Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!tikal!hplsla!ericb
From: ericb@hplsla.HP.COM (Eric Backus)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.bugs
Subject: Re: NetHack Woes
Message-ID: <5570001@hplsla.HP.COM>
Date: 8 Dec 87 18:35:58 GMT
References: <2361@killer.UUCP>
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA
Lines: 120

I just can't let this complaint go by.

My machine  runs HP-UX,  which is System V with some added  features.  I
was  thoroughly  impressed  by how easy it was to get  NetHack  running.
There is over a  megabyte  of source  code  here,  designed  on  various
different  computers,  and the  designers  probably have never even seen
HP-UX!  Mike and the rest have done an outstanding job.

I, too, ran into the '$<50>'  problem.  I don't know what the  'correct'
solution  should be, but I have a nap routine which is like sleep except
it does millisecond delays.  I put this instead of the old stuff:
	fflush(stdout);
	nap(50);
and now it works fine.  If anyone out there want this nap  routine,  let
me know.  Other than the  '$<50>'  problem,  my screen  looks just fine.
Note that even if you leave the code as-is, you can define  'nonull'  in
your HACKOPTIONS to avoid the messy output.

I had to comment out the 'extern' part of the declaration of 'ospeed' in
termcap.c.  I don't  know  why, but it  works.  This is the  ONLY  other
change I had to make to termcap.c.

I ran into the 'You stop to avoid hitting .'  problem, too.  I solved it
by removing  the block of code that stops you from  hitting your dog.  I
believe that this code should be removed anyway, since immediately after
it there is some code that will ASK you if you  really  want to do that.
I don't like being  absolutely  prevented  from  hitting my dog, even if
it's unlucky to do it.  Here's a context diff if anyone's interested:

*** fight.c.orig	Mon Dec  7 02:11:10 1987
--- fight.c	Mon Dec  7 02:12:07 1987
***************
*** 460,465
  	 * There is protection only if you're not blind, confused or
  	 * invisible.
  	 */
  	/*  changes by wwp 5/16/85 */
  	if (!Blind && !Confusion && !Hallucination
  	    && mdat->mlet == 'd' && mtmp->mtame) {

--- 460,466 -----
  	 * There is protection only if you're not blind, confused or
  	 * invisible.
  	 */
+ #ifdef	unused
  	/*  changes by wwp 5/16/85 */
  	if (!Blind && !Confusion && !Hallucination
  	    && mdat->mlet == 'd' && mtmp->mtame) {
***************
*** 472,477
  		    pline("You stop to avoid hitting your dog.");
  		return(TRUE);
  	}
  	if (flags.confirm && (mtmp->mpeaceful || mtmp->mtame) && ! Confusion
  	    && !Hallucination && !Invisible)
  

--- 473,479 -----
  		    pline("You stop to avoid hitting your dog.");
  		return(TRUE);
  	}
+ #endif	unused
  	if (flags.confirm && (mtmp->mpeaceful || mtmp->mtame) && ! Confusion
  	    && !Hallucination && !Invisible)



I also had a problem with rnd.c.  It uses 'random()' rather than 'rand()',
which I believe is a bug.  The file config.h sets up a definition of 'rand()'
appropriate for whatever version of UNIX you have.  Here's a context diff
if anyone's interested:

*** rnd.c.orig	Mon Dec  7 01:06:33 1987
--- rnd.c	Mon Dec  7 01:06:48 1987
***************
*** 2,8
   */
  #include	"config.h"
  #ifdef UNIX
! #define RND(x)	(random() % (x))
  #else
  /* Good luck: the bottom order bits are cyclic. */
  #define RND(x)	((rand()>>3) % (x))

--- 2,8 -----
   */
  #include	"config.h"
  #ifdef UNIX
! #define RND(x)	(rand() % (x))
  #else
  /* Good luck: the bottom order bits are cyclic. */
  #define RND(x)	((rand()>>3) % (x))



Finally, I have a couple minor bug reports/enhancement requests:

1)  Currently, the Makefile sets up the nethack directory as readable by
    anyone.  This seems like it encourages people to copy save files, to
    read the rumors  file, and to do a 'strings  nethack'  to figure out
    what's  going on.  On my machine, I make the nethack  directory  and
    all files in it unreadable.  The file  /usr/games/nethack,  which is
    the shell  script  that  starts  the game, must then be given  04755
    mode, and /usr/games/lib/nethack/nethack needs only 0750 mode.

2)  When a shell escape is done, or when an external  pager is called to
    look at the help files, SIGQUIT is left ignored.  This is minor, but
    it's  incorrect.  When the  mailer  is called  for a scroll of mail,
    SIGHUP and SIGINT are left ignored.  This, too, is incorrect.

3)  When I ask  nethack  what an 'r' is, it says it's a  rockmole.  It's
    also a rat sometimes.  The same may be true for kobolds also.

4)  The code that  absolutely  prevents you from hitting your dog should
    be removed,  leaving the code that asks for  confirmation  (and uses
    the HACKOPTION confirm).

			      - Eric Backus
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