Presenting openMSsig! (source only)

[Sp4z]

Over my winter break, I decided to write an open-source MS sig generator. Why? I thought it'd be a fun and useful project, and would help me learn about dynamic image generation with PHP and how to use .htaccess to do cool things like access the script at http://www.site.com/sig/yourIGNhere instead of http://www.site.com/sig/sig.php?char=yourIGNhere. I'm also a little sick of the reinventing the wheel that goes on. We've been through how many accuracy calculators?

Update: Thanks to all who have used openMSsig and contributed suggestions and bug reports. Having a giant thread for it is a bit unwieldy, so I'm moving openMSsig to a sourceforge page. Another reason is that I can host the download there instead of on my cs.stevens.edu space, which I will lose upon graduating. I will no longer put new versions on my cs.stevens.edu space, only "patch" directories of changed files between versions, at least until I have a real patching method.

Right now, the sourceforge page has a tracker for bug reports, feature requests, and support requests, download of the current version, and a forum. No sourceforge login is required for any of that. Please use the tracker and forum if you need help or have a bug report or feature request.

In the future, I'll have documentation on the sourceforge as well.

I may or may not see anything posted here from now on.

Requirements:

• PHP 5.0 or higher
• GD Image PHP extension with FreeType support
• PCRE (perl-compatible regular expressions) PHP extension (this one is enabled by default, it shouldn't be a problem)
• http fopen wrapper enabled. (enabled by default but some hosts turn this off)
• If you want users to be able to access the sig by anything other than MSsig.php?char=theirIGN you must be using Apache. One of the options for changing how it can be accessed requires the mod_rewrite Apache module.

I do not have the resources to host my sig generator for the general sleepywood community; however, a friend and guildmate of mine has graciously agreed to host it if I limit access to friends and guildmates, so here's an example of it in action:



(if that gets taken down or moved, here is a static example):

OGM Spoiler!

The script allows many different background images to be stored on the server, with a corresponding background configuration file for each. Background configuration files contain information on what kinds of things to draw on the background image (character image, name, level, etc) and properties of those things (x and y of where to draw, color, size, font, etc). Background configuration is somewhat inflexible right now; it does not allow more than one of the same object to be drawn, specifying the order of drawing, specifying properties after character data has been fetched, or having what is drawn depend on character data. Nevertheless, it should be sufficient for most needs. Version 2's layout format fixes these problems.

By default, the script is accessed via MSsig.php?char=yourIGNhere. If your hosting uses Apache and allows the use of .htaccess files, you can change how the script can be accessed by uncommenting the appropriate lines in the included .htaccess file. You can change it to MSsig.png?char=yourIGNhere, or yoursite.com/directory/yourIGNhere by either sending the user's browser a redirect or by going directly to the script. The redirect is not as clean as going directly to the script, but the latter option requires the mod_rewrite Apache module.

The background to use is specified by appending either "&bg=backgroundname" or "?bg=backgroundname" to the url, depending on how the host has the access set up. If the background is not specified, a default is used.

Installation instructions are included with the source. Please read them before asking for help. Questions, comments, suggestions, background submissions, and code are all welcome. The following features are already on the todo list:

• Server caching option, for both images and character data
• Adding character attributes from all the different kinds of character search (eg fame search). openMSsig will figure out how to get all attributes a layout needs in the least amount of searches
• Removing backwards compatibility for the original drawInfo format
• Using exceptions instead of return codes to signal errors
• rankDelta key for charInfo
• Factoring out things that depend on the rankings site into their own file, making for easier updating
• More power for layout authors to skip certain steps or replace with their own function. For example, custom authentication methods
• Custom error functions, allowing for example a "sorry, there was an error" image to be displayed
• Python GUI app, allowing people to design layouts without needing PHP and a web server to test and without having to manually write the layout file
• Support for other versions of MS?
• Option for allowing user-specified background and parameters?

Code written by Sp4z, except expTable.php written by regelus (with help from Hidden Street's experience numbers). Sample background image made by regelus. Sample background configuration made by Sp4z. Job images, world images, immigrant image, character and pet images are owned by Nexon.

All code is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. This means that you can do whatever you want with it, including modify it, distribute it, use for commmercial or noncommercial purposes, relicense it, possibly under a closed source license - as long as you retain the "originally written by ..." line.

[Milelke]

I dont like installing anything.
Good idea though, even though theres like, 3 other sig generators
OSS=good

[Milelke]

OSS?
Im sorry, this is one thing i dont know about computers, ill be honest, i really dont see a humongous difference, mabye thier might be a small difference but, nvm.
Just- Whats OSS

[Crimsonmyst]

Originally Posted by Milelke

No offense, but dont we already have a free, to public /no burn/ and better looking sig generator./no burn/
Im not trying to be offensive but really.
I dont like installing anything.
Good idea though, even though theres like, 3 other sig generators

Better looking? It's whatever you want it to look like. Some people like taking the time to customize their signatures. Personally, I don't care but nice work.

[SleepyB7]

Ooh, this looks fun! :D *downloads and jumps on the new sig bandwagon*

First we had that kind of lame one, then the henesys one that EVERYONE has now, and now this. :3

:D

EDIT: Too bad I have no place to upload this too. Well, I could somewhere, but I'm too lazy. Maybe I'll do this later xdd

[Zankarst]

Hey, that's pretty useful, was wondering if someone would actually do something like this.

[Milelke]

OH
OSS
OMG YAAY
just what i wanted
*edits first post*

[UltraNova2]

That's very selfless of you to release the source... I respect that trait :D
Nice work.

[simon311A]

Thanks :D

[ramenXramen]

wow
very generous of you :D
thx :D:D