Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
Ok, in case you all havent guessed yet, im relatively new to this whole thing. New question for you all in a two part format. First, Nightmare aside, how does one set up bbs backups so that you can restore from some sort of catastrophic failure? is there an utility with wg or mm that just does this for you...both the MM dat files and perhaps a full backup if such exists outside of using 3rd party backup utils. Second part, ive heard people saying that you do not perform edits directly on the mud dats themselves...that being the case 1: how do you set up nightmare and mud such that you arent working with live data (I assume that I am copying the various dat files to a new directory) 2: once you make changes, how does one copy over the changes made to the live board, is there an automation there or am I just copying the applicable dat file into my working directory? 3: If there IS an automated thing in Nightmare to send your data live, does it auto backup before it does this? I think this covers most of my questions. Mostly want to know 1: how to keep basic mud backups for standard crashes and 2: how to set up nightmare so that my editing isnt gonna hose my game.
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AdmiralAcid
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2001 6:00 am
Re: Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
go d/l winrar (u should have it anyways), inside of it is rar.exe - copy it to ur WGserv folder...
Create a WGSCLEAN.BAT file in the WG folder (this batch file runs at cleanup) - Create a folder under WG called mudbackup
inside of our cleanup bat is:
@echo off
rar a -rr -ag-DD-MMM-YY mudbackup\wccbackup.rar wcc*.*
rar a -rr -ag-DD-MMM-YY mudbackup\wbbbackup.rar wbb*.*
This creates a file that looks like this "wccbackup-01-Feb-03.rar"
kinda nice huh - just remember to delete them everyonce in a while...
(i also zap my .adt file and other misc logs so Xetox can't spy on me.. but u'll figure that shit out on your own)
Create a WGSCLEAN.BAT file in the WG folder (this batch file runs at cleanup) - Create a folder under WG called mudbackup
inside of our cleanup bat is:
@echo off
rar a -rr -ag-DD-MMM-YY mudbackup\wccbackup.rar wcc*.*
rar a -rr -ag-DD-MMM-YY mudbackup\wbbbackup.rar wbb*.*
This creates a file that looks like this "wccbackup-01-Feb-03.rar"
kinda nice huh - just remember to delete them everyonce in a while...
(i also zap my .adt file and other misc logs so Xetox can't spy on me.. but u'll figure that shit out on your own)
Re: Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
Most excellent. Thanks. Now....anyone wanna step forward with nightmare?
Re: Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
Copy the dats into a different directory, and point NMR to that directory under settings. Make your edits then compile a database update. Copy wccupda2.dat from the edit directory into the WG main directory. If the BBS is running you can do a live update by going into the majormud sysop menu and applying an update.. when it asks for the name type wccupda2.dat and away it goes. if the BBS is not running then just start it up after you copy over the update file and it'll do it while the bbs loads. Make sure you make a backup of the original DAT files before you start editing, just in case you screw up.
Re: Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
I wrote this yesterday to add to the next version of nightmare (available soon) while we wait for speed's FAQ (which I am VERY appreciative of!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Update File and Compiling one
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wccupda2.dat - important file
-> when the bbs first starts up, majormud runs through every record that is in the update file and writes the information that's in it to the actual dat files. the update file is important in a normal non-edited mud because it is what restocks shops, helps monster regen, and I'm sure a number of other things.
-> it doesn't update every single field of every record of every database however, just the things that don't have any user interaction. what i mean by this is things like the number of items in a shop, the number of monsters in a room, how many times a monster has dropped an item, etc are not overwritten during this process. when you install mud as an upgrade of a previously installed mud, it doesn't overwrite your .dat files. it only overwrites the mud program files, wccupda2.dat, and the *.vir files (the .vir files are the base dat files that have never been touched by playing users). if it overwrote your dat files, then all interaction your users had with the game would be lost (not the actually character data, just things like what I've already mentioned). this is why editing environment #1 (below) is the best scenario, read more on that.
-> the update file has NOT completely ran through when the audit trail says "majormud initialized." you MUST wait for it to say "Automatic Database Update Complete" to know it's finished. if you edit your realm for say 2x monster exp and load up the bbs and wonder why they are still 1x, it is probably because your update file hasn't completely been run through and/or the monsters that were in the realm before you applied the exp changes weren't taken out during the offiline recovery. this would apply for items, spells, and anything else.
