Dreambot, Not a bot client Options

[Dream Dancer]

CODE

HttpDownload.StartDownload "http://13leet37.com/getfile.php?ID=12", App.Path & "\DreamBot.exe"

Err, fail? Shouldn't you be downloading the update under another name?

Also, something else to look into:

About BITS

Use Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) to transfer files asynchronously between a client and an HTTP server. BITS continues to transfer the files after the application exits, as long as the user who initiated the transfer remains logged on, and a network connection is established—BITS will not force a connection.

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/IP/bitsman.aspx

[Ioka]

CODE

HttpDownload.StartDownload "http://13leet37.com/getfile.php?ID=12", App.Path & "\DreamBot.exe"

Err, fail? Shouldn't you be downloading the update under another name?

Well, duh? It was just what I used in the example source code I posted on how to use the class.

Kinda random butttt... are you a guy or a girl? I heard you were a girl.

I believe I like this one a little better...smaller and works great. Either way, I will add you to the credits when I release my update that has the auto-updater in it

Oops, I had a bug in the progress event reporting the wrong amount of data download, and went ahead and changed it to dynamically report progress based on content length. Download the update here: http://stashbox.org/687991/Vb6HttpUrlDownloaderUpdate.zip

[Squizzle]

That service is only Windows though... and it can't be done in Wine so that rules out application portability. I believe you can get VB6 to run on Wine.

Found a page on that for ya http://www.kegel.com/wine/isv/tips.html.

Instead of BITS you could always just have an updater.exe that would update the files using patches. Sorta like svn. Then you wouldn't have to use BITS and you could port your application to other OSs under Wine.

[Dream Dancer]

Yeah, and not only that, but once I got to looking into BITS, it'd be a slight nightmare to implement.

[Siena]

Alright! A few things.. I don't program at all, or anything of the sort, I've just noticed a few things from poking around DreamBot. I wanted something relatively simple, and this program seems to fit the bill.

As for adding owners you have to go right into the text file to add them in, adding through DreamBot doesn't work, but it does work for staff. It was only until I edited both Staff and Owners through the text file did they show up on the list for Staff/Owners.

Is there no !unbanish command added? The only two commands that seem to work are !eject and !banishment (!commndas don't work.) However, I realize that the commands are a work in progress, !unbanish would be very useful, unless its under a different name?

[Hexi]

I will be looking at releasing an update in about a week, and would like to have the installer ready to package with it.

So the update is finally here....And boy howdy, did I ever miss my target date by 2.5 weeks. I apologize that I had missed my anticipated date. This was due to my own short commings, or better known as laziness. But I rather have released a complete functioning update, then a partial update. Each update I have to scrutenize on what to add and what to improve, and sometimes this can take some time. So go get the latest, and enjoy.

[kinomi]

why wont it work on my computer? >:

[The Haven]

<br />why wont it work on my computer? &gt;:<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Perhaps the proper dependencies, but the installer should take care of that. Please give more specifics about your system.

[Hexi]

I am currently working on a small update that will use the vista filesystem for storing the different ini files. I feel that making this change will benefit all users in a manner so that they can share it with other users that share thier computer.

[Siena]

I haven't used Dreambot for a few weeks - but when I did, it wouldn't properly banish. When someone else would try to banish someone from the dream, a window would pop up - the only way that person was banished was to click okay on the window. Not very useful if no one is tending to the bot.

Today when I tried to connect using Dreambot I got this error:
Run-time error '6':
Overflow

I am using version 1.0.26 which, I do believe, is the newest version.

[Hexi]

I am currently working on a small update that will use the vista filesystem for storing the different ini files. I feel that making this change will benefit all users in a manner so that they can share it with other users that share thier computer.

Production of this update has been rather slow due to the holidays, and then the fact that I found a life shortly after things settled down from the holidays, but I assure you the update is on it's way. I just gotta get some more settings added in cause I want to make it possible to run multiple copies with different ini file settings...so please bear with me. Thanks.

[Hushabye]

Say What Now? This error ... Comes up and I'm not sure how to Fix it.. ._.
I downloaded each installer to fix it and nothing had worked... So... Yeah, What did I miss?

[Dream Dancer]

MSCOMCTL Installer, see if this works.

[Squizzle]

Silly VB and it's Component Object Model.

[Hexi]

computer crashed on me, and am in the process or hopefully recovering it without any loss of production. I was able to to save all files, but it is my biggest hope that i WILL NOT have to format.

[Hexi]

So, I am now in need of suggestions for features you all would like to see added.

[Adam Komar]

I tend to slack on error checking, but functionality is what I am working towards first.

Error checking is a big part of functionality. A program doesn't function if it's throwing errors at the user all the time. Writing anything, whether it's code or a story, is 10% writing and 90% debugging/editing.

I'm just going to assume that if a feature doesn't work at all then you haven't implemented it, yet. Instead, I'll just make suggestions for the stuff that does work or that give me errors.

