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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallInstall a Workshop version of the LAWS addon by putting it in a Steam Workshop collection and launching the dedicated server with +host_workshop_collection <collection_id>. The server downloads that collection at startup and mounts its addons. If your release is a download archive instead, extract the real addon folder to garrysmod/addons/<addon_name>/ and restart the server.
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Do not use resource.AddWorkshop as a substitute for either method. That Lua function places Workshop content on the client download list; it does not install an addon on the server. Also note that “LAWS” is not a uniquely identified package in the available documentation. It may refer to a third-party addon or to DarkRP’s built-in Laws feature, so you must use the current Workshop page or release instructions supplied by the addon maintainer rather than guessing an ID.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →What “LAWS” means in Garry’s Mod
The name can describe two different things:
- A separately distributed addon whose name contains LAWS. Its Workshop item ID, files and dependencies depend on the maintainer’s current release.
- DarkRP’s built-in Laws entity and commands. Stock DarkRP exposes
/addlaw,/removelaw,/placelawsand/resetlaws.
The standard DarkRP implementation limits the law list to 12 entries, creates a laws-board entity when /placelaws is used, and sends the current laws to players as they join. The commands will not work on a server that is running another gamemode, and /addlaw and /removelaw are restricted to the Mayor role in the stock implementation.
Because no single, verifiable current package called “LAWS” is identified here, this guide covers the two supported Garry’s Mod addon installation mechanisms. Obtain the addon’s current numeric Workshop ID or its release archive before beginning. Never substitute a random ID: a collection can download successfully while containing the wrong item.
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Choose the installation method
| Method | Use it when | Server installation | Updates and rollback | Client content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop collection | The addon has a maintained Steam Workshop page | Server downloads and mounts the collection at startup with +host_workshop_collection |
Centralized updates; changing or pinning files is less direct | Handle any required client downloads separately, or use the collection when the release documents that behavior |
| Manual addon placement | The release is supplied as a ZIP or other loose-file archive | Copy the actual addon directory under garrysmod/addons/ |
Full file control; you must replace, back up and remove versions yourself | Declare required Workshop content for clients when the addon needs it |
Use one method consistently for a given addon. Installing a Workshop copy and a manual copy of the same addon can produce duplicate scripts, conflicting resources or confusing update behavior. If you are changing from one method to the other, stop the server, remove or archive the old copy, then install the replacement.
Prerequisites before you touch the server
- Access to the dedicated server’s file system and its startup command or service definition.
- The server’s Workshop collection ID, or the addon’s complete release archive and installation notes.
- A backup of the current
garrysmoddirectory or at least the server configuration and addon folders. - A DarkRP server if you expect the stock laws commands to appear. An addon can load on another gamemode, but its DarkRP commands and permissions may not exist there.
- A maintenance window. Restarting is required after a collection change and after copying or replacing loose files.
Garry’s Mod dedicated servers are commonly installed and updated with SteamCMD using application ID 4020. That ID identifies the game server context; it is not a LAWS addon ID. Server configuration files are normally kept under garrysmod/cfg.
Install a Workshop release through a collection
1. Identify the correct Workshop item
Open the addon maintainer’s current Steam Workshop page and copy the numeric Workshop ID from that page. Confirm the description names the LAWS release you intend to run and note any required dependencies, gamemode, or content packs. If the page is unavailable or the name is ambiguous, ask the maintainer or server owner for the exact item rather than inferring the number from a search result.
2. Add the item to a collection
Create or edit the server’s Workshop collection and add the LAWS item. Include every dependency the release explicitly requires. Keep a record of the collection ID and the item IDs; this makes a later rollback possible and lets you spot an accidental removal.
3. Add the collection parameter to the startup command
Start the dedicated server with the collection parameter:
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+host_workshop_collection <collection_id>Keep the rest of your normal startup arguments, such as the map, port and gamemode. The collection ID is the numeric ID of the collection, not the numeric ID of the LAWS addon. A typical command therefore has the collection argument alongside the normal server executable and other settings, rather than replacing them.
4. Restart after every collection change
Facepunch’s documented behavior is that the dedicated server downloads the collection at startup and mounts the downloaded addons. Stop and start the server after adding, removing or replacing an item. Editing the collection while the process is already running does not provide a reliable fresh mount cycle.
