I have been editing ULX config files by hand. How do I switch to using the panel?

The Admin Ranks page reads your existing data/ulib/groups.txt and data/ulib/users.txt when you open it, so any ranks and user assignments you already have will appear automatically. You do not need to import or convert anything.

From that point, use the panel for all future changes instead of editing the files directly. The panel writes back to the same files and triggers a live ULX reload, so the end result is identical to manual editing, but without the risk of a syntax error breaking your config silently.

If you have been using console commands like "ulx adduser" or "ulx adduserid" to manage users, those still work alongside the panel. Both methods write to the same underlying files, so they do not conflict. That said, the panel is the safer route for rank definition changes, because editing groups.txt by hand is where syntax mistakes most often happen.

One thing to be aware of: the four protected ranks (superadmin, admin, operator, user) cannot be removed via the panel. If you have a non-standard setup where these names are absent or heavily modified, the inherit chain may need a manual review to make sure it is consistent after you start using the panel UI.