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07/21/17, 11:58 AM   #1
geisterfurz007
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
[outdated] Any ever so slight access to filesystem or databases

First of all: Yes I am aware of the potential misuse one could do if one had full access to the filesystem or even the Operating System which is why
Code:
io
and
Code:
os
most likely have been blocked from any use.

My use-case is not directly connected to the in-game UI but will involve a button to turn the feature I have in mind. This would be a service one could log-on to with a discord-server which would then either adjust the volumes of active people or move them in seperate channels based on the distance they are apart from each other which is something I would love to have and many RP-community members might agree.
However I already fail at one of the easier steps (at least based on what I was hoping): Somehow getting a location change out of the game so that I can use it in an external (web)service to proceed further on.

By now I failed using os, io and luasql.mysql.
The variable file could in theory only be used when the addon is unloaded which would make smaller location changes impossible to track.

I cannot see any problem with accessing a database from the first place (maybe I am missing anything though) as the change could only be observed by external programs that would have to run on the machine as well or on a webservice that could not directly harm the machine.
Another idea would be a (flag-)file with maximum one line of content that could be detected (which then would require an external program as well).

Last edited by geisterfurz007 : 07/21/17 at 12:01 PM. Reason: Suggestions
 
07/21/17, 03:13 PM   #2
Ayantir
 
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Why people are still asking this after 3 years of NO from Zos ?

Please don't use this forum if it's your first post. Start writing addon, and then come back.
 
07/21/17, 04:03 PM   #3
geisterfurz007
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
Because I could not find this NO anywhere even during researching... I would be happy to read an official statement!
Again I understand the reason for the current restriction, but there has to be a way of opening some sort of outward connection without opening all gates.

And regarding the first post thing: I am unsure if I wrote it hard to understand, but... This would be the first step I would have to take to realize the add-on I have in mind. There is no other stuff I can do before I do not have any clues how the information would (if at all) be transfered out of the game. I can write the web-app if I know that a script will be sending coordinates or the region name. I can create the database if changes are done in that, but I will not do that without knowing that it will be the way to go.
And there are no other add-ons I have in mind to create. I just thought that this custom voice chat could be a nice addition.
 
07/21/17, 06:31 PM   #4
Ayantir
 
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ALL Lua libs are blocked except string and math.

After 3 years, ZOS start to consider time functions, and I'm even not sure they finally took their decision.
 
07/21/17, 07:16 PM   #5
Dolgubon
 
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Originally Posted by geisterfurz007 View Post
Because I could not find this NO anywhere even during researching... I would be happy to read an official statement!
Again I understand the reason for the current restriction, but there has to be a way of opening some sort of outward connection without opening all gates.
You can kind of effectively consider the consistent hiding of those functions for three years as the official statement.
 
07/22/17, 01:15 AM   #6
sirinsidiator
 
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I think what Ayantir is trying to say is that new authors without any addon experience more often than not are just missing something and shouldn't start with asking ZOS for something and instead ask other authors in the general authoring discussion forum first. In your case it looks like you did your research, so I think it is fine. I also think the question is valid and hasn't been asked in that way before.

Sending incoming data to other machines is a direct violation of the TOS and allowing addons to access the filesystem would enable them to just do that. Addons like Tamriel Trade Center and Nirn Auction House are currently tolerated, but could be taken down at any moment. In the past they also took action to lock down functions that would allow to send data to other programs or users in an automated fashion (e.g. functions to copy to clipboard and send chat messages). This should tell you what their official answer to the question will be, but it won't hurt to ask and get it answered once and for all.

Aside from that, even with no way to use it for outside communication I would love to see a database backend inside the game. It would allow addons that heavily rely on data to considerably improve their performance (e.g. Master Merchant, Furniture Catalog). Being able to write sql queries would also reduce the amount of code I would need for some very specific usecases.
 
07/24/17, 08:15 AM   #7
ZOS_ChipHilseberg
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Our concern is with real time communication to programs outside of the game. There are certain design choices made about what information should be available to other players which could be violated by allowing file writing like this. A solution to your problem would be a lot more restricted than allowing arbitrary data to be written to files at any time. Discussion in the direction of allowing safe data (as dictated by the game design) to be shared in real time is fine. It's just not something we've put a lot of though into at this time.
 

ESOUI » Developer Discussions » Wish List » [outdated] Any ever so slight access to filesystem or databases

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