5. Confirm the download and mount
Read the startup console from the beginning. Look for Workshop collection download activity followed by addon discovery or mount messages. A clean launch should show the server reaching its normal listening state without Lua errors that identify the LAWS addon or one of its dependencies. Save the startup log when troubleshooting; the first error is usually more useful than later cascading messages.
Install a loose-file release manually
1. Extract the archive without changing its contents
Unpack the maintainer’s release on a staging machine or temporary directory. Inspect the extracted tree before copying anything. The directory you install must be the addon’s real top-level folder, not the archive’s outer name.
2. Put the real addon folder in the addons directory
The final layout must be:
garrysmod/addons/<addon_name>/Inside <addon_name> should be the Lua and content directories expected by that addon. Do not leave the archive itself in addons, and do not place the files one level too deep.
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3. Remove an extra wrapper directory
A frequent archive layout is <release>-main/<addon_name>/. If you copy the entire wrapper, the server sees garrysmod/addons/<release>-main/ instead of the actual addon and may not load it. Move <addon_name> up one level so the path is exactly garrysmod/addons/<addon_name>/. Preserve the addon’s internal folders when doing so.
4. Restart the server
Stop the dedicated server cleanly, copy the verified directory, and start it again. Garry’s Mod loads modifications from the garrysmod/addons directory during startup; a running process will not reliably discover a newly copied addon. Check the console for Lua parse errors, missing dependency messages and the addon’s own initialization output.
5. Keep a versioned backup
Before replacing a working manual installation, rename the old folder or copy it outside addons. If the new release breaks the server, stop the process, restore the previous directory and restart. Manual installation gives you that control, but it also means you must track updates and remove obsolete files yourself.
Understand server installation versus client downloads
A dedicated server needs the addon mounted locally before its scripts can run. Players may separately need models, materials, sounds or other Workshop content on their computers. These are two different operations.
Server-side mounting
+host_workshop_collection <collection_id> tells the dedicated server to download and mount the collection at startup. Manual placement under garrysmod/addons/<addon_name>/ performs the equivalent server-side installation for a loose release.
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Client-side delivery with resource.AddWorkshop
When players need explicit Workshop downloads, place the required call in a server autorun Lua file. Facepunch documents garrysmod/lua/autorun/server/workshop.lua as the typical location, although a legacy addon may contain an equivalent server autorun file.
resource.AddWorkshop("<workshop_id>")Replace <workshop_id> with the numeric ID of each required content item. This function adds the item to the client download list. It does not install the addon on the server, so it cannot replace a Workshop collection parameter or a correctly placed manual addon. If a release supplies several content IDs, add each one according to its instructions and restart so the server loads the autorun file.
For a Workshop-based server, first make sure the addon itself is mounted through the collection. Then address client delivery if players report missing models, materials or sounds. For a manual server addon, the same separation applies: the scripts live under addons, while client Workshop content must be declared or otherwise delivered as the release requires.
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If by “LAWS mod” you mean DarkRP’s built-in Laws entity, installation is only successful when the server is actually running DarkRP and the player has the expected role or permissions.
| Command | Purpose | Permission or behavior |
|---|---|---|
/addlaw <text> |
Adds a law to the current list | Restricted to the Mayor in the stock implementation |
/removelaw <number> |
Removes a law by its list number | Restricted to the Mayor in the stock implementation |
/placelaws |
Places the laws-board entity | DarkRP command; the board displays the current list |
/resetlaws |
Resets the law list | DarkRP command |
DarkRP’s stock implementation permits no more than 12 law entries. Test the commands with a Mayor after the server has fully initialized, then join with a second client to confirm that current laws are sent to joining players. If the board is missing but commands work, check entity or map restrictions; if every command is unknown, verify the gamemode before changing addon files.
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Verify the installation from end to end
- Confirm the startup command contains the intended collection ID, or confirm that the manual addon’s real folder exists directly under
garrysmod/addons/. - Start or restart the dedicated server and read the complete Workshop download and addon initialization portion of the console.
- Wait until the server reaches its normal listening state before connecting.
