Arma Server Monitor (very small, but useful)

[fred41 42]

Project terminated.

ASM did his job a long time now and i hope you enjoyed it a bit.

This monitoring project was originally mean't as a temporary solution and as an example.

What most users don't know is, that ASM is based of a lot of very tricky interfacing implementations,

like interprocess communication based on shared memory, API hooking, callextension, e.t.c,

just to present the user some data, that are already available inside the engine.

Months ago i have made some really practical suggestions to BI, how a simple but professional monitoring interface

could be implemented directly in arma server. I got always the answer 'developers are to busy' to do that.

Meanwhile arma is 2 years old and there is still no professional solution provided by BI.

Considering this above, i hope you understand, that i really see no reason to support arma server any longer.

Best regards,

Fred41

ASM is a little program, for monitoring some interesting values from multiple server (or HC) instances.

Performance related values like:

• simulation cycles per second average (FPS)
  
• simulation cycles per second minimal (FPSmin)
  
• condition evaluations per second (CPS)
  
• number of alive players (PL#)
  
• number of alive server local AI units (AIL)
  
• number of alive server remote AI units (AIR)
  
• number of mission objects (OC[0..2], free configurable)
  
• amount of allocated physical memory (MEM)
  
• network traffic incoming in kbytes/s (NTI)
  
• network traffic outgoing in kbytes/s (NTO)
  
• disk reading in kbytes/s (DIR)
  
• name of running instance
  
• name of running mission
  

are displayed, simultaneously for multiple (up to 4) server instances, in a window.

The idea behind it, is to provide a fast and easy "state of health" overview at one go.

more details here:

https://github.com/fred41/ASM/

library and server application for NATIVE LINUX, provided by KILLSWITCH, are available and described here:

Arma Server Monitor for Linux

Update: Arma Server Monitor values are now accessible from remote via TCP (inspired by terox, as usual:)

Changelog:

01.06.2013 Changed the install/launch method to mini-addon (thanks terox for inspiration)

01.06.2013 Fixed: instance occupied additional slot at mission change

02.06.2013 Changed bar graphs for CPS & FPS to logarithmic scale to show states more intuitive

03.06.2013 Added history graphs, customizable (individual visibility, update interval), transparency switch

08.06.2013 custom build binaries, for use with DS as service added ("Global\" namespace for MMF access, usage see my post 08.06)

11.06.2013 fixed: AI counting now works correctly (thanks terox for reporting)

13.06.2013 support for run DS as service, now merged in default build (custom build removed)

17.06.2013 remote monitoring now available via additional ArmaServerMonitor instance, configurable via start params (see github readme.md for details)

18.06.2013 value for amount of allocated physical memory in [MB], MEM added

04.07.2013 max player number adapted from 50 to 100

05.07.2013 history graph extd. (200 -> 800 samples), better lag visualisation via FPSmin (activation in popup menu)

09.07.2013 some performance related improvements, to update replace ALL related files (ASM.pbo, ASMdll.dll and ArmaServerMonitor.exe)

11.07.2013 profilName now displayed additional to missionName; forced=1 -> preInit=1 in cfgFunctions

15.07.2013 counter for all allMissionObjects added (helps to check if cleanup routines works correctly)

18.07.2013 Memory (MEM) changed from GB to MB

31.07.2013 object counting interval configurable in asm.ini (see readme.md), additional to local AI, remote AI is counted now too

31.08.2013 userinterface improvements, use popup-menu to check it out (thanks zach72 for ideas)

26.09.2013 Values AIR & AIR rescaled from 400 to 800 max.

22.10.2013 UI settings saved/restored to/from registry at session end/start

14.11.2013 FPS,CPS,FPSmin graph changed to lin. scale, MEM bar scale to max. 4GB now

24.11.2013 Souce of ASM.dll added to git hub repo, feel free to use it in your projects

02.12.2013 Historygraph extended to 86400 seconds (24h), record to RAM ringbuffer, scroll via LMB, reset via dbl.click, timedivisor via popup menu (thx to dwarden, for idea ;))

06.12.2013 simple log feature added (-lfilenameprefix, -tinterval)

07.12.2013 OBJ value added as optional value for logging to file

08.12.2013 fix: instance slot blocked, caused by arma server crash (full update required)

13.12.2013 three customizable object counter added (set interval and .sqf command in asm.ini)

20.01.2014 added a little hint for current PID (process ID) of server instance (hoover over or click profileName string value to show)

08.02.2014 vert. gridlines and some hints to variable fields added, width of history view scalable (-wwidth, default 900)

15.02.2014 'bold'mode added, use additional -b param in commandline to activate

23.02.2014 sampling interval (1 second) now synced via timeGetTime(), to minimize longtime drift

