Added at_server_start() and at_server_stop() hooks to allow users to safely initialize their custom systems whenever the server restarts.

game/gamesrc/conf/at_server_startstop.py

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+"""
+This module contains functions that are imported and called by the
+server whenever it changes its running status. At the point these
+functions are run, all applicable hooks on individual objects have
+already been executed. The main purpose of this is module is to have a
+safe place to initialize eventual custom modules that your game needs
+to start up or load.
+
+The module should define at least these global functions: 
+
+at_server_start() 
+at_server_stop() 
+
+The module used is defined by settings.AT_SERVER_STARTSTOP_MODULE.
+
+"""
+
+def at_server_start():
+    """
+    This is called every time the server starts up (also after a
+    reload or reset).
+    """
+    pass
+
+def at_server_stop():
+    """
+    This is called just before a server is shut down, reloaded or
+    reset.
+    """
+    pass

game/gamesrc/conf/connection_screens.py

@@ -1,20 +1,23 @@
-#
-# This module holds textual connection screen definitions.  All global
-# string variables (only) in this module are read by Evennia and
-# assumed to define a Connection screen. You can change which module is 
-# used with settings.CONNECTION_SCREEN_MODULE. 
-#
-# The names of the string variables doesn't matter (except they
-# shouldn't start with _), but each should hold a string defining a
-# connection screen - as seen when first connecting to the game
-# (before having logged in).
-#
-# OBS - If there are more than one string variable viable in this
-# module, a random one is picked!
-#
-# After adding new connection screens to this module you must either
-# reboot or reload the server to make them available.
-#
+"""
+ This module holds textual connection screen definitions.  All global
+ string variables (only) in this module are read by Evennia and
+ assumed to define a Connection screen.  
+
+ The names of the string variables doesn't matter (except they
+ shouldn't start with _), but each should hold a string defining a
+ connection screen - as seen when first connecting to the game
+ (before having logged in).
+
+ OBS - If there are more than one string variable viable in this
+ module, a random one is picked!
+
+ After adding new connection screens to this module you must either
+ reboot or reload the server to make them available.
+
+You can change which module is used with
+settings.CONNECTION_SCREEN_MODULE.
+
+"""
 
 from src.utils import utils 
 from src.commands.connection_screen import DEFAULT_SCREEN

game/gamesrc/conf/lockfuncs.py

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ arguments should be handled (excess ones calling magic (*args,
 eventual tracebacks by logging the error and returning False.
 
 See many more examples of lock functions in src.locks.lockfuncs. 
+
 """
 
 def myfalse(accessing_obj, accessed_obj, *args, **kwargs):

game/gamesrc/conf/oobfuncs.py

@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
-#
-# Example module holding functions for out-of-band protocols to
-# import and map to given commands from the client. This module 
-# is selected by settings.OOB_FUNC_MODULE. 
-# 
-# All functions defined global in this module will be available
-# for the oob system to call. They will be called with a session/character
-# as first argument (depending on if the session is logged in or not), 
-# following by any number of extra arguments. The return value will
-# be packed and returned to the oob protocol and can be on any form. 
-#
+"""
+ Example module holding functions for out-of-band protocols to
+ import and map to given commands from the client. This module 
+ is selected by settings.OOB_FUNC_MODULE. 
+ 
+ All functions defined global in this module will be available
+ for the oob system to call. They will be called with a session/character
+ as first argument (depending on if the session is logged in or not), 
+ following by any number of extra arguments. The return value will
+ be packed and returned to the oob protocol and can be on any form. 
+"""
 
 def testoob(character, *args, **kwargs):
     "Simple test function"

game/manage.py

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ from src.settings_default import *
 ###################################################
 
 ###################################################
-# Evennia in-game parsers
+# Evennia pluggable modules
 ###################################################
 
 ###################################################

src/server/server.py

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from src.scripts.models import ScriptDB
 from src.server.models import ServerConfig
 from src.server import initial_setup
 
-from src.utils.utils import get_evennia_version
+from src.utils.utils import get_evennia_version, mod_import
 from src.comms import channelhandler
 from src.server.sessionhandler import SESSIONS
 
@@ -35,8 +35,12 @@ if os.name == 'nt':
     # For Windows we need to handle pid files manually.
     SERVER_PIDFILE = os.path.join(settings.GAME_DIR, 'server.pid')
 
+# a file with a flag telling the server to restart after shutdown or not.
 SERVER_RESTART = os.path.join(settings.GAME_DIR, 'server.restart')
 
+# module containing hook methods 
+SERVER_HOOK_MODULE = mod_import(settings.AT_SERVER_STARTSTOP_MODULE)
+
 # i18n
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 
@@ -158,6 +162,9 @@ class Evennia(object):
         [(o.typeclass, o.at_init()) for o in ObjectDB.get_all_cached_instances()]
         [(p.typeclass, p.at_init()) for p in PlayerDB.get_all_cached_instances()]
 
+        # call server hook.
+        SERVER_HOOK_MODULE.at_server_start()         
+
     def terminal_output(self):
         """
         Outputs server startup info to the terminal.
@@ -221,12 +228,14 @@ class Evennia(object):
                 [(o.typeclass, o.at_server_shutdown()) for o in ObjectDB.get_all_cached_instances()]    
             else: # shutdown
                 [(o.typeclass, o.at_disconnect(), o.at_server_shutdown()) for o in ObjectDB.get_all_cached_instances()]    
+
             [(p.typeclass, p.at_server_shutdown()) for p in PlayerDB.get_all_cached_instances()]
-            [(s.typeclass, s.at_server_shutdown()) for s in ScriptDB.get_all_cached_instances()]            
+            [(s.typeclass, s.at_server_shutdown()) for s in ScriptDB.get_all_cached_instances()]                        
             
             ServerConfig.objects.conf("server_restart_mode", "reset")
-            
+                    
         if not _abrupt:
+            SERVER_HOOK_MODULE.at_server_stop()
             reactor.callLater(0, reactor.stop)
         if os.name == 'nt' and os.path.exists(SERVER_PIDFILE):
             # for Windows we need to remove pid files manually            

src/settings_default.py

@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ DATABASE_HOST = ''
 DATABASE_PORT = ''
 
 ###################################################
-# Evennia in-game parsers
+# Evennia pluggable modules 
 ###################################################
 
 # An alternate command parser module to use 
@@ -163,9 +163,14 @@ CONNECTION_SCREEN_MODULE = "game.gamesrc.conf.connection_screens"
 # the server's initial setup sequence (the very first startup of the system).
 # The check will fail quietly if module doesn't exist or fails to load. 
 AT_INITIAL_SETUP_HOOK_MODULE = "game.gamesrc.conf.at_initial_setup"
+# Module holding at_server_start(), at_server_reload() and
+# at_server_stop() methods. These methods will be called every time
+# the server starts, reloads and  resets/stops.
+AT_SERVER_STARTSTOP_MODULE = "game.gamesrc.conf.at_server_startstop"
 # Module holding server-side functions for out-of-band protocols to call.
 OOB_FUNC_MODULE = "game.gamesrc.conf.oobfuncs"
 
+
 ###################################################
 # Default command sets 
 ###################################################