Server Help :: View topic - MERVbot Plugin Request

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Bot Questions - MERVbot Plugin Request

L.C. - Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:16 am
Post subject: MERVbot Plugin Request

Quick-Intro and Blueprint
I would like a [straight-to-the-point] plugin for my zone, Jackpot SVS, where it cycle the public arena map and settings to whatever is specified for each day of the week. The name of this plugin is "Daily Map and Settings Cycler," exactly as shown in bold. I spent hours writing this request up.

For example, dailycycler.ini would look like this.

Quote:

// Settings must be located in your MERVBot folder or else the plugin
// will not work! Either that or settings must be existant on the server.

[All]
MaximumFilesize=1024
// The maximum filesize of the files that can be uploaded in kilobytes
// (KB).
MapRecycleTime=30
// The amount of time in seconds before the bot recycles the zone after
// updating the map. -1 means it will not recycle the zone.
SettingsRecycleTime=-1
// The amount of time in seconds before the bot recycles the zone after
// updating the settings. -1 means it will not recycle the zone.
RecycleMessage=Zone is being recycled in %time second(s) to cycle over to today's %what
// %time is in how many seconds the zone will recycle; will use
// MapRecycleTime if map was updated; will use SettingsRecycleTime
// if MapRecycleTime was NOT updated.
// %what is "map", "settings", or "map and settings" depending on what
// was updated.
CommandsQuiet=0
// This is whether the plugin commands will be listed or not when !help
// is typed. (Unlisted[0], Listed[1])
TimezoneServer=0
// Whether it will base its time off of the zone or by internal system clock.
// (Zone[0], Internal Clock[1])
Timezone=-6
// What timezone will this plugin be using? Use from +13 to 0 to -12 as
// the value for this GMT. This is useless of TimezoneServer is set to 0.

[Sunday]
Yesterday=1
// Instead of literally reuploading or updating the map and settings,
// it will continue to use yesterday's map and settings
Map=normal.lvl
// This is the map that will be used for this day
Settings=normal.cfg
// These are the settings that will be used for this day
GreetMessage=
// The greet message displayed on this day. Leave this blank
// if you don't want any greet message.
// %tickname is the playername of whoever this message is being sent to.
// %jackpot is the current jackpot in the arena.
// %mostflags will display the name of the person who is currently holding
// the most flags in the arena (NOT which team/freq has the most captured)
// %mostpoints will display the name of the person who has the most points
// in the arena.
// %mostpointsplaying will display the name of the person who has the most
// points and is currently playing (not in spectator mode).
// %flags is the number of flags currently in play (same as ?flags command)

[Monday]
Yesterday=1
Map=normal.lvl
Settings=normal.cfg
GreetMessage=

[Tuesday]
Yesterday=1
Map=normal.lvl
Settings=normal.cfg
GreetMessage=

[Wednesday]
Yesterday=1
Map=normal.lvl
Settings=normal.cfg
GreetMessage=

[Thursday]
Yesterday=1
Map=normal.lvl
Settings=normal.cfg
GreetMessage=

[Friday]
Yesterday=0
Map=deathmatch.lvl
Settings=deathmatch.cfg
GreetMessage=Hello %tickname! Today is Deathmatch Friday.

[Saturday]
Yesterday=0
Map=normal.lvl
Settings=normal.cfg
GreetMessage=

Since we cannot define the default settings in the server.ini file, the bot will download all the *.cfg files and store them. When the time comes to use a specified setting for the day, it will upload the file as server.cfg by making a copy of the specified settings and renaming it. If the bot or plugin is restarted or reconnected, it will redownload all the *.cfg files and store them over the existant downloads.

If a server.cfg file already exists in the MERVBot folder, it will rename that file to server_invalidXX.cfg. XX stands for a consecutive number. You can have from 00 to 99 renamed server.cfg files. After the bot uploads its server.cfg file, it will delete the server.cfg file.

