Network Hosting Problem - Cannot Creat File
 

I've been having the following problem hosting network games:

I'm running the server on a Windows XP machine and also playing from the same machine using the "Quick Host" option. Everything seems to work fine as long as I'm the Last one to submit my turn and it quick hosts immediately after I play my turn. However, when I play my turn and then minimize Dominons to do something else on the computer (or walk away from the computer), then when the server tries to host it crashes with the error message "Cannot create file: C:\Docume~1\Matt\Local~1\Temp/dom16882/tmp_fl".

This crash is very consisitant (it's happened at least 20 times in the past week or so) and yet I have no idea why it can create the file when Dominions is "actively" in use, but cannot create the file otherwise. Has anyone else had this problem?

Thanks a lot,
- Matt Lepinski :->

Re: Network Hosting Problem - Cannot Creat File
 

Are you using Version 2.12? Several bugs that could cause something like that has been corrected with the patches.

Re: Network Hosting Problem - Cannot Creat File
 

This is a bug in dominions. I thought it was going to be corrected in 2.12, but sadly it was not.

Both the server process and your client process both use this temp file "dom16882/tmp_fl" and when either of them exits, it deletes that file. So, what is happening to you is this:

You start your server up and it makes the tmp_fl. You start your client up and it actually deletes and immediately recreates the tmp_fl so you dont notice any interruptions. Then when you exit your client cause your turn is done, the client erases the file. SO, when the server gets around to processing the turn after all players are in, it looks for the file and - uh oh - no file there anymore! CRASH.

Which is also why it will turn properly if your client is connected. In that case the file will not have been deleted, you see?

Anyway, I wrote a little program to get around this and I just run it alongside my server process. My server has been up for like 2-3 weeks now straight. I could possibly tailor the program for you if you like. Or alternately, you could just create the tmp_fl manually every time you exit your client

Re: Network Hosting Problem - Cannot Creat File
 

This can also be more nefarious under 2.12. Occasionally, it'll erase the file and the crash the game at startup. In such a case, you have to find and delete the dom16882 folder under your temp directory.

Most annoying when you are running a server and playing the client on the same box.

[ June 21, 2004, 02:08: Message edited by: Unwise ]

Re: Network Hosting Problem - Cannot Creat File
 

Johan - I'm using the most recent (2.12) Version

Iron Hawk - Thanks a lot for the explanation.

- Matt Lepinski :->