ATAG's Server Commander For Download

[ATAG_Bliss]

Hi all,

The ATAG Server Commander, made by Colander, has kept our Clod servers running flawlessly, and more importantly, without the need to babysit them.

The initial idea was to make this tool a true commander, being able to edit missions on the fly, set up objectives, etc., all within the commander. It was 1/2 way there to being finalized but was never actually finished. But what ATAG's Commander does, is keep your server running 24/7 regardless of steam errors / maintenance events, and allows you to rotate your missions. All of the ATAG missions use a killprocess command within the script to shutdown the launcher. This is also how the ATAG commander rotates missions. This keeps your server fresh, and keeps steam connection errors a thing of the past.

I've attached a sample mission to show those new to mission building how you can have an objective based mission, that will score objectives in script for server rotation. This mission will also end after a certain amount of time has been exceeded. This mission will allow you to see how to spawn AI and also send individual messages to the red and blue team under certain events. I've also attached a simple batch file to show you how to have server messages on your server after a certain amount of time. But enough of that.

So with that said, lets get on with how to use it.


1st step is to simply place the commander anywhere you like. Desktop is a nice spot

So now that you have started the program, click on the Setup window. This will open another screen and this is the main screen in setting up the ATAG commander to work for you.

Once inside the setup screen, 1st step is to click on "Set Launcher Path". Just like it says, this is looking for the launcher.exe of IL2 Cliffs of Dover. The launcher.exe is typically found at "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover"

2nd step is click on the "Set Steam Path" And again, just like the title says, you need to set your path to the steam application. Steam.exe is typically found at "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam"

Now that those 2 steps are done, you also have a choice to have click on the "Launcher Pre-mission Commands" button. This section is used for external settings that you can customize in your server. For instance, you can set server dotpitch (dot range) here, or load a batch file that gives your server scrolling messages. The batch file must be placed in your "Documents/1cSoftClub/IL2 Cliffs of Dover - MOD" folder. You know it's the right spot when your batch file is in the same file location as your config.ini

Steam parameters is a nice feature for those that are familiar with some of the steam internal commands. By default the -silent command has already been placed. -silent makes sure that there will be no steam popup windows ever on your desktop. With a dedicated machine, this is important as there is generally no GPU in a dedicated server. The last thing you want is to have your CPU cycles being wasted rendering useless game ads or popups. One thing I do add to the steam parameter section is also the -high command. The -high command forces Il2 Cliffs of Dover to run in a high priority state.

Launcher Parameters - This section within the setup should not be messed with. There is no need to change anything here.

Restart Steam after - This section will restart the steam app for you after so many missions have been cycled. This is here more or less because of how the early game reacted to steam, but regardless, is a nice feature that keeps steam current. Again, with this feature, the default setting is fine.

Restart game after - This section will reload the server if the commander sees the Launcher.exe process has been terminated, see's the commander is unable to connect to a launcher program, or never sees that a mission is fully loaded. Essentially, the commander is checking to make sure your mission has been loaded properly. When a mission is loaded, the console tells you it is loaded. So decreasing this time could actually hinder you from ever playing your mission depending on the size of the mission and how long your mission takes to load. I would leave this setting at the default 30 seconds and only increase the time depending on time to load your missions. Again, if this time is set to low, the commander may think your mission is not loading properly and will terminate the launcher and rotate to the next mission all simply because you did not give the commander enough time to properly load the mission in the 1st place.

Here's some basic screen shots of the ATAG server commander with the setup screen and the launcher Pre-mission Commands text window open.



If you're at this point, you are very close to firing up the ATAG commander and loading your missions. All you need to do now is click on the Missions tab in the ATAG commander and "add" your missions. Your missions should be saved in your "Documents\1C SoftClub\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover - MOD\missions\Multi\Dogfight" folder. You can keep adding missions and use the up and down arrow keys to place in what order of rotation you would like. You can use the same mission in the list of rotating missions as many times as you like. Also, you can right click on a mission within the ATAG commander mission list and can do a "Set as Next". This will make your mission you have selected next in the rotation. Instead of the current order in the program.

So now that you have your setup all done and your missions selected, you're finally ready to run start the commander. Simply click on the Start Watchdog button and your server, steam, and mission should all be up and running within a few seconds.

