DayZ Server Utilities

PowerShell utilities for managing DayZ servers. Includes startup scripts with mod management, resource limiting, and an XML configuration merger.

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Utilities

Utility	Purpose	Best For
dayz_server_start.ps1	Basic server startup with mod sorting and auto-restart	Standard deployments
dayz_server_start_cpumemlimit.ps1	Server startup with CPU/RAM/FPS limits and affinity pinning	Resource-constrained hosts
mergexml.ps1	Merge multiple XML config files into one	Consolidating mod configurations

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Requirements

• Windows Server or Windows 10/11
• PowerShell 5.0+
• DayZ Server installed in the same directory or accessible via path
• Mod folders (prefixed with @) in the server root

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dayz_server_start.ps1

Basic server launcher with automatic mod detection, key management, and crash recovery.

What It Does

1. Detects mods — Scans for folders starting with @
2. Sorts by priority — Loads essential mods first (CF, Expansion, etc.)
3. Copies .bikey files — Keeps server keys in sync with mod updates
4. Watches server — Detects crashes and restarts automatically
5. Scheduled restarts — Restarts server on interval (default 3.5 hours)

Configuration

Edit the top of the script:

$ServerExe       = "DayZServer_x64.exe"
$Port            = 2302
$RestartInterval = 3.5                  # Hours
$CpuCount        = 4

$LoadOrderPriority = @{
    "@CF"                       = 0
    "@Community-Online-Tools"   = 1
    # ... add/modify mods here ...
}

$ServerModList = @(
    # "@ServerAdminTools"      # Server-side only mods
)

Usage

.\dayz_server_start.ps1

Runs indefinitely, restarting the server on crash or interval. Press Ctrl+C in the PowerShell window to stop.

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dayz_server_start_cpumemlimit.ps1

Advanced server launcher with strict resource limits and CPU core pinning.

What It Does

Everything dayz_server_start.ps1 does, plus:

1. Caps FPS — Limits server simulation FPS
2. Limits RAM — Sets max memory pool allocation
3. Pins CPU cores — Uses CPU affinity mask to lock the process to specific cores
4. Prevents runaway usage — Keeps resource-heavy mods contained

Configuration

Same as basic script, plus:

$LimitFPS        = 60               # Server simulation FPS cap
$MaxMem          = 4096             # MB (4096 = 4GB, 6144 = 6GB)
$CpuCount        = 4                # Cores to optimize for

$CpuAffinityMask = 15               # Bitmask for cores
# 1  = Core 0 only
# 3  = Cores 0, 1
# 15 = Cores 0, 1, 2, 3
# 63 = Cores 0-5

Usage

.\dayz_server_start_cpumemlimit.ps1

Same as basic script, but with resource constraints applied at startup.

CPU Affinity Reference

Calculate your mask based on available cores:

Cores desired | Mask
-----------+------
1           | 1
2           | 3
3           | 7
4           | 15
5           | 31
6           | 63
8           | 255

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mergexml.ps1

Combines multiple XML files (typically DayZ configuration files from mods) into a single consolidated file.

What It Does

1. Finds all .xml files in the current directory
2. Uses first file as base — Keeps its root structure
3. Appends nodes from others — Imports child elements from each subsequent file
4. Outputs types_MERGED.xml — New consolidated file
5. Progress tracking — Shows merge status and node counts

When to Use

• Merging custom types.xml files from multiple mods
• Consolidating mod configuration XMLs
• Preparing files for server config deployment

Usage

# Place all XML files to merge in a folder
# Run from that folder:
.\mergexml.ps1

Creates types_MERGED.xml in the same directory.

Example Output

--------------------------------------------------
XML MERGE TOOL v2.0
--------------------------------------------------
[INIT] Found 5 files to process:
   - types_base.xml
   - types_expansion.xml
   - types_custom.xml
   - types_vehicles.xml
   - types_items.xml

[STEP 1] Loading base file: types_base.xml
   > Base loaded successfully. Root element: <types>
   > Initial node count: 1200

[STEP 2] Starting merge process...
   + Reading file: types_expansion.xml -> Appended 340 nodes.
   + Reading file: types_custom.xml -> Appended 85 nodes.
   ...

[STEP 3] Saving output...
SUCCESS!
--------------------------------------------------
Total Files Merged : 5
Final Node Count   : 1847
Output File        : types_MERGED.xml

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Common Workflow

Setting Up a Fresh Server

1. Place server files and mods in a directory
2. Edit dayz_server_start.ps1 with your config
3. Run the script:

   .\dayz_server_start.ps1

With Resource Limits

1. Use dayz_server_start_cpumemlimit.ps1 instead
2. Set $CpuAffinityMask based on available cores
3. Adjust $MaxMem and $LimitFPS as needed
4. Run the script

Merging Mod Configs

1. Collect all mod types.xml files
2. Put them in a folder with mergexml.ps1
3. Run the script
4. Use types_MERGED.xml in your server config

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Troubleshooting

Server won't start

• Check that DayZServer_x64.exe exists in the script directory
• Verify the path in $ServerExe matches your installation
• Check Event Viewer for system-level errors

Mods not loading

• Ensure mod folders start with @
• Check load order priorities match your mods
• Look for .bikey files in the keys/ folder

CPU/Memory limits not working

• Some systems don't allow ProcessorAffinity changes
• Try running PowerShell as Administrator
• Check Windows Task Scheduler affinity settings

mergexml.ps1 fails

• Ensure you have at least 2 XML files in the directory
• Check that XML files are valid (no syntax errors)
• Run with Administrator privileges if permission denied

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License

MIT

Changelog

v1.0 — Initial release with three utilities