Max length for character names

[bluap]

I've just fixed a crash-the-client bug in new_character.c. Acelon reported that if you attempt to create a character with the maximum length name, the client crashed. This turned out to be because the server rejects the name causing the client to attempt a reconnect. The reconnect caused a recursive call to draw_scene(). I've fixed the recursion and put in some error reporting as the error when was not reported before. The question is why can you type a name larger than the server will accept? ....

 

The server reports that the maximum length for a character name is 15. The test for typing the new character name used "> MAX_USERNAME_LENGTH" but MAX_USERNAME_LENGTH is defined as 16. Therefore you could enter names of length of 16 or 17. I've changed the code to use ">=MAX_USERNAME_LENGTH" but this is still one too many. May be the extra char is for storing the `\0' and we should use ">=MAX_USERNAME_LENGTH-1" but here's a complication. At the login screen you can happy type 17 characters for your name. Using 17 appears to be reject by the server, however using 16 you get a "player does not exist" error. Does that mean 16 character names are really OK. Both put characters past the input box limits.

 

So should MAX_USERNAME_LENGTH be set to 15?

Should 16 character login names be allowed?

Should we leave MAX_USERNAME_LENGTH set to 16 and test ">=MAX_USERNAME_LENGTH-1" for user input?

 

Any thoughts?

Edited June 28, 2008 by bluap

[bkc56]

Any thoughts?

There have long been problems with people using long names (like "lochnesslobster"). Sometimes the names are fine, sometimes they fail in commands. I don't remember which commands (might be buddy list related) but the problems have been around "forever".

 

I always figured it was coding inconsistencies (max_length vs max_length-1 or > vs >=).

 

In order to fix this, the define and every usage of the define will need to be checked for consistent usage and testing conditions.