PLEASE HELP!!!
 

OK I need one of you ARCH-DATABASERS capable of educating the C++ Impaired community, in paticular, ME! I have the following:
1) The latest (0.5.2) EQEmu set of files from the sourceforge link
2) All programs suggested by server building tutorals
3) The LASTEST update, 0.5.5 DRU1
OK: Heres the deal, its not a problem or toubleshooting, its a basic "step by step" need. I have a working set of old files (The sourceforge link download set) and a BUNCH of .CPP, .H, ect WORD DOCUMENTS in the newest download. My question is simple:

How can I turn the EQEmulator 0.5.2 into a FULLY UPDATED AND FULLY OPERATING 0.5.5 DRU1 Server?

Do I just copy and paste the 0.5.5 DRU1 text into a certain file in my 0.5.2? Do I even need to KEEP my files from 0.5.2? What information goes into what file for my new DB? Please help me this is REALLY confusing and I know this kind of thing is annoying for you masters to deal with but I NEED HELP! Thx for your time

PLEASE GOD: If and when you answer my question, do it STEP BY STEP! I need to know what goes where and what dosent please, thx and gob bless yah if you can help! :?

You have to compile the 0.5.5 DR1 files. Which isn't that simple but try this guide.

No good! The guide wont work, getting a DOS error, all I want is a completely update batch of SERVER files, I alsready have my DB files ready to go, can you explain how I get the server files updated or where I can download fully updated ones?

If you're getting and error you did something wrong, follow the guide exactly. You need to compile 5.5-DR1 and you'll be left with EmuShareMem.dll, World.exe and Zone.exe. Replace your old ones with these and you'll be upgraded.

But you need to compile, there is no official binary release and dont ask someone else to send you them.

Well it refers to Visual Studio .NET 2003
Where to I get this? Does it come standard?
Can I download it somewhere?

Visual Studio .Net 2003 is a Commercial Microsoft product and cost arround

OK Well if thes program costs $2,000 Why do all those servers have 0.5.5 DR1 Servers? What other programs cam be used to compile? Is there any other method?

What? If someone can send me the compiled files then why not? I obviously can't compile without a $2,000 program, so whats wrong?

If anyone with a 0.5.5 DR1 Server could email me the World.exe, Zone.exe, and Emusharemem.dll files compiled for a 0.5.5 DR1 server it would be GREATLY appreciated!

My email is: thejoseph07@yahoo.com

My email is: rex_dashiznat@hotmail.com

YEAH ME TOO! ;)

It wouldn't help too much to have pre compiled files. Yes -- you wouldn't have to buy a $2000 program (you can actually get an educational version of .NET for tons less if you are a student) but you would have to rely on that person to recompile all your files everytime a new version is released (ie. if EQ Live patches and requires you to recompile)...

I would recommend attempting to obtain the educational version if at all possible.

I'm not going to spend several hundred dollars or more on a compiler just to run a server. Hell if I wamted to toss that money, I'd go back to playing EQ live. :)

As for someone compiling binaries every time the source is released...big deal. They're compiling them anyway for their own use right? What's so hard about posting it to a web site? When/if I figure out how to compile, I will be doing just that. I think it's ridiculous to have all these people needing to learn to compile just to set up a server. That's my opinion. Like it or lump it...

Rex, I totally agree. For some reason, the EQEmu community feels it a certain tabbo, if you will, to share binaries of the emulator in these forums. I'm no coder, nor do I have the resources to aquire VS - I've made several requests for a perl enabled zone.exe for both .533 and .551, all with the same resonse: "compile it yourself." I don't get it - I'm willing to focus my energies on contributing to unfinished areas (see my post on PoN/SsraTemple loot), but to make new quests I have to divert time into accuring a complier and learning how to use it, when I could be spending that time in developing new areas for this wonderful program. I just hope that those who can code will freely distribute thier work, and *hopefully* those who cannot code will contribute in whatever way they know best.

