2.1.7 Stable Release

POK-Manager Changelog

Version 2.1.71 (Latest)

Server Update System Improvements

• Completely redesigned the update system to use SteamCMD directly instead of API
• Added retry logic (up to 3 attempts) for more reliable SteamCMD updates
• Implemented temporary container approach for all server updates
• Enhanced build ID comparison with proper error handling
• Added clearer logging of build IDs during update checks
• Improved error messages and debugging output during update process
• Fixed RCON connection issue during container shutdown when server is already stopped
• Added more robust server process detection to prevent failed RCON attempts
• Enhanced the -restore command to show backup options before stopping servers
• Fixed -restore command to only show valid instances that have backups
• Added confirmation prompt before stopping running servers during restore operations
• Only restart servers that were already running before restore operation
• Added clear instructions for manually starting servers after restore if needed
• Improved interactive command flow to prevent accidental server shutdowns
• Enhanced temporary container creation and cleanup for SteamCMD operations
• Implemented safer error handling throughout the update and restore processes
• Improved RCON connection testing before attempting to send commands
• Removed unnecessary code to improve script maintainability
• Fixed issue where POK-manager.sh ownership was reset to 1000:1000 during instance creation
• Enhanced parent directory ownership detection to respect existing directory permissions

Version 2.1.70 (Previous)

Enhanced Error Handling and Validation

• Improved validation in the -restart command to catch typos in instance names
• Added robust directory and file checks before attempting restart operations
• Enhanced error messages with helpful suggestions when a non-existent instance is specified
• Implemented instance listing when a typo is detected to help users identify correct names
• Added option to start instances that exist but aren't running when attempting restart
• Improved error handling during save, stop, and start operations in the restart process
• Added container existence validation before each operation to prevent failures
• Enhanced restart process to skip operations on non-existent instances rather than failing
• Prevented unnecessary server file updates when restarting specific instances

Version 2.1.69 (Previous)

System Improvements

• Fixed issue with -restart command prompting for password in non-interactive sessions
• Improved automation support for cronjobs by avoiding password prompts
• Added detection of non-interactive environments to prevent sudo password requests
• Enhanced error handling when Docker commands fail in cronjob/automated environments
• Ensured containers restart automatically without requiring manual intervention
• Improved reliability of scheduled restarts through cron jobs
• Eliminated manual password prompts for Docker operations in automated environments

Version 2.1.68 (Previous)

System Improvements

• Removed host-based SteamCMD installation to reduce dependencies
• Simplified system requirements by eliminating unnecessary SteamCMD functions
• Enhanced containerization by relying exclusively on container's SteamCMD
• Improved compatibility across different Linux distributions
• Reduced potential points of failure by removing unused code
• Ensured consistent server updates regardless of host environment

Backup System Improvements

• Enhanced backup rotation system with prioritized constraints for better space management
• Implemented smarter size-based rotation where maximum size is the primary constraint
• Added secondary count-based rotation that only applies when size constraints allow
• Improved backup reporting with detailed size information in both GB and MB
• Enhanced backup configuration with persistent settings per instance
• Added comprehensive status reporting before and after backup rotation
• Implemented auto-creation of default backup settings when configuration is missing
• Added intelligent ownership handling for backup configuration files
• Improved permission management for backup configuration to prevent access issues
• Maintained backward compatibility with existing backup configurations
• Added default values for cronjob backups: 10GB maximum size and 10 backups retained when not specified

Version 2.1.67 (Previous)

Improvements

• stable release.
• Added automatic Docker Compose installation for supported Linux distributions
• Eliminated manual prompting for Docker Compose installation, it's now installed automatically if missing
• Enhanced fallback methods for installing Docker Compose on unsupported distributions
• Improved compatibility with Docker Compose V2 plugin installation
• Added explicit Arch Linux support for Docker and Docker Compose installation
• Enhanced OS detection to properly identify and support Arch Linux systems
• Added feature to display patch notes when the program updates to a new version
• Automatically shows relevant changes when the script is updated
• Stores the last displayed version to avoid showing the same patch notes multiple times
• Provides a user-friendly overview of what's changed since the last version used
• Enhanced -version command to display patch notes for the current version
• Added ability to view version-specific changes directly when checking version information
• Corrected warning messages for mixed API modes to accurately reflect that server files ARE updated during restart
• Updated information displayed during mixed API mode restarts to properly inform users about the update process

Version 2.1.66 (Previous)

Bug Fixes

• Fixed volume path updates during instance rename operations
• Updated -rename -all command to properly continue after restarting renamed containers
• Ensured docker_compose_cmd config file is correctly placed in the base config directory when renaming
• Improved path handling in docker-compose files when renaming instances
• Enhanced container restart process after renaming to maintain server state

Version 2.1.62 (Previous)

Bug Fixes

• Updated get_docker_compose_cmd() to verify that the docker_compose_cmd file is non-empty before reading its content.
• If the file is empty, the function now determines the correct Docker Compose command and writes it to the file.
• This fix resolves the '-f command not found' error encountered when starting an instance.
• Removed redundant update check that was causing the script to check for updates twice (once before displaying the logo and once when executing commands).

