Erik, I've had a look at the metaserver code just now, at scan.c and disp_udp.c, and it would be quite simple to adjust that to account for INL servers. I made the UDP protocol extensible. But you mentioned port 3521. Does the NetrekXP client use the UDP or TCP connection? If TCP, then I don't think I'd like to change the format. I'd really like Stas to use UDP if he can. ;-) To hack it now without changing any code, in the backwards compatible way, the .metaservers file for the INL server should contain one line for each port, using a DNS alias. For example; metaserver.us.netrek.org 3521 60 120 pickup.nl.netrek.org B 2592 2593 open metaserver.us.netrek.org 3521 60 120 home.nl.netrek.org B 4566 4000 open metaserver.us.netrek.org 3521 60 120 away.nl.netrek.org B 4577 5000 open metaserver.us.netrek.org 3521 60 120 home-observers.nl.netrek.org B 4000 ... We should add a server type for an INL server, and include INL servers that have solicited in the response to the client. I'd want to make a new server side protocol version to include all four ports. I'd expect the client developers to accept four ports and figure a way to display it! Erik wrote: > b) Currently only the player port is listed! Yes, that's insufficient. We didn't design in a protocol version number for the client UDP query, but there's room; only the first character is checked now and it must be a question mark. We could add a version number after that, and have the later version cause more ports to be listed. I'm happy to change COW. > 3) Problem is I have not yet found the point where to put the > call to solicit(). How can the server check if it is an INL > server? (status->gameup & GU_INROBOT) The flag is set by the INL robot. > Which process owns that metaservers[] table? Daemon. > Should the check be done in deamon (which has the solicit() call), > or in netrekd when a player enters? Daemon. It won't be running until a player enters. > Any feedback is appreciated. I am really convinced this is a > necessary feature to promote clue netrek to midbies who simply > happen to not be a computer wizard ;-) I agree. -- James Cameron mailto:quozl at us.netrek.org http://quozl.netrek.org/ _______________________________________________ vanilla-devel mailing list vanilla-devel at us.netrek.org https://mailman.real-time.com/mailman/listinfo/vanilla-devel