Settings and Configuration

Settings & Configuration

In-app settings (⚙ SETTINGS tab)

Applied immediately, saved on the machine running the server:

Setting	What it does
Journal folder	Where Elite Dangerous writes its journal. Leave blank to auto-detect (recommended); paste a path to override — it validates as you type ("✓ 60 journal files") and takes effect without a restart.
Exclude surface stations	Orbital stations only in routes/searches.
Exclude fleet carriers	Keeps carriers out of results and out of the database itself — the live EDDN feed and rebuilds honor it.
Contribute market data (EDDN)	Publish markets you dock at back to the community feed. Anonymous.
Extended EDDN reporting	Separate opt-in: also share outfitting, navigation, exploration, Codex and biological observations (validated against the official schemas).
Automatic updates	Check for releases and offer one-click updates (packaged exe only).
Neural voice	Human-sounding callouts synthesized on the server PC by Piper (one-time download). On by default once installed; the on/off switch is per device. The voice itself (default: Alba — Scottish female, five others available) is server-wide.

The SETTINGS tab also hosts these cards:

• Paired Devices — one-time QR/link pairing, per-device permissions, revocation. See Device Pairing & Security.
• Commander Profiles — who owns this machine's local history; assign pre-2.1 "unassigned" records, activate or delete profiles.
• Local Health & Extensions — diagnostics, a privacy-scrubbed support bundle, and permissioned local extension packs.
• Extension Builder (experimental, v2.2.0) — create your own extensions with a guided form, no code: pick a game event (hyperspace jump, bounty, mission completed…), add conditions like Reward is at least 100000, and choose a cockpit alert (with optional voice callout) or a suggested objective. {FieldName} in the message inserts the live value. TEST AGAINST MY HISTORY replays the rule over your last 1,000 journal events so you see exactly what would have fired before saving. Saved extensions activate immediately and can be edited or removed from the pack list.
• Market Database — build/rebuild the local galaxy database (Market Database).

Per-device settings (saved in each browser)

These live in the browser/tablet you set them on — each device can be tuned separately. All apply instantly; double-click a slider to reset it.

Setting	What it does
Color theme	Six accent presets (Elite orange, Ice, Emerald, Gold, Crimson, Violet) plus a custom color picker — the whole interface follows.
Voice volume (0–100%)	Callout loudness on this device — neural and browser voices alike.
CRT effects	Retro scanlines/flicker in the flight panel. Off by default.
FSD jump sequence	The cinematic countdown → witchspace tunnel → arrival overlay that plays in the flight panel when your ship jumps (details). On by default.
Reduce jump flashing	Caps the bright white flashes at jump launch and arrival — for photosensitive commanders and night flying. The sequence also respects the device's reduced-motion preference automatically.
Jump effect intensity (30–100%)	How hard the tunnel, camera shake and glow go during the sequence.
◈ PREVIEW JUMP	Plays a simulated hyperspace jump on the spot — no game needed.
Interface size (80–140%)	Zooms the whole app on this device — desktop and panel mode.
Status bar text (100–160%)	The panel-mode top strip: system, station, fuel, cargo, clock, commander.
Helper text (100–150%)	The small grey hints, sub-lines and empty-state explanations.

Card layouts (arrange & hide) are also per device — see Flight Panel Mode.

Journal auto-detection

The app resolves the journal folder in this order:

1. Settings → Journal folder (if set)
2. ED_JOURNAL_DIR environment variable (if set)
3. Auto-detect: the Windows Saved Games known folder (follows relocations) → the default path → Steam Proton prefixes on Linux

If the folder can't be found, a banner offers OPEN SETTINGS. If it simply doesn't exist yet (game never run), the app watches for it and bootstraps automatically the moment it appears.

Environment variables

For the rest — set before launching:

Env var	Meaning	Default
ET_PORT	HTTP port	8666
ET_DATA_DIR	Data folder	data/ next to the app
ED_JOURNAL_DIR	Journal folder override	auto-detected; the in-app setting wins
ED_BINDINGS_DIR	Key bindings folder override	auto-detected (Windows / Proton)
ED_PLOT_KEY	Autoplot hold-key override	UI_Select bind, then Enter
ET_EDDN_UPLOAD	Seed value for the EDDN toggle	1
ET_AUTO_UPDATE	Seed value for the auto-update toggle	1

(The ET_ prefix survives from the app's Elite Trader days so existing setups keep working.)

Security model

• Localhost is trusted automatically — the desktop window and anything on the gaming PC itself need no setup.
• Other devices must be paired with a one-time link or QR code, and each gets revocable read / control / admin permissions — see Device Pairing & Security.
• The server also rejects cross-site browser requests and unrecognized Host headers (DNS-rebinding protection).
• It binds to your LAN so tablets can reach it. Keep it on a trusted home network and do not port-forward it to the internet — pairing is a local convenience, not internet-grade authentication.