Version 2.1.60 (Latest)

Bug Fixes

• Fixed docker-compose file path resolution by updating functions (read_docker_compose_config, write_docker_compose_file, generate_docker_compose, start_instance, stop_instance, etc.) to use BASE_DIR instead of the script's relative path. This ensures that the docker-compose YAML file is correctly located even if the manager is moved.

Version 2.1.58 (Latest)

Improvements

• Added a 30-second timeout to update prompts for better compatibility with cronjobs
• Improved non-interactive mode handling for automation scenarios
• Enhanced update check system to continue operation when running in background

[2.1.57] - Previous

Changed

• Added automatic detection of volume path changes when POK-Manager is moved to a new directory.
• Implemented interactive prompt to update volume paths in docker-compose files.
• Added configuration option to remember user's path update preference.
• Improved container identification using container IDs and names instead of just folder names.
• Enhanced start_instance and stop_instance functions to use more robust container identification.
• Fixed potential issues with container operations when using non-standard naming.

[2.1.56] - Previous

Fixed

• Fixed issue where running commands with sudo would change POK-manager.sh ownership to root.
• Added automatic permission detection with interactive fix prompt at script startup.
• Enhanced -fix command to properly restore script ownership when run with sudo.
• Improved upgrade process to maintain correct script ownership across updates.
• Added specific handling for POK-manager.sh file in all permission-related functions.
• Fixed issue with backup command changing file ownership in sudo mode.
• Improved permission handling for all operations that might require elevated privileges.
• Added proactive permission checks to prevent common "Operation not permitted" errors.
• Enhanced user guidance when permission issues are detected.
• Implemented smarter ownership detection based on SUDO_USER or system configuration.

[2.1.55] - Previous

Changed

• Fixed permission issues with the backup system when using the -backup command.
• Added fallback mechanism to handle /config/POK-manager/ permission denied errors.
• Enhanced backup configuration to use default values (10 backups, 10GB max) when no config exists.
• Ensured backup process doesn't stop running servers during backup operations.

[2.1.53] - Previous

Changed

• Added command persistence when upgrading the POK-Manager script.
• Automatically saved and reused commands when restarting after an update to avoid retyping long server chat messages.
• Improved user experience by preserving command history across restarts.
• Added rollback support for saved commands to ensure they're never lost.

[2.1.52] - Previous

Fixed

• Fixed issue with the -update command failing to find containers with "asa_" prefix.
• Improved container name handling to support both prefixed and non-prefixed container names.
• Removed duplicate code in the update function that could cause errors.
  -...

2.1.5 release API Support

POK-Manager Changelog

Version 2.1.53 (Latest)

Improvements

• Added command persistence when upgrading the POK-Manager script
• Automatically saves and reuses commands when restarting after an update
• Prevents the need to retype long server chat messages after an upgrade
• Improved user experience by preserving command history across restarts
• Added rollback support for saved commands to ensure they're never lost

Version 2.1.52 (Previous)

Bug Fixes

• Fixed issue with the -update command failing to find containers with "asa_" prefix
• Improved container name handling to support both prefixed and non-prefixed container names
• Removed duplicate code in update function that could cause errors
• Enhanced update process to correctly identify running containers regardless of naming convention

Version 2.1.51 (Previous)

Major Improvements

• Added disk space management to prevent containers from consuming excessive storage
• Automatic log rotation to limit storage consumption
• Cleanup of temporary files during container lifecycle events (start, stop, restart)
• Removed unnecessary data persistence between container restarts
• Fixed issue where restarting containers could use up all available space

Version 2.1.50 (Previous)

Major Changes

• Switched to new user ID system (UID 7777) for better permission handling
• Added AsaApi (ARK Server API) integration for plugin support
• Improved Docker image: acekorneya/asa_server:2_1_latest (replaces 2_0_latest)
• Enhanced backup and restore functionality with rotation policies
• Added migration tools for upgrading from 2.0 to 2.1

