server data handling

The Mana server, as a MMORPG server, will need rather a lot of different data. Depending on their scope, the data can used by the server, the client or both. Maintainers usually tend to put data used by both in the client data along with the rest, and have the server points to it using the clientDataPath option from manaserv.xml.

The following section will now attempt to describe what data is useful where, and why.

Required data

Data used only by the servers

The server requires only a few configuration files, located at the path corresponding to the serverDataPath manaserv.xml value.

File Required Description
[manaserv.xml](manaserv.xml.md) Yes Main configuration file.
[maps.xml](maps.xml.md) Yes Map name to integer ID translation used internally to speed computation.
[permissions.xml](permissions.xml.md) No File used to set up account's permissions. Without it, you can't set up admin players.

Data used by both the client and the servers

File Required by the server Required by the client Description
[attributes.xml](attributes.xml.md) Yes Yes
(No for old servers)
Attributes description and characters starting points. This file is only used by and required for playing with a Mana server.
[equip.xml](equip.xml.md) Yes Yes Equipment slots description.
[items.xml](items.xml.md) Yes Yes Items description.
[skills.xml](skills.xml.md) No No Skills description.
map files
(`maps/*.tmx`)
Yes Yes Map files. Their fienames must be in sync with the [maps.xml](maps.xml.md) file.
[monsters.xml](monsters.xml.md) No No Monsters description. Without it, no monsters will be available to your world, though.
[specials.xml](specials.xml.md) No No Special attack descriptions.