Auto downloads - how to

[rudedog]

Originally posted by Scropio Midget

on server
sv_allowdownloads 1

on client
cl_allowdownloads 1

You will download any pk3 file the server has, that you don't .
If you have a pk3 file with the same name but are of a different size. You pk3 file will be updated to the one the server has.

More info to come regarding remote downloads from a different server via Shellexecute coming soon

[ClickBouyow]

This would be really exciting if it had a redirect on it a la' Unreal Tournanament. I am afraid it will lag the server on anything except the smallest mods.

[rudedog]

That's what the shellexec is all about. you can redirect the client to download from another server

If shellexec can be used

[sphinx175]

ET uses these for this:

seta sv_wwwFallbackURL "" //if BaseURL site is down use this site instead
seta sv_wwwDlDisconnected "0" //not sure.
seta sv_wwwBaseURL "" //site location.
--please note that with this if you put a mod out there (like shrub or OSP that the sub-directory in baseurl will be assumed. For example, if OSP is made for CoD then you need to be sure to have the OSP files in a subdirectory called "osp" since the baseURL will look in your website (www.whatever.com) and append the /osp on the end.

seta sv_wwwDownload "0" //allow downloads
seta sv_dl_maxRate "42000" //max download speed (this might only apply if wwwDownload is off. Not sure).

[MPowell1944]

Quick question. Say you have 2 files on the server, and you only want the clients to download 1 of them but not the other. Any way to disable auto-download of a single file yet allow auto-download of the other?

[rudedog]

Based on what scorpio wrote, I would say no. Any changes to any pk3 files including the addition of them - The server would download the ones you needed on your server.

If I get time today, I will seach some of the RTCW/ET forums and see how it works with them.

[MPowell1944]

Thanks for taking the time to check it out.

[SgtD]

The impression I've gotten is the same. If you don't have it, you'll get it from the server. If you have a newer version you'll still get the older one the server has.

[MPowell1944]

Thing is. A bud of mine has a realism mod running on a server. He also wants to run another mod which gives the Axis the FG42 and the Russians the MP44. However, we don't want to have the clients downloading the realism mod, just the other mod. Really sucks that the client has to download it all. Sounds cheap to me. Thanks anyways.

[rudedog]

I think that's the only draw back for running a auto download server.

Remember the MOH community has been begging for this, but I can understand your point.

[MPowell1944]

Thanks for your input Rude. Always appreciated.

[ClickBouyow]

Aren't realism mods server side only? There is no download involved?

I did a test where I downloaded a file from my lan server and then tried to connect to a pure server. Because the pure server did not have the file I was kicked.

[Resolution208]

Aren't realism mods server side only? There is no download involved?

I did a test where I downloaded a file from my lan server and then tried to connect to a pure server. Because the pure server did not have the file I was kicked.

The local client should scan all your .pk3 files; and "ignore" any of those which are not on the server (hit tilde, you'll see a list of all .pk3 files checked when connecting, and whether or not they're "on the pure list".)

I *HOPE* that the people creating any mods/downloads use a different filename (ie, don't use pak0.pk3!) for the downloadable portion; since that would then result in the behaviour you just described.

New maps/mods/sounds creators should use a different filename which accurately describes their work; and thus it will be "turned on" or "off" depending on the existence of the same file server-side.

- R208.

[thejerk]

I'm pretty sure that pure actually means that you're only allowed to have installed the pk3s that are on the server, or less (so long as you have the necessary game components to play... minus server-side only mods), and as such would kick you if you have something the server's unfamiliar with even if it's not in the original pak files.

Punkbuster would do pretty much what you're describing, but not pure (to my knowledge).

In regards to the auto-downloads, I was pretty sure that the way it worked is you would download the file when the server called for it, like that of maps. At least, that's the way it appeared to work with Enemy Territory (my only experience with this feature). That being the case, server-side mods would be left on the server untouched, but maps and skins would be downloaded as needed.

[imported_whatever]

Call me paranoid, but I REALLY dislike the idea of auto downloads. From what I'm reading here, all some hacker would have to do is put up a server with modded versions of .pk3 files. If you auto download them, and go onto another server WITHOUT checking out the files, you could be kicked, labeled a cheater, or banned.

Not everybody can (or will) check out their CoD installs on the client side after they install a new map, mod etc.

-Jim(whatever)

[PoD]

Her's my 2-cents on the stuff for what's it worth,

Got a number of mods running on the server, among which a realism mod and MP's FG42 mod.

