Connecting using External Release

[Lyrositor]

I've successfully managed to connect to my shard with plClient (the internal release). Now I would like to know: is it possible to use the External release with my shard? Whenever I try to start it up, I get stuck at "Checking patcher update..."; my server.ini is well-configured and is the same I use for the Internal release client.

[Deledrius]

Which server software are you using? Do you have your manifests and dataserver properly configured for use with the External client?

[Lyrositor]

MOSS, but I don't know how to configure it for the External Client (I've seen no mention of this in the setup instructions, anywhere).

EDIT: the MOSS setup page talks about this, but only for the CWE-ou client I think. The Minimalistic Development Shard article talks only about the Internal release. The README file for DIRTSAND gives instructions, but only for DIRTSAND, and they seem so different I don't have any idea how to "port" these instructions to MOSS. I've tried renaming a few files and moving things around, but he's still stuck at the same place; I'm not even getting any log messages on the server. Also, he's not displaying my status message, so I get the feeling he's not fully loading server.ini

EDIT 2: Now stuck at Initializing patcher for some reason.

[Lyrositor]

I spun this off into a OpenUru.org discussion, since it appeared the problems were with MOSS, but now the discussion is leaning mostly to the GoW CWE client, so I'm cutting off that thread and continuing this one.
My external client is now built, and does the following things correctly :
- Download new files,
- Start login screen,
- Accept/reject logins,
- Start URU.
However, even though the dialog box starting URU appears, URU does not start in reality. UruExplorer.exe just crashes, with Windows saying that the program has stopped working. I can't find any log messages of interest anywhere : the server recognizes it at least as a 1.902 External.Release build (1.905, actually, but the numbers weren't updated apparently).
I have tried to do the same with a debug release, but the debug version doesn't even reach the login screen : just before doing that, it says "Failed to launch URU." I get the following Debug message in Visual Studio :

Code: Select all

'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Lyros Shard (Debug)\UruExplorer.exe', Symbols loaded.
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\ntdll.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\kernel32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\KernelBase.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\snxhk.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\user32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\gdi32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\lpk.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\usp10.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\msvcrt.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\shlwapi.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Lyros Shard (Debug)\python27_d.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\advapi32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\sechost.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\rpcrt4.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft.vc90.debugcrt_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_9.0.30729.1_none_bb1f6aa1308c35eb\msvcr90d.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Lyros Shard (Debug)\OpenAL32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\version.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\winmm.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\ole32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Lyros Shard (Debug)\NxCharacter.dll', Binary was not built with debug information.
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Lyros Shard (Debug)\PhysXLoader.dll', Binary was not built with debug information.
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\IPHLPAPI.DLL'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\nsi.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\winnsi.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\D3DX9_43.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\dinput8.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\avifil32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\msacm32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\msvfw32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_5.82.7601.17514_none_ec83dffa859149af\comctl32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\ws2_32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft.vc90.debugcrt_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_9.0.30729.1_none_bb1f6aa1308c35eb\msvcp90d.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft.vc90.crt_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_9.0.30729.6161_none_50934f2ebcb7eb57\msvcr90.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\imm32.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\msctf.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\uxtheme.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\d3d9.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\d3d8thk.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\dwmapi.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\apphelp.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Loaded 'ImageAtBase0x2ae0000', No symbols loaded.
'UruExplorer.exe': Unloaded 'ImageAtBase0x2ae0000'
'UruExplorer.exe': Unloaded 'C:\Windows\System32\d3d9.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Unloaded 'C:\Windows\System32\dwmapi.dll'
'UruExplorer.exe': Unloaded 'C:\Windows\System32\d3d8thk.dll'
The program '[5056] UruExplorer.exe: Native' has exited with code 0 (0x0).

My plClient.exe is still working fine though, which continues to induce me to think the server isn't the problem here.

Can anybody here who set up the Gehn client help me, or anybody else who might know what's happening to my client?

[Lyrositor]

Working now after rebuild, but now MOSS is giving me errors. Going back to OpenUru.org.

[Lyrositor]

And... we're back folks! Turns out it appears to be a problem with the client after all! This is my new question :
What lines must I put in the SecurePreloader manifest?
Since I'm on MOSS, I'm using ManifestCreator to create a SecurePreloader.mbm file from a SecurePreloader.txt source. I would like to know what I must put inside my SecurePreloader.txt file to make the SecurePreloader to whatever he needs to do.

EDIT: Looks like this manifest request goes back to this commit: https://github.com/H-uru/Plasma/commit/ ... d0027ff60c

EDIT 2: I'm guessing that it needs to be a list of all the auth files?

[Tsar Hoikas]

If you're going to use the SecurePreloader manifest, then you should include your python.pak and the SDL files (read: the auth files), which should all be encrypted using plFileSecure. However, if this is too annoying, you can still use the old auth resources method. The client will fall back to downloading the Python and SDL from the auth server correctly (I tested this myself!).

Sorry you have queen bitch on your case on OU. She tends to target people that she hates and antagonize them

[Branan]

I posted this over on OU, but: If the FileServer returns a FIle Not Found error on the SecurePreloader manifest, the client will use the old (Cyan/MOSS) style secure preloader. You don't need this manifest, and that log line about the missing manifest is just noise.

I recommend for now you stick with the old-style mbam manifests. It'll be easier for MOSS users to help you debug if your configuration is closer to the old standard.

[Lyrositor]

Reply mirrored here.
IT WORKS!
After just a bit of chatting on the GoW's IRC, I realized what I needed to do was to downloaded the latest MOULSCRIPTS commit (not sure if this is entirely necessary, but it didn't work with the standard AuthFiles.zip), then pack the Python with plPythonPack.exe, and finally encrypt the SDL files and python.pak with plFileSecure and my encryption.key. My external client is now working fine, thanks to help of everyone on this thread, on the GoW thread and on the IRC channel.

I will be publishing my External client very soon. Also, even though my shard is invitation-based, should I reply to Chogon's thread here?