Running multiple server instances, I have a question about the 'get mod' feature vs possible server_details.json conflicts. I have a global packages folder with all the component packages for installation to save some hdd space. For the 'get mod' feature to work, I currently also have to maintain individual packages folders for each server instance, containing the vmods. Now that means that I either have to constantly change paths in ModManager installing packages vs. vmods or to copy&paste vmods between the global and individual packages folders. It's not really a lot of work, but I tend to forget that step once in a while, resulting in the 'get mod' feature to not work. Today, I tried changing the 'HTTP Server Document Root' in Multiplayer.ini to that global packages folder and noticed that in doing so, 'get mod' feature doesn't work. I had to also change the 'Package Dir=' in player.plr to that same path. Only then did 'get mod' feature work without the individual packages folders. That though results in the 'server_details.json' file of each server instances to be written in the same folder. I suppose this is going to create some conflicts sooner or later? Shouldn't the 'HTTP Server Document Root' in Multiplayer.ini alone then be enough of a change? On a similar topic: Why is 'get mod' in server list called 'mod' since a few builds back? Following the logic that 'join server' is 'join', shouldn't 'get mod' be 'get' only? 'Get Mod' makes more sense to me.
What the!.. Ok, since the last couple builds, the problems that myself, Jim Beam and a couple others have been resolved. What I'm saying is that you can now run multiple servers under one install and the only difference is an additional PLR file / folder. So the Packages folder will contain ALL your packages including vmods. The User folder will have (by default) a player folder. For me, I set the server up with my settings, then close the server after it starts. Then copy and paste the 'player' folder, rename it and within this same folder (that I copied) I rename the .PLR file to that of the same name (folder).. Edit this .PLR file and change the ports. For 'MOD' (Get Mod) to work, you need at least 1000 between the numbers (that I found work). For example, 55000 and the other 56000. This post might help. http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.php/11779-two-servers-one-ip And these 3 pages in this thread. http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.php/12051-Dedicated-server
Thanks Radar, but I don't see how this solves the issue with the server_details.json file being shared/overwritten. I am aware that I could run multiple instances from just one installation from this wiki article. For various reasons though I prefer to have individual installations. Either way, sharing a single packages folder for multiple server installations or for multiple server profiles within the same installation atm results in the server_details.json file to constantly be overwritten from different server instances. Every ~30s per instance from what I see. The file contains various informations (I added horizontal skips for better readability): Maybe someone from ISI can shed a bit of light on the purpose of that file. Given the fact that it is in the packages folder where (apart from the packages) you have vmods for the 'get mod' feature and .dds files for automatic skin transfer between clients, this file would probably be sent to clients at certain points aswell. (If it's not, why would it be in this location in the first place and not in 'user data' like player.plr and multiplayer.ini?) The question then is what would happen if a client is connected to one server and receives a server_details.json file with info from another server/-instance? With for instance different damage_mult or different finish_type this could potentially result in drastically different race results, no?
I didn't read this whole thread very carefully but at a glance it looks like mklink could save the day. Mklink is a cmd line tool that comes with Vista and above that is used for making NTFS junction points. You can link several folders to one master folder.
The only thing I could think of with the server_details.json file (especially when you said it overwrites every ~30s) was to do with the problem that was addressed some many builds ago. The problem we had (and not all had), was that the server would not update on Matchmaker, and a message 'Could No Connect to Matchmaker' would appear on the dedi server. I never really noticed this file in the older builds, and never looked until you have just highlighted now.. Seems to add up, file gets re-written and maybe sends a ping to Matchmaker. That's my assumptions anyway. I'm sure ISI could answer in details some more.
I only noticed it today setting up our league's server with multiple profiles again (after that was broken in 770): server_details.json in the packages folder is gone! That means we no longer have to maintain individual packages folders for each server instance. Fantastic, thanks!
