Better Compatibility Checker in FTB StoneBlock 4

Same as in the All the Mods 10 8.1 guide

Better Compatibility Checker is a small utility mod that changes how the multiplayer server list decides whether a server is compatible with your game. The default Forge check is not always accurate, and it can mark a server as incompatible even when it isn't. That confuses players who just want to join.^[1]

Instead, the mod compares the modpack project ID and the modpack version ID that the modpack author sets in a config file. If they match, you see a tick. If they don't, you see an X.^[1]

Who it is for

This one is mainly for modpack authors and server owners. Players mostly benefit from it without doing anything: when you add a server, the server list shows a tick if you and the server are running the same version, and an X if the server or client version is incompatible.^[1]

Configuration

The author opens bcc-common.toml in the config folder, sets the modpack name and the modpack version, and saves. The version has to be updated every time the modpack is updated. Otherwise the check compares stale data.^[1]

In this pack

The pack ships Better Compatibility Checker 21.1.8, using the NeoForge build of the mod. It was already included by pack version 2.25 or earlier.^[2]

Unverified The sources don't show any items, recipes or quests for this mod, and they don't show where it fits in the pack's progression or on the ATM Star path. It also isn't confirmed which modpack name and version values this pack sets in its config.

Good news: there is nothing to craft or set up to get going with Better Compatibility Checker. It works in the background, and you never place or hold anything from it. Its job is to compare the modpack version on a server with the one you are running when you look at that server in the multiplayer list.^[1]

What you will see

The mod replaces the default Forge compatibility check, which is not always accurate and can make a server show as incompatible by mistake. Instead it shows a tick when the modpack versions match and an X when they do not.^[1]

If the versions differ, the tooltip tells you that you are not running the same version of the modpack as the server. It then lists the server version and your own (client) version, so you can see which side is out of date.^[3]

How the pack sets it up

The modpack author fills in the config file, so you do not need to touch it as a player. In this pack the name is set in general.modpackName and the version is set to 1.0.1 in general.modpackVersion.^[4]

• general.useMetadata is set to true in this pack, so the modpack version is read from the metadata.json file. The config comment says to only enable this if you know what you are doing.^[4]
• general.modpackProjectID is 0 and is marked as deprecated, to be removed soon.^[4]

Unverified Whether this mod has any items, crafting recipes or quests in this pack is not shown by the sources here. If you want to look for one, check the pack's quest book, since no quest source for this mod was available.

Better Compatibility Checker changes the default server compatibility check so that it compares modpack versions instead. You notice it when you add a server to your multiplayer list.^[1]

How the check works

The default Forge compatibility checker is not always accurate, and it can show a server as not compatible when you add it. This mod compares the modpack project ID and the modpack version ID that the pack author set in a config file. You get a tick if they match and an X if they do not.^[1]

When the versions match, the tooltip lists the server's version and your own version (labelled Client (You)). When they do not match, the tooltip tells you that you are not running the same version of the modpack as the server, then lists both versions in the same way.^[1][3]

What the pack sets

Everything is configured in config/bcc-common.toml. This pack sets these options:^[4]

• general.modpackName is the name of the modpack, and the pack sets it to its own name.^[4]
• general.modpackVersion is the version of the modpack, and the pack sets it to "1.0.1".^[4]
• general.modpackProjectID is set to 0, which is also the mod default. The config marks it as deprecated and says it will be removed soon.^[4]
• general.useMetadata is set to true in the pack. It makes the mod use the metadata.json to determine the modpack version, and the config warns you to enable it only if you know what you are doing.^[4]

When the server does not have the mod

If the mod is on your client but not on the server, it first checks whether the data it needs is set. If it is not, it falls back to the default Forge implementation.^[1]

Better Compatibility Checker has only a handful of options, all in one file, and none of them change gameplay. They control how the mod compares your modpack version with a server's when you add it to your multiplayer list. If you run a server for friends, these are the ones to know.^[1][4]

The mod's job is to replace the default Forge compatibility check, which isn't always accurate. It compares the modpack details set in the config file and shows a tick if they match or an X if they don't. If the mod isn't installed on the server but is on the client, it checks whether the needed data is set and, if not, falls back to the default Forge check.^[1]

How the pack sets them

• general.modpackName is set to the pack's own name. It is just the label for the modpack.^[4]
• general.modpackVersion is set to "1.0.1". This is the value the check compares between client and server, so a server running a different value will show as incompatible.^[1][4]
• general.useMetadata is set to true. This makes the mod use the metadata.json file to determine the modpack version. The file's own comment says to only enable it if you know what you're doing.^[4]
• general.modpackProjectID is set to 0, which is the same as the mod default, so the pack hasn't changed it. The file notes this option is deprecated and will be removed soon.^[4]

Unverified The sources don't show the mod's default for the useMetadata and modpackVersion options, so it's unconfirmed whether the pack changed them from the defaults. The project page also describes comparing a project ID, but this pack's config marks that option as deprecated and leaves it at 0.

FTB StoneBlock 4 1.21.0 ships Better Compatibility Checker 21.1.8, and the mod was already in the pack by FTB StoneBlock 4 1.0.0 or earlier. Here are the notable changes from the mod's own changelog.^[5]

The changelog has no separate entry for 21.1.8. Its newest entry is 21.1.7, and it jumps from 21.1.3 straight to 21.1.6. I found no pack changelog entries for this mod.^[6]

The 1.21 releases

• 21.1.7: fixed the modpack name and version not being logged after loading the metajson.^[6]
• 21.1.6: more logging. The mod now logs the modpack name and version after setup and adds them to the crash report, which is handy when you are asking for help with a crash.^[6]
• 21.1.3: bumped the NeoForge version.^[6]
• 21.1.2: added an alias so the mod works in production, with thanks to pietro-lopes.^[6]
• 21.1.1: dropped multiloader support.^[6]
• 21.1.0: updated to 1.21.1.^[6]
• 21.0.0: ported to 1.21, switched to a new versioning scheme and dropped Forge support.^[6]

Older history

• 5.1.2 and 5.1.0: updated the Forge, Fabric and NeoForge versions. 5.1.0 also reworked the NeoForge version to use the same method as Fabric, so drawForgePingInfo no longer exists.^[6]
• 5.0.0: ported to 1.20.4.^[6]
• 4.0.5: ported for NeoForge. 4.0.6 then fixed NeoForge crashing on the multiplayer screen.^[6]
• 4.0.2: added a Turkish translation and re-added the French translation, which had gone missing.^[6]
• 4.0.0: moved over to MultiLoader, so the Fabric and Forge versions are released at the same time.^[6]
• 3.0.0: ported to 1.20.^[6]