A2OA Linux Server beta 1.59.79548

[eddieck 10]

Ubuntu isn't so much bloated as it is installed with the kind of things a desktop interactive user wants or needs by default. By comparison Debian is principally a server OS, installing nothing but the bare essentials by default. No X, no GUIs, nothing to waste CPU cycles or accidentally leave any back doors open. doonbugie is correct but tactless.

Ubuntu also has a server edition, which does not include any of that GUI bloat. That is what we use.

[MacDavePro 10]

Ubuntu also has a server edition, which does not include any of that GUI bloat. That is what we use.

Yes. It's basically Debian stable at the time the Ubuntu release was cut. (This is an oversimplification.) It has nothing to recommend it over Debian for a power user.

---------- Post added at 02:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:27 AM ----------

On another topic, I don't understand the pointless dependency upon gcc and it's transient dependencies simply to compile the tolower.c tool. Development tools on a production server are a big no no.

Here is a bash script which does the same thing as install without the gcc dependency:

#!/bin/bash

function usage {
   echo "
   $0 [-h|--help] [-v|--verbose] [<arma2oa root directory>]

   Options:

   -h | --help
       Display this usage information.

   -v | --verbose
       Be verbose.

   <arma2oa root directory>
       The root of your ArmA2 Operation Arrowhead installation. (default = .)

   "
   exit 1
}

# Parse command line arguments
while [ $# != 0 ]; do
 case "$1" in
   -h|--help)
       usage
       ;;
   -v|--verbose)
       verbose=1
       shift
       ;;
   *)
       root=${root:-$1}
       shift
       ;;
 esac
done
: ${root:="."}
root=$(cd $root; pwd)

function convert() {
   local path="$1"
   local filename=$(expr match "$path" '.\+/\([^/]\+$\)')
   local dir=$(expr match "$path" '^\(.\+\)/[^/]\+$')
   if [ -z "$dir" ] || [ -z "$filename" ]; then return -1; fi
   local counter=0
   [ -w "$dir/$filename" ] || return 0

   # make the file user-writable
   chmod u+w "$dir/$filename"

   # lower-case conversion
   newfilename="$dir/${filename,,}"
   if [ "$newfilename" != "$dir/$filename" ]; then
       mv "$dir/$filename" "$newfilename" && counter=$(($counter + 1))
       [ $verbose ] && echo "$dir/$filename -> $newfilename"
   fi

   # traverse subdirectories
   if [ -d "$newfilename" ]; then
[ $verbose ] && echo "processing contents of $newfilename"
       for child in "$newfilename/"*; do
           convert "$child"
           counter=$(($counter + $?))
       done
   fi
   return $counter
}

echo
echo "ArmA 2 - Operation Arrowhead - Linux Dedicated Server 1.59"
echo "Converting ArmA 2 OA directory: ($root)"
convert "$root"
echo "$? file-names were converted"
$(cd "$root"; rm -f *.{exe,chm,dll})
echo "ArmA 2 - Operation Arrowhead Server was installed."
exit 0

---------- Post added at 03:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:59 AM ----------

I plan to start maintaining a DEB for this. I don't know if BI will allow me to distribute a finished package (would mean redistributing the Windows game content).

Alternatively I could do a slightly messier DEB which assumes prompts for somewhere to retrieve the Windows content from.

Would you guys prefer to just apt-get install arma2oa-server?

Edited June 18, 2011 by MacDavePro
fixed a bug in script

[eddieck 10]

Yes. It's basically Debian stable at the time the Ubuntu release was cut. (This is an oversimplification.) It has nothing to recommend it over Debian for a power user.

It's a matter of what you prefer: tried and tested packages or more up-to-date packages. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

I've used Debian as well and it's fine. (Gentoo FTW for desktops.)

On another topic, I don't understand the pointless dependency upon gcc and it's transient dependencies simply to compile the tolower.c tool. Development tools on a production server are a big no no.

Yeah, that's pretty lame. I converted the filenames before tarballing the files and uploading them to the server for that reason.