New Commands

• -API <TRUE|FALSE> <instance_name|-all>: Enable/disable ARK Server API
• -beta: Switch to beta Docker images for testing new features
• -stable: Switch back to stable Docker images
• -migrate: Migrate from 2.0 to 2.1 with permission adjustments
• -changelog: Display this change history
• -api-recovery: Recover API instances with container restart

File System & Permissions

• Changed default UID/GID from 1000:1000 to 7777:7777
• Added migration system to handle permissions when upgrading
• Improved file ownership checks and automatic corrections
• Enhanced permission handling for cluster directories

Backup System Improvements

• Added automated backup rotation based on count and size limits
• Configurable backup policies per instance
• Improved backup operations with better error handling
• Enhanced restoration process with clearer user guidance

Server Management

• Enhanced server shutdown and restart processes
• Added support for AsaApi plugins and mods
• Improved server initialization and startup
• Better handling of server crashes and recovery
• Added option for random startup delays to prevent update conflicts

User Interface

• Added colorful ASCII logo and improved visual formatting
• Enhanced status messages and error reporting
• Better progress indicators for long-running operations
• More detailed server status information

Docker Improvements

• Added support for both 2.0 and 2.1 Docker images
• Improved container environment setup
• Enhanced Wine/Proton configuration for better performance
• Added container health checks and recovery mechanisms

Documentation

• Added extensive in-script documentation
• Improved error messages with troubleshooting guidance
• Added version information display

Version 2.0 (Previous)

• Initial stable release of POK-Manager
• Basic Docker containerization
• Server management commands
• Permission handling with UID/GID 1000:1000
• Simple backup functionality
• Basic server startup and shutdown

Note: To update from version 2.0 to 2.1, run: ./POK-manager.sh -migrate
This will adjust file permissions and update Docker images to ensure compatibility.

Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server 2.0

excited to announce the release of POK-manager.sh v2.0, bringing you enhanced backup management capabilities and various quality-of-life improvements to streamline your Ark Survival Ascended Server management experience.

Key Features:

1. Backup Management:

   • Introduced the -backup command to create backups of server instances.
   • Added support for backing up specific instances or all instances at once.
   • Implemented a configuration system to set the maximum number of backups to keep and the maximum size limit for each instance's backup folder.
   • Automatic backup rotation to maintain the specified limits and optimize storage usage.

2. Restore Functionality:

   • Added the -restore command to easily restore server instances from existing backups.
   • Improved user experience with a selection menu to choose the desired backup archive.
   • Automated restoration process to replace the current saved game data with the backed-up version.

3. Quality-of-Life Improvements:

   • Enhanced error handling and validation for user inputs.
   • Improved logging and feedback messages for better user awareness.
   • Optimized script performance and resource usage.
   • Updated documentation and examples in the README file.

4. Bug Fixes:

   • Resolved issues with file permissions and ownership.
   • Fixed compatibility issues with certain Linux distributions.
   • Addressed minor bugs and inconsistencies reported by the community.

We highly recommend updating to POK-manager.sh v2.0 to take advantage of these new features and improvements. As always, we appreciate your feedback and contributions to making POK-manager.sh even better.

Please refer to the updated README file for detailed instructions on how to use the new backup and restore commands, as well as the configuration options available.

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for future enhancements, please don't hesitate to reach out to us on our GitHub repository or join our Discord community for support and discussions.

Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server 1.2

@everyone New Features & Updates

Message of the Day (MOTD) Integration
MOTD Functionality:
Server admins can now set a custom "Message of the Day" directly from the docker-compose.yaml file. This feature allows for dynamic updates to the server message without manually editing game files.

Configurable Duration: Along with the message, the duration for which the MOTD is displayed can also be set in the docker-compose.yaml file.

Enable/Disable Option: The MOTD can be enabled or disabled as needed. Disabling this feature will remove any existing MOTD from the GameUserSettings.ini file.

Rich Text Support: MOTD now supports rich text formatting, allowing for more visually engaging messages with color and style.

Simplified Game Configuration
Default Game.ini/GameUserSetting.ini Provision: To simplify the setup process, a default Game.ini file is now provided. This removes the necessity for server admins to copy this file from a single-player game.

Customizable Settings: Despite the default settings, admins retain full control to customize the Game.ini file as per their server's needs.

