Server Help

L.C.

Invader-Zim told me to look for someone who would like to make a nostalgic kind of plugin for MERVBot.

Required Experiences or Languages:
-MySQL
-PHP (most favorable) or Perl
-HTML (maybe)
-C or C++ (I don't know)

I will provide the grounds for online testing (since I am a webhost myself) if it is needed.

What:
You're going to build a MERVBot plugin that will generate online scores statistics. The idea of this is to try replicate the old eDome/Bdvines scores website; and the objective of this is to provide the entire Subspace community for a free, professional, simple, and compact way to recieve their scores (although the bot has to be online for this to happen, so that is the limiting factor).

How:
If you are interested, I will share ideas of this with you. For now I will provide just a spoiler of a template file. The template file is what the software will use as a reference. It is extremely simple and basic, and highly customizable. To explain just this example, the software would look at this and read first for a <style></style> and take that to heart and make sure that it would put that before a <body> tag atleast. Then it will read the rest of the file -- whatever is the rest of the file is what it will use to generate the tabular data. The only part of this that is not complete is putting the correct PHP, shortcut syntax (ie. in between "<td class="row_alt1_player"></td>" might be "$player"), or whatever. It would pass through the code and replace things like $player with the correct thing. Both the first and second row would have $player, otherwise the generated output might look weird. It will manipulate the table to its needs. There should only be one header row (which is the first row of this table). It should recognize the first data and second data row (which is the second and third row of this table; the alternating pattern rows), and will manipulate these two rows, since it is inputting the real stuff into this. I could go on but I feel that I have spoiled too much already.

Code: Show/Hide

L.C. · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject:

Original Post is at http://forums.sscentral.com/index.php?showtopic=15600&st=0&gopid=174541&#entry174541

Solo Ace · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:50 am Post subject:

Err? What?

Substats is work of Dustpuppy. How original.

Dustpuppy

Smong · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:30 am Post subject:

Solo Ace · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:37 am Post subject:

Like this is going to work anyway.

Maverick · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 10:22 am Post subject:

I hate to say it but ffs do it server-side, do it on ASSS!
(Use Smong's ASSS stats module/stuff)
_________________

Nickname: Maverick (I changed my name!)
TWCore developer | Subspace statistics

L.C. · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:36 pm Post subject:

readme.txt
▪This file just goes over some things briefly (and some in detail).

Code: Show/Hide

Main Stuff:
$title       This is where the website title will be outputted.
$sortnumber    This is the number of players per page that will be displayed.
$sortcategory This is the name of the category that the data is sorted by.
$cssfile    This is the filename and/or location of the CSS file to load.
$zonename    This is the name of the zone data is generated for.
$form       This is where the contents of a fully parsed and manipulated form.html is placed

Categories:
$number       This is where the place numbers will be outputted (ie "1." "2." "34." "53.").
$player       This is where the player name will appear.
$squad       This is where the squad name will appear.
$wins       This is where the number of wins (kills) will appear.
$losses       This is where the number of losses (deaths) will appear.
$ratio       This is where the ratio of wins (kills) to losses (deaths) in simplest form is outputted.
$rating       This is where the rating ((points(10)+(wins-losses)100)/(wins+100)) is displayed.
$average    This is where the average (points/kills) is outputted.
$points       This is where the number of points is displayed.
$flagpoints    This is where the number of flag points is displayed.
$totalpoints This is where the number of total points (points+flag points) is displayed.

Form $sortcategory Explanation:
<option value="$sortcategpry">$sortcategpry</option>
See [Categories] in scoreman.ini. Those are what will be placed accordingly into this
list. Everything under [Categories] will be inputted into the form during manipulation
(which is in the process of generating the webpages for the scores). You can change the
category strings as you please.

