Patched the batch-processor's interactive mode so it will not abort if it processes an object/script parent that changes the player's state. Also added a variable BATCH_IMPORT_PATH to config so one can keep all batch scripts in one location and don't have to write the full path to get them. Default is the new directory game/gamesrc/world.

Added the permission genperms.admin_nostate so that builders can avoid entering a state when working on a room with a state-changing parent. Superusers have to set the flag ADMIN_NOSTATE on themselves to achieve the same effect (this is necessary since superusers always have all permissions, so they would otherwise never be able to enter states).
/Griatch

src/commands/batchprocess.py

@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ An example batch file is found in game/gamesrc/commands/examples.
 """
 import os
 import re
+from django.conf import settings
 from src import logger
 from src import defines_global
 from src.cmdtable import GLOBAL_CMD_TABLE
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ from src.statetable import GLOBAL_STATE_TABLE
 
 #global defines for storage
 
-STATENAME="interactive batch processor"
+STATENAME="_interactive batch processor"
 CMDSTACKS={} # user:cmdstack pairs (for interactive)
 STACKPTRS={} # user:stackpointer pairs (for interactive)
 FILENAMES={} # user:filename pairs (for interactive/reload)
@@ -69,8 +70,10 @@ cnorm = r"%cn"
 def read_batchbuild_file(filename):
     """
     This reads the contents of batchfile.
+    Filename is considered to be the name of the batch file
+    relative the directory specified in settings.py
     """    
-    filename = os.path.abspath(filename)
+    filename = os.path.abspath("%s/%s" % (settings.BATCH_IMPORT_PATH, filename))
     try:
         f = open(filename)
     except IOError:
@@ -191,12 +194,15 @@ def cmd_batchprocess(command):
     #parse indata file
     commands = parse_batchbuild_file(filename)
     if not commands:
-        source_object.emit_to("'%s'\ncould not be found. Remember that you have to supply the absolute path to the file." % filename)
+        source_object.emit_to("'%s' not found.\nYou have to supply the real path to the file relative to \nyour batch-file directory (e.g. game/gamesrc/world)." % filename)
         return
     switches = command.command_switches
     if switches and switches[0] in ['inter','interactive']:
-        #allow more control over how batch file is executed
+        # allow more control over how batch file is executed
-        source_object.set_state(STATENAME)
+        if not source_object.set_state(STATENAME):        
+            source_object.emit_to("You cannot use the interactive mode while you have the flag ADMIN_NOSTATE set.")
+            return
+
         CMDSTACKS[source_object] = commands
         STACKPTRS[source_object] = 0
         FILENAMES[source_object] = filename
@@ -288,7 +294,10 @@ def exit_state(source_object):
         del FILENAMES[source_object]
     except KeyError:
         logger.log_errmsg("Batchprocessor quit error: all state vars could not be deleted.")
-    source_object.clear_state()
+    # since clear_state() is protected against exiting the interactive mode
+    # (to avoid accidental drop-outs by rooms clearing a player's state),
+    # we have to clear the state directly here. 
+    source_object.state = None 
 
 def cmd_state_ll(command):
     """
@@ -517,7 +526,7 @@ def cmd_state_hh(command):
 #create the state; we want it as open as possible so we can do everything
 # in our batch processing. 
 GLOBAL_STATE_TABLE.add_state(STATENAME,global_cmds='all',
-                             allow_exits=True,allow_obj_cmds=True)
+                             allow_exits=True,allow_obj_cmds=True,exit_command=True)
 #add state commands 
 GLOBAL_STATE_TABLE.add_command(STATENAME,"nn",cmd_state_nn)
 GLOBAL_STATE_TABLE.add_command(STATENAME,"nl",cmd_state_nl)

src/config_defaults.py

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ SRC_DIR = os.path.join(BASE_PATH, 'src')
 # Example: "/home/media/media.lawrence.com"
 MEDIA_ROOT = os.path.join(GAME_DIR, 'web', 'media')
 
-# Import style path to the script parent module. Must be in the import path.
+# Import style path to the directory holding script parents. Must be in the import path.
 SCRIPT_IMPORT_PATH = 'game.gamesrc.parents'
 # Default parent associated with non-player objects. This starts from where
 # the SCRIPT_IMPORT_PATH left off.
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ SCRIPT_DEFAULT_OBJECT = 'base.basicobject'
 # Default parent associated with player objects. This starts from where
 # the SCRIPT_IMPORT_PATH left off.
 SCRIPT_DEFAULT_PLAYER = 'base.basicplayer'
+# Real path to a directory to be searched for batch scripts for the
+# batch processor. Specify relative evennia's 'game' directory. 
+BATCH_IMPORT_PATH = 'gamesrc/world'
+
 
 # 'postgresql_psycopg2', 'postgresql', 'mysql', 'sqlite3', and 'oracle'.
 DATABASE_ENGINE = 'sqlite3'
@@ -125,9 +129,10 @@ PERM_GENPERMS = (
     ("announce", "May make announcements to everyone."),
     ("admin_perm", "Can modify individual permissions."),
     ("admin_group", "Can manage membership in groups."),
-    ("process_control", "May shutdown/restart/reload the game"),
+    ("process_control", "May shutdown/restart/reload the game."),
     ("manage_players", "Can change passwords, siteban, etc."),
-    ("game_info", "Can review game metadata"),)
+    ("game_info", "Can review game metadata."),
+    ("admin_nostate", "Do not enter states (should be set only temporarily)."),)
 
     ## These permissions are not yet used in the default engine. 
     ## ("boot", "May use @boot to kick players"),

src/objects/models.py

@@ -1090,12 +1090,45 @@ class Object(models.Model):
         """
         Only allow setting a state on a player object, otherwise
         fail silently.
+
+        This command safeguards the batch processor against dropping
+        out of interactive mode; it also allows builders to
+        sidestep room-based states when building (the genperm.admin_nostate
+        permission is not set on anyone by default, set it temporarily
+        when building a state-based room). 
         """
-        if self.is_player():            
+        if not self.is_player():
+            return False
+
+        if self.is_superuser():
+            # we have to deal with superusers separately since
+            # they would always appear to have the genperm.admin_nostate
+            # permission. Instead we expect them to set the flag
+            # ADMIN_NOSTATE on themselves if they don't want to
+            # enter states. 
+            nostate = self.has_flag("admin_nostate")
+        else:
+            # for other users we request the permission as normal. 
+            nostate = self.has_perm("genperms.admin_nostate")
+
+        # we never enter other states if we are in the interactive batch processor.
+        nostate = nostate or self.state == "_interactive batch processor"        
+
+        if nostate:
+            return False
         self.state = state_name      
+        return True
+        
     
     def clear_state(self):
-        "Set to no state (return to normal operation)"
+        """
+        Set to no state (return to normal operation)
+
+        This safeguards the batch processor from exiting its
+        interactive mode when entering a room cancelling states.
+        (batch processor clears the state directly instead)
+        """        
+        if not self.state == "_interactive batch processor":
             self.state = None
 
     def purge_object(self):