Civ4 PitBoss Email Turn Notifier v0.1...

[tals]

Damn Scree - you're going to start making this a must app in the final version of pitboss - great job! Out of interest how easy would it be to have the app mininise to the system tray?

 

[tals]

Regarding the MOTD update every minute - persumably that is only if the timestamp aspect is enabled? Otherwise it only needs to update at turn gen?

 

[scree]

Damn Scree - you're going to start making this a must app in the final version of pitboss - great job! Out of interest how easy would it be to have the app mininise to the system tray?

I think it'll be pretty easy- I'll look into it. I'll throw in the option to minimize PitBoss to the system tray as well.

Regarding the MOTD update every minute - persumably that is only if the timestamp aspect is enabled? Otherwise it only needs to update at turn gen?

It does a check every minute, but doesn't do anything if the text hasn't changed, so it's basically using no resources/processor.

~Scree

 

[scree]

Damn Scree - you're going to start making this a must app in the final version of pitboss - great job! Out of interest how easy would it be to have the app mininise to the system tray?

Done. Updated to v0.41, which now minimizes the PbNotify app to the tray.

I can make the main PitBoss Window minimize with it, but that will take a little more work. Stay tuned.

~Scree

 

[scree]

I can make the main PitBoss Window minimize with it, but that will take a little more work. Stay tuned.

Update: I actually got the main PitBoss window to minimize along with the Notify app, so they will both minimize to a Civ icon in your tray. Just double click on the icon to restore them both.

Still version v0.41...

~Scree

 

[Mysterio10000]

Update: I actually got the main PitBoss window to minimize along with the Notify app, so they will both minimize to a Civ icon in your tray.

Scree,

Is it possible to make this an option? I prefer to have your app minimized (along with the PB DOS window) with the server window open.

Thanks!

 

[scree]

Scree,

Is it possible to make this an option? I prefer to have your app minimized (along with the PB DOS window) with the server window open.

Thanks!

Sure thing- I'll put them in as options.

~Scree

 

[Mysterio10000]

Sure thing- I'll put them in as options.

Thanks! Will that feature will be in the next version?

 

[tals]

Scree some queries regarding the working

When it sees a new turn has been genned how long does it then take to send an email - I see a new turn has genned and the notifier indicates next email will be sent in x mins time - any reason why it doesn't send the email immediately?

Also when it sees that it knows the turn has changed yet the MOTD may then take a few more minutes (even after the email has been sent) before it also changes.

Great app btw and at the moment I can see this being the notifier used after formal pitboss release - it is just very good

Tals

 

[scree]

Scree some queries regarding the working

When it sees a new turn has been genned how long does it then take to send an email - I see a new turn has genned and the notifier indicates next email will be sent in x mins time - any reason why it doesn't send the email immediately?

Also when it sees that it knows the turn has changed yet the MOTD may then take a few more minutes (even after the email has been sent) before it also changes.

There is a 10 minute window, in case more turns are played quickly. For example, all the players in the game are online on the server, and playing turns. You probably don't want an email sent for every turn, or you'll be spamming inboxes. With the 10 minute window, an email is only sent after 10 minutes of inactivity on the server. Hope that makes sense.

As for the MOTD- it should change quickly after the turn is sent. I'll look into it.

~Scree

 

[ColonelSanders]

High Scree,

Looks like a great product, but I can't get it to work (version 0.41)

I get some (hopefully) useful debug information when I start up PiTBoSs *after* starting your pbnotify app. Unfortunately, pbnotify dies without much useful info if I try to start it when PiTBoSs is already running

I am running on Win2K with all high priority and software updates installed.

Cheers,

Andy

Here is pbnotify's error output, raised when pitboss starts up:

<SNIP> (Removed debug output, now problem has been solved)

 

[ColonelSanders]

Oh. I've found the problem.

ZoneAlarm (this is becoming quite a common feature of my Civ IV MP issues)!