Detailed Feature Descriptions

1. Message of the Day (MOTD)
   Set up via docker-compose.yaml.
   MOTD and MOTD_DURATION variables introduced to define the message and its display duration.
   ENABLE_MOTD flag added to enable or disable this feature.
   Supports multiline and rich text formatting.

2. Default Game.ini File
   A pre-configured Game.ini file is included to ease initial server setup.
   Customizations can be made to this file to suit specific server requirements.
   Reduces the setup complexity for new server installations.

Implementation Notes:

If you want to enable MODT you just have to add this to the docker compose.yaml file

  ```
  - ENABLE_MOTD=FALSE                    # Enable or disable Message of the Day
  - MOTD=                                # Message of the Day
  - MOTD_DURATION=30                     # Duration for the Message of the Day```

you can even put complex MODT like this example below

<RichColor Color="0.65, 0, 1 ,1">Welcom To Our POK Server</> \n <RichColor Color="1, 1, 0, 1">Current Server Rates 1.0X Taming/Harvest/Maturation/Hatch/XP/Imprint</> \n <RichColor Color="1, 0, 0, 1">Join Our Discord discord.gg For Server Updates</>

Always make sure to remove older images and get the latest image with the command below

Open a terminal or command prompt.

romove old docker image

docker rmi acekorneya/asa_server:latest

then run this command downloads the latest version of the Ark: Survival Ascended Docker image from Docker Hub.

docker pull acekorneya/asa_server:latest.

Restart the Docker Container

I feel like I have accomplished all of my goals for this project, so I will probably leave it like this for a while. It seems that we have all of the features needed to have this script install, auto-update, monitor, and gracefully shut down the Ark Ascended Server. We have also added some nice features, such as MODT/Rcon Messages, etc. The next update will most likely be when we are allowed to do server transfers, as that cannot be tested until the developers allow it.

I value your feedback. Please reach out with any suggestions or issues encountered.

Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server 1.1

New Features and Improvements:

1. Improved Countdown Notifications:
   Updated logic in rcon_interface.sh and monitor_ark_server.sh for better countdown notifications.
   Server restart countdown now sends notifications at 5-minute intervals, switching to second-by-second notifications in the last 10 seconds.

2. Dynamic Update Checks:
   Integrated CHECK_FOR_UPDATE_INTERVAL in monitor_ark_server.sh.
   Allows server admins to set a custom interval (in hours) for checking server updates.
   The server now only checks for updates at the specified interval, reducing unnecessary checks or having to manual update the server.

3. Enhanced RCON Interface:
   Updated rcon_interface.sh to handle restarts and world saving more effectively improving the countdown logic.

Technical Changes:

1. Docker Compose Configuration:
   Added new environment variables to docker-compose.yaml for better script control.
   Variables like CHECK_FOR_UPDATE_INTERVAL and RESTART_NOTICE_MINUTES enhance the customizability of the server's behavior.

   • UPDATE_SERVER=TRUE # Enable or disable update checks
   • CHECK_FOR_UPDATE_INTERVAL=24 # Check for Updates interval in hours
   • RESTART_NOTICE_MINUTES=30 # Duration in minutes for notifying players before a server restart due to updates

2. Script Refinements:
   such as monitor_ark_server.sh have been refined for improved reliability and functionality.
   POK_Update_Monitor.sh script added for dedicated update monitoring.

Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server 1.0

I'm are thrilled to announce the release of Server Manager 1.0, a significant update bringing new features and improvements to enhance server administration and user experience. Key highlights of this release include:

Graceful Shutdown: When the docker compose down command is issued, players on the server will be notified of the imminent shutdown. More importantly, the script now ensures the world is saved before the container shuts down, preserving all progress.

RCON Manager Script: This new feature allows server admins to send a variety of commands to the server, including restart, saveworld, chat, and custom commands. It enhances control and interaction with the server directly from the command line.

Server Monitor: A robust monitoring script automatically restarts the server in the event of a crash. Additionally, it ensures that after certain RCON commands like restart or Doexit are executed, the server is automatically brought back online, minimizing downtime and maintaining server stability.

Custom Map Names for Mods: The update now supports the use of custom map names, particularly useful for mods. This allows for greater flexibility and customization based on user preferences or mod requirements.

Additional Server Arguments: Server admins now have the ability to add more server arguments, offering more control and customization options for server settings.

This release represents a significant step forward in my commitment to providing a powerful and user-friendly server management tool. While I believe this is a solid foundation, the Server Manager is still a work in progress. I'm welcome to suggestions and feature requests to continue improving it.

Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy the new features and enhancements in Server Manager