---

Update 1.4.1 - 10th April, 2008
A few bugs have been fixed, the most important one being the one that was causing random crashes for some people. Added new net put memblock and net get memblock commands, as well as functions NetPutData and NetGetData for DBC/DarkGDK users. Added new option to define the size of the write buffer.

Update 1.3.2 - 28th February, 2008
Disabled what is known as the Nagle algorithm. This will make the networking more responsive when sending repeatedly at a rapid rate, thus making it more suitable for faster paced games.

Update 1.3 - 18th December, 2007
A problem with the message processing routine has been fixed, and a version has been compiled to be used from C++ and other languages. An optional IP address parameter has been added to net host.

Update 1.2 - 11th April, 2007
Commands have been added to deal with Windows Firewall. Note that you can only add applications to the allow list when running from an administrator account.

Update 1.1 - 14th February, 2007
The plugin is now compatible with DarkBASIC Classic Enhanced, and three new commands have been added. Other minor changes have been made.

Multisync
Multisync is a multiplayer plugin designed for DarkBASIC Professional, utilizing the TCP protocol and the client/server networking model. It is best used in games where it is important that data isn't lost, as the TCP protocol makes sure data is always delivered to its recipient. This means that the range of games it is useful for is large, ranging from simple card games to complex RTS games. It is very easy to use, and requires minimum networking knowledge.

Features:
Windows Firewall integration.
Easy client/server setup.
Easily manageable client ID's.
Supports most standard datatypes: byte, word, long(dword), integer, float, string.
Informative error reporting.
Stable and robust.

Download
The latest version (1.4.1) is available from here.

Older versions
Version 1.3.2 is available from here.

Online manual
An online version of the manual can be found here (version 1.2). Thanks to Slooper for hosting the manual and the software itself (his site).

Changelog
+ Code Snippet

10th April, 2008 : 1.4.1
------------------------------

 * Fixed bug that was causing random crashes for some.
 * Fixed cleanup routine to avoid memory leaks.
 * Fixed flaw in message storing system.
 * Added NET PUT MEMBLOCK and NET GET MEMBLOCK commands to deal with memblocks in messages (note that these can't be used in DBC). For DarkGDK and DBC users the functions NetPutData and NetGetData have been added to allow blocks of data to be handled in messages.
 * Added new option to define the size of the write buffer.


28 February, 2008 : 1.3.2.0
------------------------------

 * Disabled the Nagle algorithm. This will make the networking more responsive when sending repeatedly at a rapid rate.


18 December, 2007 : 1.3.1.0
------------------------------

 * Fixed message processing problem.
 * Added better support for C++ and other languages.
 * Added optional IP address parameter to NET HOST for those that have problems testing on localhost.


3rd May, 2007 : 1.2.1.0
------------------------------

 * Fixed dependency problem.


11th April, 2007 : 1.2.1.0
------------------------------

 * Added the following commands to deal with Windows Firewall: NET FIREWALL ENABLED, NET FIREWALL APPLICATION ENABLED, NET FIREWALL ADD APPLICATION.


14th February, 2007 : 1.1.1.0
------------------------------

 * Added NET SET OPTION to set particular options in the plugin. Added connection timeout option.
 * Set client limit at 16384. If a higher value is used, it will default to this amount.
 * Added NET GET PLAYER IP and NET GET PLAYER PORT.
 * Made some changes for compatibility with DBC Enhanced.
 * Updated manual to explain using plugin outside of DBP.

---

Zombies is a simple multiplayer FPS game created by Carlos Wilkes (Darkcoder) using Multisync V1 for networking.





You can download the source for it it from here.

---

omcz omcz omcz. I'll be adding this to age baby tonight.. baby!

---

Nice Ben,I will try setting up a server with this plugin!

---

"You've come a long way baby."

Congratulations.

I havn't read the EULA (I don't have a rar decompressor installed yet), so I don't know how restrictive it is. However I do intend to use this 'in the future'.

Thanks in advance.

---

Heres a simple chat server:

+ Code Snippet

Global Wmess$
Global Plrs$
Global Message2$

Input "Player Max : ",Plrs$
Print "Player Maximum has bein set to : "+Plrs$
Print ""
Input "Welcome Message : ",Wmess$
Print "Welcome Message has bein set to : "+Wmess$
Print ""
Print ""
Print "Press any key to continue"
wait key
NET HOST Val(Plrs$)
Do
CLS
Print ">>>Host Details<<<"
Print ""
Print ">Server IP : "+GetMyIp()
Print ">Local IP : 127.0.0.1"
Print ">Player Maximum : "+Plrs$
Print "-----------------------------------------------------------------------------"
Print ""
Print ">>>Misc<<<"
Print ">Last Given Error : "+NET GET ERROR()
Print ">Last Received Message : "+Message2$
Print ">Welcome Message : "+Wmess$
Print "-----------------------------------------------------------------------------"
For X=1 to 9999
If NET PLAYER CONNECTED(X)=1
Print "Plr "+Str$(X)+" Exists"
endif
Next X
New#=Net Player Joined()
If New#=>0
Message$=Wmess$
NET PUT STRING Message$
NET SEND New#
New#=0
endif

