Server fails to start with 1.8.4

[1stone]

I used to run this server successful up to the latest september "Seed hotfix" (57ff8f5a). But after pulling your latest changes for 1.8.4 (612de52e) the server refuses to start anymore.

This is what the log shows, with repeating the last message over and over in fast repetition:

...
GameStat.ShowFriendPlayerOnMap = True
GameStat.ShowSpawnWindow = False
GameStat.ShowWindow =
GameStat.ShowZombieCounter = False
GameStat.TimeLimitActive = False
GameStat.TimeLimitThisRound = 0
GameStat.TimeOfDayIncPerSec = 20
GameStat.ZombieHordeMeter = False
2018-11-01T09:15:48 42.750 INF StartAsServer
NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at NGuiWdwInGameHUD.Update () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

(Filename:  Line: -1)

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at PowerItem.SetValuesFromBlock () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
  at PowerConsumer.SetValuesFromBlock () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
  at PowerItem.read (System.IO.BinaryReader _br, Byte _version) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
  at PowerRangedTrap.read (System.IO.BinaryReader _br, Byte _version) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
  at PowerManager.Read (System.IO.BinaryReader br) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
  at PowerManager.LoadPowerManager () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
  at GameManager+VI.MoveNext () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
  at UnityEngine.SetupCoroutine.InvokeMoveNext (IEnumerator enumerator, IntPtr returnValueAddress) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

(Filename:  Line: -1)

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at NGuiWdwInGameHUD.Update () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

(Filename:  Line: -1)

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at NGuiWdwInGameHUD.Update () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

(Filename:  Line: -1)

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at NGuiWdwInGameHUD.Update () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

Any clues what might be wrong here?

If you require the full log, just let me know. And thanks for your ongoing support to this wonderful mod!

[1stone]

I tried 1.8.4B (d505f1c) today, but that shows the same problem.

[KhaineGB]

The only thing I would suggest is nuking the server and fully reinstalling. I tested 1.8.4B on Ubuntu 16.04 for servers and locally on my laptop (Windows 10). No issues with either of them.

But it looks like you have a GUI/HUD problem (which shouldn't matter on a server anyway, so that's odd) AND an issue with the power system.

[1stone]

Well, no luck so far. I reinstalled 7d2d engine from scratch (Build ID 2222523). If I apply DarknessFallsServerBBM45 up to 57ff8f5 the server starts fine. As soon as I go beyond that (commit 612de52 or higher) the server hits that endless repeating error. Going back to 57ff8f5 after that, makes the server work again.

So I would conclude that something particular in commit 612de52 is causing the problem.

Do you have any hints what to try else?

[KhaineGB]

Actually... something occurred to me.

In 1.8.4, I added extra engines to the generator bank so folks have options... so find this bugger.

block id="2001" name="generatorbank"

Try changing this...

property name="SlotItem" value="smallEngine,bigEngine,V8Engine"

...to this.

property name="SlotItem" value="smallEngine"

That should make it the same as vanilla and only needs to be done server-side. The reason I thought of that is because it would affect the GUI AND the power system. I'm going to try it out on my single player game and server, but I don't have any NRE's on boot... which is why I'm a bit confused.

[KhaineGB]

Yep. I was right. I looked at the difference between the two commits.

property name="SlotItem" value="smallEngine,largeEngine,V8Engine"

largeEngine doesn't exist. It was changed to bigEngine. I don't get why that was uploaded though because my local file has the right one.

The caveat to this is that I tried changing it from bigEngine to largeEngine locally just to see if I would get the same error... and I don't.

So if it's not that, I'm out of ideas.

[1stone]

Thanks for your response Khaine. I appreciate your support - just as much as your wonderful mod.

I tried what you suggested, but it doesn't solve the problem.

