Brainstorming on data sharing

[StDoodle]

Hiya folks!

I'm hoping I could get some additional brainstorming help on a problem for which the solution has been eluding me...

What I'd like to be able to do is store data (files generated by maifa's file_to_map() being ideal) with a limited group of people (clan moderators) in a way that also allows for programmatic uploading as well as downloading.

I have looked at zarqon's map manager, but it's missing two prerequisites: 1) Automatic uploading (though this could possibly be done with visit_url(), haven't checked into his page's code enough to know) but more importantly 2) The ability to limit who uploads new versions of the files.

So far, the best solution I've come up with involves writing the saved data to the in-game forums, but that involves a lot of load time (massive text-parsing) as well as quite a few server hits (especially if any kind of failure detection & handling is added, as would be necessary).

So, if anyone can come up with a solution or idea, I'd love to hear it!

 

[bordemstirs]

Well, for visit_url, you could make it possible if the page you are visiting allows you to upload files without formal login.

You could pass a password in the php of the file, but then you'd also have to url_encode the entire file, which may or may not be easy (look at the method you mentioned by Zarqon.)

Then, when you want to upload, you can either always prompt for a password (and then share that password with those who should have the ability) or even ask for both password and username so you can see who does what.

Of course, all this assumes you have access to the server on which you'll be hosting said files, or you find some server that allows upload access without login.

Another method would be, if you have some sort of clan bot that it always running, is to write code that allows for intercommunication between mafia either via chat or kmail. Then you can monitor update access by username.
I'd absolutely -love- to write this code, as my clan already has bots that do intercommunication (though at present the data being communicated is both small and specific, but a protocol could be written for broad data).

One question... can you to_string() an entire map? I have a feeling that would be necessary for the second method...

 

[StDoodle]

Oh yeah, guess I should clarify that I don't have access to server space to do anything server-side myself to accommodate this. Nor does my clan.

We also don't have a bot that always runs; it does once per week, which is far too sporadic for any kind of synchronized methods.

 

[bordemstirs]

I have a bot that is constantly running (save travel time... I really ought to set up my desktop so my leaving doesn't shut down my bot). I could store the data for you, then hand out the script that you could use to upload/dowload the data, from within mafia.

Or, even easier, I could just set up my desktop and write a quick php file for you guys to use to load/save data. There's still the problem that loading/saving a -file- requires browser help (or some sort of cgi, but certainly something out of ASH's league), so you'd still be left to the task of converting the map to url string.