If NET GET MESSAGE()=1
Message2$=NET GET STRING()
NET PUT STRING Message2$
NET SEND ALL
endif

loop

And here is the client :

+ Code Snippet

Global Name$
NET CONNECT "127.0.0.1"
Input "Player Name : ",Name$
Do
If NET CONNECTED()=0
Print "ERROR : Connection with server has bein lost,or was never there."
wait 6000
end
endif
If NET GET MESSAGE()=1
Message$=NET GET STRING()
Print Message$
endif
If Controlkey()=1
Input Name$+">>",Message$
Msg$=Name$+" >> "+Message$
NET PUT STRING Msg$
NET SEND 1
endif
loop

Hope you have fun

---

WOOHOO! It's finally here!

---

There is one bug,

If a player logs of,that number will not be available anymore.so after a while the server is full without having the limit of people actualy playing.

And i noticed that if you set the Player limit above 9999 that it crashes.

---

Thank you.


+ Code Snippet

END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
--------------------------

You are granted permission to use this software for both commercial and non-commercial ventures, provided you abide by the following rules.

- Do not attempt to modify, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble this software in any shape or form.
- You may not redistribute versions of the software modified by anyone but the original author himself.

No warranty of any kind is expressed or implied. You use at your own risk. The author will not be liable for data loss, damages, loss of profits or any other kind of loss while using or misusing this software.

Copyright 2007 Benjamin Wharton.

It's not a bug - when a player leaves, their ID is unavailable for reuse until you call net player left.

Could you post some code? That doesn't happen here. I will however impose a limit at some point.

---

This is my new Server fot he chat example i made,it crashes when limit is set to 9999

+ Code Snippet

Global Wmess$
Global Plrs$
Global Message2$
If file exist("Log.txt") then delete file "Log.txt"
Open to Write 1,"Log.txt"
Input "Player Max : ",Plrs$
Print "Player Maximum has bein set to : "+Plrs$
Print ""
Input "Welcome Message : ",Wmess$
Print "Welcome Message has bein set to : "+Wmess$
Print ""
Print ""
Print "Press any key to continue"
wait key
NET HOST Val(Plrs$)
Do
CLS
Print ">>>Host Details<<<"
Print ""
Print ">Server IP : "+GetMyIp()
Print ">Local IP : 127.0.0.1"
Print ">Player Maximum : "+Plrs$
Print "-----------------------------------------------------------------------------"
Print ""
Print ">>>Misc<<<"
Print ">Last Given Error : "+NET GET ERROR()
Print ">Last Received Message : "+Message2$
Print ">Welcome Message : "+Wmess$
Print "-----------------------------------------------------------------------------"
For X=1 to 9999
If NET PLAYER CONNECTED(X)=1
Print "Plr "+Str$(X)+" Exists"
endif
Next X
New#=Net Player Joined()
If New#=>0
Message$=Wmess$+"("+GetMyIp()+")"
NET PUT STRING Message$
NET SEND New#
New#=0
endif

If NET GET MESSAGE()=1
Message2$=NET GET STRING()
Write String 1,Message2$
NET PUT STRING Message2$
NET SEND ALL
endif

If Controlkey()=1
Input "Say: ",Say$
Say2$="SERVER : "+Say$
NET PUT STRING Say2$
NET SEND ALL
endif

If Spacekey()=1
Input "New Welcome Message : ",Wmess$
endif

If Shiftkey()=1
Input "Player Number : ",Num$
Net Kick Val(Num$)
Message$="A player has bein kicked!"
NET PUT STRING Message$
NET SEND ALL
endif

loop

Could be my PC too,as it isnt realy new.

---

It doesn't crash for me. What exactly do you mean crash, does it just close?

---

OK,it crashes with no error,and sometimes it tells that it cant connect to the server?

I think its my PC then.

---

So why have you given me the server code if it's the client that crashes? Or is it the server that crashes?

---

THANK YOU, Benjamin.

---

Wow realy BIG THANK YOU!!

TCG should pay you for this, i would have dumped this language if it wasn't for you!

I think you should put in the the ELUA a paypal donation link so if anyone makes a network game that makes money they can send you something, I know I will!

MINOR NIGGLES
- Would be nice if help file can be viewed in DBP help.
- Using the help file you had, I didn't know if a command needed brakets or not until i used it and saw the IDE throw back an error.
- I think you should warn users nothing will work until you run "net player joined()" on the server end. Confused the hell out of me for an hour or so and "net player left()" is just as important for cleaning up.