As things start to go wrong starting with commit 612de52, I had a closer look at the difference to the previous commit:

# git diff --summary 57ff8f5 612de52
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/1.0/DefaultWsdlHelpGenerator.aspx
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/1.0/machine.config
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/1.0/DefaultWsdlHelpGenerator.aspx
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/1.0/machine.config
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/2.0/Browsers/Compat.browser
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/2.0/DefaultWsdlHelpGenerator.aspx
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/2.0/machine.config
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/2.0/settings.map
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/2.0/web.config
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/browscap.ini
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/config
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/etc/mono/mconfig/config.xml
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Mono/mono.dll
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Plugins/CSteamworks.dll
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Plugins/EasyAntiCheat.dll
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Plugins/InControlNative.dll
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Plugins/XInputInterface64.dll
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Plugins/eac_server.dll
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Plugins/getrss.dll
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Plugins/steam_api64.dll
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Resources/unity default resources
 create mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/Resources/unity_builtin_extra
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/globalgamemanagers
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/globalgamemanagers.assets
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/level0
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/menumusic.resource
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/sharedassets0-orig.assets
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/sharedassets0.assets
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/sharedassets0.assets.resS
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/sharedassets0.resource
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/sharedassets1.assets
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/sharedassets1.assets.resS
 delete mode 100644 7DaysToDieServer_Data/sharedassets1.resource
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/V8Engine.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/bigEngine.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/carArmoured.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/carSeat.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/carSteering.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/carsfordumbshits.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/hellGoatBikeChassisOnly.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/proBikeHandlebars.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/proBikeSeat.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/proBikeWheels.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/roadHogChassis.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/robustBikeChassis.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/DarknessFalls/ItemIcons/ui_game_symbol_roadhog.png
 create mode 100644 Mods/SDX/Resources/CarArmour.unity3d
 create mode 100644 Mods/SDX/Resources/HornetSounds.unity3d
 create mode 100644 Mods/SDX/Resources/JaxTeller718RoadHogHorns.unity3d
 create mode 100644 Mods/SDX/Resources/JaxTeller718RoadHogSounds2.unity3d
 create mode 100644 Mods/SDX/Resources/Lift4x8.unity3d
 create mode 100644 Mods/SDX/Resources/RoadHog.unity3d
 create mode 100644 Mods/SDX/Resources/Vehicles.unity3d

Now, I don't have any experience in modding 7DTD, but for me this looks like a lot of files you don't want to have in there. The added dirs Mono, Plugins and Resources in 7DaysToDieServer_Data seem to be components from your local Windows-7DTD installation. After removing those, the server started again!

[KhaineGB]

Huh... how did those little sods get in there?!

I know how the resources.assets files got in there... it's because I use them on single player to provide the custom music and background. The mono stuff? No idea. I'm usually more careful than that!

But thanks for the help. Will go remove those now. :)

[KhaineGB]

And removed, so only the Managed folder exists in 7DaysToDieServer_Data now. :)

[1stone]

And removed, so only the Managed folder exists in 7DaysToDieServer_Data now. :)

How about that one? Your repository contains also a lot of files in that folder, which are identical to Steam distribution. A diff between the vanilla dir and your mod shows this:

# diff -urq /home/sdtd/engine/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/ DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/
Files /home/sdtd/engine/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/Assembly-CSharp.dll and DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/Assembly-CSharp.dll differ
Files /home/sdtd/engine/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/Assembly-CSharp-firstpass.dll and DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/Assembly-CSharp-firstpass.dll differ
Files /home/sdtd/engine/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/Assembly-UnityScript.dll and DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/Assembly-UnityScript.dll differ
Files /home/sdtd/engine/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/Assembly-UnityScript-firstpass.dll and DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/Assembly-UnityScript-firstpass.dll differ
Files /home/sdtd/engine/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/UnityEngine.dll and DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/UnityEngine.dll differ
Only in DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/: Mods.dll
Only in DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/: Mods.pdb
Only in DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/: SDX.Core.dll
Only in DarknessFallsServerBBM45/7DaysToDieServer_Data/Managed/: SDX.Payload.dll

For the last 4 I would assume, that you added them as they may be required for your mod. Not sure about the Assembly files and UnityEngine. All other files are identical and probably don't belong in your repository, or do they?