First plugin: ChatChannel

[[dmp]]

Hi,

I've created a plugin if any of you can use it let me know. Im not sure if this is planned some "plugin" repository somewhere, so Ive just uploaded to my own homepage.

The plugin allowes players to create "chat channels" and joining them. This is very basic and hackish, but it works without any clientmodifications. The idea is that eg. people from a CTF team, such as BAR can speak "privately" dispirte of which team they joined (red,blue,observer etc). I've got a few ideas on how to enchange this, but Im not sure if anyone but me finds this plugin useful. One of the aims with it was to try the BZFS api

ReadMe.txt hopefully clarifies what it does.

ChatChannet can be downloaded here (source + Makefile + linux .so)

[A Meteorite]

That's pretty neat! Where's the BZFlag Chat Server?

[seriously, this is cool]

[Guest]

Wow. Nice one! I like it.

[[dmp]]

Updated the tar-gz file so it contains: ChatChannel.def, ChatChannel.sln, ChatChannel.vcproj (required for windows build)

[A Meteorite]

Are these possible to use on a Mac? I've heard their are some problems doing plugins on Macs... And how do we compile this? Still learning about plugins.

[[dmp]]

I've never compiled anything on a mac, but I think its pretty similar with linux.

If you got the bzflag cvs extracted (plugins only works with cvs, afaik - so you need to compile bzfs too) unpack the plugin into bzflag/plugins/, then enter bzflag/plugins/ChatChannel/ and type make. This will generate a ChatChannel.so - this is what you need.

If everything is fine so far, you should be able to do bzfs -loadplugin path/to/ChatChannel.so.

If you want to see the plugin in action, I can setup a testserver, so you can get a feel of it before beginning compiling stuff

[A Meteorite]

Sure a test server would be great! I'll try that compile suggestion because I wasn't putting it in the bzflag/plugins folder. Can the path be absolute like:

/loadplugin /usr/local/bin/ChatChannel.so

Or does it have to be in the same direcretory as bzfs? [I'll be going in a bit so I might not get to be at the test server unless you do it a bit later]

[[dmp]]

"-loadplugin /usr/local/bin/ChatChannel.so" should work

Ill setup a small testserver when I finish adding a new feature to ChatChannel

[JeffM]

if you are on a mac, then at present you can not load plugins
Yes it is 'similar" to linux, but sadly not function compatable on apple's end. Learner is going to finish/fix the OSX plugin loader before 2.0.4 ships ( we have it as a release requirement )

meacan
most likley the only changes you'd have to make woudl be in the makefile. When it is working we will update the sample plugins with make systems that work on OSX.

I will be working on a plugin repository forum today so we have a nice place to put all these thigns you've made, and I'll build windows binarys for you as well

[JeffM]

oh and meacan you allmost got the windows file right, find me online and I'll get you the fixed ones

Also I have made this the first post in the Plug-in releases forum here. This is where we'll keep a repository of plug-ins for everyone

[[dmp]]

Sounds good Jeff. Im gonna look at it later tonight after I finish working on it (adding an invite feature)

Tonight I will have a testbed server running with both plugins (for testing and showing

[A Meteorite]

if you are on a mac, then at present you can not load plugins
Yes it is 'similar" to linux, but sadly not function compatable on apple's end. Learner is going to finish/fix the OSX plugin loader before 2.0.4 ships ( we have it as a release requirement )

Ah, ok. For a second I thought my compiler was broken. [can't compile stable 2.0.2, only CVS - really weird] Glad to know 2.0.4 will support Macs and plugins.

This is probably top secret... but any idea when 2.0.4 will be out? I also have to post some bugs too in the other forums. Having a lot of trouble with the @ symbol and random crashes.

What will the test server's address be? Can't wait to see it!

[heh, I like to cram all my thoughts in one post]

[JeffM]

A Meteorite
way to stay on topic.

when it's done.

[[dmp]]

I got a server up; dahlia.d75.net:5154 - it got both plugins runnig. Feel free to join

[[dmp]]

Found the bug that messing up my server yesterday

- Added /public, /channel version
- JeffM2501 fixed: ChatChannel.vcproj, ChatChannel.sln (Thanks)
- Added /channel invite
- Admins can always join locked channels