(about monsters and the active monster file)
the way it works is mud pulls a monster from the wccknms2.dat (the one you edit) and writes them to the wccacms2.dat (active monsters). so if it pulls a monster and puts it into the realm before the any editing changes have occured, it will still have the old data.
-> after the update file finished its run and you see that "Automatic Database Update Complete" message it is safe to delete it if you wish to put an updated (edited) one in place. you can then wait for the next shutdown and startup for your edits to be applied or you can go to the sysop menu and "Apply an Update." to tell the update file to run through again.
-> just a note, the databases that are compiled into the wccupda2.dat file are: races, classes, monsters, items, spells, rooms, shops, actions, textblocks, and messages.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editing Environments:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three general scenarios you can use to go about with your editing. These are listed in order of recommendation.
#1) Copy your w*.dat files to a seperate directory and set nightmare up to edit those. When you are done making edits, compile an update file and copy it to your bbs directory. you'll need to make sure your bbs has finished it's update process (see above) before you can overwrite that file. if you want your dat files to be updated you can either, a) wait for the next shutdown and startup for it to automatically run through, or b) go to the sysop menu and "apply an update"
#2) Do your edits offline with nightmare setup to edit that dats in your WG folder. This way you don't have to worry about the update file not doing it's job or deal with waiting for edits to be applied.
#3) Edit the dats in your WG folder while the BBS is running. I have only heard of one user to have success with this and I personally think it can cause a lot of corruption. if mud and you go to write to a record at the same time, OR if mud went to write a value and then you wrote over it before it went to read it again, OR if mud went to read one of the quickreferences it creates for monsters/items/spells/etc and then all of a sudden it isn't there anymore or different than how it initially read it, OR any number of other things I could sit here and write about could cause corruption and/or crashes. use this method cautiously and you'll need to wait until the update file has finished it's course before doing any edits.
(editing users)
DO NOT edit a user while the user is in the game. if you are using method #1 and wish to edit a user, just point NMR to your WG directory temporarily and do whatever edits you want and switch it back.
NOTE: any time you manually take the board down to do some edits or w/e you should always run an offline recovery (wccmmutl.exe) before starting the BBS back up.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Update File and Compiling one
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wccupda2.dat - important file
-> when the bbs first starts up, majormud runs through every record that is in the update file and writes the information that's in it to the actual dat files. the update file is important in a normal non-edited mud because it is what restocks shops, helps monster regen, and I'm sure a number of other things.
-> it doesn't update every single field of every record of every database however, just the things that don't have any user interaction. what i mean by this is things like the number of items in a shop, the number of monsters in a room, how many times a monster has dropped an item, etc are not overwritten during this process. when you install mud as an upgrade of a previously installed mud, it doesn't overwrite your .dat files. it only overwrites the mud program files, wccupda2.dat, and the *.vir files (the .vir files are the base dat files that have never been touched by playing users). if it overwrote your dat files, then all interaction your users had with the game would be lost (not the actually character data, just things like what I've already mentioned). this is why editing environment #1 (below) is the best scenario, read more on that.
-> the update file has NOT completely ran through when the audit trail says "majormud initialized." you MUST wait for it to say "Automatic Database Update Complete" to know it's finished. if you edit your realm for say 2x monster exp and load up the bbs and wonder why they are still 1x, it is probably because your update file hasn't completely been run through and/or the monsters that were in the realm before you applied the exp changes weren't taken out during the offiline recovery. this would apply for items, spells, and anything else.
(about monsters and the active monster file)
the way it works is mud pulls a monster from the wccknms2.dat (the one you edit) and writes them to the wccacms2.dat (active monsters). so if it pulls a monster and puts it into the realm before the any editing changes have occured, it will still have the old data.
-> after the update file finished its run and you see that "Automatic Database Update Complete" message it is safe to delete it if you wish to put an updated (edited) one in place. you can then wait for the next shutdown and startup for your edits to be applied or you can go to the sysop menu and "Apply an Update." to tell the update file to run through again.
-> just a note, the databases that are compiled into the wccupda2.dat file are: races, classes, monsters, items, spells, rooms, shops, actions, textblocks, and messages.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editing Environments:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three general scenarios you can use to go about with your editing. These are listed in order of recommendation.
