Installation

Important Pre-Installation Notes

Critical Installation Order

Always follow this exact sequence to avoid parsing errors in the F8 console:

1. Download ZIP Package from CFX Portal
2. Unpack in a folder on your local machine
3. Set File Transfer Protocol (FTP) type to binary
4. Drag files from local machine to server resources folder
5. Add to server.cfg (ensure script)
6. Boot up the server

Support Policy

Follow this guide step by step. If you’re stuck, ask for support in our Discord and provide the specific step name. Do not skip steps.

Database Requirement

Night Shifts MDT requires a MySQL database and oxmysql resource to function properly.

Emergency Response Simulator Compatible: It is possible to search NPCs and their vehicles in the MDT when they have been interacted with via the Emergency Response Simulator.

System Requirements & Compatibility

OneSync Compatibility

• OneSync Legacy: Fully tested and compatible
• OneSync Infinity: Fully tested and compatible

Framework Compatibility

• Standalone: If no supported framework resource is running, the MDT runs in standalone mode: no automatic civilian generation from characters (players use council registration / staff workflows as you configure).

• Auto civilian generation (framework bridge): When a supported framework is detected and started before or with the MDT, the resource syncs each loaded character into nsmdt_civilians (create or update by framework id). Supported stacks (detection order on the server):

  Framework	Resource / API	Character id used for sync
  ESX	es_extended	identifier
  QBox	qbx_core (GetPlayer)	citizenid
  QBCore	qb-core	citizenid

  On first sync, a council-style personal id (e.g. CIV-…) can be issued; identity documents may be auto-generated when your document types and council rules allow (see server logs for [MDT Framework]). Existing civilians are updated on subsequent loads (name, job, phone, etc., per bridge data).

• Framework fines: Optional bank/cash deduction for council fines when a framework player pays—configure Config.FrameworkFineAccount in config.lua (ESX / QBCore / QBox).

• Custom banking (standalone): If you run a standalone server with your own banking resource (or want to override one specific operation on a framework server), the banking bridge exposes a BankingBridge.Custom slot you can plug into. Council fines, balance reads and any future money-moving feature will then go through your code instead of (or in addition to) the framework path. See Custom Banking Bridge below.

Note

Run es_extended, qbx_core, or qb-core on the same server as Night Shifts MDT if you want automatic civilian sync. Only one framework path is selected (ESX → QBox → QBCore in that order if multiple were present).

Dependencies

• MySQL Database - Required for data storage
• oxmysql - Required database API

Note

Database setup (MySQL + oxmysql) is required regardless of framework. Permissions and departments are configured inside the MDT (and initial super-admins in config.lua). Optional integrations include: auto civilian sync on supported frameworks, fine payments through the framework account, and Discord-driven department assignment via the separate Night Discord API resource — see Discord integration below.

Installation Process

Step 1: Database Setup (Required)

We assume you have a database for your FiveM server. If you do not have one, contact your hosting providers’ documentation on how to get and build one. This is a dependency for Night Shifts MDT to work.

1. Set up your database via your hosting provider
2. Connect to your database using credentials in an SQL connection string
3. Add to server.cfg above the ensure/start of resources:

set mysql_connection_string "user=Your_Database_Username;password=Your_Database_Password;host=Your_Database_Host;port=3306;database=Your_Database_Name;charset=utf8mb4_general_ci"

Localhost Example

set mysql_connection_string "user=root;password=;host=localhost;port=3306;database=Your_Database_Name;charset=utf8mb4_general_ci"

1. Automatic Table Installation - When you boot up the server, the code will run queries to install required tables

Manual Installation

The files include a datatables.sql file if you prefer to manually install the tables.

Step 2: Install oxmysql (Required)

If you don’t have oxmysql installed, download it from: Download oxmysql

1. Place oxmysql into your resources folder
2. Add to server.cfg - Ensure it starts before Night Shifts MDT:

ensure oxmysql

Documentation

For oxmysql questions, visit oxmysql documentation

Step 3: Test Database Connection

Start your server and check the console for oxmysql connection messages. You should see:

[script:oxmysql] Database server connection established!