16.03.2014 memcpy replaced by strcpy_s in ASMdll.dll (thanks killswitch for report)

22.03.2014 added API values NTI, NTO & DIR, some fixes like: logging not stopped when mission ends

04.04.2014 fix: AIR sometimes returned negative values (thanks dwarden for bug report)

17.04.2014 enableAPImonitoring added to asm.ini to switch of API monitoring feature (NTI/NTO/DIR)

26.04.2014 fix: bug related to enableAPImonitoring, caused double slot usage with HC (thanks tankbuster, for report)

28.04.2014 fix: monitoring NTI/NTO values, works now with A2, set enableAPImonitoring=2 in asm.ini (thanks Viba, for reporting and testing)

14.05.2014 for more then 4 instances (up to 16) a new commandline param, -o is introduced (for 4 blocks, of 4 arma server instances each)

22.05.2014 removed old debug code from ASMdll.dll, DIR-value counting related fix

24.05.2014 profile prefix based slot selection added, usage: arma3server.exe -name=xxwhatever, where xx is the prefered ASM slot (zero based)

23.07.2014 changed library name for callextension commands, in fn_ASM.fsm, to lowercase (thx Killswitch, for hint)

29.08.2014 library and server application, by KillSwitch, now available for native linux °°

14.12.2014 current date added to log file name

30.12.2014 timestamp algorithm "tightened" (to prevent double slot occupation in very low fps conditions)

!!!please always update ALL files together (data structures of interface are sometimes changing)!!!

Edited January 21, 2015 by Fred41
update

[terox 316]

Nobody has replied yet, so i'd like to kick this off.

This looks like a very nice tool.

On the surface, it would appear that each mission needs to be edited so that it can run this

- easy to use, just bind one FSM in your mission and launch it from init.sqf file

This is a major bind for a server admin where missions are constantly incoming.

Can you not automate this so that it feeds off a BIS FSM and make it a serverside addon and the window displayable in a web page

[fred41 42]

Can you not automate this so that it feeds off a BIS FSM and make it a serverside addon and the window displayable in a web page

... Terox, two good ideas ...

Do you know, what exactly is nessessary to load this one ASM.fsm in a serverside addon?

Edit: ... aah, found a small example addon, i'd like to see if its within my abilities ...

Edited May 31, 2013 by Fred41

[killzone_kid 1331]

Nobody has replied yet, so i'd like to kick this off.

This looks like a very nice tool.

On the surface, it would appear that each mission needs to be edited so that it can run this

This is a major bind for a server admin where missions are constantly incoming.

Can you not automate this so that it feeds off a BIS FSM and make it a serverside addon and the window displayable in a web page

You mean you can make a server script start without calling it from init.sqf directly or indirectly? I would like to know how.

[terox 316]

useage of extended eventhandlers in CBA

this addon injects code on the clients from the server

(I wouldnt use this method for a lot of code)

zeu_ServerSkill (Serverside AI skill setting addon with user configuration)

The important part is the eventhandler defintition in the config.cpp

[killzone_kid 1331]

useage of extended eventhandlers in CBA

this addon injects code on the clients from the server

(I wouldnt use this method for a lot of code)

zeu_ServerSkill (Serverside AI skill setting addon with user configuration)

The important part is the eventhandler defintition in the config.cpp

Sorry, you mean I have to have CBA installed for it to work?

[jw custom 56]

Sorry, you mean I have to have CBA installed for it to work?

Yes.

What about initServer.sqf

/*

Description:

Executed on server upon mission start

Parameter(s):

_this select 0: BOOL - true when server is dedicated

*/

[fred41 42]

useage of extended eventhandlers in CBA

@Terox, i think i will use your methode in mini-addon to offer an option for users already using CBA.

That will save the packing in each mission file, without to introduce additional dependency in this case.

@JW Custom, where should one put the initServer.sqf file? (I didnt found any documentation about that auto start methode)

Edited June 1, 2013 by Fred41

[terox 316]

@Terox, i think i will use your methode in mini-addon to offer an option for users already using CBA.

That will save the packing in each mission file, without to introduce additional dependency in this case.)

Don't worry about having CBA as a dependancy. Most servers that support addons run CBA anyway, a lot of addons require it and the clients, in this particular case do not need it.

It doesn't create a mission dependancy

From a server admins point of view, anything that is automated is certainly better than having to open up every mission and edit them. (This just simply wouldn't happen) Typically a server can literally have hundreds of missions in their MpMissions folders

[killzone_kid 1331]

Yes.

What about initServer.sqf

Have you got a link to initServer.sqf page where you got the info?

NVM, found it in scripts.

