[Gandalf Parker]

Originally Posted by Tollund

Checking to make sure that there are actually 16 unique .2h files in the directory rather than assuming that every new .2h file is unique would have done it in this case. You should also be checking that the inputed .2h filenames match the expected filenames. I'd also want to check the timestamps to ensure that each file is newer than the generation time of the last .trn file. This will deal with players that only resubmit their own turns, but won't deal with players who don't redo their turns from scratch. There's no way to test for that automatically. But sanity checking your inputs is basic and necessary for any program that is going to be used with input that you don't personally control.

There were 16 unique files. One player sent a late_nation.2h then corrected it by sending their early_nation.2h which gave us 16 2h files in the game directory. Of course NOW I can see where it might have been a good idea to check for 16 early_*.2h files but Im trying to keep the script generic for future use.

The time stamps are considered in a way. Actually the 2h files are wiped clean by the post-host script each time. Players can send as many turns as they want to update their actions between hosting, the latest sent will always be used.

Well, if the turn file isn't for the right game then it shouldn't be used. If it isn't from the right player then it shouldn't be used. This one is tricky, as some people have multiple email addresses. It's also not really possible to deal with deliberate cheating such as spoofing your email to match somebody else's. So you can usually assume that, barring malice, a turn file for a specific nation in an email that identifies which game it is for will be for that specific nation.

Exactly. At the moment the easiest thing is to check, and report. Thats done for the most part. Corrupted files, ascii attachments, bad serial numbers, quickhost check, time warning emails, and now apparently wrong game needs added. Im sure something else will pop up also. As far as the emails thing that also has shown itself. We have people using multiple emails, not to mention the team arrangments which means some turns come in as team OR from private email. So at the moment, checks only write to the report files or generate emails to specific static addresses (such as the game master)

The more people you try to involve in the process the more complicated it gets. Players are responsible for playing their turns and submitting .2h files. In a rollback situation they are responsible for redoing turns from scratch by deleting old .2h files. The admin is responsible for fixing other errors.

Exactly. As an old internet server admin I tend to avoid being too much hand-holding (also referrred to as tyrranical) about users files and emails unless Im specifically asked to. This is not my game.

Im also forming a new opinion on pbem. I used to consider the benefit of pbem to be all on the server side. Direct connect is much easier for players, especially newbies. And it settles so many of these problems. The advantage was much less load on the server by not having to run continually. But now that so many checks are involved kicking off on each email received Im not so sure of that by the time every possibility is written in.