New server issues

[ElmnerFudge]

I have a new server I am trying to get running on ubuntu 14.04. I used the directions from the main page for a Debian 7 install, with some minor changes that I didn't think should affect things (ie db server on a diff comp, which is working, no web interface).

I can connect locally and from outside my network, but the client crashes when trying to enter the world (tutorial and 'home' zone both) I have tried using UF, SOD, and ROF. All clients do the same thing, they can connect and create characters but crash trying to log in.

Another issue I have is I cant seem to turn on logging to diagnose the problem. The only logs I get are from the zone files and there is very little to go on there.

It also continuously tells me it can't save eqtime.cfg.

Help for any of these issues to help me start diagnosing where my issues are would be appreciated.

[Shin Noir]

Howdy. That Debian 7 instruction was (mostly?) written by me, so hopefully I can help you out.

That symptom sounds like a zone server concern. Getting to world select takes a certain port, and to select a character and enter in game is a hand off to your zone server. If it locks up, never shows a load screen, and eventually boots you to login (or crashes) it may be zone server related. I'd watch the console to see if your zone server instances say anything as the player joins up, a zone server should pick up the hand off from world server the moment you join in game.

First guess: Port related, by default zone servers use a range (7000+) of TCP/UDP connections for communicating, they may not be forwarded properly.

As for logging, in game there's some handy ways to control logging. Since you can't join, it isn't too useful. I'm leaning towards port still, though, unless your zone server is doing a "segmentation fault" or other type of crash.

The process of starting up a server has changed quite a bit since I wrote that debian 7 instruction (I should update it), the eqtime.cfg issue may be permissions, it may be the file doesn't exist, at some point eqtime was moved to DB as well, and if you follow my steps, you get latest copy of eqemu/server, yet if you get the latest peq, it's an august snapshot, so may need to run the world's DB updater to possibly fix the eqtime issue. But, the inability to get in game is not correlated to this error. Keep an eye out for any red text on the world or zone server bootup.

Also, run shared_memory once if you haven't.

[ElmnerFudge]

All of my ports *appear* to be forwarded properly. I will triple check tomorrow. I say appear because I have 5998,5999,9000 and 9080 all as single forwards and 7000 through 7100 as a range. All of the zones load up and claim ports 7000 - 7004 so they should get forwarded.

The only hint I get are one of the zone log files has 2 extra lines on the bottom after a login attempt.

All zone logs look identical (except port #) as below, this one has two extra lines from the connection attempt.

[33m[Zone Server] Loading server configuration..[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Connecting to MySQL...[0m
[33m[Zone Server] CURRENT_VERSION: 1.1.3[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Mapping Incoming Opcodes[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading Variables[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading zone names[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading items[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading npc faction lists[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading loot tables[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading skill caps[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading spells[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading base data[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading guilds[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading factions[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading titles[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading tributes[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading corpse timers[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading commands[0m
[33m[Zone Server] 254 commands loaded[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loaded default rule set 'default'[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading Perl Event Export Settings...[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Loading quests[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Entering sleep mode[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Starting EQ Network server on port 7004[0m
[33m[Zone Server] Time Broadcast Packet: EQTime [09:21 am][0m
[33m[Zone Server] Client linkdead: [0m

[Shin Noir]

Inside eqemu_config.xml, look for the entry that looks like:

<ports low="7000" high="7400"/>

and make sure you have those ports forwarded. NOTE: Zone is mostly UDP traffic, so ENSURE you have BOTH TCP/UDP for those ranges.

While this is windows, it's identically the same process on linux, note how my zone server spins up on bottom right the moment I click enter world:

[ElmnerFudge]

OK, the database update fixed things.

Is there a guide for how to set starter settings? I would like to set what characters start with in inventory, currently nothing at least if they go to the tutorial, I dont think thats right. Also the world server says "No start_zones entry in database, using defaults" which I would like fixed. And when my son logs on it says we are both GM's so I must have account settings wrong as well because new accounts shold not show as GM.

Thanks for help and any future guidance.

[ElmnerFudge]

I have most of this stuff figured out and the server is running properly now.

I have one issue that is still outstanding though that none of my characters are getting their starter gear. I will start a new topic about that though.

Thanks for the help.

[Shin Noir]

Originally Posted by ElmnerFudge

I have most of this stuff figured out and the server is running properly now.

I have one issue that is still outstanding though that none of my characters are getting their starter gear. I will start a new topic about that though.

Thanks for the help.

It's most likely an issue with your database, in one way or another. Peek at the table starting_items . If there's entries, go in game and #summonitem one of the id's, like gloomingdeep lantern, and see if it summons fine.

[ElmnerFudge]

You are correct again. I cannot summon items. They apparently don't exist. I see the items in the database. Where in the logs should I look for the source of this error?

[Uleat]

Did you run shared_memory?

[ElmnerFudge]

I have run shared_memory this is the contents:

eqemu@TVBOX:~/server$ ls -la shared
total 160324
drwxrwxr-x 2 eqemu eqemu 4096 Mar 1 20:18 .
drwxrwxr-x 5 eqemu eqemu 4096 Mar 1 20:18 ..
-rw------- 1 eqemu eqemu 88072 Mar 5 16:51 base_data
-rw------- 1 eqemu eqemu 279748 Mar 5 16:51 faction
-rw------- 1 eqemu eqemu 100030008 Mar 5 16:51 items
-rw------- 1 eqemu eqemu 10190805 Mar 5 16:51 loot_drop
-rw------- 1 eqemu eqemu 1437908 Mar 5 16:51 loot_table
-rw------- 1 eqemu eqemu 319496 Mar 5 16:51 skill_caps
-rw------- 1 eqemu eqemu 51800012 Mar 5 16:51 spells

[ElmnerFudge]

I should add that my database is physically on another box, but the accounts/chars seem to be working fine.

[Shin Noir]

Usually there's side effects when your DB is not fully loading, like, red text (of doom) inside your world or zone console output. You can also run:

#logs set gmsay 35 3

This will make it where any MySQL errors will echo to your in game chat when an error is hit.
You can also set 36 in same manner to see all going queries, and it help you identify what sort of SQL error you're hitting. Likely your DB migration didn't finish and items is missing a field or isn't in sync with your build version or something.

[ElmnerFudge]

I reran shared_memory again and it now seems to be working. I dont undertand what changed as every file is exactly the same size that they were.

Thanks for the help!