CSS ss_ Prefix Explanation:
You will notice that the prefix ss_ is the beginning of all the CSS styles. If you have a
website (hopefully taking advantage of CSS and using a CSS file), the CSS for this plugin
will not interfere with your website and it's CSS. There are less chances of this plugin
messing up someone's website if CSS style names are made unique by using a prefix. If your
website happens to use the same prefix, them you should change them. There is no reason for
anyone's website to be constructed with the ss_ prefix.

CSS Body Style Explanation:
body.formpage{}
body.statsbody{text-align: center;}
You can put class="formpage" or class="statsbody" in a <body> tag to load the styles for this.
The reason for having this is so that you could customize specific styles for the page that
the form is on, and styles for the popup window where the statistical scores data is presented.

Scoreman.ini ArchiveEarly Explanation:
SaveTime = 360;       // The amount of time in minutes to regenerate and update online scores
ArchiveTime = 1;       // The amount of time in weeks to archive the last set of data for historical reference
ArchiveEarly = 60;       // The amount of time in minutes to archive the last set of data early, see Readme for details
There is an extremely good reason for having this command. ArchiveTime is like a season, period,
or semester. If ArchiveEarly is set to 60 (1 hour), 60 minutes (1 hour) before ArchiveTime ends
it will archive the current scores. ArchiveEarly should not exceed SaveTime. For example:
   SaveTime > ArchiveEarly
   360 > Any number within the range of 0 and 359
Setting it to 360 is not allowed (it cannot be equal with SaveTime or more than SaveTime). Setting
ArchiveEarly to 0 is basically disabling this feature; it means that it will regenerate data and
create an archive after how ever many weeks ArchiveTime is set to.
Archiving will automatically regenerate data (to make it the most up to date) before archiving this
data for future reference.

Scoreman.ini ArchiveDates Explanation:
ArchiveDates = 0;       // See the Readme file for details on using this
This information is used for the form itself. By default a user views the "Current scores" but
will also have a list of archived dates to choose from. These are the dates that the archive was
made on. Use these numbers to help you customize exactly how you want the dates to be displayed.
   0 ... Apr 1, 2007
   1 ... April 1, 2007
   2 ... 4/1/2007
   3 ... 2007 Apr 1
   4 ... 2007 April 1

scoreman.ini
▪Of course most of this data will also be stored in the MySQL database. A config.php file will take care of connecting the PHP website to the MySQL database, then it will use some of the stored configurations to its advantage.
▪The bot will of course have this file (or something ultimately similar). It will always re-update the MySQL entries (for verification). The plugin is almost literally updating the entire MySQL database.
▪To put it in other words, when it transfers scores data to the MySQL database, it will also transfer and replace configuration stuff in the database too (like SaveTime or Statstable). Quite nice and convenient, isn't it?

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[MySQL]       // Information about connecting to a MySQL source is entered here
Host = localhost;       // The IP address of your MySQL host (localhost otherwise)
Database = scoreman;       // The MySQL database name
Username = scoreman;       // The MySQL Username
Password = "abc123";       // The MySQL User Pasword

[Notification]       // Information about how the bot should or could notify about fresh generations
NotifyType = 0;       // Do you want in-game notifications or not? (0) No, (1) Yes
NotifyMessage = "*arena Scores Statistics have just been updated! Find them at scores.sscidragonballz.net.";       // Type this as if you were chatting in Continuum, you are limited to one message or line only

[Website]       // Configurations about how the website should operate
FormPage = index.html;       // It will parse this page for $form
FormTemplate = form.html;       // $form = <content of form.html>
StatsTable = statstable.html;       // Template file to parse, use, and manipulate for data output
$title = "Page Title Here";       // The title of this website
ZoneName = "SSCI Dragonball Z";       // The name of the zone that statistics are being reported for goes here
$cssfile = /scoreman.css;       // The location and address of your *.css file
SaveTime = 360;       // The amount of time in minutes to regenerate and update online scores
ArchiveTime = 1;       // The amount of time in weeks to archive the last set of data for historical reference
ArchiveEarly = 60;       // The amount of time in minutes to archive the last set of data early, see Readme for details
ArchiveDates = 0;       // See the Readme file for details on using this