Here's a screen shot of how a loaded mission looks like:



And here's what you will see in your console box, as an example, when your batch file loads with streaming server messages:



And now your mission is running! Depending on your firewall setup your server may or may not be accessible from the server list.

So those of you thinking about setting up your own servers, this should get you on easy street for Cliffs of Dover. Hopefully this will further spark the community to get more people involved.

Enjoy

Cheers,
Bliss

[Salmo]

Outstanding

Many thanks to ATAG & Colander for making this available.

[9./JG52 Ziegler]

[9./JG52_J-HAT]

Nice job!

[SoW Reddog]

Cool. Thanks for releasing this.

Am I right in thinking that I can't run this, AND connect to the server myself from the same box? I'd need two different steam accounts and installs?

[AKA_Recon]

Great news - thanks team.

My favorite part "All of the ATAG missions use a killprocess command within the script to shutdown the launcher. This is also how the ATAG commander rotates missions. This keeps your server fresh, and keeps steam connection errors a thing of the past. "

[450caveman]

I have been running a server fro some time now for our group and it work fine just doesn't kill the actors when it rotates and have tried the commander with now success, now that you have made one that works great from what i can tell.

i have tried it on my machine and with no success, do i get rid of the server launcher and use the old launcher.exe and also how do i load the settings. because the old way i had to type in f setting.cm then load my maps????

I have got the stage of seeing the Dos screen with the server line but nothing after that and i have used your stock map to try it first.

[ATAG_Bliss]

Cool. Thanks for releasing this.

Am I right in thinking that I can't run this, AND connect to the server myself from the same box? I'd need two different steam accounts and installs?

What you need is 2 game installs. The commander watches the launcher.exe process that you pointed it towards in the setup menu. If it sees 2 launcher.exe processes running out of the same location, it thinks there's an error and shuts it self down and restarts itself. So if you have the commander pointed towards launcher.exe in one game install, the game you then play on needs to be from a separate install with a separate launcher.exe. Also, the commander needs to be ran 1st before launching the game as a client.

i have tried it on my machine and with no success, do i get rid of the server launcher and use the old launcher.exe and also how do i load the settings. because the old way i had to type in f setting.cm then load my maps????

Did you read the instructions? Who said anything about a server launcher? In setup, just point your launcher.exe and steam.exe paths as stated above. Also, the confs.ini (your server config) is the only file you need to be worried about. Your settings that you used to do manually by typing f setting.cmd is not needed. That's why, if you look at the instructions above, there is a setup menu function where you can load your server settings and also any number of batch files built into the commander.

As far as rotating a mission, this is why I included the sample mission and also said we script in a killprocess.

For example. This simple addition to your script will kill the server in 6 hours. You can set the ticktime (timeleft in a mission) to w/e your liking.

 public override void OnTickGame()
    {
      

        if (Time.tickCounter() == 720000)// Out of time.
        {
        Timeout(10, () =>
        {
                GamePlay.gpLogServer(null, "The match ends in a tie!  Objectives still left for both sides!!!", new object[] { });
                GamePlay.gpHUDLogCenter("The match ends in a tie! Objectives still left for both sides!!!");
        });
            Timeout(30, () =>
        {
                GamePlay.gpLogServer(null, "Mission is restarting soon!!!", new object[] { });
                GamePlay.gpHUDLogCenter("Mission is restarting soon!!!");
        });
            Timeout(60, () =>
        {
                GamePlay.gpLogServer(null, "Server Restarting in 1 minute!!!", new object[] { });
                GamePlay.gpHUDLogCenter("Server Restarting in 1 minute!!!");
        });
            Timeout(120, () =>
        {
                GamePlay.gpLogServer(null, "Mission ended. Please wait 2 minutes to reconnect!!!", new object[] { });
                GamePlay.gpHUDLogCenter("Mission ended. Please wait 2 minutes to reconnect!!!");
        });
            Timeout(125, () =>
        {
            Process.GetCurrentProcess().Kill();
        });
        }

    }

}

I have got the stage of seeing the Dos screen with the server line but nothing after that and i have used your stock map to try it first.

Then it sounds like you haven't setup your missions yet. If you have your launcher and steam path set, point the commander to a mission, and click on the Start Watchdog button, your mission will load. If you only see the Dos screen with nothing inside of it, then you haven't setup any mission in the mission tab of the commander.

