The Tool Desk
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What the welcome message does
welcome_message is a session setting for an ETS2 or ATS dedicated server. It is not a setting in a normal single-player profile and it does not change a driver’s local game preferences. When configured, the text is sent to players through in-game chat when they join the server, according to the documented hosting workflow.
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The setting is shared conceptually by ETS2 and ATS. You use the dedicated-server tool for the game you host, but the configuration key and editing sequence are the same:
welcome_message: ""Replace the empty quotation marks with your message. Keep the quotation marks in place; they are part of the configuration syntax.
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Choose how your server is managed
Your editing method depends on who controls the server files. The underlying configuration is the same, but access and restart procedures differ.
| Setup | Where you edit | Restart method | Automation and maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted dedicated server | The active server_config.sii in the game/server home directory |
Stop the server, save the file, then start it from your service, script, or dedicated-server tool | You control backups, updates, file permissions, and scripts |
| Managed hosting panel | The provider’s Settings > Server Config editor | Use the panel’s stop and start controls | The provider supplies the panel and may overwrite local copies of files |
| Container deployment | The mounted or generated server_config.sii, or an environment-variable configuration |
Restart or recreate the container after changing its configuration | Configuration can be versioned and injected during deployment; you remain responsible for persistent storage and backups |
Do not edit a downloaded or inactive copy when a panel or container generates the live file. The change must reach the configuration used by the running dedicated-server process.
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Set the message in a self-hosted installation
1. Install or open the correct dedicated-server tool
SCS Software publishes separate dedicated-server tools for ETS2 and ATS. Install or open the tool for the game whose server you intend to run. The server configuration model is shared, but each game has its own installation and server data.
Before changing a file, identify the directory from which the dedicated server actually loads its data. If you run multiple instances, each instance can have its own home directory and configuration file.
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2. Stop the server completely
Stop the dedicated-server process before editing. A running process may keep the old value in memory, write its own copy on shutdown, or cause a simultaneous edit to be lost. Wait until the service, console, or process manager reports that the server has stopped.
3. Open the active server_config.sii
In a self-hosted installation, open server_config.sii in the game/server home directory used by the dedicated-server tool. Use a plain-text editor and preserve the file’s existing formatting and line endings.
If you are unsure which file is active, check the launch configuration, service definition, or startup log for the server home path. Editing a similarly named file in an old installation will not affect the live instance.
4. Replace the empty value
Find the line that begins with welcome_message:. Change it from:
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welcome_message: ""to a quoted sentence such as:
welcome_message: "Welcome drivers! Follow the posted rules and have a safe trip."Use one line for the value. Do not remove the colon, quotation marks, or other configuration syntax.
5. Keep within the documented limits
The SCS Modding Wiki documents a maximum of 127 characters for welcome_message. Count the complete value, including spaces and punctuation, and leave enough room for the closing quotation mark in the file syntax. The same reference lists limits of 63 characters for the server lobby name and 63 characters for the lobby description; those are separate fields and do not increase the welcome-message allowance.
Short, readable text is safer than a paragraph. Avoid line-break characters, elaborate formatting, or untested symbols that could make the value invalid for the parser. If you need to publish detailed rules, put them in a rules channel, website, or pinned message and use the welcome text as a pointer.
6. Save, then start the server
Save server_config.sii without changing its filename or extension. Start the dedicated server again only after the write has completed. If a service manager or script controls the process, use its normal start command rather than launching a second copy manually.
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7. Verify with a player connection
Join with a test account or ask another player to connect. The documented behavior is that the message appears in in-game chat. Check the exact server instance, because joining another community’s server or a second local instance can make a correct change appear ineffective.
Set the message through a managed hosting panel
Use the panel’s server configuration editor
Stop the server from the host’s control panel. Open Settings > Server Config, locate welcome_message, and enter the quoted text in the editor. Save the setting, then start the server again. This is the provider-documented sequence: stop, edit, save, and start.
Some panels display a form field instead of the raw SII line. In that case, enter only the message text if the field supplies the quotation marks automatically; if it shows the raw configuration line, retain the quotes exactly as shown. Follow the editor’s current label and validation message rather than editing a local file that the panel may regenerate.