I plan to start maintaining a DEB for this. I don't know if BI will allow me to distribute a finished package (would mean redistributing the Windows game content).

There's a 99% chance that would be a no.

Would you guys prefer to just apt-get install arma2oa-server?

Definitely.

P.S. I'm guessing by your name that you like the Mac desktop + Linux server combo? I miss my Mac.

[MacDavePro 10]

I think I'll just do it and submit it to BI for approval.

I will still use it to simplify patching of my own boxes.

I guess it will just become a question of whether or not BI support the server hosts who create a market for their games.

P.S. I'm guessing by your name that you like the Mac desktop + Linux server combo? I miss my Mac.

Yeah, like I said I've used linux as my desktop since 1995, but a few years ago I was upgrading my Dell laptop and decided a Macbook Pro was a better quality+value proposition. I thought I'd give OSX a week to win me over. I've been using it on my personal laptops now since 2006.

But there's nothing that will replace my linux servers on the horizon yet.

[eddieck 10]

I guess it will just become a question of whether or not BI support the server hosts who create a market for their games.

I think most GSPs are running Windows - at least judging by the number of Windows servers I've seen in the browser.

[MacDavePro 10]

Yeah, I suppose you're right. Can't help ignorance ;)

[byteslam 10]

.....I plan to start maintaining a DEB for this. I don't know if BI will allow me to distribute a finished package (would mean redistributing the Windows game content).

Alternatively I could do a slightly messier DEB which assumes prompts for somewhere to retrieve the Windows content from.

Would you guys prefer to just apt-get install arma2oa-server?

I asked this a couple of time, always when they release a new server, I asked also if I am allowed to build a DELTA patch for the server, to avoid to upload always the whole server files (or with rsync the delta). But all you get is an answer like ... we are working on that for the future ... The last updates where about 160 MB if you just transfer the DELTA...

[Dwarden 1125]

byteslam we don't even yet solved the lite variation of A2F for OA to create A2:CO for MP

then the servers package using similar tech ...

it's not as easy as You think, we can't strip things mindlessly out of the sandbox based engine

so while there is plan to do it, it sadly takes more time than expected

[byteslam 10]

byteslam we don't even yet solved the lite variation of A2F for OA to create A2:CO for MP

then the servers package using similar tech ...

it's not as easy as You think, we can't strip things mindlessly out of the sandbox based engine

so while there is plan to do it, it sadly takes more time than expected

Thanks for the reply,

I think this is a lame excuse.

You can build a delta package (deb, rpm....). Just saying since 2 years it is complicated is not more acceptable.

It is very easy, each software developer can teach you how.

If not I am interested in the secret behind.

As I asked already, if you allow this officially, I will provide a delta pack immediately as soon you release a new version... and it is more than easy, at least for Linux.

It is a shame that users have to upload about 8 GB while you only changing 64MB of binary content (arma2 with patch 1.10).

But anyway, mean while you can provide a read only rsync source for new servers, this will prevent you to build a delta pack, as well very easy because this is the way I update our Linux box in 30 minutes while others are uploading for days.

[nomad_man 10]

i would gladly grab the rsync mirror, deb mirror or rpm mirror.

Patches released in any other for than the executables would be nice too, otherwise i have to unpack them on windows box. monitor file system changes and create a file diff between the files and upload it on :(

[thhamm 53]

i would gladly grab the rsync mirror, deb mirror or rpm mirror.

Patches released in any other for than the executables would be nice too, otherwise i have to unpack them on windows box. monitor file system changes and create a file diff between the files and upload it on :(

I use Wine to patch my Linux Server using the regular .exe Patches. Works pretty good, you just have to import the needed registry keys. If you need an X Server for Windows, use Xming.

No need to upload 8GB.

[nomad_man 10]

well, i never said i uploaded 8gigs or w/e

we are running headless linux setup, so wine isn't really an option for us.

[thhamm 53]

we are running headless linux setup, so wine isn't really an option for us.

of course it's headless. thats why i said "use Xming" as a remote display.

