start_on_connection Template

Automatically starts a server when a player attempts to connect to it. Supports multiple connection handling modes for different user experiences.

Configuration

rules:
  auto_start:
    template: start_on_connection      # Template type
    servers: ['survival', 'creative']  # List of server names to monitor
    players: ['alice', 'bob']          # Optional: Filter by player names
    mode: waiting_server  # Connection handling mode: none, disconnect, hold, waiting_server
    # ... mode-specific configuration

Configuration fields

Connection modes

none

Just starts the server without interfering with the connection. The player's connection attempt will fail if the server is offline, but the server will start in the background.

rules:
  start_background:
    template: start_on_connection
    servers: ['survival']
    mode: none

disconnect

Denies the connection, starts the server, and disconnects the player with a message.

rules:
  start_and_disconnect:
    template: start_on_connection
    servers: ['survival']
    mode: disconnect
    disconnect_message: "<gold>${connection.server.name}</gold> is starting. Try again in a few seconds."

hold

Denies the connection, starts the server, waits for it to come online, then allows the connection.

rules:
  start_and_wait:
    template: start_on_connection
    servers: ['survival']
    mode: hold

waiting_server

The most sophisticated mode. Denies the connection, sends the player to a waiting server (like a limbo), starts the target server, shows progress UI (title, bossbar, action bar), then connects the player when ready.

rules:
  start_with_waiting:
    template: start_on_connection
    servers: ['survival']
    mode: waiting_server
    waiting_server:
      server: limbo
      start_waiting_server_on_connection: true
      connect_error_message: '<red>Could not connect to ${connect_server}: ${connect_error_reason}</red>'
      message:
        enabled: false
        message: "<gold>${connection.server.name}</gold> <gray>is starting. You will be connected shortly.</gray>"
      progress_bar:
        enabled: true
        message: "${${connection.server.name}.startup_progress_percentage}%"
        progress: "${${connection.server.name}.startup_progress}"
        color: WHITE
        overlay: PROGRESS
      title:
        enabled: true
        title: "Please Wait..."
        subtitle: "<gold>${connection.server.name}</gold> <gray>is ${${connection.server.name}.state}. You will be connected shortly.</gray>"
        fade_in: 1s
        stay: 1h
        fade_out: 1s
      action_bar:
        enabled: false
        message: "Server is ${${connection.server.name}.state}"

Waiting server configuration

When using waiting_server mode, you can configure the waiting experience:

Message configuration

Progress bar configuration

Title configuration

Action bar configuration

How it works

The start_on_connection template internally uses the following components:

• connection trigger: Detects when a player attempts to connect to a server.

• start action: Starts the target server when a connection attempt is detected. The action automatically tracks server startup progress, making startup variables available for use in UI elements.

• Connection handling actions (depending on mode):

• allow_connection: Used in hold and waiting_server modes to allow the connection after the server is ready

• connect: Used in waiting_server mode to connect the player to the target server

• Player communication actions (for waiting_server mode):

• send_message: Sends initial message when player enters waiting server
• send_title: Shows title with server status updates
• show_bossbar: Displays progress bar showing startup progress
• send_action_bar: Shows action bar with server status

The template monitors the server startup process and automatically updates UI elements (in waiting_server mode) with real-time progress information.

Available variables

This template provides access to variables from the connection trigger, which includes player and server information from the connection event. Additionally, you can use global server variables to access server state and startup progress information.

For example:

• connection.server.name - The name of the server the player is trying to connect to
• connection.player.name - The name of the player attempting to connect
• ${connection.server.name}.state - Current state of the target server (e.g., starting, online, offline)
• ${connection.server.name}.startup_progress - Startup progress (0.0-1.0) for progress bars
• ${connection.server.name}.startup_progress_percentage - Startup progress (0-100) for display

See the connection trigger documentation for all available context variables and the Variables page for global server variables.