[DGD] MudOS-alike for DGD-1.1 !!!

[Frank Schmidt]

Hiyas!

The beta-version of MudOS-alike for DGD-1.1 is out and ready for you to
download. It is fully functional and should work 99%, it's just not been
tested in all possible environments. But first to explain in "few" words
what it is, here goes:


Features:

     * a DriverLib package written in DGD-LPC to accompany MudOS-alike
       mudlibs, or any DGD-mudlib for that matter.

     * DriverLib sourcecode is apart from any mudlib sharing its
       environment in DGD. Interface for the mudlib happens through
       the auto object (includes a user-defined simul_efun), and
       an user-defined master() object. These two userdefined files
       should make it unnescessary to do changes in the DriverLib code.

     * defines efuns typically found in MudOS in the auto object.
       All function naming and behaviour is improved and optimized.

     * Most of the old behaviour and naming of MudOS can be turned on/off
       by altering a user-defined configuration headerfile. In the
       extreme, all of the unnescessary and bad MudOS-features/naming can
       be turned off, leaving you only with the "good stuff".

     * supports termcaps and perfect arbitrary wordwrapping, always
       remembering the last coordinates. Wordwrapping works WITH 
       termcaps, even the clearscreen (CLS) termcap.

     * Provides an excellent base for new DGD _mudlibs_.


Optimizations:

     * functions are optimized for speed by as much use of kfuns as
       possible.  (tested with time() differences on a P166)

     * heavy use of #define XX(YY) macros to simulate simple MudOS
       functions and types without filling up the auto object
       with too many functions, a great memory-saver.

     * the DriverLib security is extremely quick and simple. A fast
       check in each vital function in all DriverLib objects, prevents
       malocious users to gain- or alter any global information by
       direct calls. The method of local checks prevents any overall
       speed-overhead by the use/overloading of the call_other() kfun.
       Plus, the simplicity lies in that all the checks are identical,
       checking previous_program(), using macros.


Compatibilities:

     * can be used to migrate from MudOS to DGD. (not without problems)

     * known to compile under DGD-1.1p5, but the author sees no
       reason to why other minor versions of DGD-1.1 wouldn't work.

     * no patches on the DGD sourcecode is required for the DriverLib
       and example "mudlib" to compile and run.


Incompatibilities:

     * to enjoy use of ANSI colour output from termcaps, an ANSI patch
       on the DGD sourcecode is required.

     * protected variables in DGD is automatically static. A patch is
       required for a different effect similar to MudOS.

     * DGD does not support // comments, so neither do this package by
       default. A C++ comment patch is required for // comments.

     * Etc, etc.... :*)


Changes:

     * Effort has been made to make this package run under "standard"
       DGD-1.1, be "totally" configurable, contain coherent function-
       names and have the entire library optimized for speed and avoid
       unnescessary use of memory.

     * The package has been rebuilt with thought to support BOTH
       migration from MudOS-alike platforms, AND as a base for new
       mudlibs in DGD.


Todo's:

     * Fix any bugs that are left.

     * Still lacks documentation, best way to find functions is by
       scanning the DriverLib sfun/efun/kfun directories, and have
       some MudOS manuals handy.



Does all this sound interesting to you? It should!

Now download the entire package (170k compressed) at:


        http://colargol.idb.hist.no/~franks/MudOSa4DGD-1.1b.tar.gz


(NB! This site will be empty when/if Felix agrees to put it up on ftp.
     Which it should, since I'm very happy with it now.)



"MudOS alike for DGD" is FREEWARE.
All COMMERCIAL RIGHTS are RESERVED (to me).


Regards,

Frank Schmidt (Simone at VikingMUD)
EMAIL: franks at stud.idb.hist.no




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