PS - those with live accounts: put your money to good use - send us your logs! All your logs are belong to us! ;)

It is NOT that they are taboo, it is just that it seems as though NOBODY that is asking for binaries, is reading what it says "NO SUPPORT, if you are not able to blah blah blah.. then you should NOT be downloading these files." The reason for this is because the devs and admins do NOT feel like they need to hold everyone's hand on this issue and help them compile (which would happen every time eqemu is updated). Either figure it out, or dont run it... Don't complain because there is NOT enough help on this issue, because truthfully and technically these files were NOT meant for you (you meaning the persons asking for help compiling).... Compiling on ANY C/C++ compiler can be done, but you have to know what you are doing.. It is NOT the scope of this board to teach you how to do this.. NO SUPPORT means NO SUPPORT..

The devs dont even have to tell you of an updated EQEMu, especially since it it NOT a release... This is the purpose of telling you DO NOT PATCH UNTIL TOLD YOU CAN.... Because the actual supported release is always going to be 1 or so patches behind the Developer's Release (which means person's that can compile, or experts if you will)...

Now, I am not trying to flame here, but I just get tired of seeing posts regarding this issue, and then people getting mad because no-one will help them on this... Hell, you have to agree to the terms (NO SUPPORT) before you can even download the files.. This is like saying, that you read them and agreed to them, but figured "what the hell, someone will help me out"...

And, please dont send me PM's asking for binaries. I have gotten many of these. I dont know C++ (am trying to learn as of 2 months ago), but I had to figure it out from the boards here how to do it. I did it and so can you.. Now when a new release comes out, I am able to keep up with the times. Try learning how to do some of this, and then you will feel like you are a part of the community, instead of begging for support, and being pissed because no one will help...Now, you will see that I try and help out where I can (when someone has errors or something goes wrong or something like that), but the people that make NO attempt to learn and do, they get the NO SUPPORT response from me...

If you want things hand-fed to you on a spoon, go back to EQLive all you have to do is pay a montly fee, and you are there...

Its simple really ill break it down for you...

Why should they release code with (possibly) more bugs than usual to a bunch of people that dont give anything back in return but a bunch of shouts asking for support?

If you dont like to compile, dont like to bug test, in general dont know enough to help then why do you need them?


Short answer is your personal enjoyment... Thats cool but your not gonna motivate developers that way...

Asking for the binaries and asking for support are two different things. A few people excluded, it appears that the majority of "support" here is "USE THE SEARCH". To me that's not support, that's the same as talking just to hear yourself talk. If you have nothing constructive to say (sorry..."use search" is not constructive), then just keep quiet. Those who just repeatedly type this "support" message are just adding to the junk posts. There are a few, such as yourself Sam, who actually do post help on a regular basis. That is appreciated.

I'm not a programmer, have no intention of being a programmer, don't want to be a programmer, and will never be a programmer. Not everyone has the time or inclination to do that. Do I want to run a server? Yes. Do I look for bugs on other servers? Yes. Do I have to? No. Do you think this game would be as far as it is now without feedback from other people aside from programmers? No. Let's not take a "Well I did it, so you should too" type of stance on this. You know as well as I do that not everyone is going to do well at the same things. I expect to do a lot of hand holding when I get my friends into playing EQ through EQEMu. It does noone any good to alienate others or to have them get frustrated and quit. I'm sure we'd all like to see more stable servers with more people playing on them. For that to happen, it needs to be easy to do.

I said it once and I'll say it again - Why does everyone need to reinvent the wheel? If you have a server working, why not share? If you don't want to share because of the work you've put into it, that's fine. Just say so. It's not the fact that I'm complaining about a lack of binaries...I'm complaining about the fact that there ARE binaries, but people treat it like the holy scriptures that Moses handed down. Can't give them to n00bs...that would be dangerous. As for arguing that they aren't stable yet. I've played on some 5.5 servers and there is some stability out there.

This was my main reason for this reply...

How is this not constructive? If someone is asking a question that has already been answered (many many times, in some cases) then a simple search will get that person an answer. However, if people answered every question posted here, regardless of whether or not it's been asked before, this board would be filled with duplicate posts. I think, THAT would not be constructive.


You have to understand that the DR servers are developemental servers.... the binaries are not released because the code probably changes on a weekly (if not daily) basis. DR releases are not meant for general consumption... they are meant for people who are willing to help out with the code. If you want to run your own server, use a non DR release (these are still available, right?) Most writers of software won't release code that is currently in production, so we should be thankful that the DR server is available at all.

