Config/INI Diff Tool

Module: Tech · Category: Workflow · Tool ID: ConfigINIDiffTool

Compares a project’s DefaultEngine.ini (and other config files) against engine defaults. Per-key diff: which values are overridden, which are added, which are missing relative to a recommended template. Supports built-in templates for common scenarios (Mobile, Shipping, Multiplayer, etc.) and inline value editing with save-to-disk.

Diff tool with DefaultEngine.ini scanned, mix of Default / Overridden / Added entries visible.

When to use it

• Auditing what’s been customized vs engine defaults
• Applying a known-good config template (Mobile / Shipping / Multiplayer) in one click
• Diff-style review of config changes before commit
• Finding “what did I change last week?” via revert-detection

What it isn’t for

• Don’t use this for runtime config. It edits .ini files in <Project>/Config/.
• Don’t expect this to handle plugin configs. Focused on engine + project configs.

Opening the tool

1. Open the EQLabs Hub and search for Config or INI (or browse to Tech → Workflow).
2. Click the tool card.
3. Pick the config file, optionally pick a template, click Scan.

Interface tour

Section	What it does	Default
Selected Config combo	Which .ini to diff	DefaultEngine.ini
Template combo	Optional — built-in template to compare against	None (full diff)
Filter combo	All / Overridden / Added / Default / Missing / Dirty
Search	Substring filter on key/value
Scan	Runs the diff
Apply All Template	Applies all template recommendations
Save Changes	Writes dirty edits back to the .ini
Copy Results	Plain-text dump
Stats	Overridden / Added / Default / Missing / Dirty counts
Diff list	Per-key row: section, key, default value, project value, recommended value, description, override flags, dirty flag

Built-in templates

Templates ship with EQLabs covering common scenarios. Each template is a (section, key, recommended-value, description) quadruple list, applied to the selected config file.

Mobile template selected, recommended values visible in the right column, several Apply actions ready.

Workflow

Audit current config

1. Pick DefaultEngine.ini.
2. Leave Template = None.
3. Click Scan.
4. Filter to Overridden to see what’s customized.

Apply a template

1. Pick a template (e.g., Mobile).
2. Click Scan — Recommended column populates.
3. Per-row: click Apply Recommended to set values one at a time, OR click Apply All Template for bulk.
4. Click Save Changes to write the .ini.

Settings reference

Field	Default
Selected Config	DefaultEngine.ini
Filter	All

Settings file: [Project]/Saved/EQLabs/Settings/ConfigINIDiffTool.json

Output

• Modified .ini files. Save Changes writes back to <Project>/Config/.
• Clipboard. Copy Results.
• No project metadata changes. Only config files.

Tips and gotchas

• Save Changes is final. There’s no undo for INI edits. Commit your config to source control before bulk applying.
• Templates are starting points. Mobile template is conservative; tune for your specific platform.
• Dirty flag tracks unsaved edits. The Dirty filter shows just the pending edits before save.

Related tools

• Console Variable Browser — for runtime CVar manipulation
• Project Doctor Suite. Broader project audit including config.