dayz-launch-test

Overview

Launch a local DayZ Diag server plus the diag client connecting to it (run-only, does no setup). Verifies the instance has been added via /dayz-add-server; refuses with a clear hint otherwise. Refuses if the legacy workspace/_server/ folder still exists (delete it manually; that layout is no longer supported). --server selects the instance (chernarus default). Always loads server alongside client per L2 conventions.

/dayz-launch-test

Run-only: launches a local DayZ test session for one or more built mods. Always starts the server first, then the client connecting to it (DayZ cannot be tested standalone, per L2 conventions). Both run from DayZDiag_x64.exe with -filePatching for fast iteration on Enforce Script and config edits.

Prerequisite: the instance you're testing on must have been added via /dayz-add-server <instance> first. This skill does no setup; it verifies state and runs.

Follow .claude/skills/_shared/dayz-conventions.md.

How to run

python .claude\skills\dayz-launch-test\launch.py <ModName> [<ModName2> ...] [--server <instance>] [--port N] [--dry-run]

Argument	Required?	Notes
`<ModName> ...`	yes	One or more mod names already built. Each must have at least one `.pbo` at `P:\Mods\@<ModName>\Addons\` (build with `/dayz-build-pbo` first).
`--server`	no	Server instance to launch on. Default `chernarus`. Must have been added via `/dayz-add-server`.
`--port`	no	Server port. Default `2302`.
`--dry-run`	no	Print the resolved server and client commands, then exit 0. Useful for verifying paths and arg construction without firing up the game.

Layout (under `.server/`)

.server/
└── <instance>/
    ├── mission/                        # mission copy (per-instance)
    ├── serverDZ.cfg                    # has `template = ...` line for map link
    ├── server-profiles/                # server-side RPT, script.log, BattlEye state
    └── client-profiles/                # client-side RPT, script.log, BattlEye state, Users/, DataCache/

The mission folder is an editable copy, not the original. Edit .server/<instance>/mission/init.c (etc.) freely. -filePatching makes the server read your edits live.

Each instance has its own serverDZ.cfg so per-instance tuning (player count, time of day, persistence) doesn't bleed across instances. Each instance also has its own client-profiles/, so client RPTs from different instances don't mix.

What it does

Preflight gate: runs /dayz-preflight; halts on non-zero.
Old-layout gate: refuses if workspace/_server/ still exists. Delete the folder manually; that layout is no longer supported.
Built-mod check: for each mod, verifies at least one .pbo exists in P:\Mods\@<ModName>\Addons\. Fails fast with a hint to run /dayz-build-pbo if missing.
Diag client resolution: finds DayZDiag_x64.exe via find_dayz_diag() (env var, DayZ game install, Steam paths). Hard-fails if missing. Both client and server run from the same diag binary; the server adds -server. Retail DayZ_x64.exe and DayZServer_x64.exe are NOT used; both block past the loading screen with -filePatching enabled.
Instance state verification: confirms .server/<instance>/mission/ AND .server/<instance>/serverDZ.cfg exist. Hard-fails with a hint to run /dayz-add-server <instance> if either is missing. The only mutation this skill performs on an existing cfg is auto-appending allowFilePatching = 1; if absent.
Launch server: spawns DayZDiag_x64.exe -server -config=<instance>/serverDZ.cfg -profiles=<instance>/server-profiles -mission=<instance>/mission -mod=@Mod1;@Mod2 -filePatching -port=<port>.
Wait 5s for the server to start listening.
Launch client: spawns DayZDiag_x64.exe -profiles=<instance>/client-profiles -mod=@Mod1;@Mod2 -connect=127.0.0.1 -port=<port> -filePatching plus the display flags from per-clone preferences.
Print PIDs and exit. Both processes run independently. Close the windows manually to stop them, or run /dayz-stop-test.

Refuses to run if

/dayz-preflight returns non-zero.
workspace/_server/ still exists. Delete it manually; the legacy layout is no longer supported.
Any named mod has no .pbo at P:\Mods\@<ModName>\Addons\.
DayZDiag_x64.exe is not found.
The selected --server hasn't been added yet (.server/<instance>/mission/ or .server/<instance>/serverDZ.cfg missing). Run /dayz-add-server <instance> first.

Output (success)

DayZ preflight
... (preflight output)
Preflight complete.

[OK]    BuildTest PBO present: P:\Mods\@BuildTest\Addons\BuildTest.pbo
[OK]    Diag client: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\DayZ\DayZDiag_x64.exe
[OK]    Instance: chernarus
[OK]    Instance dir: .server\chernarus

[Launch] Server: DayZDiag_x64.exe -server -config=...\chernarus\serverDZ.cfg -profiles=...\chernarus\server-profiles -mission=...\chernarus\mission -mod=@BuildTest -filePatching -port=2302
[OK]    Server PID: 12345
        Waiting 5s for server to start listening...

[Launch] Client: DayZDiag_x64.exe -profiles=...\chernarus\client-profiles -mod=@BuildTest -connect=127.0.0.1 -port=2302 -filePatching
[OK]    Client PID: 67890

Both running. Close the windows manually to stop.
  Server PID: 12345    Client PID: 67890
  Server logs: .server\chernarus\server-profiles
  Client logs: .server\chernarus\client-profiles

Output (`--dry-run`)

Same as above through state verification, then:

[DRY-RUN] Server cmd: DayZDiag_x64.exe -server -config=... -mission=... -mod=@BuildTest -filePatching -port=2302
[DRY-RUN] Client cmd: DayZDiag_x64.exe -profiles=... -mod=@BuildTest -connect=127.0.0.1 -port=2302 -filePatching

No processes spawned. Exit 0.

Editing missions

The whole point of the per-instance mission copy is that you can edit it freely:

.server/<instance>/mission/init.c: server-side mission entrypoint (the main() function the engine looks for).
.server/<instance>/mission/db/types.xml: Central Economy.
.server/<instance>/mission/cfggameplay.json: runtime gameplay tuning.

With -filePatching, edits show up on the next server launch. Keep edits to the workspace copy; the original DayZ Server install is not modified.

Client display preferences

The diag client reads display preferences from a per-clone JSON file at:

.claude/local-memory/dayz-client-display.json

Created on first launch with these defaults:

{
  "windowed": true,
  "width": 1920,
  "height": 1080
}

These map to DayZ launch flags -window, -x=<width>, -y=<height>. Edit the file freely.

Do not

Don't try to launch the client without the server. DayZ has no offline / single-player mode for mod testing.
Don't substitute retail DayZ_x64.exe or DayZServer_x64.exe for the diag binary.
Don't re-implement DayZ install path discovery; import find_dayz_diag from dayz-preflight/preflight.py.
Don't add bootstrap / setup logic to this skill. Setup is /dayz-add-server's job; this skill verifies and runs only.
Don't auto-kill the spawned processes. The user closes them manually.

Overview​

/dayz-launch-test

How to run​

Layout (under .server/)​

What it does​

Refuses to run if​

Output (success)​

Output (--dry-run)​

Editing missions​

Client display preferences​

Do not​