ACC Dedicated Server UI overlay from RaceCentral. I haven't actually checked if I use Kunos's own dedicated server - if I can see that. However, I can't imagine that I will as no settings are applied to the launch window - they are just all default.

It's the lack of seeing changes being made that completely baffles me. It's a text file effectively - nothing else. Yet somehow and someway, any change gets overwritten, the moment I relaunch the server.

A bit frustrating really when it should be something so simple to implement. Or ideally, be able to create a lobby in-game yourself and password-protect it.

[Wolke]

Where are the server files located ? Are you really sure you edit the right files ? Sometimes its the most obvious we don't see
And maybe its write protection from Antivirus. Create an exception for the steam dir if you haven't already

[Unzen]

Exactly my thinking. I 'assuming' I'm editing the correct files - but it would appear that I'm not.

In a vain attempt to get it working, I've edited the JSON files in all the four following locations, without success.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Assetto Corsa Competizione Dedicated Server\server\cfg\current

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Assetto Corsa Competizione Dedicated Server\server\cfg

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Assetto Corsa Competizione Dedicated Server\cfg\current

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Assetto Corsa Competizione Dedicated Server\cfg

Within each location, there are the following filenames - all plain text, though I'm editing them in Notepad++ to retain format integrity.

I think that the last path 'should' be the correct location - but I'm not 100% sure.

[Maik | TEKKnPLAY]

it is if you run it on your PC, at least there should be some logfiles that would be helpfull.
if not in the folder " in appdata\Local\AC2\Saved\Logs/ as usual for the game Windoof is something...

[FlyingFish]

By default the path is where the accServer.exe is located appended by \cfg
If you start the exe you can actually read on the console if it has found the files.
If it did not find anything you can read :
"Starting server ACC Server (please edit settings.json)"
otherwise you can find a line "Start server <name>" and also FileToStruct cfg/eventrules.json

[Maik | TEKKnPLAY]

maybe this can also Help https://www.assettocorsa.net/forum/index.php?threads/assetto-corsa-competizione-server-creation-tool-guide-simple-and-easy-setup.66844/

[Wolke]

when i see zis c:\Program files ... it may really be some write protection through AntiVirus(or some weird windows recovery stuff) . I usually put steam(and everything else game related too) on another partition or at least another dir- its worth a try, steam has some build-in functionality to move games

Edit: Could be some problem with UAC. Try as admin

[Unzen]

I think I've sorted it - but it's a weird one.

Basically, launching the Assetto Corsa Dedicated Server app from the Steam menu - does not work. It ignores every setting you attempt to change and overwrites them with a default file.

For testing - if you select all the text files within the folder...

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Assetto Corsa Competizione Dedicated Server\server\cfg\current

....and delete them, when run again, the same batch of text files reappears. These mean nothing.

However, manually locate the accserver.exe launcher and run that at the following location...

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Assetto Corsa Competizione Dedicated Server\server

...and it explicitly follows any changes that you have made. Quite why the Steam path isn't pointing to the correct exe, is more than a little strange?

[Unzen]

Just confirmed that the above in indeed correct.

Launching the ACC Dedicated Server from within Steam will NOT work. Run it once when first installed to generate the files and then close it.

If you then make any changes to the JSON config files and manually navigate to the accserver.exe and create a shortcut to point that - that option works fine.

Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions from everyone - looks like we got there in the end!