Confirm that the panel saved the live value
Reopen the configuration view after saving. If the field has reverted to an empty value, the panel may have rejected the length or syntax, or a startup template may be replacing the file. Correct the value in the panel’s template or environment settings, then restart and test again.
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Use the setting in a container deployment
Containerized ETS2 deployments can inject the welcome text through an environment variable instead of requiring a manual edit after every restart. The LsHallo project exposes ETS_SERVER_WELCOME_MESSAGE and supports a configurable path for server_config.sii. Set the variable in the deployment definition, make sure the target configuration path is mounted or writable, and recreate or restart the container so the generated configuration is reloaded.
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Why a welcome message does not appear
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| No message for anyone | The wrong file or server instance was edited | Verify the server home directory, launch arguments, and instance name. Reopen the active configuration after saving. |
| No message after a change | The server was not restarted | Stop the process fully, save the setting, and start it again. A live process may still be using the previous value. |
| Text is rejected or cut off | The value exceeds the documented character limit | Shorten the message, remove unnecessary punctuation, and save again. |
| Configuration error or startup failure | Quotation marks, the colon, or the line structure were damaged | Restore the original line, then insert text between the existing quotes. Check the server log for the line reported as invalid. |
| Panel change disappears | A template, container entrypoint, or provider synchronization rewrites the file | Change the panel’s Server Config value or deployment variable, not an unmanaged local copy. |
| Only one player cannot see it | The player joined a different instance or has a client-side chat issue | Have a second player connect and confirm the server address and instance before changing the configuration again. |
When diagnosing, change one thing at a time: confirm the active file, validate the quoted value, restart, and then test. This order distinguishes a configuration problem from a connection or chat-display problem.
Write a useful message within the limit
A welcome message has little space, so give players the first action they need to know. A greeting plus one behavioral instruction is usually more useful than a list of every rule.
Welcome drivers! Follow the posted rules and have a safe trip.Welcome to Alpine Freight; drive safely and respect traffic rules.New here? Read the rules channel before taking a job.
Use the server’s actual rules and communication channel in the wording. Do not promise moderation, events, or features that the server does not provide. If the message points players elsewhere, make sure that destination is available to every new arrival.
Welcome text is separate from administrator permissions
The welcome setting only displays text. It does not grant kick, ban, or moderation powers. SCS Software’s official blog explained in 2022 that a dedicated server’s “known players” list can give listed players admin controls for moderating the server. Configure that list separately if you need moderators; do not try to encode permissions in welcome_message.
Self-hosting and managed hosting: practical trade-offs
| Decision point | Self-hosting | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
Access to server_config.sii |
Direct access to the file and launch directory | Usually an editor in the provider panel; raw file access may be restricted |
| Restart convenience | Depends on your service manager, script, or operating-system setup | Stop and start controls are provided in the panel |
| Automation | Scripts, configuration management, and container variables are under your control | Limited to the provider’s templates, API, or panel features |
| Updates and backups | You must schedule and verify them | The provider may handle infrastructure, but you still need backups of settings and world data unless the contract explicitly covers them |
| Failure recovery | Requires your own logs, rollback files, and process supervision | Panel tools can simplify restarts, but provider-side changes can alter labels or workflows |
For a single server that you administer manually, either approach works. Choose self-hosting when you need direct file and automation control; choose a managed panel when predictable start/stop controls and an integrated editor matter more than access to the underlying installation.
Quick Recap
Final setup checklist
- Install or open the dedicated-server tool for ETS2 or ATS.
- Identify the live server instance and its active
server_config.sii. - Stop the server before editing.
- Set
welcome_messagewith text inside quotation marks. - Keep the value within the documented 127-character maximum.
- Save the file, panel setting, or deployment variable that generates the live configuration.
- Start or recreate the server so it reloads the value.
- Join with a test account and confirm the text appears in in-game chat.
- If it fails, verify the instance, syntax, length, restart, and any panel or container overwrite in that order.
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