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RCON Command-Line Utility
By LHammonds
This utility can be compiled for Linux or Windows (maybe even Mac) but can be used to send RCON commands to game servers running on Linux, Windows or Mac.

I modified the original source code by [AZY]Zyrain primarily to remove the password from the command-line arguments due to it being a security risk exposing the password in plain view by anyone able to view the process list. I also made a few other modifications to my liking.
   
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Created by
LHammonds
Online
Category: Modding or Configuration
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
21 Apr, 2021 @ 8:27pm
14 May, 2021 @ 7:57am
1,662 Unique Visitors
0 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
NAME 
SYNOPSIS 
DESCRIPTION 
OPTIONS 
FILE FORMAT 
EXAMPLES 
EXIT CODES 
SEE ALSO 
COMPILE FOR LINUX 
COMPILE FOR WINDOWS 
Comments
NAME
rcon - Execute rcon commands
SYNOPSIS
rcon <-f "filename.ini"> [-a IPNumber] [-p Port] <command>
DESCRIPTION
Linux command line utility to send rcon commands.

Any command line parameter will take precedence over the corresponding option in the INI file.
OPTIONS
-f -a -p and command are all necessary. However, only -f and command are required as command-line arguments. If address and port are in the file, it is not required to pass them as arguments.

-? Shows the usage syntax and quits.

-v Enables verbose mode which means more detailed messages.

-f "filename.ini" Location to .ini file containing at least the password.

-a IPNumber IP Address of the rcon server. This option is not needed if added to the .ini file.

-p Port Port on the rcon server. This option is not needed if added to the .ini file.

command rcon command to send to the rcon server.
FILE FORMAT
[rcon] password=YOUR_RCON_PASSWORD ipaddress=127.0.0.1 port=27015
EXAMPLES
Run a DoExit command:
rcon -f "/etc/rcon.ini" -a 127.0.0.1 -p 27015 "DoExit"

Run a DoExit command and use the address and port defined in ini file:
rcon -f "/etc/rcon.ini" "DoExit"

Run a Broadcast message command using an island-instance ini file:
rcon -f "/etc/rcon-island.ini" "Broadcast About to save the world!"

Run a SaveWorld command using a ragnarok-instance ini file:
rcon -f "/etc/rcon-ragnarok.ini" "SaveWorld"
EXIT CODES
0 = Good
1 = Unknown option
2 = Missing file parameter
3 = Missing command parameter
4 = Missing address parameter/config
5 = Missing port parameter/config
6 = Invalid file or format
7 = Connect failed
8 = Error sending password
9 = Could not authenticate
10 = Command send error
SEE ALSO
Original Author Site[www.ryanschulze.net]
COMPILE FOR LINUX
If you do not have the gcc compiler installed, you can do so with these commands for Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt update sudo apt install build-essential

Download the source code using these commands:
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LHammonds/rcon/main/rcon.c --output-document /tmp/rcon.c wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LHammonds/rcon/main/rcon.man --output-document /tmp/rcon.man

Once you have the rcon.c code downloaded, you can compile it using this command:

gcc -o /tmp/rcon /tmp/rcon.c

Copy the utility where the system can find it.
cp /tmp/rcon /usr/local/bin/.

You also want to setup your configuration file.
cat << EOF > /etc/rcon.ini [rcon] password=YOUR_RCON_PASSWORD ipaddress=127.0.0.1 port=27015 EOF

Copy the man page where the system can find it.
cp /tmp/rcon.man /usr/local/share/man/man1/rcon.1

Then you can access the manual by typing the following from anywhere:
man rcon

Do not forget to set file access permissions appropriate to your system.
COMPILE FOR WINDOWS
Download "setup-x86_64.exe" from Cygwin[cygwin.com] and install Cygwin using the default packages. When done installing, move the "setup-x86_64.exe" to C:\cygwin64\ so you can use it later to make adjustments to your installation.

Now run this command to install gcc:
setup-x86_64.exe -q -P wget -P gcc-g++ -P make -P diffutils -P libmpfr-devel -P libgmp-devel -P libmpc-devel

Run the C:\cygwin64\cygwin.bat to open a bash prompt.

Download the source code using these commands:
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LHammonds/rcon/main/rcon.c --output-document rcon.c wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LHammonds/rcon/main/rcon.txt --output-document rcon.txt

Once you have the rcon.c code downloaded, you can compile it using this command:

gcc -o rcon.exe rcon.c

Copy the rcon.exe to wherever you need it. It will be in C:\cygwin64\home\{username}\rcon.exe

You also want to setup your configuration file.

rcon.ini
[rcon] password=YOUR_RCON_PASSWORD ipaddress=127.0.0.1 port=27015
6 Comments
< >
LHammonds  [author] 4 May, 2023 @ 4:50am 
You always have to pass the parameter for the file and the command to send. It is up to you if you utilize more than one file or include the IP and Port as part of the switches. The main thing was to never expose the password in a command-line switch.
Estal 1 May, 2023 @ 6:38pm 
Thanks. I was getting no output using it in crontab, but don't think I was adding in the address and port and thought it could all be done using the ini only, so I'll have to give it another go. I ended up using php cli and the rcon library from thedudeguy, but nice to know I didn't need to go that route haha.
LHammonds  [author] 27 Apr, 2023 @ 8:41pm 
@Estal, yes...that's what it is for. Here is an example crontab with the examples above.

# Crontab SYNTAX:
# __________ Minute (0-59)
# / _________ Hour (0-23)
# / / _______ Day Of Month (1-31)
# / / / ____ MONth (1-12)
# / / / / _ Day Of Week (0-7) (Sun = 0 or 7)
# / / / / / -------------------------------------------------------------
# m h dom mon dow command <arguments> > /dev/null 2>&1

## @ 1:30am, Run a DoExit command: ##
30 1 * * * /path/to/rcon -f "/etc/rcon.ini" -a 127.0.0.1 -p 27015 "DoExit"

## @ Every 15 minutes, Run a Broadcast message command using an island-instance ini file: ##
*/15 * * * * /path/to/rcon -f "/etc/rcon-island.ini" "Broadcast About to save the world!"

## @ Every hour, Run a SaveWorld command using a ragnarok-instance ini file: ##
0 * * * * /path/to/rcon -f "/etc/rcon-ragnarok.ini" "SaveWorld"
Estal 24 Apr, 2023 @ 8:41pm 
Any idea how to use this with crontab?
LHammonds  [author] 23 Apr, 2021 @ 5:28pm 
If you want to add your own custom icon (rcon.ico) and provide file details when someone clicks on "Properties" then download the rcon-data.rc and rcon-icon.rc files from the github site and issue the following commands to create the .res files and then include them when compiling the .exe

https://github.com/LHammonds/c

windres rcon-icon.rc -O coff -o rcon-icon.res
gcc -o rcon.exe rcon.c rcon-icon.res rcon-data.res
LHammonds  [author] 23 Apr, 2021 @ 7:36am 
Figured out how to compile it on Windows 10 and included instructions for Linux and Windows.