[Sortnumber]       // This is data for the form itself
List0 = 5;       // This is an option that will be included in the form
List1 = 10;       // Use this to limit the number of
List2 = 20;       // Sort by top 20 something
List3 = 50;       // Sort by top 50 sometimes
List5 = 100;       // Sort by top 100 something
Maxlist = 100;       // To prevent someone from ever being able to render like 999 entries in one page

[Categories]       // This is the data for the form itself
Category0 = "Player";       // These are an option on the form that you can sort your desired data request by
Category1 = "Squad";       // Sort by Squad name (alphabetical)
Category2 = "Wins";       // Sort by wins (from highest to lowest)
Category3 = "Losses";       // Sort by losses (from highest to lowest)
Category4 = "Ratio";       // Sort by ratio (from best ratio, which is highest wins to lowest losses, to worst ratio)
Category5 = "Rating";       // Sort by rating (from highest to lowest)
Category6 = "Average";       // Sort by average (from highest to lowest)
Category7 = "Points";       // Sort by points (from highest to lowest)
Category8 = "Flagpoints";       // Sort by flag points (from highest to lowest)
Category9 = "Totalpoints";       // Sort by total points (from highest to lowest)

scoreman.css
▪I think this may be as complete as the CSS could get.

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.ss_formcontent{width: 220px; text-align: left; padding: 4px;}
.ss_formdiv{width: 229px; text-align: center; background-color: #000030; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#FFFFFF; font-size: 12px;}
.ss_formtitle{width: 229px; background-color: #101060; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center;}
.ss_formzone{width: 109px;}
.ss_hdr_average{}
.ss_hdr_flagpoints{}
.ss_hdr_losses{}
.ss_hdr_number{}
.ss_hdr_player{}
.ss_hdr_points{}
.ss_hdr_rating{}
.ss_hdr_ratio{}
.ss_hdr_squad{}
.ss_hdr_totalpoints{}
.ss_hdr_wins{}
.ss_hdr{background-color: #003366;}
.ss_row_alt1_average{}
.ss_row_alt1_flagpoints{}
.ss_row_alt1_losses{}
.ss_row_alt1_number{}
.ss_row_alt1_player{}
.ss_row_alt1_points{}
.ss_row_alt1_rating{}
.ss_row_alt1_rating{}
.ss_row_alt1_ratio{}
.ss_row_alt1_squad{}
.ss_row_alt1_totalpoints{}
.ss_row_alt1_wins{}
.ss_row_alt1{background-color: #000033;}
.ss_row_alt2_average{}
.ss_row_alt2_flagpoints{}
.ss_row_alt2_losses{}
.ss_row_alt2_number{}
.ss_row_alt2_player{}
.ss_row_alt2_points{}
.ss_row_alt2_ratio{}
.ss_row_alt2_squad{}
.ss_row_alt2_totalpoints{}
.ss_row_alt2_wins{}
.ss_row_alt2{background-color: #000000;}
.ss_statstable{width: 720px; border: 0;}
a.ss:active{}
a.ss:hover{}
a.ss:link{}
a.ss:visited{}
body.ss_formpage{text-align: center; background-color: #000030;}
body.ss_statsbody{text-align: center;}
input.ss_formbutton{background-color: #000030; color:#c080c0;}
select.ss_formlist{background-color:#104020; color:#FFFFFF;}

index.html
▪Quite simple, really. In order to have an accurate copy, an individual must have the PHP/MySQL software for generating scores data on the same server.
▪Another trick might be to use an iFrame or something to display the form from another server.
▪But really, this is pretty much the frontpage of the web-based part of the plugin. All other modifications must be done through MySQL (phpMyAdmin), PHP, or HTML.

