This is the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for the Rom mud
codebase. It was written in an attempt to provide a reference that
supplied answers to the questions that kept appearing on the Rom mailing
list. The author and current maintainer is
Garry Turkington,
but many people have made valuable contributions to the FAQ as it has
evolved. Comments and suggestions for the FAQ are always welcome.
I updated this page with the links because 1994 websites, even though I programmed them back in the day... well the logic slayed me a little lol - DSL/Skol/Ziv - Ansy.
CONTENTS
Rom
Credits, contact information, and general miscellany.
0.1 Disclaimer
0.2 Revision History
0.3 Obtaining this document
0.4 Suggestions/comment/contact
information
0.5 Credits
Introduction to Rom, who wrote it, where to get it, licence information
etc.
1.1 What is ROM?
1.2 What do I need to run it?
1.3 Where can I get ROM?
1.4 Is ROM free?
1.4.1 I've made all these changes.. do I
still have to call my mud a Rom derivitive?
1.4.2 So I've done all this work for
nothing?
1.5 What is the latest version of ROM? Future
versions?
How to get your mud on its feet, compilation issues for various platforms,
problems often experienced by the new mud administrator etc.
2.1 OK.. I've got this big .tar.gz file.now
what?
2.2 What is the purpose of each
directory?
2.3 How do I compile the code?
2.3.1 Linux Considerations
(including RedHat 5.x)
2.3.2 Solaris considerations
2.3.3 Windows 95/NT
considerations
2.3.4 Digital Unix considerations
2.3.5 FreeBSD considerations
2.4 How do I start the mud?
2.5 Why use the startup script? What does it
do?
2.6 How do I make an immortal char?
2.7 Now what?
2.8 The importance of backups
What is available, explanations of common snippets, how to add snipets and
areas, issues to be aware of.
3.1 Is there code patches/areas available
publically I can get?
3.2 Should I use these or write my
own?
3.3 What is an OLC? Do I need one?
3.4 I hate monochrome..can I get a colour
patch?
3.5 What are mobprogs? Can I get them for
ROM?
3.6 What other code snippets/patches are
there?
3.7 What about areas?
3.8 How do I patch code into my mud?
Introduction to GCC, common compilation errors, ways to customise how you
use GCC and more.
4.1 What is GCC?
4.2 What can I do with the Makefile?
4.3 What are the steps of the compilatioN
process?
4.4 My code won't compile..why?
4.4.1 'parse error'
4.4.2 'assignment makes pointer from
integer without a cast'
4.4.3 'implicit definition of
function'
4.4.4 'declared here not in a
function'
4.5 But why can't I just ignore
warnings?
4.6 What options may I want to add to the
Makefile?
4.7 Why do I get a signal 11 error during
compilation?
When the mud breaks. Common log error messages and their causes,
introduction to GDB, how to use GDB, some tips and tricks.
5.1 My mud crashed..why? What do I
do?
5.2 Looking at logfiles.
5.3 Common log file messages
5.3.1 'File * line * : MAX_STRING
exceeded'
5.3.2 'Loading '
5.3.3 'Fread_* : bad format'
5.3.4 '* : No such *index'
5.3.5 'Init socket: bind: Address already
in use'
5.3.6 'ER <mob> <object>
5.3.7 'Vnum x duplicated'
5.4 What is GDB?
5.5 Do I need GDB?
5.6 Can I use GDB on a corefile? How?
5.7 Can I attach GDB to a running mud?
5.8 How do I start the mud from GDB?
5.9 What are breakpoints? How do I use
them?
5.10 OK..the mud crashed and I've lots of
info..now what?
5.11 Examining the stack
5.12 Examining variables
Grep, Perl, use of profiling and more.
6.1 What is grep? Is it useful?
6.2 What about Perl?
6.3 What is profiling?
6.4 How do I profile my mud?
6.5 What do I do with the profile
information?
How certain aspects of the code work, how to make the most common changes,
fixes for common problems and more.
7.1 How do I change the levels on my
mud?
7.2 How do I add a new class?
7.3 How do I add a new race?
7.4 How do I add a new clan?
7.5 How do I add a new skill?
7.6 How does the command table work? How dO i
add a new command?
7.7 Why does the mud crash when I type 'who
jkjkljl'?
7.8 My players are levelling from 1 to hero
after one kill..what's going
on?
7.9 Why do my mobprogs suddenly stop
working?
7.10 How can I add more flags past
'ee'?
7.11 Why don't objects reset to the
room?
7.12 How do I increase my range of possible
vnums?
7.13 Why can't I see much when switched
into a mob?
7.14 How do I add additional
colours?
7.15 What areas can or can't I remove?
7.16 How do I add a new wear
location?
7.17 Why do act and plr bits seem to be set
in the same place?
7.18 What does the number_bits function
do?
7.19 How do I add new data fields to my
players without having to wipe all pfiles?
7.20 How does nanny and the connected states
work?
Mailing lists, books, FTP and web references.
8.1 The ROM mailing list
8.2 The Merc-l mailing list
8.3 Usenet newsgroups
8.4 C Programming Resources
8.4.1 How do I learn the C programming
language?
8.4.2 Which C book should I buy?
8.4.3 The C FAQ
8.4.4 The books or FAQ didn't have the
answer..where now?
8.5 WWW/FTP sites