- Join with an administrator account and check for the addon’s visible feature, entity or menu.
- Join with a normal player account to test client content and permissions separately from administrator access.
- On DarkRP, become Mayor and run
/placelaws,/addlaw Test law,/removelaw 1and/resetlawsas appropriate for your test list. - Reconnect a client and verify that the current laws and all required models, materials and sounds appear without console errors.
- Stop the server and start it once more. A second clean boot confirms that the installation is reproducible rather than dependent on a temporary downloaded file or an editor session.
Troubleshoot the common failure modes
The server starts, but the addon does not load
- Recheck that the startup argument is
+host_workshop_collectionfollowed by the collection ID, not the addon’s item ID. - Open the collection and confirm the LAWS item is actually present and visible to the account or server process.
- For a manual install, inspect the full path for an extra wrapper directory and verify that the addon folder is directly below
garrysmod/addons/. - Look for a Lua syntax error or a missing dependency in the first part of the console. Fix that dependency before interpreting later errors.
- Stop and restart after correcting the collection or files; do not rely on a live reload.
Players connect but see missing models, materials or sounds
This usually indicates a client-delivery problem rather than a server-mount problem. Confirm that the server has the addon installed first. Then identify every Workshop content item required by the release and add its ID to the server’s client-download autorun configuration, or include the content in the server’s Workshop collection when the release documents that approach. Remember that resource.AddWorkshop affects what clients download; it does not repair a missing server addon.
The laws commands are unknown
- Confirm that the active gamemode is DarkRP, not Sandbox or another role-play framework.
- Check that the DarkRP laws feature or the third-party LAWS addon is enabled and that its files loaded without errors.
- Use the exact command spelling:
/addlaw,/removelaw,/placelawsand/resetlaws. - For adding and removing laws, test as the Mayor. The stock implementation does not grant those commands to ordinary players.
The board appears, but a new law is not shown
Check the law count, since the stock implementation stops at 12 entries. Confirm that the command completed successfully, then refresh or replace the board with /placelaws if the addon version requires a new entity. Test with a newly connected player as well, because DarkRP sends the current list during player join.
The collection downloads, but the wrong version is running
Review the collection’s item list and the addon’s Workshop update history. Remove duplicate manual copies from garrysmod/addons, because an old loose copy can load alongside the Workshop version. If a recent Workshop update caused the failure, stop the server, restore the backed-up manual release if you have one, or remove the changed item and restart while you investigate the maintainer’s release notes.
The manual copy works once and fails after an update
Manual files do not update themselves. Compare the new archive’s folder layout with the previous working version, replace the complete addon directory rather than merging arbitrary files, and preserve configuration files only when the maintainer says they are compatible. Keep the previous directory outside the active addons path until the new version has passed a full restart and client test.
Operating the addon after installation
Updating a Workshop installation
Edit the collection, add or remove the item, and restart the dedicated server. Read the startup log after each change. Centralized collection management makes it easier to reproduce the same addon set on another server, but an update can change scripts or content without a file-by-file review, so test on a maintenance instance when the server is busy.
Updating a manual installation
Download the new release, inspect its top-level directory, back up the current addon, replace the complete folder and restart. Do not leave both old and new copies active. Record the release name and date in your server’s change log so you can identify the version that introduced a regression.
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Rolling back
For a collection install, remove the problematic item or restore the previous collection configuration, then restart. For a manual install, stop the server, move the current directory out of garrysmod/addons, restore the backed-up directory and restart. In either case, verify both the server console and a client connection after the rollback.
Quick Recap
Final installation checklist
- You have the maintainer’s current Workshop ID or release archive; no ID was guessed.
- The Workshop item is in the collection whose ID appears in the startup command, or the manual addon is directly under
garrysmod/addons/<addon_name>/. - The server was restarted after installation and after every collection or file change.
- The console shows collection download and addon mount activity without a blocking Lua error.
- Client Workshop content is declared separately when players need it.
- The server runs DarkRP if you expect the built-in laws commands.
- A Mayor can test
/addlawand/removelaw, while/placelawsand/resetlawsrespond as expected. - The 12-entry stock DarkRP law limit is understood before testing a larger rule set.
- A second restart and a normal-player connection both succeed.
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