My clients starts to dl them immediately, but it also dl's every other non-standadrd pk3 from anyother server I join. The result is that I get kicked on all pure servers. Removing all dl'd pk's would make me OK again for pure servers, however I've been struggling to "reset" my client to not dl'ing. Including the above commands, it stays downloading all the time

The other thing is that serverside mods are all dl'd with the same name, server.pk3, so effectively overwriting the last server.pk3 when you join a new one

[rudedog]

If you used the seta it will write the command in your config_mp.cfg file located in the Main dir.

rem it out or be carefull and remove it from there.

[chappy]

could someone walk a noob through the process of setting up a server to do auto-downloads?

i understand the basics of what i have to do but i need someone to walk me through setting everything up exactly where it needs to be (eg server main/client main) im not that smart when it comes to doing the commands to set these up so please help?

chappy


for example...on the server side, do you use seta sv_allowdownloads 1? on the client side is it cl_allowdownloads 1? where do these commands go? what exactly are they?

[chappy]

umm anyone? beuller? beuller?

[rudedog]

Sorry for the delay.

You need to add the following:

Add to cfg file
set sv_allowdownload 1
(note the set and not seta. Also note no S at the end of allowdownload)

Your clients need to type in the console or add it to their shortcut
seta cl_allowdownload 1

try not to use seta. Seta writes to your local codSP or codMP file and will run every time unless you remove it. This could cause problems when trying to join a server that requires different settings.

When both conditions are set your clients will download all custom PK3 files on your server to their machine. Bad thing is, if you upload 10 new maps, they will have to download all 10 before being able to play. The download will also limit the connection to 10K a sec if available on your server. Thus a 5 meg file will take 12 minutes to download.

hope this help. I am looking to create an all in one guide for running cod game servers. looking to start this Monday.

[chappy]

thanks rude dog!!

chap

[imported_shimjockey]

That is a painfully slow transfer rate. I tested this on one of my servers today and the game told me it was only running at 2K per second even though there is gobs of available bandwidth.

Has anyone figured out a way I can crank the download bandwidth up?

[mim]

Yes it is a very slow rate - i already had this problem with an sof2 server nows the same with cod...
I ve been looking a lot but coudn´t find a way to change it - worst is when your runnig an lan server.
I know that there a possibility to set the rate faster with Q3 - so i still hope someone can help us with the CoD- server!


greetz
mim

[Resolution208]

That is a painfully slow transfer rate. I tested this on one of my servers today and the game told me it was only running at 2K per second even though there is gobs of available bandwidth.

Has anyone figured out a way I can crank the download bandwidth up?

1. Increase your sv_maxrate. The server sends the file at the same rate as the "client game updates". The client can also override this variable (lower though), with the client-side "rate" command.

server:
seta sv_maxrate "15000" (15 kbytes/sec)

client:
rate "25000" (25kbytes/sec, the maximum you usually will set...). this is the value which is automagically set if you select your "Connection Type" as "LAN/xDSL/Cable"

-------------------------------------------------------------

2. The second possibility of slow transfers is packet loss.

Q3/CoD/RTCW/etc.. use UDP packets for sending information to the client. UDP is "connectionless" (i.e. just update packets, can arrive out of order, can not arrive at all, since it's "timely" information, and you dont necessarily care if you miss a packet in transit...)

File transfers use the same packets to send file downloads. Since there's no error correction with UDP (it can be implemented at the application-layer if the coders wish..); if you experience a dropped packet, the file transfer will stop; have to re-sync, fix the error, and then continue. This results in large delays while the lost packet is retransmitted; and thus, considerably lowers the overall performace/transfer rate.

To see if you are losing packets:

client side:
/cg_lagometer 1

This will turn on the "Lag - o - Meter" on the right side of your screen. If you see any thin RED lines/bars, that represents a lost UDP packet somehwere between the server and your client.

If you see quite a few of these, there may be some congestion or duplexing issues somewhere between the server and you. We experienced something simmilar a few years back with an RTCW server. We tracked it down to a "Full duplex vs. half Duplex Ethernet" setting we had between a pair of our gigabit routers. Setting both sides of the link to Full duplex cleared the problem.

Check your local PC and your local home LAN. You may be experiencing the same Full/Half duplex trouble.

- R208.

P.S. in RTCW, there as a variable called "sv_dl_maxRate 42000"; which apparently set the max-rate for server->client downloads. However, this variable is not implemented in CoD from the old Wolf codebase.

[Daffy]

When I place custom maps in a subdirectory of Main, do I reference the path in the map rotation?

set sv_mapRotation "gametype tdm map cmaps/the_hunt"

Or is there another cvar that I set globally for map locations?

I am also concerned that if I do this:

set sv_allowdownloads = 1

That all of my server-side Mods will get sent to the client. Is this gonna happen when I do it?

[rudedog]

you should not place maps in a sub dir they should go in the main folder only server sided mods should go in a sub directory.

