GSoC: The Webserver
June 19, 2016This week I have upgraded the StorageWizardDialog. Instead of one big text field for code, we decided to put eight small text fields. The scummvm.org page shows the code you should enter, and each code group correctness is checked separately.
ScummVM also automatically checks that the whole code is correct, too. When you enter a valid code, «Connect» button becomes active and you can get your cloud storage working.
However, we don’t think that 40 symbols long code is an easy thing to enter. We’re working on different ways to simplify that task, and one of them — probably the ultimate one — is not to enter that code at all! To achieve that, we’re adding a local webserver into ScummVM. For now, it looks like this:
When you open the StorageWizardDialog in the ScummVM built with SDL_Net (i.e. with local webserver support), there are no fields. Only a short URL for you to visit.
When you do, you’re redirected to service page, where you can allow ScummVM to use that service’s API. When you press the «Allow» button, you’re automatically redirected to ScummVM’s local webserver’s page — and ScummVM automatically gets the code!
I’ve also done a few updates of cloud sync procedure, so now it automatically started when you connect to a storage, or when you save the game or when the autosave happen. The last time I said that if you decide to cancel the sync, the currently downloading file would be left damaged. Well, not anymore — such files are automatically removed.
Finally, we came up with the plan! :D
First, some of my GUI dialogs require more space than ScummVM can provide. So, we decided that I should implement a «container box» widget — an area with scrollbars, which would be providing more virtual space than we really have.
After I do that, I’d start working on cloud files management: users would be able to upload and download their game data right through ScummVM interface.
Then we’re going to add a «Wi-Fi sharing» feature. It basically means that local webserver would be also used to access files on the device through a browser. No more USB cables! You can copy files from your phone by clicking a link in your browser or upload files onto your phone with that.
Then comes the next cloud storage support — Box. I know nothing about it yet, but hopefully it should be similar to those three I already added.
And in the end, I’d work on those things that would make it easier to enter the code if your ScummVM doesn’t have the local webserver feature. Those are browser opening and clipboard support. So, ScummVM would be able to automatically open a browser for you to allow it to use storage’s API and you’d be able to copy the code and paste it in the ScummVM’s text fields. These are interesting features, but as far as I know, those are highly not portable. For example, there is ShellExecute on Windows and special Intent on Android, but no such thing in Unix. And not all platforms even have the clipboard. From the other hand, there is SDL_GetClipboardText()... in SDL2.
Anyway, I’ve got one (and probably the most difficult) exam to pass the next week. Yeah, an exam and the midterm at the same week. I hope I’ll be able to do at least that «container box» :D