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<html>
<head>
<title>$title</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="$cssfile" />
<style type="text/css" media="screen">

</style>
</head>
<body class="ss_formpage">
$form
</body>
</html>

form.html
▪Obviously it isn't quite complete. I am not a PHP coder, so I just did as much as I could.

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<div class="ss_formdiv">
<form name="UntitledForm" method="post" action="">
   <div style="padding: 4px;">
      <select class="ss_formlist" name="date">
         <option value="0">Current scores</option>
         <option value="$datevalue">$date</option>
      </select>
   </div>
   <div class="ss_formtitle"><b>Top Pilots</b></div>
   <div class="ss_formcontent">Show top
      <select class="ss_formlist" name="sortnumber">
         <option value="$sortnumber">$sortnumber</option>
      </select>
      <select class="ss_formlist" name="sortcategpry">
         <option value="$sortcategpry">$sortcategpry</option>
      </select>
      <br />
      <div class="ss_formcontent" style="margin-bottom: -4px;">
         <div style="text-align: right; margin-right: 4px;">
            <select class="ss_formzone ss_formlist" name="zonename">
               <option>$zonename</option>
            </select>
            <input class="ss_formbutton" value="Go!" type="submit">
         </div>
      </div>
   </div>
</form>
</div>

statstable.html
▪This is like the webpage file of a popup-looking window. Or like having your website in a popup.

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<html>
<head>
<title>$title - Top $sortnumber $sortcategory</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="$cssfile" />
<style type="text/css" media="screen">

</style>
</head>
<body class="ss_statsbody">
<table class="ss_statstable">
<tr class="ss_hdr">
<td class="ss_hdr_number">#</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_player">Pilot</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_squad">Squad</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_wins">Wins</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_losses">Losses</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_ratio">Ratio</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_rating">Rating</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_average">Average</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_points">Points</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_flagpoints">Flag Points</td>
<td class="ss_hdr_totalpoints">Total Points</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ss_row_alt1">
<td class="ss_row_alt1_number">$number</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_player">$player</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_squad">$squad</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_wins">$wins</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_losses">$losses</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_ratio">$ratio</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_rating">$rating</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_average">$average</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_points">$points</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_flagpoints">$flagpoints</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt1_totalpoints">$totalpoints</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ss_row_alt2">
<td class="ss_row_alt2_number">$number</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_player">$player</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_squad">$squad</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_wins">$wins</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_losses">$losses</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_ratio">$ratio</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_rating">$rating</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_average">$average</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_points">$points</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_flagpoints">$flagpoints</td>
<td class="ss_row_alt2_totalpoints">$totalpoints</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>

I will need a PHP Coder, some Javascript may be required (unless can be done fully in PHP), and perhaps light HTML knowledge needed (if you're a PHP coder though, you would have to know HTML then, wouldn't you?

).

I happened to forget to add something to the scoreman.ini file about setting the X and Y dimensions of a popup window. Hehe.

L.C. · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:38 pm Post subject:

Maverick · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 6:09 pm Post subject:

I honestly don't wish for As3 to take over subspace

I'm just saying it would be so much easier and more stable. (No more bot aka client dependency)

L.C. · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 8:09 pm Post subject:

Hmm, it could technically be coded to support more than 1 zone in the database. Not sure if anyone would want to do that (although it would make a create scores site). It would have to be in the hands of trusted individuals, and if something went wrong the password would have to be changed (which would be an exhaustive work having to go to each bot, etc). The way that could work out is if (for example), I, Confess+ or someone setup a dedicated bot server (maybe not strictly a bot server) and we hosted an almost "dummy" bot in whatever zones.

I will just use me as an example. Say I would have a dedicated server of my own. I could go to each SSC zone or something and request VIP-ship for a scores-monitoring bot that could periodically report to my webserver (two different physical servers). If I use this tactic, I could have a list of zones with their own scores being updated regularly.

Making a public scoring site (aka giving out the MySQL information to anybody and freely) creates a potential for a big mash and mess up of how things are organized in the system. You could spam the server to kingdom come through MySQL, spam up the zone list, you know.

