Editing BZFS 2.4 Upgrade

Stub for BZFS 2.0.x to 2.4 server upgrade path

==Overview==

For version 2.4 there are new requirements for your server to be listed on the
BZFlag hosted server list.

This page documents user visible changes to the BZFlag server for the 2.4 release of [[BZFlag]].

=== Short Version for the impatient ===

* '''-public''' changed to '''-publictitle'''
* '''-publickey''' specifies your server key for including your server on the server list
* '''-utc''' logs server timestamps in UTC instead of localtime
* '''-passdb''' removed
* '''-requireudp''' removed
* '''-offa''' selects teamless free-for-all game style
* '''-time''' can specify end time for timed games
* Groups can now be referenced in the groupdb before they are defined

==Getting your server listed on the server list==

===Generating and managing server keys===
You need to generate a public server key for your BZFlag server which matches your 
server host.  If you have multiple server hosts you need a separate key per host.
You can generate and manage your server keys at http://my.bzflag.org/listkeys/

===Starting your BZFlag server using your server key===
After generating a server key you need to provide the key to your bzfs server so it can
authenticate with the list server.  Only servers with valid public keys will be shown
on the BZFlag list server.

Keys are shown at http://my.bzflag.org/listkeys like this:

{|
|+ KEYS listed from http://my.bzflag.org/listkeys
|-
!Host
!Key
!
|-
| my.bzflag.server.host
| 1234567890123456789
| [Delete]
|-
|}

You need to provide the key value to the bzfs server option '''''-publickey''''' like this

 $ bzfs -public "Map name goes here" -publickey 1234567890123456789 

The '''''-publicaddr''''' and '''''-p''''' parameters have not changed from 2.0.x and are used to 
provide the hosting server address and port respectively.

More information about the public key option can be found at 
[[ServerAuthentication]]

==Upgrading third party plugins==

The API for plugins has changed in the 2.4 release.  See
[[BZFS_API_2.4_Upgrade]] for details on upgrading your server plugins.

==BZFlag server commandline option changes==

=== Removed options ===
* Local password databases are no longer supported for authentication
** '''-passdb''' has been removed as a command line option
* UDP is on by default
** '''-requireudp''' has been removed as a command line option

=== Changed options ===
* The option for specifying the map name on the server list has changed
** '''-public''' changed to '''-publictitle'''
* Timed games can now specify the end time in either seconds or end time
** '''-time''' now takes either the number of seconds or an end time as an option (format hh:mm or hh:mm:ss)

=== New options ===
* New game mode for teamless free-for-all
** '''-offa''' added as an option to select this mode
* bzfs server timestamps can now be output in UTC instead of the local time
** Specifying '''-utc''' outputs all times in UTC and implies '''-ts'''
* Public keys are required to have your server included on the BZFlag server list
** '''-publickey''' is used to specify your key. See [[BZFS_2.4_Upgrade#Getting your server listed on the server list|Getting your server listed on the server list]] for details

==Server Groups==
With this release BZFlag groups defined in the ''groupdb'' can now be referenced before they are defined.

Permissions provided by existing server groups will work with no modifications as long as no forward references to 
groups exist in your ''groupdb''. 

If your group files reference other groups that were not yet defined the permissions provided by
those forward-referenced groups will now be granted to your group members.

We recommend that you review your server ''groupdb'' settings.


An example

<pre>
group1: *group2 +spawn
group2: +talk
group3: *group2
group2: +poll
</pre>

In 2.0 the "*group2" statement in line one would have been ignored because group2 was not yet defined. Also line 4 would have been ignored becaused group2 was used as a reference in line 3.
Now in 2.4 these aren#t errors anymore, so while in 2.0  the resulting perms are:

group1: spawn<br />
group2: talk<br />
group3: talk<br />

they are in 2.4

group1: spawn talk poll<br />
group2: talk poll<br />
group3: talk poll<br />

If bzfs didn't warn (with -d) about bad group references or skipped lines in 2.0 your groupdb file should work the same way in 2.4. Else you should have a look on it or expect unexpected effects.