Package Configuration and Releases Guide

Introduction

ContentDB will read configuration files in your package when doing several tasks, including package and release creation. This page details how you can use this to your advantage.

.conf files

What is a content .conf file?

Every type of content can have a .conf file that contains the metadata.

The filename of the .conf file depends on the content type:

  • mod.conf for mods.
  • modpack.conf for mod packs.
  • game.conf for games.
  • texture_pack.conf for texture packs.

The .conf uses a key-value format, separated using equals.

Here's a simple example of mod.conf, modpack.conf, or texture_pack.conf:

name = mymod
title = My Mod
description = A short description to show in the client.

Here's a simple example of game.conf:

title = My Game
description = A short description to show in the client.

Note that you should not specify name in game.conf.

Understood values

ContentDB understands the following information:

  • title - A human-readable title.
  • description - A short description to show in the client.
  • depends - Comma-separated hard dependencies.
  • optional_depends - Comma-separated soft dependencies.
  • min_minetest_version - The minimum Minetest version this runs on, see Min and Max Minetest Versions.
  • max_minetest_version - The maximum Minetest version this runs on, see Min and Max Minetest Versions.

and for mods only:

  • name - the mod technical name.
  • supported_games - List of supported game technical names.
  • unsupported_games - List of not supported game technical names. Useful to override game support detection.

.cdb.json

You can include a .cdb.json file in the root of your content directory (ie: next to a .conf) to update the package meta.

It should be a JSON dictionary with one or more of the following optional keys:

  • type: One of GAME, MOD, TXP.
  • title: Human-readable title.
  • name: Technical name (needs permission if already approved).
  • short_description
  • dev_state: One of WIP, BETA, ACTIVELY_DEVELOPED, MAINTENANCE_ONLY, AS_IS, DEPRECATED, LOOKING_FOR_MAINTAINER.
  • tags: List of tag names, see /api/tags/.
  • content_warnings: List of content warning names, see /api/content_warnings/.
  • license: A license name, see /api/licenses/.
  • media_license: A license name.
  • long_description: Long markdown description.
  • repo: Source repository (eg: Git).
  • website: Website URL.
  • issue_tracker: Issue tracker URL.
  • forums: forum topic ID.
  • video_url: URL to a video.
  • donate_url: URL to a donation page.
  • translation_url: URL to send users interested in translating your package.

Use null or [] to unset fields where relevant.

Example:

{
    "title": "Foo bar",
    "tags": ["pvp", "survival"],
    "license": "MIT",
    "website": null
}

Controlling Release Creation

Git-based Releases and Submodules

ContentDB can create releases from a Git repository. It will include submodules in the resulting archive. Simply set VCS Repository in the package's meta to a Git repository, and then choose Git as the method when creating a release.

Automatic Release Creation

See Git Update Detection. You can also use GitLab/GitHub webhooks or the API to create releases.

Min and Max Minetest Versions

When creating a release, the .conf file will be read to determine what Minetest versions the release supports. If the .conf doesn't specify, then it is assumed that it supports all versions.

This happens when you create a release via the ContentDB web interface, the API, or using a GitLab/GitHub webhook.

Here's an example config:

name = mymod
min_minetest_version = 5.0
max_minetest_version = 5.3

Leaving out min or max to have them set as "None".

Excluding files

When using Git to create releases, you can exclude files from a release by using gitattributes:

.*      export-ignore
sources     export-ignore
*.zip       export-ignore

This will prevent any files from being included if they:

  • Beginning with .
  • or are named sources or are inside any directory named sources.
  • or have an extension of "zip".