If all 100 server_invalidXX.cfg's are existant, it will ignore what is defined here and send a warning (*warn) to the highest online operator in the zone telling him that the daily map and settings cycler plugin will not function until the invalid settings files are removed. The message shown will be:
The daily map and settings cycler plugin has been temporarily disabled by automatic functions due to its database of renamed server.cfg files being full. Please remove all server_invalidXX.cfg files from the bot folder or contact the bot owner about this problem and type !dailyrestart to reactivate this plugin.

If you try to reactivate the plugin with !dailyrestart and you didn't remove those files, the bot will *warn the user again with the same message and will not have done anything. Basically it will check to see if the file database is still full, and if it is, it will keep doing this until the files are gone. Once they are gone, it will reactivate itself.

We have SettingsA.cfg and SettingsB.cfg. Each day both of these are alternated (except one of them is the same for another day in a row); ABABABA (each letter represents 1 day). When the bot comes to uploading them it will make a copy of A (or B) and rename that copy to server.cfg. Then it will upload that file. After the file has been uploaded and the bot recieves the message that the upload is complete, it will delete this copy (that has been renamed to server.cfg).

The specified map must be already uploaded to the zone (as an arena) or else it won't work. The bot will first check to see if the map/arena exists as a map different from the public arena map. If it doesn't, the highest bot operator available will get a *warn from the bot when he enters (or re-enters) the arena:
The daily map and settings cycler plugin has been temporarily disabled by automatic functions due to some of the specified maps being nonexistant on the server. Please make sure the specified maps defined in the dailycycler.ini is existant on the server or contact the bot owner about this problem and type !dailyrestart to reactivate this plugin.

All those messages are sent by the *warn command when the highest available operator enters or re-enters the arena. Say we have OperatorA, B, and C. C is the highest while A is the lowest. A enters the arena and gets the message. C enters the arena and gets the message (A will no longer get this message as long as C is present). B enters the arena and does not get the message because C is higher than B. C leaves the arena. B re-enters the arena with ?go and gets the message.

Only the highest available operator in the arena is allowed to use !dailyrestart. However, for bot security, only operators with power levels of 4 and above will be able to use the command. Operators of 3 and above will get the *warn message. Operators of 3 and below will be denied access to the command. If an operator under access tries to use the command, the bot will private message the default MERVBot denied access command.

If a !dailyrestart is successful, the bot will private message to whoever initiated the command:
The daily map and settings cycler plugin has been successfully restarted.

If you try to use !dailyrestart when the plugin is running just fine with no problems, the bot will ignore that command and private message the operator:
The daily map and settings cycler plugin will not restart because it appears to be running fine.

There's another command that can only be used by operators with an access level of 4 or above. !dailyforce will restart the plugin and force the map and settings to update. If the map is currently the same as it is in the dailycycler.ini file, it will leave the map alone but it will continue to update the settings, regardless if it's the same. If the command is used, it will private message the operator:
The daily map and settings cycler plugin has been restarted by force successfully.

If !dailyforce is used by an operator with an access level of 3 or below, it will be given the denied message, as usual. Both !dailyrestart and !dailyforce will only be listed with Operator 4 or above commands.

After the bot has successfully updated both the map and settings, it will send out a *zone command:
Zone is being recycled in %time second(s) to cycle over to today's %what
%time is however many seconds is defined to recycle after either map or settings has been updated. If map has been updated, it will use this time instead of SettingsRecycleTime. If map has not been updated, it will use SettingsRecycleTime.
%what is whether the map, settings, or both map and settings were updated. If only the map has been updated, %what will be exactly: map
If only the settings have been updated, %what will be exactly: settings
If both map and settings were updated, %what will be exactly: map and settings
There will be no period (.) at the end of this *zone message.

Make a secret unlisted command, !about, that will say who made the Daily Map and Settings Cycler plugin (you made it of course!).

Open or Closed Source? Release or Not?
You have the choice to release the plugin or not, and the choice to have it open or closed source. However, I atleast want a compiled version of the plugin and the source code. I will not share the source code or plugin with anybody without your permission.

What do I get in return?
Now there's a very important question of where the credits will go to: if you'd like, I can put a note for you in the Introduction at http://www.jackpotsvs.com/ or give you the Beginners plan at [http://www.hlrse.net/plans/index.php] for free (I'll probably do both, there's almost no way I would ever leave a name behind). If you've already gotten free webhosting from me, I can really only give you a thumbs up and a note about you on my zone's website.

Cyan~Fire - Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:01 am
Post subject:

LC wrote:

I spent hours writing this request up.

I'm sure you did, but that just serves to make it more unfortunate that nobody makes bot plugins around here anymore.

hellzlaker - Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:59 pm
Post subject:

lol ye it takes me half an hour to write this thing.. i imagine ur topic lol

also so now if u want a new plug in u need to do it yourself?

Mine GO BOOM - Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:13 pm
Post subject:

hellzlaker wrote:

lol ye it takes me half an hour to write this thing.. i imagine ur topic lol

NO. Bad. Talk like this anymore, and I'll start junking your posts. English and real words are not that hard.

hellzlaker - Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:17 pm
Post subject:

OK fine, it takes me to write the post that i just wrote half an hour, i imagine what it would me to write yours up!

PS: So now if u want a new plug in for MERVBOT you need to do it yourself?

------------------------
nice robot mgb

i would put it in my signature but you have it

freakmonger - Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:54 pm
Post subject:

hellzlaker wrote:

PS: So now if u want a new plug in for MERVBOT you need to do it yourself?

Yes pretty much. D1st0rt and maverick went to TWCore and almost everybody else is working with ASSS now.

Bak - Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:27 pm
Post subject:

Is it that surprising? ASSS gives the programmer more options. Making programmers work with bots is like telling a carpenter to tie one hand behind his back.

L.C. - Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:10 pm
Post subject:

I'd still like this plugin accomplished rather than the topic going sidetracked. -_-

I just HAVE to say this...

Quote:

OK fine, it takes me to write the post that i just wrote half an hour, i imagine what it would me to write yours up!

Might just be that most of us type over 60WPM; I type from 90 to 120WPM depending on how my fingers feel, also with nearly perfect shear accuracy. Would be excellent if I knew how to code.

Mine GO BOOM - Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:39 pm
Post subject:

L.C. wrote:

Would be excellent if I knew how to code. :(

Typing speed has no real effect on how good or fast your program works. You should spend twice the time designing the code than actually writing it. Don't forget time to debug and test, design, etc. Typing speed has little bearing on programs.

Dr Brain - Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:02 pm
Post subject:

Twice? More like nine times. Programming is only 10% coding.

Witchie NL - Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:43 am
Post subject:

true

Solo Ace - Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:09 pm
Post subject:

Thank you, MGB and Brain.

I really thought I completely sucked at PHP because it takes me so damn long for me to finish my private project.
Well, it's just a website framework plus a website for me and my friends.
I wrote my own database management, session handling, security, permission and authentication classes and a few more things.

I want to write it myself just to get more experience in solving design problems, and I want it just the way I want it.

I noticed I suck at object oriented programming.

I do write things quickly, but I keep changing small things, which don't really matter, but I guess that's just because I want "everything like I want it".
I try to test every possible aspect. Every thing the user could experience as "annoying", "ugly" or whatever.

Anyway, I'm glad you say programming is only 10% coding, because I'm actually spending more time on testing/trying to find security leaks/trying to break my code/finding mistakes than actually writing the thing. I thought this was pretty much wrong, but now I see other people think it's the right way to do it.

L.C. - Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:43 pm
Post subject:

While going back to the topic - I'm still looking for a coder. I won't stop until I find someone kind enough to help out. :] This thread will remain alive until so.

Solo Ace - Sat Dec 09, 2006 2:13 am
Post subject:

No, it will remain alive until we stop posting or MGB closes it.

hellzlaker wrote:

PS: So now if u want a new plug in for MERVBOT you need to do it yourself?

Of course you'll have to do it yourself. If you want to finish school, nobody's gonna do it for you either huh?