I don't want to be too critical, but your posts are starting to sound like the developers owe you something. They don't... you owe them... you owe them patience. When this current version is ready, they're remove the DR tag and release the binaries and start working on 5.6. Until then, relax... if you can't run a server, play on one and help them test.

I understand your point...but consider this - I joined after 5.3...I can't run a non DR server. :)

I see your point though. I do need to be more patient I suppose. I'm just impatient by nature. And no...I don't owe the devs anything, just as they don't owe me anything. ;)

I have been doing some bug hunting here and there however, and I'll continue my efforts as such. As it stands, I'm online much of the evening (6pm-11pm EST), so if anyone needs any help testing a server out, let me know. You can catch me on AIM as RexChaos.

So anyway, @%$@ the binaries. When I get em, I'll get em. :-D I just hope they come out before this EQ engine upgrade....although I'm thinking it will just be client side, I wouldn't put it past SOE to find a retarded way of doing things that breaks EQEMu.

/groan /em prepares for the worst

Well, I don't want to get into an argument over this... but IMO, anyone that plays EQEMU, at the very least, owes a debt of gratitude to the developers.

The trick to this is to take your current EQ directory, and copy it to another location (I actually burned mine to disk) and label it 5.5DR1. That way, if you patch and it breaks the emu, you can just revert to your backup to play.

Oh I know that...but I joined near the end of February, so I can't set up an older server. That's all I'm saying. :) I know it'll be okay to play after they patch the engine, but I just hope that it doesn't hinder the devs efforts to get 5.5 out soon. :)

While I totally agree with this statement normally, there IS the key word that puts it ALL in perspective, and that is "NO SUPPORT FOR THESE FILES". This means there IS a release and it is 0.5.3. This version IS supported. Therefore that is what drove me to write the above comments. Not that I get tired of whining (sometimes I do though haha), it is the whining about something that carries no support in the first place.. For those saying as an argument to this that "Well, I patched and now I cant play on 0.5.3, which is supported", I say "Well, then you should have read where it said DONT POST ON THE 10TH, and so on". It boils down to (most of my point in the post) if one cant follow directions, or is too lazy to bother, then why should they? Sit back relax and wait for it to be released.

While I, once again, generally agree with what you are saying, only remember, these files are done by people that spend their own money into this project. To say that because we (me and you both) do bug reports and stuff like is NOT a " I have a right" kind of thing. This doesnt even come close to comparison to the countless hours the dev's have put into this thing. But, I digress, the fact of the matter is that you are right, but it will continue on the way it is, as long as there are people that dont follow directions, dont read, dont care, just want what they want and want someone to explain it to them personally. Put it this way, Shawn's server DID contain the binaries, but they were taken down, because there were MORE requests for support than there are now, even though there is the NO SUPPORT words hanging right on the screen where you click to download the files themselves...

That is just it, there ARE no binaries, the binaries you speak of are on peopl's machines that know how to compile a source (meaning all the files needed, just in a raw state if you will), INTO binaries (or executables). That is the only difference between source and binaries, is the binaries ARE the source files that have been pre-compiled. I have sent a few people the binaries through email, and I have gotten more questions asking for support than I could ever answer in a given day. This was not my purpose. I was trying to help people NOT feel like you are (from your comments), but it only made things worse. Learning to compile does NOT mean you need to know C/C++. It simply means you know how to take some source files (read the files that make up the program itself) and tell a program how to put them together to make up one runnable program. It took me all of about 1 hour to learn how to compile the source files (with no help from anybody but my searching). This was before my interest/start in C/C++ programming.

/off topic BTW I like your new avatar, it looks like some cool creature from Magic the Gathering. :)

I could banter back and forth abotu this topic all day, but I'm just going to drop it. I value your opinion and your point of view Sam. I merely take offense to some saying "Unless you know C++ you shouldn't have binaries". That's just a retarded comment. :) And no, it wasn't you...

As for my avatar, it's from a book called "The Tourist's Guide To Transylvania". I'm trying to find a link to the book now. It was a really cool book. Published in the early 80's or late 70's.

