How to Enable Schematicannon Configs in Create Mod

If you've spent any time with the Create mod in Minecraft, you've probably run into the Schematicannon — the mechanical block that automates building structures from saved schematic files. It's one of the most powerful tools in the mod, but getting its configuration options to actually work the way you want takes a bit of understanding. Here's what you need to know.

What Is the Schematicannon and Why Do Configs Matter?

The Schematicannon is a Create mod block that reads .nbt schematic files and places blocks automatically in the world. Instead of building large structures by hand, you load a schematic, aim the cannon, and let it do the work.

The configs tied to the Schematicannon control how it behaves at a deeper level — things like:

• Whether players can use it in survival mode or only creative
• How far it can place blocks (the range)
• Whether it requires gunpowder as fuel
• What permissions server operators have over its use
• Block replacement behavior and placement speed

These aren't settings you toggle inside the game's menu. They live in the Create mod configuration files, and depending on your setup, accessing them works differently.

Where Schematicannon Configs Actually Live

Create mod uses a configuration system built on Forge's config framework (or Fabric's equivalent, depending on your mod loader). The relevant file is typically named:

create-common.toml 

This file is generated automatically when the mod runs for the first time and is stored in your instance's config folder — usually found at:

.minecraft/config/create-common.toml 

On a dedicated server, look in the server's root config/ directory instead.

Open this file with any plain text editor (Notepad, VS Code, Notepad++). Inside, you'll find a [schematicCannon] section with individual entries you can modify. 🔧

Key Config Options and What They Do

Here's a breakdown of the most commonly adjusted Schematicannon settings:

To change a value, find the relevant key, edit the number or true/false toggle, save the file, and restart your game or server. Changes don't apply mid-session.

Enabling Schematicannon in Survival Mode

By default, the Schematicannon can be used in survival, but some modpack creators or server admins disable it to prevent griefing or to control progression. If you're finding the cannon won't work, check the config for:

survivalMode = true 

If it's set to false, switch it to true, save, and relaunch.

On a server, only players with operator-level permissions or direct file access can modify this. If you're a regular player on someone else's server, you'll need to ask an admin.

Server-Side vs. Client-Side Configs

This is where many players get confused. The Schematicannon's behavior is server-side — meaning the config on the server controls what happens, not the config on your local machine.

• Singleplayer worlds: Your local create-common.toml is what matters.
• Multiplayer servers: Only the server's config file applies. Your local config has no effect on placement behavior.
• Modpacks (via launchers like CurseForge or Prism): Each instance has its own isolated config folder. Editing the wrong instance's config does nothing.

🖥️ Always confirm which config file corresponds to the environment you're actually playing in.

Using In-Game Config Editors

Some modpack setups include Configured or Mod Menu — mods that expose config options through an in-game GUI rather than requiring manual file edits. If your setup includes one of these:

1. Open the Mods menu from the main screen
2. Find Create in the list
3. Select the config icon (wrench or gear symbol)
4. Navigate to the Schematicannon section
5. Toggle or adjust values directly

Not every modpack includes these helper mods, and not every config is exposed through the GUI even when they are — so knowing how to edit the .toml file directly remains useful.

Variables That Affect Your Specific Setup

Whether a config change works as expected — or even which configs are available — depends on several factors:

• Create mod version: Config keys and defaults have changed across major versions (0.4, 0.5, 0.5.1, etc.). A key that exists in one version may be renamed or removed in another.
• Mod loader: Forge and Fabric builds of Create may have slightly different config structures.
• Modpack overrides: Some modpacks use defaultconfigs folders to reset configs on every launch, overwriting your manual edits.
• Server permissions: Even with the right config, server-side permission mods (like LuckPerms) can block Schematicannon use at the player level regardless of Create's own settings.
• Minecraft version: Create behaves differently on 1.18.2, 1.19.2, 1.20.1, and beyond — the config file location or options may shift between these.

Identifying which combination of these applies to your situation determines what you actually need to change, and where. 🗂️

When the Config Looks Right But Nothing Changes

If you've edited the config and the Schematicannon still isn't behaving as expected, common causes include:

• File wasn't saved before relaunching
• Wrong instance folder — especially common with multi-instance launchers
• Modpack is overwriting your config on launch via a defaultconfigs override
• Server config, not client config, needs to be changed
• The config key name changed in your current mod version — always cross-reference against the official Create mod changelog or GitHub for your specific version

The gap between getting the config right on paper and having it actually work in your environment almost always comes down to which version you're running, how your launcher is structured, and whether server or client settings take precedence in your specific setup.