#1) Copy your w*.dat files to a seperate directory and set nightmare up to edit those. When you are done making edits, compile an update file and copy it to your bbs directory. you'll need to make sure your bbs has finished it's update process (see above) before you can overwrite that file. if you want your dat files to be updated you can either, a) wait for the next shutdown and startup for it to automatically run through, or b) go to the sysop menu and "apply an update"
#2) Do your edits offline with nightmare setup to edit that dats in your WG folder. This way you don't have to worry about the update file not doing it's job or deal with waiting for edits to be applied.
#3) Edit the dats in your WG folder while the BBS is running. I have only heard of one user to have success with this and I personally think it can cause a lot of corruption. if mud and you go to write to a record at the same time, OR if mud went to write a value and then you wrote over it before it went to read it again, OR if mud went to read one of the quickreferences it creates for monsters/items/spells/etc and then all of a sudden it isn't there anymore or different than how it initially read it, OR any number of other things I could sit here and write about could cause corruption and/or crashes. use this method cautiously and you'll need to wait until the update file has finished it's course before doing any edits.
(editing users)
DO NOT edit a user while the user is in the game. if you are using method #1 and wish to edit a user, just point NMR to your WG directory temporarily and do whatever edits you want and switch it back.
NOTE: any time you manually take the board down to do some edits or w/e you should always run an offline recovery (wccmmutl.exe) before starting the BBS back up.
Re: Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
you ROCK Syn!!
Re: Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
Out of curiosity, how come my post got put with a READ: in front of it? did it make the "hey, thats a good question" list? heh
Re: Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
Originally posted by MydKnight
Out of curiosity, how come my post got put with a READ: in front of it? did it make the "hey, thats a good question" list? heh
it's a popular question, and i put in a worthwhile answer for it.
Out of curiosity, how come my post got put with a READ: in front of it? did it make the "hey, thats a good question" list? heh
it's a popular question, and i put in a worthwhile answer for it.
Re: Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
Ok, i posted the question in the wg forum but im noticing something in relation to this reply which has me wondering. When i load up worldgroup, i get the message MajorMUD found database update and then the date and im assuming some sort of id number. the next line is located the galacticom ico. I dont know that ive ever seen an update completed message, but perhaps i wasnt paying attention. Is this where I should be getting that message? if so, how long does the update usually take to process and, if it hasnt processed fully, could it cause that attempt to read from 0 error? this error is really annoying, ive just noticed its also causing a crash in the orc mansion, so i assume the problem is pretty far ranging now. i know the slums, and the graveyard work, but thats about it.
Re: Proper Backup/Use [Archive] - ForumsHQ
Originally posted by MydKnight
Ok, i posted the question in the wg forum but im noticing something in relation to this reply which has me wondering. When i load up worldgroup, i get the message MajorMUD found database update and then the date and im assuming some sort of id number. the next line is located the galacticom ico. I dont know that ive ever seen an update completed message, but perhaps i wasnt paying attention. Is this where I should be getting that message? if so, how long does the update usually take to process and, if it hasnt processed fully, could it cause that attempt to read from 0 error? this error is really annoying, ive just noticed its also causing a crash in the orc mansion, so i assume the problem is pretty far ranging now. i know the slums, and the graveyard work, but thats about it.
your 'id code' is the file size. the update doesn't run through unless someone is in the realm. check your rate of initialization setting under majormud in the WG general setup. set it to 20000. on my machine, which compiles an NMR update in 2-3 minutes, it takes about 10 minutes.
the update file probably wouldn't cause a read from 0 error. it's probably a bad message or value in one of your items/monsters/spells.
-syjn
Ok, i posted the question in the wg forum but im noticing something in relation to this reply which has me wondering. When i load up worldgroup, i get the message MajorMUD found database update and then the date and im assuming some sort of id number. the next line is located the galacticom ico. I dont know that ive ever seen an update completed message, but perhaps i wasnt paying attention. Is this where I should be getting that message? if so, how long does the update usually take to process and, if it hasnt processed fully, could it cause that attempt to read from 0 error? this error is really annoying, ive just noticed its also causing a crash in the orc mansion, so i assume the problem is pretty far ranging now. i know the slums, and the graveyard work, but thats about it.
your 'id code' is the file size. the update doesn't run through unless someone is in the realm. check your rate of initialization setting under majormud in the WG general setup. set it to 20000. on my machine, which compiles an NMR update in 2-3 minutes, it takes about 10 minutes.
the update file probably wouldn't cause a read from 0 error. it's probably a bad message or value in one of your items/monsters/spells.
-syjn