I don't think pbnotify and ZoneAlarm are playing friendly. ZoneAlarm monitors suspicious activity including one app going and having a sneaky peak at another. Usually, ZoneAlarm asks whether or not you want to let the application do what it wants. However, for reasons unknown to me, pbnotify is falling over before ZoneAlarm gets to ask me.

Any way, telling ZoneAlarm that pbnotify is allowed to do what the hell it likes seems to have alleviated the problem.

And now I have had a chance to see it working, I can genuinley say this is a very nifty little tool.

Thanks for the good work,

Andy

 

[Jarnhestur]

Thanks for the quick updates. This is a very handy utility!

 

[scree]

Thanks for all the great comments and suggestions guys! A new build is up for everyone to use (the links are updated on the first post):

v0.42 Changes:

• Added option to minimize PitBoss along with this app to the tray (or just this app).
• Fixed a bug where the MOTD wouldn't update with the turn as soon as the turn changed.
• Improved general stability issues with PInvoking Windows APIs.

This should fix all the current issues.

Thanks!

~Scree

 

[ColonelSanders]

Hi Scree,

I have been using pbnotify 0.42 this morning. It seems to work well so far.

ZoneAlarm still causes problems (until I tell it to leave pbnotify alone), but your app doesn't explode this time

Any way, I don't think you should be held responsible for ZoneAlarm's crazy behaviour.

Thanks for this great utility. No PiTBoSs admin should be without it.

Andy

 

[ColonelSanders]

Hi Scree. I have been using 0.42 for a couple of days now and have a couple of observations. I don't know if you have any intention to develop this app any further, but I thought I'd let you know my experience any way:

1. PBNotify 0.42 reports that "PitBoss not found. Run PitBoss to link" when it is started after the PitBoss server.

2. The message of the day does not update every minute. The only way I can seem to make it update is to toggle one of the MOTD options (i.e. Turnstamp or Timestamp). Toggling these features also seems to help PBNotify find the PitBoss server.

Other than that, it all works fine. The email notification works flawlessly for me, which is what this utility is really for.

Thanks,

Andy

 

[scree]

Hi Scree. I have been using 0.42 for a couple of days now and have a couple of observations. I don't know if you have any intention to develop this app any further, but I thought I'd let you know my experience any way:

1. PBNotify 0.42 reports that "PitBoss not found. Run PitBoss to link" when it is started after the PitBoss server.

2. The message of the day does not update every minute. The only way I can seem to make it update is to toggle one of the MOTD options (i.e. Turnstamp or Timestamp). Toggling these features also seems to help PBNotify find the PitBoss server.

Other than that, it all works fine. The email notification works flawlessly for me, which is what this utility is really for.

Thanks,

Andy

I'm still here! Thanks for the report- I'll take a look at these bugs.

~Scree

 

[scree]

1. PBNotify 0.42 reports that "PitBoss not found. Run PitBoss to link" when it is started after the PitBoss server.

2. The message of the day does not update every minute. The only way I can seem to make it update is to toggle one of the MOTD options (i.e. Turnstamp or Timestamp). Toggling these features also seems to help PBNotify find the PitBoss server.

Hey Andy.. I'm having trouble reproducing these problems. Can you tell me what OS you're running PBNotify under? Is it an English OS?

Thanks,

~Scree

 

[tals]

I'd almost be tempted to reinstall .Net if it is English just in case - i've not experienced the issues the Colonel mentions.

Tals

 

[Mysterio10000]

Hey, scree.

As a replacement to your delay feature and assuming your app can monitor the state of the Ping value (# (latency), Disconnected, or AI), I was thinking about the following conditions and effects when the year increments:

Condition: All Pings = # or AI (all players currently online)
Effect: Disable delivery of e-mails

Condition: At least one Ping = Disconnected (at least one player not online)
Effect: Enable delivery of e-mails without a delay

What do you think, Oh Wise Coder?