---
canonical: https://darkpawns.org/docs/host/motd-editor/
title: "Edit the welcome messages"
description: "Change the mortal or immortal welcome message, preview terminal colors, and save without overwriting another operator’s changes."
type: guide
audience: operators
verified: v0.1.8
---

Choose **Staff tools → MOTD** in the admin console, or open the **MOTD** card on
the dashboard. Builders can open the page and read both messages. Only staff at
GRGOD (level 38) or higher can save; other staff see read-only text.

![The welcome message editor with synthetic login text and its preview.](/media/docs/admin-motd.png)

## Edit a welcome message

1. Choose **MOTD** for mortal characters or **Immortal MOTD** for immortal
   characters. Immortals see their message instead of the regular one.
2. Edit the text. Each tab keeps its own draft while you switch between them.
3. Check the **Telnet preview**. Choose **40**, **80**, or **100 columns** to
   see where a terminal wraps each line, including long words. On a narrow
   screen, scroll sideways inside the preview.
4. Toggle **Color** to compare rendered colors with the text containing the
   color codes. Preview controls don't change your draft.
5. Choose **Save MOTD** or **Save Immortal MOTD**. Save each message separately.
   The saved message takes effect at once. Players see it at their next login;
   no reboot is needed.

Each message allows **2,400 bytes**. The counter includes two bytes for each
line break and counts text as UTF-8, so some characters take more than one byte.
Shorten an over-limit message before saving.

Open **Color codes** for the available markers. Lowercase codes use ordinary
colors, uppercase codes use bright colors, `&n` resets the color, and `&&`
prints an ampersand.

## Insert a snippet

Place the cursor where you want the snippet, or select text to replace.

- **Discord block** asks for an invite. Enter your own HTTPS invite from
  `discord.gg` or `discord.com/invite`, then choose **Insert Discord block**.
  There is no preset invite. Check the address before saving.
- **Gossip notice** inserts: "What's said on gossip echoes to our Discord."

Snippets only change your draft. They don't save it or change Notifications.

:::note[Avoid duplicate gossip notices]
Check [Notifications](/docs/host/notifications/) before inserting the gossip snippet. Its **Show the automatic gossip notice in the MOTD** toggle already appends that line at login whenever the Discord gossip mirror is active. Leave the manual snippet out unless you've turned the automatic notice off, because the server won't deduplicate them for you.
:::

## Keep or discard a draft

**Load saved copy** replaces the selected tab's draft with the saved message.
If that tab has unsaved changes, confirm before discarding them.

Leaving the page or closing the browser warns about unsaved changes in either
tab. Drafts last while this editor stays open; they aren't a backup. Copy any
text you need before leaving.

If someone else saves first, your save stops and your draft stays here. The
comparison marks the saved copy with **−** and your draft with **+**. Copy the
changes you want to keep, choose **Load saved copy**, then make your changes
again and save. If saving fails for another reason, check your connection and
access, then try again.

## How it works

The page lives at `/admin/staff/motd`. It uses the existing `fileEditApi` with
the `tedit` root and the `motd` and `imotd` fields. Reads return an ETag; saves
send it with `If-Match`. A stale ETag returns 412 without overwriting the saved
text. Successful saves write the existing text file, refresh the live message,
and record a `file_edit_save` audit entry.

The shared web `tedit` save floor is GRGOD (38), matching the command gate in
`src/interpreter.c:764` (R2/R5e). Fields requiring IMPL (40) keep that higher
requirement. Lua file writes still require HIGOD (36). Builder reads remain
available. The byte limit counts CRLF line endings; saved text uses LF endings.

The preview uses xterm with the game's ampersand color markers. It changes
neither saved text nor game output. This editor adds no default player text and
doesn't change existing login behaviour (R1/R4).