How to Install ULX on a Garry's Mod Server (and Make Yourself Admin)

To install ULX on a Garry's Mod server, add both ULib and ULX to the server: either put Workshop IDs 557962238 (ULib) and 557962280 (ULX) in your server's Workshop collection, or upload them as garrysmod/addons/ulib/ and garrysmod/addons/ulx/. Then do a full server restart, not a map change. Join the server and run ulx adduser "YourName" superadmin in the server console, or ulx adduserid STEAM_0:1:12345678 superadmin if you are offline. Open the menu with ulx menu.

What you are working with

ULX does nothing without ULib, and both come from Team Ulysses: the ULX GitHub page lists the Workshop IDs and file layout.

Step 1: Back up

Press Backup, or at least download garrysmod/data and garrysmod/sv.db. If you are replacing another admin mod, remove it first. Two admin mods fighting over the same commands causes odd permission problems.

Step 2: Install ULib and ULX

Pick one method, not both.

Workshop (easiest): add both items to your server's Workshop collection, which the server mounts on start with +host_workshop_collection. They update automatically. Our Workshop addons guide covers collections.

Manual: download ULib and ULX from GitHub, unzip, and rename the folders to ulib and ulx (lowercase, no -master). Upload them so these paths exist:

garrysmod/addons/ulib/lua/autorun/ulib_init.lua
garrysmod/addons/ulx/lua/ulx/modules/fun.lua

If you see addons/ulx/ulx/lua, the folder is one level too deep.

Step 3: Fully restart the server

Stop the server and start it again. Team Ulysses is explicit that a map change is not enough after installing. ULib and ULX print their own lines in the console as they load. Type ulx help in the console to confirm the commands exist.

Step 4: Make yourself superadmin

Join the server, then type this in the server console (on a host, the panel's console):

ulx adduser "YourName" superadmin

ulx adduser only targets players who are online, and the name has to match one player. If you are not on the server, or your name has odd characters, use your SteamID instead:

ulx adduserid STEAM_0:1:12345678 superadmin

Get your SteamID by typing status in your game console while on any server. Once you are superadmin, you can add other people from the menu.

Step 5: Use the menu and set up groups

Type ulx menu in your game console, or !menu in chat, to open XGUI. Bind it to a key with bind F6 ulx menu. ULib ships four groups:

Make your own groups and grant commands from XGUI's Groups tab, or from the console:

ulx addgroup moderator operator
ulx groupallow moderator "ulx ban"
ulx adduser "FriendName" moderator

The second word in addgroup is the group it inherits from. Common commands players use in chat: !kick name reason, !ban name minutes reason, !goto name, !bring name, !noclip.

The gotcha: editing users.txt by hand

The tempting shortcut is to open data/ulib/users.txt in the file manager and type yourself in. It often does not stick. ULib keeps users and groups in memory and writes them back to the file whenever something changes, for example when someone is promoted, so an edit made while the server is running can be overwritten minutes later and you are back to user. The file is also strict about its format, and a stray bracket can wipe the list.

Use ulx adduser or ulx adduserid from the console. If you must edit the file, stop the server first, edit, then start it.

The other common trap is installing only ULX. Without ULib, nothing loads and ulx is an unknown command. Workshop users often add ULX to the collection and forget ULib.

Common problems

• ulx is an unknown command: ULib is missing, the folders are nested too deep, or you only changed map instead of restarting.
• ulx adduser says no target found: the player is offline or the name matches several people. Use ulx adduserid with the SteamID.
• Admin rights vanish after a restart: someone edited users.txt while the server was running, or two admin mods are installed.
• Bans not in bans.txt: current ULib keeps bans in sv.db, not the old text file. Manage them in XGUI's Bans tab.
• Commands work in console but not in chat: check the group has the command allowed in XGUI.

ULX on GamezServers

On a GamezServers Garry's Mod server, add ULib and ULX to the collection in the Workshop ID setting, or upload the folders in the Files tab or over SFTP. Restart from the panel, then run ulx adduser from the panel console while you are on the server. Press Backup before adding admin mods, and see how to add DarkRP to a Garry's Mod server if you are building a roleplay server, since DarkRP works with ULX groups.

FAQ

How do I make myself admin with ULX?

Join the server and run ulx adduser "YourName" superadmin in the server console. If you are offline, use ulx adduserid with your SteamID.

Do I need ULib for ULX?

Yes. ULX is built on ULib, so install both and fully restart the server.

Where does ULX save admins?

In garrysmod/data/ulib/users.txt, with groups in groups.txt in the same folder. Bans are in the ulib_bans table of garrysmod/sv.db.

How do I open the ULX menu?

Type ulx menu in your game console or !menu in chat. Binding it to a key with bind F6 ulx menu saves time.