DayZ Console Modding V2.7

In this next section of my console modding guide for DayZ, I'm going to briefly introduce you to and then if suitable for your OS get you to install Notepad++. Which is a simple yet powerful code editing program for Windows 10. I will then go over a couple of useful plugins for it that you can also install that will make editing the DayZ xml code a little bit easier. I will also then touch on a couple of other apps/programs that I feel may come in handy for some people at the end aswell.

Alright so first things first, you need to head over to the Notepad++ website, download the install file for the latest version and then run through the installation process as you would with almost any other app or program in the Windows environment. Once installed you can open up your xml files within it and edit them in much the same way that you would on the Nitrado interface, but with colour coding which makes it far easier to see what is what on screen. An added bonus to having a tool on your PC for editing files is that if you make a mistake and "break" something, you can error check before they are live on your server.

And now to present to you what I believe to be three of the most useful plugins for Notepad++. These can all help make working on the DayZ XML that little bit less stressful. The first of these is called "XML Tools", which once installed will validate your XML files to check for syntax errors each and every time you click save. If it finds an error in your code it will point you to the line the error is on and generally gives a clearer error message than most of the web validators you could use. Just be aware it will only take you to the first error it finds, so once you fix it be sure to hit save to see if there are more code breaking errors. When there are no format errors in the file it will simply save without complaining at you. The next plugin is called "Compare" and as its name suggests is used to compare files within Notepad++. This one only really comes in handy when DayZ drops updates, but does make seeing whats been added, removed and changed in the updated files a little bit easier as it colour codes what has been added, removed or changed. Finally there is the "nppftp" plugin, this once connected via the ftp credentials on your servers dashboard, will allow you to open, edit and save your DayZ server files directly within Notepad++. This in turn can make the uploading, downloading and editing of files much easier for you.

To install these three plugins, click "plugins" on the toolbar at the top of your screen and then click "plugins admin...". This will bring up a window where you can one by one search for and then install each plugin. As a quick reminder the names for these are; "XML Tools", "Compare" and "nppftp".

Finally I would like to direct you towards a couple of other programs that may be of some use. one of them is called "WinSCP" an external ftp client(app/program) that much like the "nppftp" plugin for notepad++ allows you to open, edit and save your DayZ server files directly. It also makes the downloading and uploading of files much simpler. This is especially true if you have different sets of files you would like to be able to quickly swap in and out.

Anothher app I would like to give a brief mention to is called "Quickedit", an Android application that I feel to be the best Notepad++ alternative if access to a Windows PC is limited or non-existant. The only thing i feel that its missing are plugins like xml tools for validation and nppftp for downloading/uploading files to and/or from your servers.

If you found the information in this guide beneficial or have any questions please join my Discord : https://discord.gg/pp5JJDu

Just in case you missed them, here are the previous parts to the series:

https://vocal.media/gamers/day-z-console-modding-v2-1

https://vocal.media/gamers/day-z-console-modding-v2-2

https://vocal.media/gamers/day-z-console-modding-v2-3

https://vocal.media/education/day-z-console-modding-v2-4

https://vocal.media/gamers/day-z-console-modding-v2-5

https://vocal.media/gamers/day-z-console-modding-v2-6

Now although simply reading this article does help support me in my efforts to make coding Dayz XML easier for all, it doesnt help keep the lights on! ;) So if you found that this or any of my other articles have helped you please donate to the cause via one of the methods below:

http://paypal.me/mrflyingbiscuits

https://cash.app/%C2%A3Rventris