[SOLVED] -sessionid / lock wierdness

this isn't really a help ... cuase I know how to fix it ,,,

every now and then (once a every 2 weeks ish) i cant start xonotic ... and get this

Quake Error: session lock /home/hutty/.xonotic/lock could not be acquired. Please run with -sessionid and an unique session name.

I fix it by deleting the lock file

what is this file ? why does it keep appearing?

The lock is created when you start the game. It's deleted when you quit the game. How do you quit xonotic?

Oops, got it wrong.

are you sure the file is supposed to be deleted at exit?

cause... i always have this file...

I don't have a .lock file in .xonotic/ when was it introduced?

are you sure the file is supposed to be deleted at exit?

cause... i always have this file...

Right, it isn't. Darkplaces requests a write lock on the lock file, which can only be done by one program at once. The write lock should be cleared when you quit the game.

hutty, can you run this command in a terminal? lsof ~/.xonotic/lock

Spaceman, it's not .lock, it's lock. No idea when it was introduced.

... but .. what does it do

besides make things not work

It prevents two instances of xonotic running at the same time (for example client and server, or two servers) using the same keys and databases. Apparently, xonotic fails to get a write lock on the lockfile and that makes it think an other instance is running.

Can you do the lsof thing I told you to do? Also ls -l ~/.xonotic/lock

ok... thanks

Please, can you do those two commands if it happens again? If it's a bug it has to be fixed. This is important for other users.

I figured it out ... its because I keep accidentally clicking on the dedicated server icon ... instead of the xonotic_sdl ... that starts a dedicated server ... and locks the system up ...

stupid missclicks ... also ... we could really use some app icons for linux ... if possible

Make a launcher. You can re-use arch linux's: glx, sdl
Just change the path to the Icon. You can get the png icons here if they aren't included in the release. Then put these .desktop files in your ~/.local/share/applications. It should then be accessible in the program list or something like that. Depends on your DE.

There's a standing feature request in the dev tracker to include .desktop files in the release. If this gets accepted, it will still be the packager's job to put these .desktop files in the right place. Don't expect working launchers for programs that don't come in packages for your distro, you usually have to make them yourself. That's because the xonotic package isn't an installer, so it doesn't install files on your system that add icons to the menus etc.

I want to host a server on my PC under Windows 7 but the lock file prevents me joining in with my other friends when i want to play.
How do i workaround the lock file so i can host the server but start the client at the same time ?

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LATER EDIT
Back with a solution (i guess) for windows users:
1. create a shortcut of xonotic-dedicated.exe and add after it -dedicated +serverconfig server.cfg, you should end up with something like this \game-location\xonotic-dedicated.exe -dedicated +serverconfig server.cfg or just use the bat file (for me it opens a second cmd.exe window using the bat file, must be related so windows 7 i think)
2. create a shorcut of xonotic.exe and after it add -sessionid 2, you should end up with something like this \game-location\xonotic.exe -sessionid 2
3. start the xonotic server
4. start the client and have fun

Why run a dedicated server like this? A listen server may not be so good for performance for many player slots but if you want to play the game it is better to do it this way and avoid the lock file problem.

edh: a listen server's framerate is capped by the running client's FPS rate.

A small server with 12 slots is not much i say .

I meant to answer to your question later when I have more time, but it seems you found it! Although this is not actually the way it's meant to be done. The right way, I think, would be to edit the -sessionid into server_windows.bat.

Also, for your information, you can use more descriptive session IDs (i.e. a word). The session ID is used in filenames, too, so don't use a different one every time. For example, the session ID will have its own crypto keys and databases generated.

That`s good to know Bougo, on the other side romanians don`t play much Xonotic, their minds are trapped in CS and WOW, games that i don`t think are all original
They fail to see that open source has evolved...