[ATAG_Colander]

Just so you have an idea where I was getting with this but never got the time to finish it:

Untitled.jpg

All that (not working) functionality is not included in this version.

[ATAG_Bliss]

Just so you have an idea where I was getting with this but never got the time to finish it:

Untitled.jpg

All that (not working) functionality is not included in this version.

You bloody well better hurry on finishing that along with the 10000000000 other things you are doing

[fruitbat]

Thank you very much for sharing this, its much appreciated

[ATAG_Bliss]

I have been running a server fro some time now for our group and it work fine just doesn't kill the actors when it rotates and have tried the commander with now success, now that you have made one that works great from what i can tell.

i have tried it on my machine and with no success, do i get rid of the server launcher and use the old launcher.exe and also how do i load the settings. because the old way i had to type in f setting.cm then load my maps????

I have got the stage of seeing the Dos screen with the server line but nothing after that and i have used your stock map to try it first.

Caveman,

Did you get the commander to work properly?

[ATAG_Bliss]

Thank you very much for sharing this, its much appreciated

Pretty easy eh?

[450caveman]

Hi Bliss, i did read the instructions to the letter and tried all ways to load your commander, this is the message i get Starting the
Sending Initial Commands...
Launcher Start
Sending common configuration commands
Sending: mp_dot range dot 25
Error Connecting to launcher.
Error Sending common configuration commands.
Closing Connection.

I run the launcher myself and can join your A Tag server fine. This machine is a stand alone SERVER i never have used it to play online, but i did this time to prove to myself that the launcher is working OK and it did.

Also there is only your map in my load screen and it is in the directory you stated????????

[ATAG_Bliss]

Hi Bliss, i did read the instructions to the letter and tried all ways to load your commander, this is the message i get Starting the
Sending Initial Commands...
Launcher Start
Sending common configuration commands
Sending: mp_dot range dot 25
Error Connecting to launcher.
Error Sending common configuration commands.
Closing Connection.

I run the launcher myself and can join your A Tag server fine. This machine is a stand alone SERVER i never have used it to play online, but i did this time to prove to myself that the launcher is working OK and it did.

Also there is only your map in my load screen and it is in the directory you stated????????

Hi caveman,

"Error connecting to launcher" is the problem. Essentially that means that the commander is not talking to the launcher.exe. Usually that is fixed by changing the port number in the Setup screen of the commander. What port are you using now? By default it should be set at 20000.

[AKA_Scorp]

Is there a chat line, something like - "Powered by ATAG's Server Commander", that you would like us to include when the server is running? It's seems the least we can do to recognize the work done.

Thanks for sharing.

[ATAG_Bliss]

Is there a chat line, something like - "Powered by ATAG's Server Commander", that you would like us to include when the server is running? It's seems the least we can do to recognize the work done.

Thanks for sharing.

Hello Scorp - Thanks for the gesture, but no need. The entire point is to get more people up to speed quickly and easily. More servers and more variety should equal more players all around. Hopefully we'll get more people and more groups in the game because of it

[Rummy63]

Much appreciated. Friend is just completing building a rig for a dedicated server. The news of your dedicated server utility is timely indeed. Thank-you.

[Salmo]

So 2 copies of COD are needed to run a on-line server & play the game from the same box. This is different to how I manage the game at the moment. Steam is quite happy to have access from the same laucher.exe via a server & a player steam account.

Now to make a second game copy, do I need to copy my F:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover folder & rename it (say) F:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover (player) folder. The point my game-start shortcut to the second (player folder) laucher.exe? I presume that any game patch updates, I'll have to run twice; once over the original install & again over the player instal?

[ATAG_Bliss]

So 2 copies of COD are needed to run a on-line server & play the game from the same box. This is different to how I manage the game at the moment. Steam is quite happy to have access from the same laucher.exe via a server & a player steam account.

Now to make a second game copy, do I need to copy my F:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover folder & rename it (say) F:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover (player) folder. The point my game-start shortcut to the second (player folder) laucher.exe? I presume that any game patch updates, I'll have to run twice; once over the original install & again over the player instal?

