Zugg Software :: View topic - Automapper rewrite feature request: verbose debug

Wanderer Joined: 03 Nov 2000 Posts: 59

The zMUD automapper works pretty well on an MXP-enabled MUD with proper line tagging, but every now and again it will spontaneously decide to create a new room instead of moving to an existing known one. This problem happens in different rooms at different times, and seems nearly random in its locations and frequency. I've double-checked the raw MUD output (via a sniffer) and can find no difference in the actual bytes being sent for one move that triggers the creation of an "overlaid" room versus another that simply moves from room to room without a problem.

I realize the mapper is being completely rewritten for CMUD, so I'd like to insert one request: can we get an option in the configuration panel that lets us turn on a "verbose debug" mode, where the mapper displays the components it got, announces its decision for each room it moves into and gives the reason? For example:

GURU Joined: 23 Dec 2000 Posts: 4834 Location: USA

Using #debug test.txt trace.txt do you notice any differences in text placement (ie, plain text that shouldn't be where it is or even extra tags that ZMud properly handles, thereby ensuring you no visual difference)? The mapper craps up a hairball even with the Simutronics GSL detection if there is more text in between the tags than normal.

For reference, rooms in Dragonrealms are coded up in roughly the following style (%e = whatever the escape characters are that Zugg picks up on):

Wanderer Joined: 03 Nov 2000 Posts: 59

Enchanter Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 698

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

I am all for a mapper debugging screen. I have long contended that the code that that generates a configuration behaves differently then the code that makes use of that configuration. I recall on some mud I played that if I configured in the right room, stepped back, removed the room, then stepped into the same room it would be detected incorrectly. Too bad I never really recorded an example of this. So I would like to see that debugging be available more from the start. Perhaps if the same system of paragraphs and lines are used then having a display of captured text and configuration controls right in one 'advanced' window would be cool.

Wanderer Joined: 03 Nov 2000 Posts: 59

Wizard Joined: 03 Mar 2001 Posts: 1127 Location: London

I think it's an excellent idea. Along with things like the compilation reports for scripts that don't compile it'll help power users trying to pinpoint bugs and to help others configure their mappers in the new version - and it'll be a good point to bring up as to why the new mapper is better than the old one. Black boxes are lovely when they work perfectly, but what ever works perfectly.

Wizard Joined: 14 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269

I think it's a great idea too. Especially as I have ideas (as do many of us, I expect) for a lot of enhancements to the intelligence of the CMUD mapper, which would obviously require testing and debugging.