Getting Started

Download the Metro Radio resource from your purchase confirmation. Extract the archive and rename the folder to metro_radio — the folder name must match exactly or the resource will not start.

• Folder must be named metro_radio
• Do not rename or move files inside the resource
• Place inside a [standalone] or [custom] category folder

resources/
  └── [standalone]/
        └── metro_radio/
              ├── client/
              ├── server/
              ├── web/
              ├── config/
              └── fxmanifest.lua

Open your server.cfg and add the ensure lines. Metro Radio must start after ox_lib. If you are using ox_inventory for item-based radios, ensure that starts first too.

• Order matters — ox_lib must come before metro_radio
• ox_inventory line is optional — remove it if not using item radios
• Do not use start — use ensure so the resource restarts on crash

# Dependencies — start these first
ensure ox_lib
ensure ox_inventory   # optional — only if using item radios

# Metro Radio
ensure metro_radio

Metro Radio is written in Lua 5.4. If your server.cfg does not already have the Lua 5.4 flag set, add it now. Without this the resource will throw a syntax error on start.

• Only needs to be set once per server.cfg
• Affects all resources — safe to enable globally
• Restart the server after adding this line

# Add this line anywhere in server.cfg
lua54 'yes'

Open config/departments.lua and define your in-game departments. Each department gets a label, a list of channel numbers, and optional encryption keys per channel. The example below shows a basic Police department setup.

• Add as many departments as your server needs
• job field maps to your ESX or QBCore job name
• Leave job blank for standalone / ACE-only mode
• Encryption keys are server-side only — clients cannot read them

Config.Departments = {
  ['police'] = {
    label    = 'Police Department',
    job      = 'police',      -- ESX/QBCore job name
    channels = {
      [1] = { label = 'Patrol',  encrypted = false },
      [2] = { label = 'Command', encrypted = true, key = 'alpha-7' },
      [3] = { label = 'TAC',     encrypted = true, key = 'bravo-3' },
    },
  },
  ['fire'] = {
    label    = 'Fire Department',
    job      = 'fire',
    channels = {
      [1] = { label = 'Dispatch', encrypted = false },
      [2] = { label = 'Command',  encrypted = true, key = 'delta-9' },
    },
  },
}

Assign ACE permissions in server.cfg to control which player groups can access each department's radio. Metro Radio uses the metro_radio.<department> permission pattern. Admins should also receive metro_radio.admin for the dispatch panel.

• Replace group.police with your actual ACE group names
• metro_radio.admin grants access to the web dispatch panel
• Permissions take effect on next server restart or resource restart

# Police access
add_ace group.police metro_radio.police allow

# Fire access
add_ace group.fire metro_radio.fire allow

# EMS access
add_ace group.ems metro_radio.ems allow

# Admin — dispatch panel + all departments
add_ace group.admin metro_radio.admin allow
add_ace group.admin metro_radio.police allow
add_ace group.admin metro_radio.fire allow
add_ace group.admin metro_radio.ems allow

Restart your server (or use refresh and ensure metro_radio in the server console). Join the server and open the radio with the default keybind. If the NUI opens, Metro Radio is running correctly.

• Default keybind to open handheld radio: F2 (configurable)
• Check server console for any Lua errors on start
• If NUI does not open, check that ox_lib started before metro_radio

# In the server console:
refresh
ensure metro_radio

# Check for errors:
[metro_radio] Resource started successfully
[metro_radio] Loaded 2 department(s), 5 channel(s)