At the risk of beating a dead horse:

I would argue that this statement is more or less accurate. What I mean is that, if I were a developer, the only people I would want to have the binaries are people that can compile them. Why? Simple, if non-programers had access to the binaries, there would be many many more complaints on these boards saying things like, "AA's don't work", "It crashes when I zone", "I can't get it to work"... blah blah blah. No one wants to hear complaints about a product in developement... a product that eveyone acknowledges is NOT going to work all the time. I would think, the only people the developers really want to have the binaries, are the people that aren't going to come onto these boards and complaint, but rather, people who are going to look at the code to determine WHY something isn't working. In the grand scheme of things, they're doing this so that people without programming skills can run a server without having to worry about how it works.

For the love of all that is holy...leave my freakin horse alone! ;) Hehe...

The question I have is NOT whether or not you HAVE a horse, but if you DO have a horse, why in the sam-hill, would you keep a dead one lying around? <smile> Is that to feed your avatar?

Actually to my knowledge, the horse in my back yard is still alive...ro at least it was when I went to work this morning. Hehe...

My avatar doesn't eat horsies...just gnomes. Dirty filthy stinkin gnomes...

So putting it in perspective:

EQ Live makes these updates which outdate the released servers.

They have done it before and will most likely do it again.

The only way to run a working server for most players is yo get hold of the compiled 5.5 DR1 files.

To compile these, you need a $2000 (fine, $300 for students) program and a basic knowledge in C++, the language of Satan

The reason many people play EQEmu is because its free.

IN OTHER WORDS:

For you to CONTRIBUTE to a community by hosting a server, therefore allowing free play for others while YOU create and YOU make it work, you must PAY $2,000. The alternative is that the Devs will update it and post it, but to ask for a dev's compiled version BEFORE the official post is considered ridiculous.

We're in the same boat right? whats the big deal? There are over 15 servers BEFORE Rex's crashing release was submitted, WHY can't one of them POST or EMAIL it to help out the other potential servers?

Its not a contest, its all for the same program....

Did that make any sencE?

So putting it in perspective:

EQ Live makes these updates which outdate the released servers.

They have done it before and will most likely do it again.

The only way to run a working server for most players is yo get hold of the compiled 5.5 DR1 files.

To compile these, you need a $2000 (fine, $300 for students) program and a basic knowledge in C++, the language of Satan

The reason many people play EQEmu is because its free.

IN OTHER WORDS:

For you to CONTRIBUTE to a community by hosting a server, therefore allowing free play for others while YOU create and YOU make it work, you must PAY $2,000. The alternative is that the Devs will update it and post it, but to ask for a dev's compiled version BEFORE the official post is considered ridiculous.

We're in the same boat right? whats the big deal? There are over 15 servers BEFORE Rex's crashing release was submitted, WHY can't one of them POST or EMAIL it to help out the other potential servers?

Its not a contest, its all for the same program....

Did that make any sencE?

http://download.com.com/3302-2069-1683220.html?tag=mta

There's a link to a free compiler. If that's something you want to tackle, you're free to try. I understand you're frustration with this, but us getting frustrated about the apparent lack of generosity regarding .exe's isn't going to help us any. :)

C++ isn't something I'm going to learn. If you want to, you're a braver soul than I... If not, then help out in another way. Perhaps play testing and reporting bugs, or pointing new potential hosts/players in the right direction.

Hopefully we'll have this working in a stable form soon, then we can all enjoy killing those dirty filthy gnomes...ahem...at leats that's my plan. :)

Usually... not every EQLive patch outdates EQEMu

Obviously

No... this is false. You can run a 5.3 server, which is the latest RELEASED server. The problem is, the only people that can play on it, are people that have not patched beyond a certain point. The powers that be here at EQEMu have long told people to have backups of their EQ folder, so that if a patch breaks the Emu, you can always go back to your backup. This obviously, doesnt help new members.... they'll just have to make a backup now, and wait for a new release.

To compile, you need a compiler, yes.... you don't need a knowledge of C++, just a knowledge of how to compile it (though I can't ever imagine having one without the other)

And you can play for free... you can even run a server for free, if you use the latest released version of the server.... if you want to run the developemental version of the server (5.5) then you're going to need to know how to compile... and when you run into bugs on the server (which you're going to find in developmental code) you should know how to fix it so you can share with the community


Like I said before, the Devs don't release the binaries of developmental code, because the code is constantly changing and they don't want to field complaints about it when it doesnt work propperly... despite telling people in advance that it's not going to work propperly.