The Tool Desk
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Server installation and player delivery are separate jobs. A client-side resource.AddWorkshop() declaration can ask players to download an item, but it does not install that addon on the dedicated server. The procedures below keep those two parts separate and show what to check when a map loads for the server but fails for players.
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What you need before adding a Workshop map
Prepare these items before changing the launch command:
- A Garry’s Mod dedicated-server installation that you can update with SteamCMD. The Garry’s Mod dedicated-server app uses Steam app ID
4020. - The Workshop item IDs for the maps you want to run.
- A Steam Workshop collection containing those maps, or a server version that supports the per-ID file described later.
- The map’s BSP name. The launch command uses the filename without the
.bspextension, which may differ from the map’s Workshop title. - Any Source-game content the map requires, such as Counter-Strike: Source or Team Fortress 2 files, legally installed on the machine and mounted through
garrysmod/cfg/mount.cfg.
Subscribing to a map in your personal Garry’s Mod client is not a server-installation method. The dedicated server must be told which collection or Workshop IDs to download.
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Choose a collection or individual Workshop IDs
There are two supported ways to identify the server’s Workshop content. A collection is the normal choice when you want one maintainable list of maps. The newer per-ID file is useful when you need to manage IDs directly.
| Method | Operational simplicity | Visibility requirement | Update control | Version support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
+host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_ID |
Create or edit one Workshop collection and reference its ID in the startup command. | The collection must be public or unlisted so the dedicated server can access it. | Adding, removing, or reordering items is done in Steam Workshop; the server reads the collection at startup. | Established collection workflow documented by Facepunch. |
garrysmod/cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txt |
Maintain a server-side list of Workshop IDs instead of a collection. | No collection visibility setting is involved; the server reads the file. | Edit the file when the server’s ID list changes. | Documented by Facepunch as new in Garry’s Mod version 2026.09.22 and newer. |
Use one approach for a given installation unless your server documentation explicitly supports combining them. A collection is generally easier for a rotating map set; a file of IDs gives administrators direct control over the server configuration.
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Create an accessible Workshop collection
- In Steam, create a Garry’s Mod Workshop collection.
- Add every map the server may need, including maps used by rotation or vote systems.
- Set the collection to Public or Unlisted. A private collection cannot be fetched by the dedicated server.
- Copy the numeric collection ID from the collection URL. Keep the ID, not the map item IDs, for the
+host_workshop_collectionparameter. - When you change the collection later, plan a server restart so the startup download and mount process runs again.
A collection is a distribution list, not a replacement for the map name in the launch command. The collection tells the server what to download; +map tells it which mounted BSP to load first.
Install or update the dedicated server with SteamCMD
Run SteamCMD on the machine that hosts the server and update the Garry’s Mod dedicated-server app. The essential operation is app_update 4020. A typical non-interactive invocation is:
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir ./gmodserver +app_update 4020 validate +quitIf SteamCMD is already installed, run the update whenever you deploy a new server instance or suspect that the server binaries are out of date. The validate option checks the installation while updating; it can take longer because files are verified.
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Run the command from the account that owns the server files, and make sure that account can write to the installation directory. On Linux, preserve the exact capitalization of directory and file names because the filesystem is case-sensitive.
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Add the collection parameter to the same startup command that launches srcds. Facepunch’s documented pattern is:
srcds.exe +maxplayers 20 -console +host_workshop_collection 157384458 +gamemode sandbox +map gm_constructReplace 157384458 with your collection ID and gm_construct with the BSP name of the map you want to load. Do not append .bsp:
- Correct:
+map gm_construct - Incorrect:
+map gm_construct.bsp
On startup, the server downloads the collection and mounts the downloaded addons. The map argument is evaluated after the server starts, so the requested BSP must be present under the name you supplied. If the Workshop item’s display title and BSP name differ, use the BSP name.
Changing maps after startup
Once the server is running, use the server console or an administrator console command:
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changelevel MAP_NAMEFor example:
changelevel gm_constructUse the same extensionless BSP naming rule as +map. Changing levels does not change the collection; it only selects another map that is already mounted and available.
Confirm that the server downloaded and mounted the map
Watch the dedicated-server console during startup. The expected sequence is a Workshop download followed by mounting, then the requested map loading. Facepunch describes the result as: “The server will download the collection at startup and mount all the downloaded addons.”
If the map is the active map in the server’s Workshop collection, Garry’s Mod automatically prepares it for players. The console should contain this exact message:
Making workshop map available for client downloadThis message is the useful boundary between server installation and client delivery:
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- If the server loads the map and prints the client-download message but a player still fails to join, investigate the player’s Workshop download, map dependencies, or another content-delivery system.
- If the server loads a different map than requested, verify the BSP name rather than the Workshop item title.
Use the per-ID configuration on supported versions
Facepunch documents garrysmod/cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txt as a new option in Garry’s Mod version 2026.09.22 and newer. It lets a server maintain a list of Workshop IDs without putting a collection ID in the startup command.
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- Update the dedicated server to version 2026.09.22 or later with SteamCMD and
app_update 4020. - Open the server’s
garrysmod/cfgdirectory. - Create or edit
srcds_workshop_ids.txtusing the ID-list format documented for that server version. - Add the Workshop IDs for the maps or addons the server must download.
