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ARK Config Sync - Wiki

5/23/2025

ARK Config Sync - Wiki

Overview

ARK Config Sync is a specialized tool designed for ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended server administrators who manage multiple servers within a cluster. It allows you to easily view, edit, and synchronize plugin configurations across your entire ARK server network.

ARK Config Sync

Installation

System Requirements

  • Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
  • 4GB RAM minimum
  • 100MB free disk space

Installation Steps

  1. Download the latest installer from the Releases page.
  2. Run the ARK Config Sync-x.x.x-setup.exe file.
  3. Follow the installation wizard instructions.
  4. Launch the application from your Start menu or desktop shortcut.

Basic Usage

Adding a Cluster

  1. Launch ARK Config Sync.
  2. Click the "+" button in the sidebar.
  3. Enter a name for your cluster (e.g., "My ARK Servers").
  4. Browse to the root folder containing all your ARK server installations.
  5. Click "Add Cluster".

Navigating Your Servers

  1. Select a cluster from the sidebar.
  2. The application will display all valid ARK maps found in that directory.
  3. Click on any map to view its installed plugins.
  4. Click on any plugin to edit its configuration file.

Using the Tree Navigation

The application now features a hierarchical tree view for better organization:

  • Click the arrow icon (▶) next to a cluster to expand/collapse its maps.
  • Click the arrow icon next to a map to expand/collapse its plugins.
  • Click the folder icon 📁 to open that directory in File Explorer.
  • Click the trash icon 🗑️ to remove a cluster from the application (this doesn't delete files from your disk).

Configuration Management

Editing Plugin Config Files

  1. Navigate to the desired map and plugin.
  2. The JSON editor will load the current configuration file.
  3. Make your desired changes to the JSON structure.
  4. Click "Save" to commit your changes to disk.

Managing Multiple JSON Files

With version 1.1.1, you can now view and edit all JSON files in a plugin folder:

  1. Open Application Settings by clicking the ⚙️ icon in the top-right corner.
  2. Enable "Load all JSON files from plugin folders".
  3. When you select a plugin, you'll see a list of all available JSON files.
  4. Click on any file to edit it specifically.

Note: Only config.json files can be synchronized across servers. Other JSON files must be edited individually.

JSON Editing Features

  • Syntax highlighting for easier editing
  • Error detection for invalid JSON
  • Auto-formatting when saving

Synchronization Features

How to Sync Configurations

  1. Select your source map (the one with the configuration you want to copy).
  2. Check the "Sync" checkbox on all target maps that should receive the configuration.
  3. Navigate to the plugin whose config you want to sync.
  4. Edit the configuration as needed.
  5. Click "Save" to apply changes to all selected maps.

Configuration Comparison

Version 1.1.1 introduces powerful configuration comparison:

  1. While editing a plugin's config, click the "Compare Configurations" button.
  2. The application will analyze all instances of this plugin across your maps.
  3. A comparison dialog shows which maps have different configurations.
  4. You can see exactly what's different with highlighted changes.
  5. Select which maps to synchronize and click "Sync Selected" to update them all at once.

Sync Status Indicators

After synchronization:

  • A status message will show how many configurations were successfully updated.
  • Any failures will be reported with their count.
  • Status is color-coded for easy recognition (green for success, yellow for partial success, blue for in-progress).

Application Settings

Access application settings by clicking the ⚙️ icon in the top-right corner of the app.

Available Settings

  • Load all JSON files from plugin folders: When enabled, all JSON files in plugin folders will be available for editing. Otherwise, only config.json files are loaded.
  • Auto-expand items when selected: Automatically expands clusters and maps when they are selected.
  • Confirm before removing clusters: Shows a confirmation dialog when removing clusters from the application.

Customizing Your Workflow

  • For large server networks, disable auto-expansion for better performance.
  • If you frequently work with multiple JSON files per plugin, enable the JSON files loading option.
  • Customize confirmations based on your preference for safety vs. speed.

Plugin Management

Hiding Plugins

To declutter your workspace:

  1. Click the trash icon 🗑️ next to any plugin you want to hide.
  2. The plugin will be removed from the view (but not from disk).
  3. To restore hidden plugins, click "Restore hidden" in the top bar.

Quick Access

For quick access to plugin directories:

  • Click the folder icon 📁 next to any plugin.
  • Your operating system's file explorer will open that specific plugin directory.

Advanced Usage

Automatic Updates

ARK Config Sync includes an automatic update system:

  • Updates are checked for automatically at startup.
  • Available updates are downloaded in the background.
  • A notification appears when updates are ready to install.
  • You can manually download updates or restart to install them.
  • View patch notes to see what's new in each update.

Update Notifications

The application will display different notifications based on update status:

  • Update Available: Shows when a new version is detected.
  • Update Ready: Appears when an update has been downloaded and is ready to install.
  • Update Check Failed: Displays if there was an error checking for updates.
  • Up to Date: Confirms you're running the latest version.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  • Problem: Plugin configurations not saving
    Solution: Ensure you have write permissions for the server directories.

  • Problem: Maps not showing up in the list
    Solution: Verify that the folder structure follows the standard ARK server layout with ShooterGame/Binaries/Win64 directories.

  • Problem: Plugins not detected
    Solution: Check that plugins are installed in the correct path: MapDirectory\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\ArkApi\Plugins\.

  • Problem: Updates fail to download automatically
    Solution: Use the "Download Manually" option to get the installer directly.

  • Problem: Plugins don't load when clicking the expand arrow
    Solution: Update to v1.1.1 or later which fixes this issue. If the problem persists, try clicking directly on the map name first.

  • Problem: Synchronization fails for some maps
    Solution: Ensure the target maps have the same plugin installed. The application cannot create new plugin folders, only update existing ones.

Performance Tips

  • For large clusters with many maps, expand only the sections you're working with.
  • Use the plugin hiding feature to focus on just the plugins you're actively configuring.
  • Close and reopen the application if you experience slowdowns after extended use.

Getting Support

If you encounter issues not covered in this wiki:

License

ARK Config Sync is proprietary software developed and owned by BerusDev. All rights reserved. This application is not open source, and redistribution or modification of the software is prohibited without express permission.

Thank you for using ARK Config Sync! If this tool helps you manage your ARK servers more efficiently, consider supporting development through the Donate button in the footer.