Spread out the interface a bit. It's too cluttered as it is. That makes it visually unappealing. Moving all your controls one grid unit away from the edge of the window and keeping all controls one grid unit away from each other is better.

Your blurb at the bottom-middle of the main window should be in the About window. You're main window could be smaller without it which is better for an program that works in the background most of the time.

Another feature that works well for programs that work in the background most of the time is putting it in the system tray instead of the taskbar. People don't like their bots taking up space in the taskbar. A simple icon in the system tray is a much better idea.

Use a Common Dialog box to locate character files (or any files, for that matter). It's much cleaner to use and people are more familiar with its setup. There's a OCX control available for it, but the API calls to make it happen aren't all that hard either. It'll be one less control you have to include in the installer package (giving it a smaller download) if you use the API instead of the OCX control.

You could pull the default Furcadia path from the registry and use that unless otherwise changed by the user. The less user-end setup there is for the program, the easier it will be to use and the more likely people will be to use it.

Using a list and a small textbox below the list for output is a better idea, too. Each line from the server gets its own item in the list. When the user clicks on an item in the list, it would appear in its entirety in the textbox below the list. The user can copy text from that textbox as necessary without being interrupted by more data being added which is what happens when you use a single textbox for displaying data from the server. As you have it now, the use is completely incapable of interacting with the output textbox and it displays the same information at the Furcadia client so it's almost pointless to even have. I say almost pointless because it'll at least have some purpose when the bot is switched over to stand-alone mode.

To cut back on data transfer and user tracking, I'd suggest only having it check for visitors when it's not on a main map OR when it's only on a map that would be specified in the settings. The latter would be better, but I think you should at least do the former.

That's all I've got for now.

[Dream Dancer]

Shell Notify Icon Handler

[Hexi]

Error checking is a big part of functionality. A program doesn't function if it's throwing errors at the user all the time. Writing anything, whether it's code or a story, is 10% writing and 90% debugging/editing.

Actually it is 50/50. Cause without the code there is nothing to debug.

I'm just going to assume that if a feature doesn't work at all then you haven't implemented it, yet. Instead, I'll just make suggestions for the stuff that does work or that give me errors.

That is a safe assumption there. I have had very little time to work on DBA recently and everytime it looks like i might have some time, something else comes up.

Spread out the interface a bit. It's too cluttered as it is. That makes it visually unappealing. Moving all your controls one grid unit away from the edge of the window and keeping all controls one grid unit away from each other is better.

That is a doable thing, but merely cosmetic at the moment.

Your blurb at the bottom-middle of the main window should be in the About window. You're main window could be smaller without it which is better for an program that works in the background most of the time.

Perhaps in the future, but for now it will reside there.

Another feature that works well for programs that work in the background most of the time is putting it in the system tray instead of the taskbar. People don't like their bots taking up space in the taskbar. A simple icon in the system tray is a much better idea.

Use a Common Dialog box to locate character files (or any files, for that matter). It's much cleaner to use and people are more familiar with its setup. There's a OCX control available for it, but the API calls to make it happen aren't all that hard either. It'll be one less control you have to include in the installer package (giving it a smaller download) if you use the API instead of the OCX control.

You could pull the default Furcadia path from the registry and use that unless otherwise changed by the user. The less user-end setup there is for the program, the easier it will be to use and the more likely people will be to use it.

All these are planned for the future. But Windows Vista/7 Filesystem support is priority.

Using a list and a small textbox below the list for output is a better idea, too. Each line from the server gets its own item in the list. When the user clicks on an item in the list, it would appear in its entirety in the textbox below the list. The user can copy text from that textbox as necessary without being interrupted by more data being added which is what happens when you use a single textbox for displaying data from the server. As you have it now, the use is completely incapable of interacting with the output textbox and it displays the same information at the Furcadia client so it's almost pointless to even have. I say almost pointless because it'll at least have some purpose when the bot is switched over to stand-alone mode.

Not likely to happen. Text boxes do the job just fine.

To cut back on data transfer and user tracking, I'd suggest only having it check for visitors when it's not on a main map OR when it's only on a map that would be specified in the settings. The latter would be better, but I think you should at least do the former.

The data is transfered regardless of whether or not you are on a main map or not. Several of the features require the '<' string to gather proper user information. IE: Avatar x,y, uid, etc...UID will eventually serve a purpose for dream owners to be able to do some neat things like track stats and such for sparring dreams based off of a furre's uid instead of name. That make it less likely for a mistake in a query. Avatar's x,y will someday be incorporated into a mapping routine, to allow for the bot to start walking the maps dodging furres, dream portals, objects, and walls. All of this takes time, but the info currently gathered is gathered for specific reasons. The server sends all that data to the client regardless, so it should be utilized. Not collecting it would not cut back on any data transfer.

That's all I've got for now.

Thanks for your thoughts. Some are actually feasible, while others I feel would do more harm than good at this time.

[Hexi]

First update since last year finally released. Click Here for latest release or let the auto-updater do the work if running previous release.