---------- Post added at 13:05 ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 ----------

Just tested initServer.sqf

it has to be in the mission pbo

it is no different than if you

if (isDedicated) then {

code

}

in init.sqf

_this contains empty array on dedicated server instead of true

Edited June 1, 2013 by Killzone_Kid

[fred41 42]

... hours later ...

...found a nice way to start ASM.fsm without editing the mission file(s) and without the need of CBA extended eventhandlers ...

I just defined a new class in cfgFunctions (see config.cpp in ASM.pbo).

class cfgFunctions
{
class A3
{
	class ArmaServerMonitor
	{
		file = "ASM";
		class ASM
		{
			ext = ".fsm";
			forced = 1;
		};
	};
};
};

forced = 1; is the key here, it forces one initial call to the defined function at mission start

This works great on Arma 3 for me, maybe it helps someone of you too.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Fred41

[killzone_kid 1331]

Fred, could you make similar console only that would act like a monitor and display any string you sent in it via callExtension? I only started with c++ not sure this is something I can make right now myself. Basically instead of diag_log, send important messages to onscreen in real time?

---------- Post added at 00:51 ---------- Previous post was at 23:09 ----------

... hours later ...

...found a nice way to start ASM.fsm without editing the mission file(s) and without the need of CBA extended eventhandlers ...

I just defined a new class in cfgFunctions (see config.cpp in ASM.pbo).

class cfgFunctions
{
class A3
{
	class ArmaServerMonitor
	{
		file = "ASM";
		class ASM
		{
			ext = ".fsm";
			forced = 1;
		};
	};
};
};

forced = 1; is the key here, it forces one initial call to the defined function at mission start

This works great on Arma 3 for me, maybe it helps someone of you too.

Works great! I've added some comments to the code:

class CfgFunctions
{
class KKfunctions //whatever
{
	class AddOnInit //whatever
	{
		file = "KK\init"; //path to script within addon
		class onAddOnInit //file name without fn_ (actual file fn_onAddOnInit + extension)
		{
			ext = ".sqf"; //extension
			forced = 1; //execute on addon initialisation
		};
	};
};
};

This code added to config.cpp inside @KK addon (for example) will execute fn_onAddOnInit.sqf which is inside \init folder only once on:

client - when ArmA3 loads

server - when player connects to the server for the first time

Edited June 2, 2013 by Killzone_Kid
1st class name does not have to be A3

[fred41 42]

@killzone_kid, thanks for adding comments to the config.cpp code, its easier to use for everybody now ...

(One point seems to need clarification: the forced start of the defined function seems to be exactly at mission start, at least me .rpt log files suggest it?)

To your first question: this project is basically designed to monitor states (polling from MMF). To monitor events, i would prefer "named pipes" (just reading from FIFO).

(If you need help for interfacing with callextension in your own projects, feel free to PM me your questions).

BTW: There are already some nice, ready solutions to monitor and filter changes in .rpt files:

https://sites.google.com/site/macsarmatools/rptmon

May be this offers a better solution for you?

Edited June 2, 2013 by Fred41

[killzone_kid 1331]

if i start arma with my mod enabled on the client the script gets executed as soon as mod is loaded not on mission start and on server when server has loaded the mod, this is why i called my function onaddoninit.

also thanks for the link, i think i already passed this stage when we had dayz server and i wrote automatic antihack tool to work with be so i could sleep at night :). i looked up some examples, apparently writing to console in cpp is a walk in a park so disregard my request im fully capable of writing it myself.

thanks again for showing the way with cfgfunctions approach.

[terox 316]

thats a nice way to initiate a script, thx Fred41

[fred41 42]

... and a bit more user friendly now ...

1. history graphs for values FPS, CPS, Players, AIs (200 samples)

2. visibility of graphs individual switchable

3. update interval of history selectable (1,5,10 or 30sec)

4. transparancy switchable (default transparency off, black background)

5. colors changed for more intuitive watching

(hint: use the right mouse button to open one of two little popup menus)

Edited June 5, 2013 by Fred41

[terox 316]

Having some issues here.

ArmaServerMonitor.exe is running, pop up window is being displayed but there is no data or graphs

I have the addon installed and running via a -mod line

and the .dll file is also installed into the root directory of the server i am running

My .rpt is reporting the following lines

"ASM.fsm started"
"ASM.fsm started"

and I have a mission running on that server.

FYI, the server is running as a service, could this be the reason?

[fred41 42]

FYI, the server is running as a service, could this be the reason?

... yes, this should be the reason ...

Can't really recommend to run a DS as a service (alpha, security), but i will upload a custom build of ASM for testing to github for you (link will follow).

---

you only have to replace the two binarys: https://github.com/fred41/ASM/tree/master/binary_service

((run ArmaServerMonitor as Administrator) OR (run at least one DS instance BEFORE ArmaServerMonitor)) AND (a swapfile on your server is required)

Terox, do you really have TWO "ASM.fsm started" entrys in your servers .RPT log?