---

I echo the paypal link idea. If I can get this working for my game to remote host, I'd be glad to send a few $ your way.

---

The warning about 'deleting critical files' is kind of alarming.
I'm still new to this and I'm old fashioned and like the OPEN FILE AS etc.

Am I right that all the DBPRO multiuser commands will work with this also?

If I can get my poor old noggin to understand sending string$ back and forth from a remote host to multiple clients I just might be in business.

---

Sorry to clog up the works with so many messages.

This really looks great!

I beg for an example of how to use NET PLAYER FROM to organize data.

My idea is to have the client ask name & password, connect to server(host), log in with the name/pass, and then have the host send the player his colony data.

Can you please tell me how to integrate NET PLAYER FROM with name/password?

---

3D Coding, for an example have you looked at the Zombie game he gave you a link to in this thread? I contains full source code.

Benjamin is MultiSync using TCP or UDP? I've not managed a connection through NAT yet I've only seen 1.0.0.0 requests like standard DBP networking.

I've opened a MultiSync test server on 81.174.154.100 port 8181, its sending out a net string every 1 second. Can anyone connect to it? http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=99234&b=1

---

I get a 'connection failed' error when I try to connect to you with your client source.

The top post states that MS uses TCP.

So, the integration of MS into AGE is pretty much complete. I have to say that it's been a pleasure to use. It's a great improvement over the last version and I can't wait to work with it some more. As network editing is now working perfectly in AGE, I think tomorrow (though it's already 5am) will see the release of AGE 0.5.

Top stuff.

---

It is the server that crashes then Ben,the server crashes if its set to 99999,any other number seems to work now.

---

Heh thanks, but if you want to help, buy the commercial plugin I shall release sometime in the near future.

I was thinking this. In fact, I tried linking each command to its relevant section in the manual at some point, but due to the DBP help viewer not supporting CSS (I believe this is the case, anyway), everything looked rather messed up.

I thought this may happen, but it can only happen when you don't return a value from a command that you should.

I thought I had mentioned this in the manual already, although apparently not. I'll fix it right away.

The was only possible in that example because of the way it worked.

If you mean the built-in DBP multiplayer commands, no.

You can use it to directly reference an array. For example:

+ Code Snippet

thisPlayer = net player from()
playerName(thisPlayer) = net get string()

TCP, as mentioned in the manual and in the first post of this thread. I forgot to mention that the default port is 3999, so if you want to accept connections from behind a router, you must forward data for this port to your computer (or change the default port to one you already forwarded).

Great!

Well, one hundred thousand connections is quite a lot, so I'm not surprised. I think I'll set a limit at 9999 players.

---

Yes its much,and well,now that everything works as its designed to do,9999 players are alot too.but its enough for a multiplayer plugin.as its not an MMO plugin

---

Am I doing it wrong? I tried to use the custom port command coded as below? It work great on the LAN but the when the WAN forwarded the port to the internal IP instead of requesting 192.168.0.2 it tried to request 1.0.0.0

Server:
MAX_PLAYERS = 100
NETWORK_PORT = 8181
NET SET PORT (NETWORK_PORT)
if net host(MAX_PLAYERS)

Client:
MAX_PLAYERS = 100
NETWORK_PORT = 8181
SERVER_IP$ = "81.174.154.100"
NET SET PORT (NETWORK_PORT)
if net connect(SERVER_IP$)

---

What tried to request 1.0.0.0? Perhaps if you show me your router configuration I may be able to help you. Also, it might help to know exactly how you are connected to the internet. Is it just a PC->Router->Internet setup?

---

SHOULD BE:
Client -> 81.174.154.100:8181 -> Netgear DG834PN -> 191.168.0.2:8181 -> Server

BUT WHAT IM GETTING IS:
Client -> 81.174.154.100:8181 -> Netgear DG834PN -> 1.0.0.0:8181 -> .... Server (never hears it)

SERVICE SETUP
Service name: MultiSync
Type: TCP
Start port: 8181
Finish port: 8181

FIREWALL/PORT FORWARD SETUP
Service, Action, LAN Server IP, WAN User, Log
MultiSync, ALLOW always, 192.168.0.2, Any, Always

I already run a web server on port 80 and another game server on 7171 they port forward just fine.

---

What exactly is 1.0.0.0? What's the router's internal IP? For your IP, are you sure you mean 192.168.0.2 and not possibly 192.168.1.2?

