The config Folder

The config folder is our new way to manage the configuration of our scripts. Instead of editing a single config.lua file, the configuration is split into multiple readable files, and you customize them without ever touching the original files.

This system replaces the overwriteConfig.lua and overwriteLang.lua mechanism on newer scripts. If your script ships with a config folder, use this method.

Why use the config folder?

Main Advantages

1. Simplifies Updates

When you directly modify a configuration file and a script update is available, you must:

• Backup your custom configuration
• Compare the old and new files line by line
• Manually transfer your modifications
• Risk forgetting certain parameters or introducing errors

With the config folder, your customizations live in a separate custom folder. During an update, simply backup this folder, replace the entire resource with the new version, and restore your backup.
If new parameters are added to the default configuration during an update, they will automatically be available since your custom files are loaded after the default ones and only overwrite the specific files you've copied.

2. Separation of Concerns

• _default.lock: Default configuration maintained by developers
• custom: Your specific customizations

This separation keeps your configuration clear and maintainable.

3. Organized by Topic

Instead of one giant config.lua, the configuration is split into several files (global settings, prices, stores, language, etc.). You only copy and edit the file that contains the values you care about.

Folder Structure

The config folder is already included in the script's root directory and looks like this:

config/
├── _default.lock/                  # Default files — DO NOT EDIT
│   ├── _init.lua
│   ├── global.lua
│   ├── prices.lua
│   ├── stores.lua
│   ├── lang.lua
│   └── ...
├── custom/                         # Your customizations go here
└── README.md

• _default.lock: Contains all the default configuration files. Never edit these files. They are overwritten on every update.
• custom: This folder starts empty. You paste here a copy of any file you want to edit.
• README.md: A short reminder of the steps below.

How to use it?

To edit a configuration file:

1. Open the config/_default.lock folder and copy the file you want to edit (for example global.lua).
2. Paste it into the config/custom folder.
3. Edit the file in config/custom to your liking.
4. In your server console, run /refresh to detect the new file.
5. Run /ensure jo_clothingstore (replace with your resource name) to restart the resource.

👏 You're done! Your customizations are applied and safe from future updates.

Copy the whole file

Unlike the old overwriteConfig.lua method where you copied only individual values, here you copy the entire file into the custom folder. The custom file is loaded after the default one and fully replaces it, so keep every value in the file — not just the ones you change.

Concrete Example

Imagine you want to enable debug mode and change the resell percentage. These values live in global.lua.

1. Copy config/_default.lock/global.lua into config/custom/global.lua.

2. Open config/custom/global.lua. It contains the full default configuration:

Config.debug = false                              --Enable debug mode for development and troubleshooting

Config.percentResell = 0.33                       --Resell price percentage of original price, set to 0 to disable reselling

Config.enablePrompt = true                        --Display interaction prompts near stores and wardrobes

-- ... rest of the file ...

3. Edit the values you want to change (keep everything else):

Config.debug = true                               -- Debug enabled on our dev server

Config.percentResell = 0.5                         -- Increased resell value for our economy

Config.enablePrompt = true

-- ... rest of the file ...

4. Run /refresh then /ensure jo_clothingstore.

Loading Order

The config folder is loaded through the fxmanifest.lua using a wildcard:

-- Example fxmanifest.lua
shared_script {
    "@jo_libs/init.lua",
    "config/**.lua",          -- Loads every .lua file inside the config folder
    "shared/functions.lua",
}

The config/**.lua pattern loads the files in this order:

1. _default.lock/_init.lua: Creates the Config and Lang tables
2. _default.lock/*.lua: Loads all default values
3. custom/*.lua: Loads your copied files, overwriting the default ones

Because the custom folder is loaded last, any file you place there takes priority over its default counterpart.

Best Practices

Do

• Copy files from _default.lock into custom and edit them there
• Copy the entire file, not just the values you change
• Keep one custom file per topic (only copy the files you actually need to edit)
• Backup your custom folder during updates
• Comment your modifications to remember why you made them

-- Debug enabled while testing the new stores
Config.debug = true

-- Resell increased for our server economy
Config.percentResell = 0.5

Don't

• Don't edit files inside _default.lock — they are overwritten on every update
• Don't copy only part of a file into custom — copy the whole file
• Don't rename the copied files — they must keep the same name as the default file to overwrite it

Translating the Script

Language strings work the same way. To translate the script:

1. Copy config/_default.lock/lang.lua into config/custom/lang.lua.
2. Edit the strings to your language.
3. Run /refresh then /ensure jo_clothingstore.

-- config/custom/lang.lua
Lang.buy = "Acheter"
Lang.close = "Fermer"
Lang.clothesManager = "Gestionnaire de vêtements"
Lang.clothesManagerDescription = "Gérez vos vêtements"

-- ... rest of the file ...

Preserve placeholders and tags

Keep any placeholders (%s, %d, %1, %2), color codes (~COLOR_GOLD~), and HTML tags (<br>) exactly as they appear in the original strings. See the translation tips for details.

Summary

The config folder system is a development best practice that:

• Simplifies script updates
• Protects your customizations and translations
• Keeps configuration organized by topic
• Separates your settings from the default configuration

Recommendation

Always copy files into the custom folder to make your changes. Never edit the files inside _default.lock.