CVS update: Vanilla

[Vanilla CVS Development <vanilla-devel@us.netrek.org>]

Date:	Tuesday April 25, 2000 @ 20:19
Author:	unbelver

Update of /home/netrek/cvsroot/Vanilla
In directory swashbuckler.fortress.real-time.com:/var/tmp/cvs-serv10319

Modified Files:
	PROJECTS 
Log Message:

The result of lambasting the Observer code on IRC.  More things to do.

--Carlos V.




****************************************

Index: Vanilla/PROJECTS
diff -u Vanilla/PROJECTS:1.73 Vanilla/PROJECTS:1.74
--- Vanilla/PROJECTS:1.73	Tue Mar 28 00:40:00 2000
+++ Vanilla/PROJECTS	Tue Apr 25 20:19:00 2000
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 PROJECTS ... list of things to do or fix, and hints for developers.
 
-#	$Id: PROJECTS,v 1.73 2000/03/28 06:40:00 cameron Exp $	
+#	$Id: PROJECTS,v 1.74 2000/04/26 01:19:00 unbelver Exp $	
 
 Small things
 
@@ -116,6 +116,38 @@
 
 	- observers do not see tractors and pressors ... fault of protocol,
 	  according to Trent Piepho (xyzzy@u.washington.edu)
+
+Large things
+
+        - Observer system is screwed up.  Needs major re-write.  Items
+          of note:
+
+		Observer state is not consistent. Observer state is
+                held in p_status, which is overloaded with death,
+                life, free, robot states. Every once in a while,
+		p_status gets assigned something other than POBSERV.
+
+		stats collection drop-outs for observers, free slots
+                and robots not consistent. Stats for observers and
+                robots and free slots should not be collected, but for
+                some cases they are.
+
+                save() is still called for observers. it shouldn't
+
+                multiple observer state variables. ntserv keeps a
+                global Observer.  p_status in shmem is the other.
+
+          Propose removing POBSERV from p_status and Observer ntserv
+          global variable ad add p_type to player struct.  Avoids
+          overloading a variable.  Example states could be PTPLAYER,
+          PTOBSERVER, PTROBOT and PTPRACTICE.  Whenever a slot changes
+          modes, save the slot (if appropriate) and re-read stats from
+          .players anew as if a fresh login occured but without the
+          slot assignment (which would require a client upgrade).
+
+          Cleaning up the observer code is a prerequisite for
+          obs<->player switching and non-contiguous INL slot PROJECT
+          entries.  First crack at it assigned to Carlos V.
 
 
 INL robot issues following testing with Tom Holub