[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Client/Server localization problem (fwd)

[Dirk Stoecker <stoecker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

accidentally sent the first version of this to Reinier Post. Sorry
Reinier.

> Although it has clear advantages, I think this is a bad idea.
> See the thread starting at

I read the whole thread. If I correctly understand it, the majority wants
new packets without making them to much new packets.

So here a totally new suggestion, which includes some of the ideas I read
and some of the ideas I had when writing first message:

OurTransferPacketGeneralTextStructure
{
  - uint16 size             /* I hope I got this right from source? */
  - uint8  message type     /* The generic message header */
  - unit8  x
  - uint8  y
  - uint32 eventype

  /* now the news */
  - char[]    formatstring     /* zero terminated */

  - uint8     Number of arguments
    - uint8   argument type   /* num argument fields /*

  - char[]    argument data
}

Where argument type stores the data type:
/* generic types */
#define TYPE_GENERIC_STRING      0 /* a string*/ 
#define TYPE_GENERIC_VALUE       1 /* a number*/ 
...

/* id types which have Id as data, but result in strings */
#define TYPE_IDNAME_UNIT        10 /* unit name */
#define TYPE_IDNAME_CITY        11 /* city name */
#define TYPE_IDNAME_PLAYER      12 /* player name */
#define TYPE_IDNAME_TECH        13 /* tech name */
#define TYPE_IDNAME_NATION      14 /* nation name */
#define TYPE_IDNAME_NATIONS     15 /* plural nation name */
#define TYPE_IDNAME_IMPROVEMENT 16 /* improvemnt name */
...

/* special string types */
#define TYPE_STRING_CITY        100 /* city name as string */
...

/* special number types */
#define TYPE_NUMBER_FUTURETECH  180 /* future tech number */
...

#define TYPE_MINSTRING          100
#define TYPE_MAXSTRING          179
#define TYPE_MINNUMBER          180
#define TYPE_MAXNUMBER          255

The transfer data is seperated from type data now. The type determines the
data size (normally sint32). For TYPE_GENERIC_STRING and the TYPE_STRING_xxx
types the size can be determined by parsing for 0-byte.

As this format always includes the format string like the currently used
server side format strings, old client have no problems with new servers (
as long as they support this packet). This string can be used for localization.

The clients can base AI stuff and sound support and stuff like that on the
eventtype, whereas they print texts based on the format string.
Maybe a second event field can be added containg some more information (e.g.
a flag field).

This suggestion increases network traffic sometimes and decreases traffic
sometimes. It allows easy migration of old and new. And it allows future
expansion to allow whatever AI or sound support is needed, as the raw data
can be interpreted.

The generic types should not be used too often. It is better to use
TYPE_STRING_xxx or TYPE_NUMBER_xxx, as these can be interpreted, but need not
(e.g. knowing type >=TYPE_MINSTRING and <=TYPE_MAXSTRING is a string is
enough for displaying, but AI may interpret the direct number).

Ciao
 ____  _ _  ____  _ _    _ _  ____
|    |  |  |    |  | \  / |  |    | the cool Gremlin from Bischofswerda
|  __   |   ____|  |  \/  |  |    | WWW: http://home.pages.de/~stoecker/
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|____| _|_ |____| _|_    _|_ |____| I hope AMIGA never ends to make fun!

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