What happens when a client connects?

[Matchstick]

I guess my question is pretty simple: I'd really like to know what happens when a client connects.


What defines which files get copied to the client on the initial connect and on subsequent connections?
Where do they get copied to?
What's the best way to minimize the amount the client has to download?
For larger downloads, could players download a zip file rather than doing the download through FG?


I did search through the documentation I've found, and threads here, but didn't find any information on this.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!

- Matchstick

[joeru]

I guess my question is pretty simple: I'd really like to know what happens when a client connects.


What defines which files get copied to the client on the initial connect and on subsequent connections?


File modification date, methinks. If a file on the server has been modified at a different time than the one on the client computer, it's updated.




Where do they get copied to?


To FantasyGrounds/rulesets/[ruleset name]/ directory.




What's the best way to minimize the amount the client has to download?


For example, if you only intend to modify the data files (classes, races, etc.), copy only base.xml and the data files you intend to modify to the new ruleset directory, then change the file paths in base.xml to refer to the new data files.




For larger downloads, could players download a zip file rather than doing the download through FG?



Yes, though I think even opening a data file updates the modification date and therefore forces it to be updated on the clients during the next connection.



I did search through the documentation I've found, and threads here, but didn't find any information on this.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!


No problem.

[Matchstick]

Awesome, thanks!

So if a client connects to my "Pendragon" campaign, and the client already has a Pendragon folder, it just compares the file dates and only updates the files it needs to.

Would it be fair to say that as a DM I should rarely, if ever, be using the default directory of any ruleset I've installed?

Can the date of the original install have anything to do with this?

Thanks again, it's so cool to get answers so quickly up here!

- Matchstick

[richvalle]

We aim to please! :)

You are correct about the defualt directory... you should create one for your game.

I think you are correct about the mod dates but I've never tested it.

One thing I did before we started our campaign is I had everyone login a few days before the first game. This way they downloaded the ruleset and we created characters and messed around with FG. Then on game day it was a quick and easy connection.

rv

[Matchstick]

I guess where I was headed with the install date thing was:

If I have the D20 rules in their default directory, and so does the person I'm connecting to, I'm assuming it won't update everything since I already have most of it. Same with Iron Heroes. Yet when I connected to a server with what was an unmodified Iron Heroes campaign open (from the IH default directory) I got a download that took so long I never saw it complete. Could install date have to do with that, or would it have performed differently if it had been out of a custom ruleset folder?

I'm tempted to get another license just to test with...

:)

[Griogre]

Matchstick there are also apparently CRC checks to make sure the rulesets match. For example suppose you modifiy the suchandsuch ruleset to add some stuff, but don't change the name. If someone connects to you that has the suchandsuch in an unmodified form the client will reliaze they are not the same. The client will think the its ruleset is corrupt and redownload *everything* from the server.

I played in a game where someone changed the Complete SRD but did not rename it. I would get a full download of the ruleset from this guy. Then when I played in a game with someone who had the unmodified ruleset it would redownload the full unmodified ruleset again. If you modify a ruleset you need to rename it.

[Matchstick]

If you modify a ruleset you need to rename it.

Perfection! I think that pretty much clears it up for me!

So really, I'm going to say that I should never do anything to any of the default ruleset directories that I have. No matter how small the change it's always better to create my own directory/ruleset and adjust base.xml.

Thanks a bunch everyone!

[A Trackless Stranger]

I'm going to say that I should never do anything to any of the default ruleset directories that I have. No matter how small the change it's always better to create my own directory/ruleset and adjust base.xml.

That's definitely the policy I follow...I just treat the default directories as a template that I copy first before making changes.

[Matchstick]

OK, so I am going to add another question here, since it's essentially another piece of the same puzzle.

What happens with Campaigns?

In the instance where I had the massive download, I was connecting to a DA campaign that existed on my machine as well, both installed off of DA CD's we got at GenCon. Could I have been downloading Campaign information? If so, and assuming there were no changes on either side, why would that happen?

To simplify, does the campaign portion of the client-server relationship work the same way as the ruleset portion? Should I always be working with a custom campaign folder in the same way that I should always be working with a custom ruleset folder?

[Griogre]

Campaigns work much like the host token folder. Basically data is down loaded on demand (ie when the GM sends out a map) - but if the client has the data already and it checks as equal to what is on the server and being sent - instead of downloading it again it uses the data on the client negating the need for a download.

I believe we may be talking apples an oranges here though. Campaign has a very specific meaning of FG - ie the data in a campaign folder. Its the next layer down under a ruleset and contains characters, maps, personalities and encounter descriptions. Campaign in the broader RPG sense like Iron Heroes, etc are what FG calls rulesets.

I not exactly sure whether you are referring to a module or a ruleset in the FG sense - but I suspect you are referring to a ruleset. If so, as other mentioned if the modified dates are different then that might force a redownload. It is also possible that the folder (directory) structure was different - ie the folder names the rulesets were placed in were different which would also force a redownload because it would not consider the rulesets to be the same.