Unlike most earlier display protocols, X was specifically designed to be used over network connections rather than on an integral or attached display device. X features network transparency: the machine where an application program (the client application) runs can differ from the user's local machine (the display server).

[byteslam 10]

I use Wine to patch my Linux Server using the regular .exe Patches. Works pretty good, you just have to import the needed registry keys. If you need an X Server for Windows, use Xming.

No need to upload 8GB.

Just use RSYNC, it is the easiest and fastest way if you upload. Wine is as well a good idea, but you need a Xserver running or I am wrong?

[nomad_man 10]

To unpack the patch you need windows or simulated environment.

To run WINE you need X server

[byteslam 10]

03-31-2011 was the release for the not well tested LINUX version and until now no patch no update ... this is really a shame for a company who relies on the user support. If we turn our heads away from ARMA2 you can be sure not all will return for ARMA3.

I hope we get software liability at some day and such behavior can be judged.

[sickboy 13]

What's the CIT ticket describing the issues, with details, repro etc?

[byteslam 10]

What's the CIT ticket describing the issues, with details, repro etc?

no idea, as the "server browser showing yellow" problem has been reported and already recognized by Dwarden and Co, I am sure it is noted as a bug.

Why should the community of Linux server admins track it and take care about this internals of BI?

The latest release is more faulty then the version before...We can not use the software as we would like and we are used to do before.

[sickboy 13]

no idea, as the "server browser showing yellow" problem has been reported and already recognized by Dwarden and Co, I am sure it is noted as a bug.

Why should the community of Linux server admins track it and take care about this internals of BI?

The latest release is more faulty then the version before...We can not use the software as we would like and we are used to do before.

Well it's up to you. Having the problems properly documented helps everyone involved, and having a clear problem description on CIT increases the chances of fixing the problem.

So in essence, it's not just for them, but for you. All the "Why should we" and "they should" doesn't help anyone.

[killswitch 19]

Say hello to ticket #18778: Linux dedicated servers yellow in MP server list

Please add more info to that ticket if you have any. I suggest a well-written description of how to reproduce the error, even if the reproduction steps seem trivial to you. By all means, include a descriptive screenshot showing the problem. Also, do this *four* months ago, when the ticket was created. Then, vote it up.

Edited July 27, 2011 by Killswitch

[Dwarden 1125]

i added that just to be archived , obviously noone bothered to add the needed details ...

also we know about the problem ...

also i said that until windows side bugs are fixed the creation of linux server sort of makse no sense as you get even more buggy release

Edited July 27, 2011 by Dwarden

[byteslam 10]

Say hello to ticket #18778: Linux dedicated servers yellow in MP server list

Please add more info to that ticket if you have any. I suggest a well-written description of how to reproduce the error, even if the reproduction steps seem trivial to you. By all means, include a descriptive screenshot showing the problem. Also, do this *four* months ago, when the ticket was created. Then, vote it up.

Start the Linux server, it will appear as yellow (which indicates something is wrong) in the Ingame Browser... and this cause a massive drop of players.

[icebreakr 3159]

We've moved to Win dedicated today. Team bought it and we have it up & running. Linux version almost killed off our squadnights... I won't ever try it again.

[.kju 3245]

Why should there be a massive drop of players?

[byteslam 10]

Why should there be a massive drop of players?

Because the Server is indicated as yellow not as green. As a simple Player you join the green one.

This cause as a consequence that players who know that the yellow doesn’t matter don’t come anymore because the amount of player on the Linux servers are less than on Windows.

You can check this by the statistics of some Linux Servers before the update and after.

---------- Post added at 09:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:00 AM ----------

We've moved to Win dedicated today. Team bought it and we have it up & running. Linux version almost killed off our squadnights... I won't ever try it again.

Yeahh you are right and this is really sad.

Anyway, we will not move to Windows, this is for sure. At some point we will switch off and that's it.

I am very disappointed from the support, all of us bought all available ARMA2 releases and Add-ons, in total each of us spend more the 100 EURs to play this game.