UEScripts/doc/PackageConfig.md

# The packageconfig.json File

## Overview

Many of the tools in this repo, such as the [Packaging Script](./Package.md)
and the [Release Script](./Release.md), depend on a configuration file named
`packageconfig.json`.

This file should be in the root of your UE4 project. It's contents are set out
in detail later in this document, but but here's an example demonstrating many of the features:

```json
{
    "OutputDir": "C:\\Users\\Steve\\Projects\\Builds\\Game1",
    "ZipDir": "C:\\Users\\Steve\\Projects\\Archives",

    "Target": "Game1",
    "CookAllMaps": true,    
    "MapsExcluded": [
        "TestMap",
    ],
    "UsePak": true,

    "DefaultVariants": [
        "Win64Private",
        "Win64Itch",
        "Win64Steam"
    ],

    "Variants": [
        {
            "Name": "Win64Private", 
            "Platform": "Win64",
            "Configuration": "Development",
            "ExtraBuildArguments": "-EnableDebugPanel",
            "Zip": true
        },
        {
            "Name": "Win64Steam", 
            "Platform": "Win64",
            "Configuration": "Shipping",
            "ReleaseTo": [
                "Steam"
            ],
            "SteamAppId": "783465",
            "SteamDepotId": "1238594",
            "SteamLogin": "MySteamLogin",
            "ExtraBuildArguments": "-EnableSteamworks"
        },
        {
            "Name": "Win64Itch", 
            "Platform": "Win64",
            "Configuration": "Shipping",
            "ReleaseTo": [
                "Itch"
            ],
            "ItchAppId": "my-itch-user/game1",
            "ItchChannel": "win64"
        }
    ],
}

```

## Overall File Structure

The `packageconfig.json` has 2 main parts:

* Global properties
* A list of Variants

Variants are there to allow you to build / package for multiple scenarios, such as
builds for your private use, builds for certain stores, different platforms, and so on.

Global properties apply everywhere, whilst properties contained in each Variant section
apply only to that specific build variant.

## Global Properties

### `OutputDir` 
*Mandatory Setting - string*

This is the root folder in which packaged games are placed. 
Subfolders will be created for version numbers and variants, see the [Packaging Script docs](Package.md)
for more information.

### `Target`
*Mandatory Setting - string*

The name of the target which you will package, which is usually your game name
and often the same name as the `.uproject` file.

### `Variants`
*Mandatory Setting - array of [PackageVariants](#package-variants)*

This list is where you define the way you want to package your game. See
the of [PackageVariant](#package-variants) documentation below for more details.


### `CookAllMaps`
*Optional Setting - boolean: Default=false*

If true, script will locate all `.umap` files in your Content folder and cook 
then when packaging. You can exclude some using the [`MapsExcluded`](#mapsexcluded)
option if you need to.

If false, either  the contents of [`MapsIncluded`](#mapsincluded) will be cooked,
or if that isn't specified, the maps to cook in your project packaging settings
(DefaultGame.ini) will be used.

So if you set this to false and don't provide `MapsIncluded` then your project
settings continue to control the maps which are cooked.

### `MapsExcluded`
*Optional Setting - array of strings*

If [`CookAllMaps`](#cookallmaps) is true, any maps named in this array will be
excluded from the cooking process. Do not include the folder name or extension of
the map file, just the map name.

### `MapsIncluded`
*Optional Setting - array of strings*

If [`CookAllMaps`](#cookallmaps) is false and you include this setting, 
only the maps listed here will be cooked. Do not include the folder name or extension of
the map file, just the map name.

### `DefaultVariants`
*Optional Setting - array of strings*

This is a list of [Variant](#package-variant) names - unless otherwise specified on the command line,
this is the set of variants which will be packaged by the [Packaging Script](Package.md).
This just makes it faster / less error prone to perform your regular packaging tasks.

### `UsePak`
*Optional Setting - boolean: Default=true*

If true, combine packaged files into a .pak file.

### `ZipDir`
*Optional Setting - string* 

For variants which enable the [`Zip`](#zip) option, this is the directory that
zipped packages will be created in.

### `ProjectFile`
*Optional Setting - string* 

By default, scripts will locate your `.uproject` file automatically in the root of
your UE4 project folder. If for any reason you have more than one, you can 
specify which to use with this setting.

## Package Variants

The [`Variants`](#variants) property contains a list of ways you want to 
build and package your game. You can specify the [default list](#defaultvariants) of variants you
want to package, or name one or more on the command line explicitly.

 Each entry has these properties:

### `Name`
*Mandatory Setting - string*

The name of the variant. This can be whatever you want, it just identifies this
variant and also forms the basis of folder / filenames related to its packaging.

### `Platform`
*Mandatory Setting - string*

The platform this variant will be built for; must be one of those supported by
Unreal, e.g. "Win64", "Linux" etc

### `Configuration`
*Mandatory Setting - string*

The build configuration for this variant as defined by UE4, e.g. "Development" or "Shipping".

### `ExtraBuildArguments`
*Optional Setting - string*

If you need to supply any additional arguments to the build / packaging step for
this variant, you can include them here (as one combined string).

### `Zip`
*Optional setting - boolean: Default=false*

Set this option to true if you would like this packaged build to be zipped up
into an archive. It will be placed in the [`ZipDir`](#zipdir) folder, see the 
[Packaging Script](./Package.md) for more details about naming.

### `ReleaseTo`
*Optional Setting - array of strings*

Which services you want to be able to release this package to. Currently the
only supported options are "Itch" and "Steam". You can list more than one on the
same variant if the same build is released to multiple stores.

Packaged builds are released using the [Release Script](./Release.md) which uses
this setting.

Each of the release stores has its own set of additional parameters which 
you'll need to also provide in the variant:

#### Steam:
* `SteamAppId`: the application ID of your app on Steam (numeric string)
* `SteamDepotId`: the depot ID for this particular variant (numeric string)
* `SteamLogin`: the username which you use to upload (string)

#### Itch
* `ItchAppId`: the application identifier on Itch e.g. "username/app"
* `ItchChannel`: the channel to publish this variant on e.g. "windows"

### `Cultures`
*Optional Setting - array of strings*

If supplied, cooks a specific set of cultures (e.g. "en-us") into this particular
variant. If not supplied, the project packaging settings are used.