SmartFoxServer Release Notes

SmartFoxServer PRO 1.6.2 :: Release Notes

1.6.2:

The SmartFoxServer PRO 1.6.2 release introduces the RedBox streaming audio/video free add-on:

The RedBox comes with new client side API that extend the standard SFS framework, new examples with source code and detailed documentation. The release comes under the open-source BSD license allowing redistribution and modification of the provided files.
A new section (chapter 10) of the documentation has been added with more informations about the RedBox usage.
The 1.6.2 update introduces a minor change in the logOut server-side event: it now passes a new parameter called user containing a reference to the User object.
It can be used like this:
```
	User theUser = (User) event.getObject("user");
```

1.6.1:

Server side:
- New configuration tag, <ExternalPolicyFile>: allows to specify an external text file containing the crossdomain policy to be served. The file must be located in the Server/ folder
- New configuration tag, <H2EnginePort>: allows to change the TCP port used by the internal H2 Database Engine.
- New configuration tag, <ASCompilerOptimizationLevel>: allows to tweak the optimization level of Actionscript extensions. The possible values are between -1 (no optimization) to 9 (max. optimization). By default this value is set to 9. If there are problems during runtime compilation you can try lower values or completely disable optimizations. We have found that it helps with very large extensions, when the compiler complains for the code size being too big.
- Fixed a bug that prevented the internal thread in the Scheduler class to be properly released.
- Fixed a bug preventing the auto-save of the buddy-block-flag in the Buddy List.
- Fixed a bug with the proper auto-detection of SFS IP address from the BlueBox side.
- Added a logging.properties file. The file was missing in the official 1.6.0 release, it can help fine tuning the logging level.

Client side:
- Added better Security Error handling in Actionscript 3.0 API. Error #2048 would cause the BlueBox connection to fail under Flash Player 9,0,115,0
- Fixed a bug in Actionscript 2.0 API preventing the connection failed event to be properly fired.

1.6.0:

With this new release SmartFoxServer offers a complete platform for developing sophisticated multiplayer games and applications which includes:

Feature-rich multiplayer server side framework supporting Java, Actionscript and Python.
Powerful integrated HTTP server for both static and dynamic contents.
Transparent Proxy/Firewall traversal add-on for optimal connectivity. ( BlueBox )
High-performance embedded database engine.

... making it the only software you need to deploy even the most advanced game/mmo/application.

» New features:

Integrated BlueBox :: Proxy/Firewall traversal add-on:
- high performance http tunnelling
- transparent connection redirection
- zero-configuration: set it and forget it
- no need to rewrite your application code: just recompile with the new API
- additional performance settings via client API
- support for Actionscript 2.0 and 3.0 API
- embedded 20 users free license

Buddy List 2.0 system:
- Persistent buddy variables
- Off-line buddy variables
- Block/Unblock users (black list)
- Buddy list permission requests
- Mutual add and remove buddy
- Support for custom persistence classes
- Database driven
- Added 6 new buddy-list related methods in the server side framework (Java/Actionscript/Python)

Extension interoperability:
- Simplifies communication between extensions, servlets and other objects
- Allows the creation of extension debugging and custom admin tools
- Extends application design possibilities

Embedded High Performance database engine:
- SmartFoxServer now embeds an H2 Database Server engine, an ultra-fast JDBC compliant database engine.
- Can be used for projects of any size
- Outperforms most popular database engines and it's very light on the resource consumption
- Comes with a web-based admin tool

Server side Scheduler:
- Simplifies handling multiple timed tasks
- Minimal performance impact (uses a single thread)
- All server side languages supported: Java, Actionscript, Python

Updated client side API for Actionscript 2.0 and 3.0:
- Embedded BlueBox support
- New loadConfig() method allows to keep connection and advanced settings in an external XML file
- Advanced BlueBox settings support
- New utility methods

Vastly rewritten documentation:
- New Actionscript 2.0 client API documentation
- New Actionscript 3.0 client API documentation
- New Python server side framework API documentation
- Updated server side Javadoc
- Each documentation section has been revised
- Currently bundling 50 examples with source code!

New examples with source code:
- Advanced Buddy List Demo (AS 2.0 and 3.0)
- Socket File Loader (demonstrates streaming images/swfs via socket)
- Server side Scheduler usage example
- Interoperability extension example
- Embedded database engine usage tutorial, demonstrating new ActionscriptObject features
- New AS 2.0 and 3.0 code templates

(Java) Server side ActionscriptObject class enhancements:
- Added support for Collections
- Added support for Maps
- Added support for DataRows (allow passing DB results directly)

Improved MacOS X support:
- New application launcher, no more terminal hacking
- Integrates with the dock
- Provides a convenient debug output-window

SmartFoxBits Community Edition v1.1:
New features:
- Recompiled with latest SmartFoxServer client API for full compatibility with SmartFoxServer 1.6
- New customLoginPage property added to the LoginBox to integrate the login process with an external server-side page for credentials validation
- New setMessagesQueue method added to the ChatBox to inject the chat history in the component's instance
- New refreshList method added to the UserList to force the update of the list items (useful in multi-frame applications)
- Updated the sorting behavior of RoomList and UserList: now the respective lists can be left unsorted by setting the sortOrder property to NOSORT
Bug fixes:
- Fixed wrong URL to the mCOM online documentation in the Flash help files and online documentation

» Bug fixes:

{ S } createRoom() creates Room Variables after init() method is called (FIXED)
{ S } setUserVariables() produces multiple <user> tags creating parsing problems on the client side (FIXED)
{ S } unrealiable JVM ShutdownHook code has been moved to timed thread (CHANGED)
{ S } better handling of nested exceptions/errors in EventWriter class (CHANGED)
{ S } Actionscript LoadVars.send() method throws a NPE exception (FIXED)
{ C } empty undefined password parameter in login() would send a "undefined" string as a password to the server side (FIXED)
{ C } wrong parameters in onLogin event / AS 3.0 docs (FIXED)

Legend: { S } = server side, { C } = client side