[Smaal]

Hey folks,

I am throwing this post out in the hopes that perhaps someone might come up with a clever idea for dealing with the ever-changing server IDs (or perhaps simply clue me into an existing solution for this problem).

Specifically then, as I play on a server that allows boxing, I have a variety of scripts to handle autologin. This naturally breaks every time the server IDs change, as my autologin scripts need to know this particular value. The solution to this problem is well known (log one character in manually, determine the new server ID, update scripts, and re-run the autologin process). This process however is more than a little tiring, especially if those server IDs change multiple times a week, let alone multiple times a night (which happens frequently).

With that in mind then, I have had several thoughts on this issue, and am hoping perhaps either some of it's iplemented already (and someone can clue me in), or perhaps, just perhaps, someone might take pity on me and make one of the following a reality:

Idea #1 - Static Server IDs

While I am not a professional software developer, I have some experience. As such, I can well understand many of the (likely) reasons the server IDs are dynamically assigned. That being said a simple answer to the entire problem is simply to provide much more "static" assignments. While I don't know what specific limitations there might be to such a scheme (hardcoded limitations within the clients, or .. ?), in theory "more static server IDs than currently done, yet not entirely dynamic" (think long term DHCP leases) should be possible and would significantly reduce the impact

Idea #2 - Post the server IDs to somewhere accessible and allow someone to get them (ala http)

While the first idea might be easier on the clients/players from an implementation perspective, it may be a simpler for the maintainer to simply "publish" what the server IDs are at any given time somewhere. One of the easiest options I can think of is to post them somewhere on eqemulator.org (likely the individual server information page?). Those of us who are then interested could scrape that information at will, and "always have up to date information"

So those then are the two ideas I have had. Anyone else either have a great idea I can emulate, or have some information I am missing that might assist in solving the problem? I would love to solve this particular headache of mine.

Cheers,

Smaal