FAQ for Win32 PennMUSH

I get an error message about not finding MUSH.CFG (or MUSH.CNF) when I start up the PennMUSH server.

You must have a MUSH configuration file in the same directory as PENNMUSH.EXE. The exact name of the file has changed over the years from:

• MUSH.CONF to
• MUSH.CNF to
• MUSH.CFG to
• MUSH.CNF (again)

If you are using version 1.7.2, the correct configuration file name is MUSH.CNF. Make sure that you have that file name and not something similar (but not the same). For example, MUSH.CNF.DST is not the same file name as MUSH.CNF.

I start up the PennMUSH server, and then see the "hourglass" for a few seconds, and then the command prompt again. What happened?

The latest versions of the server do not write error messages (or indeed, any messages) to the screen, but to a file called GAME.LOG in the LOG subdirectory. Use a text editor (eg. Notepad) to examine the contents of that file. Perhaps you have not got a correctly named MUSH.CNF file?

How do I connect to the server on my own PC without having to dial into my Internet Service Provider?

Connect to TCP/IP address 127.0.0.1. Alternatively, type "localhost" as the name of the server. In either case, you will connect to your own PC, without having to use your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

I have copied a database over from a Unix version of PennMUSH, but the Win32 version does not seem to recognise the passwords for any of my characters. What do I do?

Because of export restrictions, the Win32 version of PennMUSH uses a password hashing algorithm, rather than an encryption algorithm. This is very secure because even someone who looks at the database file cannot work out what your password is. However it is not compatible with databases produced by the Unix version of PennMUSH. To fix this, you will need to convert the passwords.

To do this, close down the MUSH and edit the "in.db" file (the database) - it might be called "indb" rather than "in.db". Somewhere around lines 35 to 50 you should see the password attribute for character number 1 (the god character), like this:

]XYXXY^1^54
"XX34460340552242397008"

Just change the second line (the encrypted password) to be an unencrypted password of your choice, eg.

]XYXXY^1^54
"MYPASSWORD"

Then restart the MUSH and use MYPASSWORD to log onto the god character. You can then use the @password command to change it so that it gets encrypted next time it is written out.

After that you can @newpassword your other characters, and advise them of their new passwords. Once they log in they can change them back to what they were.

I am using Windows NT, and can start up the server OK in a command window, but get an error message when I try to install it as a service.

You may not have sufficient privileges to do so. Use the "User Manager" (or "User Manager for Domains") to view User Rights (from the Policies menu). Click on "Show Advanced User Rights", and use the drop-down list to look at the right called "Log on as a service".

Make sure that the user who is installing or starting up the PennMUSH server has that right. ie. Click on "Add" and add your name to the "Grant to" list for that right.

Also, make sure you are running the server from a local drive, not a network drive. You cannot execute services from network drives.

Can you give detailed instructions for setting up the PennMUSH server?

Click on setting up a MUSH server for extensive instructions.

How do I recompile the PennMUSH server?

Click on how to compile version 1.7.2 under Win32 for details about how to recompile the server. You normally wouldn't need to do that, unless you want to add site-specific code. You will need to understand how to program in C in order to make such changes.

Do I need to recompile to change MUSH options?

The link configuration directives shows the options that can be changed by editing MUSH.CNF. If a particular option is not already in MUSH.CNF then it will take the default value shown in the table.

@config <type>

where <type> is the type of directive (given in brackets at the start of a group of directives). For example:

@config attribs

Putting an option in the MUSH.CNF file

For each option you want, just add a line to MUSH.CNF like this:

option value

player_listen no

Where can I get more information about PennMUSH?

Visit the PennMUSH web site: http://www.pennmush.org

Comments to Gammon Software support