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I've noticed that the last couple of TF2 updates have erased our tf/addons/metamod.vdf file from all of our TF2 servers. Any reason why?

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Metamod:Source can't be loaded both from gameinfo.txt and metamod.vdf, or the server might crash. Our autoinstaller goes with the gameinfo.txt method, and the server repair script (also used for upgrades) deletes metamod.vdf, since customers often upload it when modifying their installation later.

I'll look into changing the script to only delete metamod.vdf if gameinfo.txt does not reference MM:S. I do recommend using the autoinstaller, though -- there's no real reason to install it by hand.

We do modify our SourceMod installation. We keep an offline version of all of our servers, do any testing and scripting we need then synchronize with the online server. We've never used the auto-installers for that reason. This is a minor issue really, but is there a way to force the use of metamod.vdf over gamedata.txt; gamedata.txt won't even be used if we don't use the auto-installer right? In the future at least I'll know what to look for if our servers start crashing.

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There's no real reason (in both mine and Mycologist's case) to delete the metamod.vdf file.

I actually run a modified version of SourceMod, and I'm getting sick of having my servers start up without plugins each time there's an update. It just gives me another reason to go unmanaged.

I'd also like to add to my post above (correct me if I'm wrong), that each time TF2 updates, gameinfo.txt gets replaced (which is why I use metamod.vdf). Having to reupload the file across the 14 servers I run doesn't make my life any easier.

Normally that file is not replaced in a TF2 update. Very rarely will there ever be changes to that file that require it to be replaced.

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TimeX

Pro, please read my post on why it is being replaced and what I plan to do about it.

We've never replaced gameinfo.txt with a game update. If you use the gameinfo.txt method of loading MM:S, as our autoinstaller does, you won't need to mess around with gameinfo.txt or metamod.vdf after a game update. This would be considered an officially supported configuration.

Today's update erased them again. Since our servers are basically useless if metamod.vdf is deleted, how can we use gameinfo.txt so this doesn't happen again? I hadn't heard of this method until you brought it up here and I can't seem to find information online about it.

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They explain it here, but I'm not sure if this will work on the Orangebox engine still:

http://wiki.alliedmods.net/Installing_Metamod:Source

Your best option would just be to use our autoinstaller, and then upload your own binaries if needed.

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TimeX

If i did this, what files could i expect to get overwritten in time? Meaning, if there's a Sourcemod update, will the autoinstaller cause an update automatically? If that's the case, I would rather deal with missing metamod.vdf files.

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The autoinstaller does not auto-upgrade. It is a one-shot thing.

Happened again tonight. Since our servers are full most of the time, I don't really want to erase all of our files, use an autoinstaller, then erase those files and replace them with ours.

I still don't understand why after serveral years it has become an issue in the last month.

I think i'll create a vanilla server, use the autoinstaller and monitor what changes it makes and try to replicate them.

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Mycologist, you're making this out to be far harder than it needs to be. Here's all you need to do.

1. Go to the "Autoinstallers" page for the server.
2. Under "Metamod:Source", click "Re-install/upgrade Metamod:Source now".

That's it. You don't need to delete your files first. All it will do is fix your gameinfo.txt and copy over the MM:S .dll -- a single file. You only have to do this once, and it will be good for all time.

Again, I will also be looking into changing the way that the updates are applied. I have not yet had time to do this yet. Valve's daily update schedule has made this more obvious.

Ok, so I tried this to one of our servers the other day.

Then tonight's update rolls out. The server that uses metamod.vdf has the usual issue of the file deletion and MM & SM disabled. The other server, where I used the autoinstaller, and deleted metamod.vdf manually, just hung offline until I restarted it.

So 2 broken servers with different issues.

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There were no problems with the gameinfo.txt on other servers that I can see. We run a LOT of TF2 servers with MM:S and Sourcemod under that method.