BZRobots/Protocol

Overview

This page describes the BZRobots Enhanced Protocol that is part of the Programmable Computer Player Client project for the Google_Summer_of_Code.

Protocol Description

The protocol is linebased, and works on a request-reply basis. Below is a table of all available requests. The backend has something called a steady-state - this is basically when the backend is idle, and the tank likewise. Some commands will only work in this steady-state (because they will only make sense when the bot is not doing anything), and if one of these commands are sent when the bot is in active-state the backend will not reply until the backend has entered steady-state (and any commands sent after the first command are queued for handling until the blocking command has been handled). These commands are marked with "Yes" in the "Steady-state required?"-column.

Frontend To Backend Messages

Message syntax	Description	Steady-state required?	Implemented?
Execute	Runs a tick of the 'planned actions', and perhaps fires a shot (see SetFire).	Yes	Yes
GetBases	<explain>	No	No
GetBattleFieldSize	Gives a 'BattleFieldSize'-reply with the size of the map in "units". (the map is size x size, and coordinates run from -size/2 to size/2)	No	No
GetConstants	<explain>	No	No
GetFlags	<explain>	No	No
GetDistanceRemaining	Gives a 'DistanceRemaining'-reply with how much is left of the currently planned movement.	Yes	Yes
GetGunHeat	Gives a 'GunHeat'-reply with how many seconds are left of the gun cooldown.	Yes	Yes
GetHeading	Gives a 'Heading'-reply with heading of the tank.	Yes	No
GetHeight	Gives a 'Height'-reply with height of the tank.	No	No
GetMyTanks	<explain>	No	No
GetNumRounds	To be defined (or removed?)	No	No
GetObstacles	<explain>	No	No
GetOtherTanks	<explain>	No	No
GetRoundNum	Returns the number of times the bot has died (or?).	No	No
GetShots	<explain>	No	No
GetSpeed	Returns the current velocity, as per default - or as per last SetSpeed.	No	No
GetTeams	<explain>	No	No
GetTickDuration	Gives a 'TickDuration'-reply with how many seconds makes up one tick.	No	Yes
GetTickRemaining	Gives a 'TickRemaining'-reply with how many seconds are left of this tick.	No	Yes
GetTime	RoboCode: "Returns the game time of the current round, where the time is equal to the current turn in the round." - Will most likely return number of times you've 'execute'-d. Alternatively; return elapsed seconds / tickDuration (but tickDuration can change), or elapsed seconds.	Yes	No
GetTurnRemaining	Gives a 'TurnRemaining'-reply with how much is left of the currently planned turn.	Yes	Yes
GetWidth	Gives a 'Width'-reply with width of the tank.	No	No
GetX	Gives a 'X'-reply with x-coordinate of the tank.	Yes	No
GetY	Gives a 'Y'-reply with y-coordinate of the tank.	Yes	No
IdentifyFrontend <version>	Greets the backend. (specifying protocol-version <version>, under development: 0001)	No	Yes
SetAhead <distance>	Sets planned movement (for next 'execute'-s) that moves 'distance' units.	No	Yes
SetFire	Sets a planned shot (for next 'execute')	No	Yes
SetResume	Overwrites and restores the bots current actions (distance and turn) from a previous call to SetStop. This will fail if there are no previous SetStop-calls. Will not restore until you 'execute'. (If you call SetAhead, SetTurn etc before this, they will be overwritten unless SetResume fails)	No	No
SetStop <overwrite>	Stores and clears the bots current actions (distance and turn). If you've previously called SetStop and not SetResume, this will fail unless you've Set overwrite to true. Does not store & clear until you call 'execute'. (You can call SetAhead, SetTurn etc after this, and they will become the 'new' values, instead of 0.)	No	No
SetSpeed <factor>	Sets next actions speed, value between 0 and 1.0. (for future 'execute'-s)	No	Yes
SetTickDuration <seconds>	Sets the duration of a tick, in seconds.	No	Yes
SetTurnLeft <degrees>	Sets planned turn (for next 'execute'-s) that turns 'degrees' degrees to the left.	No	Yes
SetTurnRate <factor>	Sets next actions turnrate, value between 0 and 1.0. (for next 'execute'-s)	No	Yes

See Also

BZRobots/About - Project Overview

BZRobots/Ideas - Feature suggestions / thoughts