How to add addon cars to a FiveM server: stream and data files

You have a car pack you want on your server, and the folder holds files such as .yft, .ytd and several .meta files. This guide explains where each file goes, what the fxmanifest.lua needs and how to spawn the car, with the difference between addon and replace cars.

#What an addon car pack contains

A car comes in two kinds of files:

• Model and texture files, which go in a stream folder: mycar.yft (the model), mycar_hi.yft (the high detail model), mycar.ytd (textures) and sometimes .ydr or .ytyp files.
• Data files, which go in a data folder: vehicles.meta, carvariations.meta, carcols.meta and handling.meta, and sometimes vehiclelayouts.meta.

The first set is what the car looks like, the second set is what it is: its name, colours, handling and seats.

#The folder structure

Create one resource for the car, or one for a whole pack:

resources/[cars]/mycar/
  fxmanifest.lua
  stream/
    mycar.yft
    mycar_hi.yft
    mycar.ytd
  data/
    vehicles.meta
    carvariations.meta
    carcols.meta
    handling.meta

Files in stream are sent to players automatically. You do not list them in the manifest. Files in data are not streamed, and the manifest must declare them.

#The fxmanifest.lua

fx_version 'cerulean'
game 'gta5'

files {
    'data/vehicles.meta',
    'data/carvariations.meta',
    'data/carcols.meta',
    'data/handling.meta',
}

data_file 'HANDLING_FILE' 'data/handling.meta'
data_file 'VEHICLE_METADATA_FILE' 'data/vehicles.meta'
data_file 'CARCOLS_FILE' 'data/carcols.meta'
data_file 'VEHICLE_VARIATION_FILE' 'data/carvariations.meta'

The files {} block makes the files available to the game client. Each data_file line tells the game what type a file is. Two rules matter:

• Each file needs both: one entry in files and one data_file line with the right type.
• A pack with many cars often has a data folder per car. You can use a pattern such as 'data/**/*.meta' in files {}, but the data_file lines for these files must still be written, one per type, and the type lines accept the same pattern.

files { 'data/**/*.meta' }

data_file 'HANDLING_FILE' 'data/**/handling.meta'
data_file 'VEHICLE_METADATA_FILE' 'data/**/vehicles.meta'
data_file 'CARCOLS_FILE' 'data/**/carcols.meta'
data_file 'VEHICLE_VARIATION_FILE' 'data/**/carvariations.meta'

If the pack also has a vehiclelayouts.meta, declare it too, with data_file 'VEHICLE_LAYOUTS_FILE' 'data/vehiclelayouts.meta'.

#Start it and spawn it

In server.cfg, add the resource:

ensure mycar

The resource folder name and the ensure name must match. If you use a bracket folder such as [cars], ensure [cars] starts everything inside it.

The spawn name is the modelName in vehicles.meta:

<Item>
  <modelName>mycar</modelName>
  <txdName>mycar</txdName>
  <handlingId>MYCAR</handlingId>
  ...
</Item>

Here you spawn it with mycar. In a script:

local model = joaat('mycar')
lib.requestModel(model)
local veh = CreateVehicle(model, coords.x, coords.y, coords.z, heading, true, false)

lib.requestModel is from ox_lib. Without it, call RequestModel(model) and wait until HasModelLoaded(model) is true. Most admin menus and the txAdmin menu spawn a car from the same name.

Tip: the modelName, the .yft/.ytd file names and the txdName should all agree. A mismatch is the first thing to check when a car does not appear.

#Addon cars versus replace cars

An addon car has a new name that the base game does not use, for example mycar. It needs the data files above, and adds a car to the list. Both your new car and the original cars exist. This is the right choice for almost all cars today.

A replace car uses the file names of a car from the base game, such as sultan.yft, and puts them in a stream folder. FiveM then loads yours instead of the original, everywhere that car appears, including traffic. It usually needs no vehicles.meta for the model, as the game already knows the name. A replace car only changes the look. If you want other handling, you need the matching handling.meta with the original handling id.

Do not mix the two ideas in one folder. A pack that mixes replace and addon files is a common source of confusing bugs.

#Check the result

• Start the server and read the console. Resource errors, such as a missing file listed in files, appear on start. If the resource does not start at all, see couldn't start resource.
• Join and spawn the car. If a car is not found, the name does not match the modelName, or the resource is not started.
• Open the car's colours and handling in game to check the carcols.meta and handling.meta files are in use.

#Common problems

• The car does not exist. Check ensure, the files entries and the modelName. A spelling mistake in a path in files stops the resource.
• The car is invisible, or white, or has wrong textures. The .ytd is missing or named differently from the model. See oversized assets if you also see streaming warnings.
• The car handles like a stock car. The handling.meta is not declared, or its handlingId does not match the one in vehicles.meta.
• A DLC based car shows as broken. Some cars need a newer game build. Set one with sv_enforceGameBuild in server.cfg: see sv_enforceGameBuild and DLC.

#Checklist