Ultimately, I'm shooting for something like this:
Console Configuration:
Will determine if console is to be used as 'local-only', 'LAN-based private', 'LAN-based public' or 'WAN-based public'. Should auto-acquire current IP and Gateway. Will let the user determine if Allaclone/Custom web-hosting should be installed..All download/install/config/update functions will have a manual override option. Can latch onto a current server install. Command-line text is editable.
Command-Line Software Download/Auto-Install:
I will have to check legality of this due to certain EULA download agreements..back-up to Install Instructions for anything questionable.
Multiple/Independent World Server Configuration:
Console can host multiple world servers running from independent server directories and databases..Auto-generated config files based on options. Each server is added to the console as an object and has the option of running a 'current' or previous 'rev', or even 'test' build. (I did verify that the emulator can run multiple instances..resources need to changed..didn't set up an actual second server and login yet though.) Built-in browsers for Emulator HTTP, AllaClone and Custom web browsing..no additional functionality other than brower, nothing outside of local domain (per browser) should be allowed.
Multiple/Remote Login Server Configuration:
Same as above..essentially. Remote hosts, of course, are just structured info types. Once a Login Server is created, it becomes available to the world server object.
AllaClone-per-WS support:
If the console was configured to support web-hosting and is enabled on the WS object, each WS will have it's own directory in /apache/../httpin/. In addition to ../<worldserver>/AllaClone/, I'm thinking of adding ../<worldserver>/<custom>/ to allow anyone drop in ready-made scripts.
Remote Database Support:
...
Again, these are the main concepts I'm looking at, but not all inclusive. I'd like, at the very least, some very basic emu and db interaction..not so detailed since there are many great tools already out there. And adding too much power can lead to people trashing their db's and filling up the forums with support questions.
I just remember my acute learning curve when getting my server up and running and thought this might be something that I could focus on in my spare time..other than eq, of course
(added..)
Each world server object will actually bind the executable's com window to a text window. Still don't know if I can capture the zone.exe com since it is launched internally to eqlaunch.exe.