- Restart the server and inspect the console for download and mount messages.
Do not use this file on an older build and assume it will be read. If the server predates the documented introduction version, use the collection parameter instead.
Make clients receive the map without confusing it with server installation
When the running map is in the server’s Workshop collection, Garry’s Mod’s Workshop delivery path marks the map for client download automatically. You normally do not need to duplicate that map with a Lua resource declaration.
resource.AddWorkshop("WORKSHOP_ID") has a different purpose. It declares Workshop files for clients; it does not download and install the addon on the dedicated server. Facepunch’s API documentation explicitly warns: “This will not ‘install’ the addon on your server.” Install the item through the dedicated-server Workshop workflow first.
There is also a shared limit of 8,192 downloadable files for the resource.Add* functions. Large packs, many maps, or extensive custom content can approach that limit. Treat the limit as a client resource-declaration constraint, not as extra capacity for server-side Workshop installation.
Fix missing textures, models, and sounds
A map can be present and playable on the server while clients see purple-and-black textures, error models, or missing sounds. Those symptoms usually mean that a dependency game is not mounted or that the dependency was not delivered to the client.
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Mount installed Source-game content
Use garrysmod/cfg/mount.cfg to mount installed Counter-Strike: Source, Team Fortress 2, or other supported Source-game folders. The game must actually be installed on the server machine; mounting a path does not create files that are not there.
Check the path character-for-character. Linux paths are case-sensitive, so a directory whose capitalization differs from the real folder will not mount. After correcting mount.cfg, restart the server and test the map again.
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Separate server errors from client errors
- Server cannot find the map: verify the extensionless BSP name, collection ID, collection visibility, and startup output.
- Server loads the map, clients cannot join: confirm the Workshop client-download message and check whether the player’s Workshop download completed.
- Map loads but assets are missing: identify the required Source game and mount its installed content; then verify that the chosen delivery method includes custom files.
- Only Linux fails: compare path capitalization and spelling in
mount.cfgand any server scripts.
Choose the right content-delivery method
Facepunch distinguishes WorkshopDL, FastDL, and ServerDL. They are not interchangeable labels: each has different setup effort, transfer behavior, update handling, and suitable content.
| Method | Setup effort | Transfer behavior | Update handling | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WorkshopDL | Lowest when content is already published on Steam Workshop; use a collection or supported Workshop-ID configuration. | Clients obtain Workshop-hosted content through Garry’s Mod’s Workshop path. | Workshop item updates are picked up through the Workshop workflow; restart timing still matters for a running server. | Workshop maps and addons. |
| FastDL | Requires a separate web-accessible file mirror and server configuration. | Clients download files from the configured fast-download location rather than Steam Workshop. | Administrators must keep the mirror synchronized when files change. | Custom files that are not distributed through Workshop, when you can operate a mirror. |
| ServerDL | Little external infrastructure, but the game server must serve the files. | Clients transfer files directly from the game server, which can consume server bandwidth and be slower for large content. | Files change when the server’s local copy changes. | Small or occasional custom content when a separate mirror is unnecessary. |
For a Workshop-hosted map, WorkshopDL is the natural first choice. FastDL and ServerDL are alternatives for content that is not available through Workshop or for administrators who deliberately want a different distribution path.
Quick Recap
Troubleshoot the most common failures
The collection never downloads
- Confirm that the startup command contains
+host_workshop_collectionfollowed by the numeric collection ID. - Open the collection in Steam and verify that it is public or unlisted, not private.
- Check that SteamCMD installed app
4020in the directory from whichsrcdsis launched. - Restart the server and read the first Workshop-related console messages instead of testing only with an already-running process.
The server says the map is missing
- Remove
.bspfrom the+maporchangelevelvalue. - Check the exact BSP spelling and capitalization.
- Make sure the map’s Workshop item is in the collection or ID list being loaded by this server instance.
- Confirm that the server has downloaded and mounted the item before issuing
changelevel.
Players receive a missing-map error
- Verify that the map is the active map and belongs to the server’s downloaded Workshop set.
- Look for
Making workshop map available for client downloadin the server console. - Have the player restart Garry’s Mod’s Workshop download if the item is stuck or partially downloaded.
- Check that no separate resource configuration is exhausting the 8,192-file
resource.Add*limit.
Players see missing textures or models
- Identify which Source game supplied the missing assets.
- Install that supported game content on the server and configure its path in
garrysmod/cfg/mount.cfg. - Correct capitalization errors, especially on Linux.
- Restart the server and retest with a client that has received the required Workshop content.
Recommended deployment checklist
- Update the dedicated server with SteamCMD and
app_update 4020. - Create a Workshop collection and set it to public or unlisted.
- Record the collection ID separately from each map’s Workshop item ID.
- Add
+host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_IDto the startup command. - Set
+map MAP_NAMEwith the extensionless BSP name. - Restart and confirm that the collection downloads and mounts.
- Confirm the console’s
Making workshop map available for client downloadmessage while the map is active. - Use
changelevel MAP_NAMEfor later map changes. - Mount required Source-game content through
garrysmod/cfg/mount.cfg. - On Garry’s Mod 2026.09.22 or newer, consider
srcds_workshop_ids.txtwhen direct ID management suits your workflow. - Use
resource.AddWorkshop()only for its client-download role; never rely on it to install the server addon.
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