dlclist.xml and dlcpacks

Add an add-on pack to GTA V by placing it in dlcpacks and adding its line to dlclist.xml in your mods folder.

Applies to
  • V
Last checked

An add-on pack needs two things before the game loads it: its folder in dlcpacks, and a line naming it in dlclist.xml.

Where they live

The pack folders are in:

mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\

The list is inside an archive:

mods\update\update.rpf\common\data\dlclist.xml

Both paths start with mods. If you have no mods\update\update.rpf yet, follow Getting started with mods to make the copy. Don't edit the update.rpf in the game's own update folder.

Add a pack

  1. Close the game and open OpenIV.

  2. Turn on edit mode.

  3. Go to mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\. Create the x64 and dlcpacks folders inside mods\update if they aren't there.

  4. Copy the pack's folder in. It should now look like mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\packname\dlc.rpf.

  5. Go to mods\update\update.rpf\common\data\.

  6. Right-click dlclist.xml and choose Edit.

  7. Add a line for the pack at the bottom of the list, before the closing Paths tag:

    <Item>dlcpacks:/packname/</Item>

  8. Save, and close OpenIV.

The name in the line must match the folder name exactly, with a forward slash on each side. The readme gives the line to copy.

What goes wrong

  • The vehicle won't spawn. The line is missing, misspelled, or was added to the game's own update.rpf and not the copy in mods.
  • The game crashes while loading. The XML is broken. Look for a missing angle bracket, or a line pasted outside the Paths block.
  • The game crashes during the loading screen with several packs. You have reached the game's limits. See the next section.

A larger gameconfig for many add-ons

gameconfig.xml sets how much room the game keeps for vehicles, textures and other data. The stock values suit the stock game. Add a number of packs and the game runs out of room and crashes while loading story mode.

The fix is a modified gameconfig.xml made for your game version. It replaces:

mods\update\update.rpf\common\data\gameconfig.xml

Download one that names your game version, and replace it again after each game update. Players with many add-ons often also install a heap adjuster and a packfile limit adjuster, which are small ASI files that go in the game folder.

After a game update

A game update replaces the game's update.rpf but not your copy in mods. Your copy is then older than the game, which can stop it loading. You copy the new update.rpf to mods and add your dlclist.xml lines again. Keep those lines in a text file so this takes a minute. See My mods folder stopped working.