Of course, if I did this I would have to make a few adjustments to the ini file. I'm thinking of adding an option where you could turn on a "shared" (support for multiple zones, will not send a few MySQL queries that standalone would) or "standalone" mode (standalone mode simply means just one zone in the system, no more than that). Some data that it might not send on shared could be like [Sortnumber] and [Categories], and would be globally defined by a super bot. Ah, that's a great idea.

There could be another thing in the ini, which could be a special password that it sends to the MySQL server or whatever. A password that could be set through phpMyAdmin; if this special password in the INI matches the one in the database, then it gains authority. By authority (if it is on the shared mode) it will be the one that dictates and sends the [Categories] and [Sortnumber].

EDIT :: Multi-pub zones would have problems regardless. There will always be some kind of confusion unless each public arena is split off in the zone list to something like: (Public 0), (Public 1), (Public 2).. Infact that's an excellent idea for Standalone mode. Multi-pub support wouldn't work for shared (it could, but there would be more work involved and I don't want to go that far; for shared the list is used as a zone listing a player could select from); multi-pub support would work for standalone (the list would be used as an arena list).

L.C. · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:46 pm Post subject:

Purge will be making a brand new bot instead of making this a plugin.

Cyan~Fire · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:32 pm Post subject:

Solo Ace · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:19 am Post subject:

Let's not listen to L.C. and just pretend this thread was never created.

Don't you guys see this is just another Qndre?

Look at what he's saying and how relevant that is to what he's trying to create at all.

L.C. · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:22 am Post subject:

Nah, I don't want to start an AS3 arguement. ;o

Cyan~Fire · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:14 pm Post subject:

L.C. · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:50 am Post subject:

Before I had posted the thread, Invader-Zim had given me some advice. One of those were that if nobody were interested for a full week, then to setup a reward (in money) with a bunch of conditions. With a conversation between Purge and I, I accidentally conveyed the sense to Purge that he was getting paid no matter what. After I realized that he misinterpretted me, I just told him that I'll go ahead and pay him fairly for it. He's being paid $25 at the moment.

L.C. · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:29 pm Post subject:

Looking for a PHP Coder, read for details

Hey, we are now going to be needing a PHP coder to pitch a hand on the PHP-side of things. We can negotiate on a fair price (your job should be reletively simple, should be accomplishable in either a few hours, a day or two; not more than two days -- one day is already enough). Become a mercanery TODAY!

(Don't be afraid to negotiate on how much you want to be paid; the current starting price is $25.)

Smong · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:03 pm Post subject:

A day or two hmm. I will have a go at this, I got a lot of spare time recently

plus I'm already familiar with this kind of thing since I wrote DAWS. Is there anymore info or am I supposed to start work using the information that is already posted?

Solo Ace · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:37 pm Post subject:

Why wouldn't you take the chance to learn it yourself? PHP is a language I found the easiest to learn.

Yeah.

CypherJF · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject:

PHP is a walk in the park; secure-PHP is not.
_________________
Performance is often the art of cheating carefully. - James Gosling

BDwinsAlt · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 5:33 pm Post subject:

L.C. · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:30 pm Post subject:

Well there is one more bit of information regarding payment, thought I better make a public note of this before anything happens on the PHP side of things. My first paycheck wasn't as big as I thought it would be (~$130 - $80 for 500w Power Supply - $25 for Purge+'s work). I had to urgently buy a 500w Power Supply (this one is a Thermaltake) from NewEgg because my 500w popped a cap on a strange overload.

Now for the PHP side of things regarding payment - I would be able to pay you in a week or two from yesterday (which is when I get my next paycheck; and it'll be larger than my first paycheck). If you can wait that long, that's great. Wish I had something to tie this down so that I could earn your trust on this. :X

Now to slap some words back.

L.C. · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject:

Dustpuppy · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:16 pm Post subject: