Various programming and RC suggestions
 

Whee, first post since my account expired four months ago! Not like you care, or anything.

Okay, I've been thinking of some new ways to improve the Graal client for a while now, and now I can share them with the world! Which is a yay.

Just note that since I've been away so long, I don't know how many of these have been suggested or even implemented already. If I'm repeating something, then I apologize.

New "function": hasfile(filename)
Checks through all the normal resource folders in the Graal directory and looks for a file. Returns 1 if the file was found and 0 if no such file exists. Example:

NPC Code:

---

if (playerendsreading){

  if (hasfile(growlz-image.png)==0{

    say2 Download the GrowlZ#bGraphics Pack before you#bcan proceed.;

  }

}

---

New command: download url;
Opens up one of those Internet Explorer download boxes with the download URL set to what you specify. Good for getting level packs, maps, graphics, etc. Example:

NPC Code:

---

if (playerchats && strequals(#c,DOWNLOAD GRAPHICS)){

  download http://whatever.examplehost.com/growlz/growlzgfx.zip;

}

http://members.aol.com/AJFaithfull/dl_mockup.gif

---

New RC options: DB NPC protection
If you have a DB NPC in development, a "secret project", for example, or are just very protective of your work, then you'll know the NC is less than secure, as anyone with NC can just open it up and do whatever they want. I propose a new right, View All DB NPCs, and a new field in the DB script editor for permitting individual accounts:
http://members.aol.com/AJFaithfull/ncsecurity.gif
If you don't have the permissions, this would appear in the RC...
http://members.aol.com/AJFaithfull/rcexample.gif

Well, that's it for now. Questions? Comments? Expansions on my ideas? Post them here.

Why not make the Managers account have a special attribute in its rights that stores a password for the serveroptions. And when you open the server options, your are prompted for that pass. And it can be edited only through the managers account. :)

Re: Various programming and RC suggestions
 

Last night, in RC chat, Tseng thought the idea of an r and rw to NC would be useful. :)

Re: Various programming and RC suggestions
 

I don't like this one. First of all the URL would have to be in quotes so not to confuse it with the rest of the code. Second, maybe make a filter so that you can only download .pngs? Downloading ZIPs seems kind of easy to exploit with viruses. I mean what if someone hacked the site that hosted a ZIP file and then he replaced the ZIP file with one that had a virus in it? Besides the server already downloads the needed graphics. So this download thing is pointless.

Download command
 

Questa, you have a point. Maybe some limits on the download command would be useful. Though some things that servers use aren't automatically downloaded - fonts, for example, or really big graphics that are over the size the client can download. Servers often don't trust the Graal auto-download and leave you a link to their download website - this would just be an easier way of doing that.

Plus, you could have download links to server sanctioned tools - was it Unholy Nation that had a guild manager downloadable? Or MP3s that are too big to manage through the client.

I think theres something for #1 already, its a message code, I forgot what.. 2k2 uses it for the "loading" screen though

& #3 has been suggested before, theres lots of posts about it

And yet nothing's been done about it?

Sometimes I wonder if anyone who can actually improve things reads Future Improvements...

I guess "simple" stuff isnt exactly a priority... but isnt it the simple things that make life better? I would much rather have a spin command than a 3D terrain (spin less work than 3D terrain)

Re: Various programming and RC suggestions
 

o.O the ==0 thing practically gets rid of the point of using !

if you want to client to download something on the server just use the image (showimg, etc)

download url wouldnt be good, just get stefan to upload anything > 64k

NC rights would be nice

mapopen/mapclose events would be nice ;-x
don't say "just do it if they press M"... not gonna work out :P