There should be only one. Did you start fn_ASM.fsm from init.sqf additional?

Edited June 8, 2013 by Fred41

[terox 316]

... yes, this should be the reason ...

Can't really recommend to run a DS as a service (alpha, security), but i will upload a custom build of ASM for testing to github for you (link will follow).

---

you only have to replace the two binarys: https://github.com/fred41/ASM/tree/master/binary_service

((run ArmaServerMonitor as Administrator) OR (run at least one DS instance BEFORE ArmaServerMonitor)) AND (a swapfile on your server is required)

Terox, do you really have TWO "ASM.fsm started" entrys in your servers .RPT log?

There should be only one. Did you start fn_ASM.fsm from init.sqf additional?

Thanks for the test builds, working apart from AI count showing as 0

I can confirm two"ASM.fsm started" in my RPT

They are next to each other and NO, I am not defining anything in any missions, this is just from running it from the addon only

F.Y.I a lot of Dedi servers are run as services, normally using something like Firedeamon or TADST

This is the normal method when you want to give admins the ability to start and stop the servers without giving them backend access.

If you want some feedback and to get this out to a greater audience.

1) Offer a way of displaying this to a web page so it can be viewed without backend access. This is good for mission developers to monitor their test missions as well as admins to have the web page up on a second monitor when playing

2) Build it so it can work with either services and direct processes

and you will have then a very useful tool.

Good work by the way

Edited June 10, 2013 by Terox

[fred41 42]

Thanks for the test builds, working apart from AI count showing as 0

I can confirm two"ASM.fsm started" in my RPT

They are next to each other and NO, I am not defining anything in any missions, this is just from running it from the addon only

F.Y.I a lot of Dedi servers are run as services, normally using something like Firedeamon or TADST

This is the normal method when you want to give admins the ability to start and stop the servers without giving them backend access.

If you want some feedback and to get this out to a greater audience.

1) Offer a way of displaying this to a web page so it can be viewed without backend access. This is good for mission developers to monitor their test missions as well as admins to have the web page up on a second monitor when playing

2) Build it so it can work with either services and direct processes

and you will have then a very useful tool.

Good work by the way

Thanks for reporting and ideas.

AI counting is fixed now (i used playableUnits, instead of allUnits in fn_ASM.fsm).

So all you have to do for update, is replacing the ASM.pbo file.

But i am not able to reproduce the other aberration (starting fn_ASM.fsm twice on your system).

So i simple added a check to the fsm init, to avoid an second start.

Making this monitor a web service is a good idea and i will think about this later (currently it is beyond my "arma time window").

[killzone_kid 1331]

Thanks for reporting and ideas.

AI counting is fixed now (i used playableUnits, instead of allUnits in fn_ASM.fsm).

So all you have to do for update, is replacing the ASM.pbo file.

But i am not able to reproduce the other aberration (starting fn_ASM.fsm twice on your system).

So i simple added a check to the fsm init, to avoid an second start.

Making this monitor a web service is a good idea and i will think about this later (currently it is beyond my "arma time window").

How much data are we talking about? Pretty sure you can poke a php script every so often at designated url with updated params. Will make integration with web a piece of cake.

[fred41 42]

How much data are we talking about? Pretty sure you can poke a php script every so often at designated url with updated params. Will make integration with web a piece of cake.

just this, one per instance, updated one per second:

struct ARMA_SERVER_INFO 
{
DWORD	PID;
DWORD	TID;
DWORD	PLAYER_COUNT;
DWORD	AI_COUNT;
FLOAT	SERVER_FPS;
FLOAT	FSM_CE_FREQ;
char	MISSION[64];
};

Are you able to interface this to a web page?

I could give you the source of the .dll if you like (just a few lines).

The best is:

There is currently no worker thread implemented, you could add one, as usual :)

Edited June 11, 2013 by Fred41

[terox 316]

how much more load would it create if you also had the data in/out bandwidth displayed as "Total" and as "Per player". per player being an average

[fred41 42]

how much more load would it create if you also had the data in/out bandwidth displayed as "Total" and as "Per player". per player being an average

... AFAIK, this data are not available per .sqf (directly or indirectly), or i am wrong?

It should be generally possible to get the bandwidth per process (Total), via windows ressource monitor api. Not sure, but i think so.

[terox 316]

this info is given out when the admin runs "#monitor 5";

AFAIK the only way to run these commands via a script requires an admin to be logged in, then you could do something like the following

if (servercommandavailable "#monitor 1")then{servercommand................

Not sure how you would log this data though

If time is precious, any spare time you have on this project would be better spent in other areas