Step 4: Postal codes (optional — auto-detect)

Night Shifts MDT does not require a specific postal resource name. It auto-detects which postal / map data is available on your server and uses it for player and world lookups (dispatch, addresses, etc.).

How it works

1. HUD-first (player position) — If a supported HUD exposes postal for the local player, that is preferred: rhud (get_postal), then SimpleHUD / ModernHUD (getPostal), in that order.
2. World coordinates — For map pins and coordinates, the MDT tries rhud world APIs first, then hinted postal resources in order: mnr_postals, nearest-postal.
3. Multiple formats — The same hints are probed for several backends: JSON lists referenced by the resource postal_file manifest metadata, MNR-style Lua data (config + data files), export-based nearest-postal (getNearestPostal, getPostalAtCoords, etc.), and similar. You can ship different postal file packs (or forks of nearest-postal / MNR) as long as the resource exposes one of these patterns; the MDT picks the first working match at runtime.
4. Dependencies of postal resources — Some MNR builds need ox_lib running. Install what your chosen postal resource documents.

You typically ensure your postal / map stack before Night Shifts MDT in server.cfg, for example:

ensure ox_lib
ensure nearest-postal
# or: ensure mnr_postals
# plus any minimap / postal overlay resource you use

Tip

No extra bridge resource — Integration is built into the MDT client; you do not need a separate “MDT ↔ postal” bridge. If nothing matches, postal-dependent UI may show blanks until a compatible resource is added.

Step 5: Install Night Shifts MDT

1. Download from CFX Portal Assets
2. Extract and transfer using binary FTP mode
3. Place the resource folder into your resources directory — keep the original folder name (night_shifts_mdt) as shipped; do not rename it.
4. Add to server.cfg:

ensure night_shifts_mdt

1. Verify startup — Check console for oxmysql and night_shifts_mdt starting without errors

Note

Using ERS? In server.cfg, ensure night_shifts_mdt before ensure night_ers — ERS calls MDT exports at startup, so the MDT must already be running. See Emergency Response Simulator Integration below for config and behaviour.

First start & database setup

When the resource starts, it runs a sequence of MySQL queries to create or update the required tables, columns, and indexes automatically. That work can take a short time (often a few seconds; longer on a slow database or a very first install). Let the server console finish this phase before deciding something failed—brief delays here are normal.

Configuration Setup

Required Tools

Visual Studio Code

We strongly recommend downloading VS Code for editing Lua files.

Configuration Files

Paths below use night_shifts_mdt as the resource folder name—use the same name you deploy and ensure in server.cfg (some installs rename the folder; paths are always relative to that folder).

Path	Purpose
night_shifts_mdt/config/config.lua	Main config — tablet prop/animations, ERS link (Enable_ERS), framework fine account, hotkeys, civilian emergency call, Show ID, initial super-admins, and other core toggles.
night_shifts_mdt/config/config_anpr.lua	ANPR — static cameras, patrol HUD scan settings, officer watchlist expiry, patrol-registry-only mode, and NpcRegistryScopedToModel (NPC auto-flags scoped to plate + vehicle model)
night_shifts_mdt/config/config_npc_pool.lua	ERS NPC pool — fictive NPC identities and vehicle-record probabilities for Emergency Response Simulator / PNC integration
night_shifts_mdt/config/translations/<locale>.lua	Languages — one file per locale (e.g. en.lua, de.lua, fr.lua, …)

Optional files some servers customize:

Path	Purpose
night_shifts_mdt/client/c_functions.lua	Client helpers (e.g. postal auto-detect, shared utilities)
night_shifts_mdt/server/s_functions.lua	Server helpers, Discord webhook implementation, and the optional Custom Banking Bridge preset

Configuration Process

1. Open VS Code and navigate to the config files
2. Read thoroughly - each line has explanatory comments
3. Configure in order - work from top to bottom
4. Watch for notes - important warnings are clearly marked
5. Test frequently - use F8 console and server console for error checking

Time Investment

Plan adequate time for configuration. Each variable is named descriptively to help you understand its purpose.