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McDis-RCON allows you to define reusable commands for each process using YAML files stored in the .mdcommands folder. This feature is perfect for automating complex or frequently-used server commands.

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What Are Predefined Commands?

Predefined commands are:
  • YAML-based: Stored as .yml files
  • Process-specific: Each server/network has its own .mdcommands folder
  • Multi-action: One command can execute multiple server console commands
  • Discord-accessible: Execute via the File Manager interface

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Command File Location

Each process has a dedicated .mdcommands folder: 
McDis/
├── server 1/
│   ├── .mdcommands/
│   │   ├── mobswitch.yml      ← Predefined commands for server 1
│   │   ├── worldborder.yml
│   │   └── maintenance.yml
│   └── server.jar
├── server 2/
│   ├── .mdcommands/
│   │   └── custom_events.yml  ← Predefined commands for server 2
│   └── server.jar
└── network 1/
    ├── .mdcommands/
    │   └── alerts.yml         ← Predefined commands for network 1
    └── velocity.jar

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Command File Format

Predefined commands are defined in YAML format:
mobswitch.yml
Reset:
  - "gamerule doMobSpawning false"
  - "kill @e[type=!player]"
  - "say Mob spawning disabled and all mobs cleared"

Over:
  - "gamerule doMobSpawning false"
  - "execute in minecraft:overworld run kill @e[type=!player]"
  - "say Overworld mobs cleared"

Nether:
  - "gamerule doMobSpawning false"
  - "execute in minecraft:the_nether run kill @e[type=!player]"
  - "say Nether mobs cleared"

Enable:
  - "gamerule doMobSpawning true"
  - "say Mob spawning enabled"
Structure:
  • Top-level keys: Action names (e.g., Reset, Over, Enable)
  • Values: List of commands to execute in sequence
Each command in the list is executed in order on the server console.

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Creating Predefined Commands

1

Access File Manager

Click the Files button in the Discord panel
2

Navigate to .mdcommands

Go to McDis/<process>/.mdcommandsCommands Interface
3

Create new command

Select “Create new command” from the dropdown
4

Define command name

Enter a name for your command file (e.g., mobswitch)
5

Edit the YAML file

Use the text editor to define your actions and commands
6

Save the file

Confirm your changes to create the command

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Using Predefined Commands

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Via File Manager Interface

1

Navigate to .mdcommands

Open File Manager and go to the process’s .mdcommands folder
2

Select command file

Choose the command file from the dropdown (e.g., mobswitch)Command Actions
3

Choose action

Select the specific action from the dropdown (e.g., Reset, Over, Enable)
4

Execute

Click the Execute button to run the command sequence

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Command Interface Controls

⬅️ Back

Return to the .mdcommands folder view

🔄 Reload

Refresh the command interface

Execute

Run the selected action’s command sequence

Edit

Open the YAML file for editing

Delete

Remove the command file

Dropdown

Select which action to execute

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Example: MobSwitch Commands

A practical example for managing mob spawning on a Minecraft server:
mobswitch.yml
Reset:
  - "gamerule doMobSpawning false"
  - "kill @e[type=!player]"
  - "say [MobSwitch] All mobs cleared and spawning disabled"

Overworld:
  - "execute in minecraft:overworld run kill @e[type=!player]"
  - "say [MobSwitch] Overworld mobs cleared"

Nether:
  - "execute in minecraft:the_nether run kill @e[type=!player]"
  - "say [MobSwitch] Nether mobs cleared"

End:
  - "execute in minecraft:the_end run kill @e[type=!player]"
  - "say [MobSwitch] End mobs cleared"

Enable:
  - "gamerule doMobSpawning true"
  - "say [MobSwitch] Mob spawning enabled"

Disable:
  - "gamerule doMobSpawning false"
  - "say [MobSwitch] Mob spawning disabled"
Usage:
  1. Navigate to .mdcommands/mobswitch
  2. Select action (e.g., “Reset”)
  3. Click Execute
  4. All commands run sequentially on the server

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Example: World Border Commands

Manage world borders across dimensions:
worldborder.yml
SetNormal:
  - "worldborder set 10000"
  - "say World border set to 10,000 blocks"

SetLarge:
  - "worldborder set 30000"
  - "say World border set to 30,000 blocks"

Expand:
  - "worldborder set 50000 600"
  - "say World border expanding to 50,000 blocks over 10 minutes"

Shrink:
  - "worldborder set 5000 300"
  - "say World border shrinking to 5,000 blocks over 5 minutes"

Center:
  - "worldborder center 0 0"
  - "say World border centered at spawn (0, 0)"

Damage:
  - "worldborder damage amount 2"
  - "worldborder damage buffer 5"
  - "say World border damage configured"

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Example: Maintenance Commands

Routine maintenance tasks:
maintenance.yml
BackupWarning:
  - "say [Maintenance] Server backup starting in 5 minutes"
  - "say [Maintenance] Please finish your activities"

BackupStarting:
  - "say [Maintenance] Backup starting now"
  - "save-off"
  - "save-all"

BackupComplete:
  - "save-on"
  - "say [Maintenance] Backup complete. Thank you for your patience!"