This way if you do enable autodownload it will only download the neededmaps and not your custom mods

[NapoleonSolo]

With custom maps how do you put those into the rotation? I've tried using the .pak file name but it doesn't like that.

[rudedog]

Sometimes authors do not use the same name as their pk3 name. Use winrar or winzip to view the contents of the pk3 file. to find the actual map name.

Also check the readme that came with the map name.

[NapoleonSolo]

Yep, that was it.

Does the client have to set the download variable as well the server for the custom maps to be downloaded?

[rudedog]

yes, you need both the server and client.

the server has to set
sv_allowdownload 1


Client sets
cl_allowdownload 1

[NapoleonSolo]

That's what I thought, thanks for confirming.

[Provider_oo1]

Rudedog

If you put the mod in another directory other than "main" - how do you config the server to point at it when clients connect?

Thanks.

[LtMoeGreen]

I have a Problem. I've set the 2 Commands on Server an Client:

on Server:

set sv_allowDownload "1"

on Client:

set cl_allowDownload "1"

But the Client don't download the pk3 files! Can you help me? On other Servers i can download the files but on my own it won't go. Is there a Conflict with the pure "1" Command?

[Mcduke]

I have cable with an upload that fluctuates between 240 and 380, so to do downloads of custom maps directly from the server would kill game play with lag. I'm only interested in redirecting downloads. I've run a UT server with redirected downloads for mods and custom maps, but how do you do it for COD? I know it was mentioned briefly in one of the Posts here, but does it work and does it use a file compression (like UT did)? If it does work then can someone please give an example of what to do?

[Oracleman]

As many clients come in with cl_allowdownload = 1 and my server runs sv_allowdownload = 0 they get disconnected. Can I force client download cvars off somehow ? For example in sd.gsc under client_connect ?

[Falkstick]

I'm having troubles with the allowdownloads to work. I have it enabled on the server using

set sv_allowDownloads "1"

It tells the client when trying to connect that the server allowdownloads is turned off. This is in my servercfg.cfg.

I am also trying to get the redirect to work using the :

seta sv_wwwBaseURL "http://www.reconssclan.com/uo_downloads"
seta sv_wwwDlDisconnected "1"
seta sv_wwwDownload "1"

Would I turn the allowdownloads on or off when trying to run the bottom script? Can anyone help me with these two.

Thanks

[krunch]

Hi, I too am trying to get the autodownloads redirecting to work, but so far havent got it to work rite yet....

Heres what I have so far in my config:

//HTTP Redirect Downloads
set sv_allowDownload "0"
seta sv_wwwDownload "1"
seta sv_wwwBaseURL "http://toxic-army.com/"
seta sv_wwwDlDisconnected "1"


Are these settings correct?

I have placed all the map files (in pk3 format, not zipped or rared) that are in my servers "/main" folder into the root address of my ftp server (my clan website), so for instance, http://www.toxic-army.com/brest.pk3 will let you download the custom map "brest" for cod... from our website, which we also have in our servers /main folder. But nothing id working AHHHH!!!! help?

I'm not sure if this fast redirecting will even work for cod, i've been messing with it for hours and have come up empty handed...

Can anyone shed some light on this subject?

[Anex3]

Redirect is not available in regular CoD, it's ONLY available in United Offensive. The only option you have for regular CoD is sv_allowdownload; set it to 1 to allow downloading.

[OldDog]

Hey, Anex, you change your name? You're back to PFC...

[Anex3]

Nah, my main Anex account got locked out for some reason when I was updating my email address. It said it was sending an activation email but never did. I was chatting with Rudedog to fix it but he's been afk since my last message with info how to resolve it.

So, I guess I just have to work my way back up the ranks :wink:

[imported_claymore]

Redirect is not available in regular CoD, it's ONLY available in United Offensive. The only option you have for regular CoD is sv_allowdownload; set it to 1 to allow downloading.

taken from the 1.5 cod patch read me
Added HTTP redirection for Servers running Mods or custom maps. To enable redirection on the server, set sv_wwwDownload to 1. Set sv_wwwBaseURL to the base directory where the files are stored. For example, if the server had a file named 'myfile' meant to be stored locally at \Call of Duty\Main, sv_wwwBaseURL should be set to "http://samplewebpage1.com/". The file should be stored at http://samplewebpage1.com/Main/myfile. To prevent clients from taking up a slot on the server while downloading, set sv_wwwDlDisconnected to 1. This will free up a slot for the duration of the download and the client will attempt to autoconnect when the download is complete. Set cl_wwwDownload to 1 to enable redirection downloading on the client.

[Bartman]

Yep, but for 1.4 classic CoD this wasn't available yet, and 1.5 wasn't released until yesterday.