---

My LAN network is built on

Game Server: 192.168.0.2
Mask: 255.255.255.0
Router/Gateway: 192.168.0.254

1.0.0.0 is some kind of broadcast I think, DBP netplay was doing the same, it supposadly broadcasts to build an available server list. I was expecting MultiSync using a port number would just forward to the internal IP. Like I said I've already got Apache web and Tibia game servers running they port forward like a charm.

I could try changing my whole lan to 192.168.1.x but it shouldn't make a difference.

---

It should do, it's just like a standard TCP application. Port forwarding works fine for me, mind you it's a completely different router.

But where exactly are you seeing this?

Think you could show me a screen print of the port forwarding page in your router setup?

---

In the router logs as I've told it to log all access to port 8181
Sun, 2007-02-04 16:25:14 - TCP Packet - Source:208.60.x.x,2598 Destination:1.0.0.0,8181 - [MultiSync match]

What make of router are you using? As a last resort I might try a new NAT router, but I'll try reconfiguring the lan to 192.168.1 first I think, maybe there is some microsoft bug that don't like zeros.

---

Oh ok.

It's an Orange Livebox made by SAGEM that came with our ADSL package. It's basically a modem/router combo, though from this computer I use purely the router part of it.

You shouldn't have to; if it's working with other things, then there must be a way to get it to work with this.

---

Is your ADSL connection a USB cable or an CAT5 network cable?

If it's a USB cable then it works differently because it don't use NAT and places the external IP directly on the interface of your PC.

---

CAT5 NAT.

Perhaps with other devices, but when using the USB interface (with the old computer that doesn't have an Ethernet card) I still had to use port forwarding (due to the fact that it acts as a modem and a router simultaneously).

---

Ok thank for your help Bejamin, I'm gona try chaning my LAN to 192.168.1.x network and see if it helps... <back in a few hours!>

---

Are you sure you have your head plugged in? NO game in the galaxy uses 100k connections, especially when using the same application, that would be insane, and probably impossible, even 10k is a incredibly high limitation, and yes any MMO would work totally fine with a limitation of 10k connections on the one app, as you can have multiple servers.

---

Ooooh, Ooooh, ohhh! Found a RIP2-B (routable IP broadcast) option in my routers LAN settings somone try and connect plx and see if it work now? Thanx.

---

Thanks very much for explaining use of net player from()

That cleared up a lot, but I'm still a bit baffled by:
playerName(thisPlayer) = net get string()because it makes me wonder, is a string being sent already, or is this a request for a string? Its obviously a very precise business and being done somewhat invisibly, so its kind of difficult to grasp.

Can I request a file this way also? I'm thinking it might be easier (on my old noggin at least) for the client to just store the users name and password in a file, and then have the host retrieve it when a connection is made.

---

GH: I'm still not getting connection. Same error:"Could not start server: CONNECTION FAILED"

---

The string is being read from a message that has already been sent.

If you want the client to be able to log in using a username and password, here is roughly how it would happen:

1. The client connects to the server using NET CONNECT.

+ Code Snippet

` Connect to server
result = net connect(ServerIP$)
if result
	print "Connected to server."
else
	print "Failed to connect to server."
	wait key
	end
endif

2. The server accepts this new connection by calling NET PLAYER JOINED which returns the client's ID.

+ Code Snippet

` This is the server's code for checking for new players
newClient = net player joined()
if newClient > 0
	print "New client connected."
endif

3. The client sends a username and password to the server. It's a good idea to prefix messages with a single byte value as a message ID, so that the receiver knows what kind of message it is. In this case the ID is 0.

+ Code Snippet

` Send login message to server
net put byte 0
net put string "username"
net put string "password"
net send

4. The server receives this message and accepts or rejects the client. Message ID '1' in this case tells the client that it has logged in fine, '2' indicates that it hasn't.

+ Code Snippet

` This is the server's code for processing messages
while net get message
	whoSentThis = net message from()
	messageID = net get byte()

	if messageID = 0
		username$ = net get string()
		password$ = net get string()

		` Imagine UserValid indicates if the login is allowed
		if UserValid(username$, password$)

			` The login is allowed (correct info)
			net put byte 1
			net send whoSentThis
		else
			` The login is refused (bad info)
			net put byte 2
			net send whoSentThis
		endif
	endif
endwhile

5. The client receives the reply from the server and acts according to the result.

+ Code Snippet

` Waiting for reply from server...
repeat
until net get message()

` Reply received, check result
messageID = net get byte()
if messageID = 1
	print "Successfully logged in."
else
	print "Failed to log in."
	net disconnect
	wait key
	end
endif

If you want I can code up a practical working example.

---

Fantastic! Thanks very kindly! I should say "Eureka!"

Now if we can help GatorHex get his project launched, there will be hope for remote hosting multiplayer games with DarkBASIC Pro. "Make it so, Number One!"

GH has been working hard on this, there has got to be a solution.
"We are the people who made fire! We can do this!"