RestartWarning5:
  - "say [Restart] Server restarting in 5 minutes"

RestartWarning1:
  - "say [Restart] Server restarting in 1 minute"
  - "say [Restart] Please log out to avoid rollbacks"

ClearLag:
  - "kill @e[type=item]"
  - "say [Maintenance] Dropped items cleared"

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Example: Permission Commands

Manage player permissions:
permissions.yml
GrantBuilder:
  - "lp user {username} parent add builder"
  - "say Granted builder permissions to {username}"

GrantModerator:
  - "lp user {username} parent add moderator"
  - "say Granted moderator permissions to {username}"

RemoveBuilder:
  - "lp user {username} parent remove builder"
  - "say Removed builder permissions from {username}"

ListPerms:
  - "lp user {username} info"
Replace {username} with actual player names when executing. Some servers support placeholder syntax.

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Example: Event Commands

Special event configurations:
events.yml
StartPVP:
  - "gamerule pvp true"
  - "difficulty hard"
  - "say [Event] PVP Event starting! Fight!"

EndPVP:
  - "gamerule pvp false"
  - "difficulty normal"
  - "say [Event] PVP Event ended. Peace restored."

StartBuildComp:
  - "time set day"
  - "weather clear"
  - "gamerule doDaylightCycle false"
  - "say [Event] Build Competition started! Good luck!"

EndBuildComp:
  - "gamerule doDaylightCycle true"
  - "say [Event] Build Competition ended. Great work everyone!"

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Editing Commands

You can edit existing commands via the File Manager:
1

Select the command

Navigate to .mdcommands and choose your command file
2

Click Edit

The text editor will show the YAML content
3

Modify actions

Add, remove, or edit actions and their command sequences
4

Save changes

Confirm your edits to update the command file
Ensure proper YAML syntax. Invalid YAML will prevent the command from loading.

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Deleting Commands

To remove a predefined command:
  1. Navigate to .mdcommands/<command_name>
  2. Click the Delete button
  3. Confirm deletion
The command file will be permanently removed.

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Command Execution Flow

When you execute a predefined command action:
1

Action selected

You choose an action from the dropdown (e.g., “Reset”)
2

Commands queued

McDis-RCON reads the list of commands for that action
3

Sequential execution

Each command is sent to the server console in order:
for command in action_commands:
    process.execute(command)
4

Console output

Server responses appear in the process console thread

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Use Cases

Server Maintenance

Backup sequences, restart warnings, lag clearing

World Management

World borders, time/weather control, spawn settings

Player Management

Permission changes, teleports, inventory management

Event Automation

PVP events, build competitions, mini-games

Technical Tasks

Redstone automation, farm controls, mob switches

Administration

Moderation tools, server configuration, rule enforcement

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Best Practices

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1. Use Descriptive Names

# Good
BackupWarning5Min:
  - "say Backup in 5 minutes"

# Bad
BW5:
  - "say Backup in 5 minutes"

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2. Add Feedback Messages

ClearMobs:
  - "kill @e[type=!player]"
  - "say All mobs have been cleared"  # Feedback to players
maintenance.yml
Warning:
  - "say Maintenance in 5 minutes"

Start:
  - "save-off"
  - "save-all"

Complete:
  - "save-on"
  - "say Maintenance complete"

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4. Test Commands First

Before creating predefined commands:
  1. Test each command manually in the console
  2. Verify the syntax is correct
  3. Confirm the expected behavior
  4. Then add to .mdcommands

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5. Document Complex Commands

# Mobswitch Reset: Disables spawning and clears all entities
Reset:
  - "gamerule doMobSpawning false"
  - "kill @e[type=!player]"
  - "say Mob spawning disabled"

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Troubleshooting

Problem: Created a .yml file but it doesn’t show in the interfaceSolutions:
  • Ensure the file is in the correct .mdcommands folder
  • Verify the file has a .yml extension
  • Click 🔄 to reload the interface
  • Check for YAML syntax errors
Problem: Clicking Execute doesn’t run the commandsSolutions:
  • Verify the server process is running
  • Check console thread for error messages
  • Ensure command syntax is correct for your server version
  • Test commands manually in console first
Problem: File editor shows YAML syntax errorCommon issues:
  • Incorrect indentation (use spaces, not tabs)
  • Missing colons after action names
  • Missing hyphens before list items
Correct format:
ActionName:
  - "command 1"
  - "command 2"
Problem: Only some commands in the sequence executePossible causes:
  • Server lag between commands
  • Command errors stop the sequence
  • Permission issues
Solutions:
  • Check console for error messages
  • Verify server has necessary permissions
  • Add delays if needed (not built-in, may require plugins)

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Advanced Tips

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Combining with Plugins

Predefined commands can work alongside plugins:
  1. Use commands to trigger server-side events
  2. Plugins detect those events via listener_events
  3. Plugins perform additional automation

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Creating Command Libraries

Organize commands by category: 
.mdcommands/
├── mobswitch.yml      ← Mob management
├── worldborder.yml    ← World borders
├── permissions.yml    ← Permission management
├── events.yml         ← Special events
├── maintenance.yml    ← Routine maintenance
└── backups.yml        ← Backup procedures

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Version Control

Keep backups of your command files:
  1. Download .yml files via File Manager
  2. Store in version control (Git)
  3. Restore if accidentally deleted
Share command files between servers by downloading and re-uploading via the File Manager.

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Real-World Example: Aeternum SMP

On servers like Aeternum SMP, predefined commands automate complex tasks:
  • MobSwitch: Toggle mob spawning for technical work
  • Backup Sequences: Coordinated save commands
  • Event Triggers: Start/stop PVP events, competitions
Aeternum MobSwitch

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Next Steps

File Manager

Learn more about managing files in McDis-RCON

Creating Plugins

Extend functionality beyond predefined commands

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