Hi Salmo - All you have to do is copy your "F:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover" folder and paste it somewhere else. What I've done is made a new folder called "Games" under the C: drive and pasted it there from the earlier copy of the IL2 folder. There is no reason to change the name unless you simply want both IL2 folders in the same exact location. But the point is, whatever version you use for the commander, you don't use as a player, or if you do as a player, you are not running the commander at the same time.

Think about how many different game installs you have for the current mod, then the current beta etc. It's the same principle. And yes, if there's a new TF patch you'll need to apply that to both IL2 Cliffs of Dover locations. You do not need to worry about the documents IL2 folder though. One documents/1Csoftclub/IL2 - MOD folder will work for as many different installs as you want.

You're right in the fact that you can run your own server and be on the same launcher.exe without the commander, but the commander is watching the particular launcher.exe you assigned to it. If it sees it running twice, the commander will kill the process and start over. It's designed that way so regardless of steam errors/maintenance events, or even if the server's launcher.exe crashed, it will see what is going on and make sure the server is always running.

[OBT~Mikmak]

Oh yes, it's exactly what i looked for !!
Thanks a lot for sharing !!!
I have tested "Clod Watchdog" with success, it's really a step forward for begginers in server creation

[Salmo]

... Think about how many different game installs you have for the current mod, then the current beta etc. It's the same principle. ...

Thanks Bliss,
The reason I asked is that I have just one game install& use JGSME to switch the various maddox.ddl's & kegetys.dll's in & out as needed depending upon which game/mod version I'm working on. So I've never actually had multiple installs previously.

[fruitbat]

Have it all up and running, great job, very useful and easy to use

Thanks for the demo mission as well, its been very helpful to take a close look at it.

Now to build some more missions lol.

[ATAG_Bliss]

Oh yes, it's exactly what i looked for !!
Thanks a lot for sharing !!!
I have tested "Clod Watchdog" with success, it's really a step forward for begginers in server creation

Good news! Glad it helped you out

Thanks Bliss,
The reason I asked is that I have just one game install& use JGSME to switch the various maddox.ddl's & kegetys.dll's in & out as needed depending upon which game/mod version I'm working on. So I've never actually had multiple installs previously.

Ahh, I didn't even think of JGSME. I just have a whole bunch of installs all over my hard drive

Have it all up and running, great job, very useful and easy to use

Thanks for the demo mission as well, its been very helpful to take a close look at it.

Now to build some more missions lol.

Good deal. It should keep it running for months/years/decades on end Glad it helped.

[SoW Reddog]

So if I copy the files to another location and have 2 launcher.exes, do I still need 2 steam accounts?

[ATAG_Bliss]

Nope. Just one account is all that's needed.

[ATAG_Colander]

FYI, for a dedicated server, the steam account running it doesn't even need to own the game.
You can use a generic account but will need an account with the game to install it and verify it (if ever needed).

[ATAG_Slipstream]

Wow, I wish I had even quarter of the talent Colander has with programming.

Thanks so much for this. Its has so many uses and its quick than setting up a single player mission.

Regards.

[450caveman]

Hi Bliss,

I got the launcher to work but now have a new problem when loading your map?? see below

Sending:
Connected.
Sent:

Command succesfull.
Closing Connection
Loading Mission...
Launcher Mission Start
Sending:
missLoad "C:\Users\450\Documents\1C SoftClub\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover - MOD\missions\Multi\Dogfight\RadarMission\RadarsEar ly.mis"

Connected.
Sent:
missLoad "C:\Users\450\Documents\1C SoftClub\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover - MOD\missions\Multi\Dogfight\RadarMission\RadarsEar ly.mis"

Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Waiting for: "Mission loaded."
Unable to read data from the transport connection: A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond.
Generic Error Called
Sent
Closing Connection

let me know what it is doing thank you.

[ATAG_Bliss]

Hi Caveman,

I've seen that error before and am trying to remember exactly what the problem was. I'm away from home this week so I can't test to try to duplicate it. But if I remember right, I believe the issue is that you are trying to load a mission file from the documents/1CsoftClub version that doesn't coincide with the version of the launcher.exe. What I mean by that is if you have vanilla (non-modded) clod as your launcher.exe but are trying to load your mission from the documents/1csoftclub/il2-mod folder instead of the non modded folder or vice versa. Again, I'm just doing this from memory, but I think that's what the issue is.

Please let me know.