   Server or no server
  Hi all,I successfully set up a server for my game. Now the idea is that the user can make the game the server or client, or just play on the local machine. Now I got the server bit to work but my code for disabling it doesn't. The following is my code for the server. I am only showing relavent parts.SocketServer in(3000,5);    Socket* s=in.Accept();   unsigned ret;This waits for a connection and then carries onThen this line sends my data to the client.string sendstring="Red Move y="+y+" x="+x;s->SendLine(sendstring);ok this works ok  until I want to disable ie for if I need a local game or if I am the client. The following is what I tried.if (bserver==true){   SocketServer in(3000,5);    Socket* s=in.Accept();   unsigned ret;}and for the send data  if (bserver==true){string sendstring="Red Move y="+y+" x="+x;s->SendLine(sendstring);}The problem is that this throws up an error in s->SendLine(sendstring); because it hasn't been defined. I thought that if the server was set to falsethen that line shouldn't be run.Anyway I was wondering if there was a way to get this to work.Asimov   
  Variables only last as long as the scope they're defined in. s goes away after the body of the first if-statement.   ;  Code between if statements is still compiled, so even if the code won't run, it's still compiled and needs to be valid. If use #ifdef rather then if, it will probably compile, but that means you have to build separated executables for server and no server version. If you want the same executable to be able to play with and without server, you need to move the definition of variable s outside the body of the if statement.   ;  Hi,I understand what you mean, but I still have a problem.The line that starts the listen mode is thisSocket* s=in.Accept();This also sets the variable, but if I move it outside the if statementit will wait for a client to log in to the server even if you were not intending to play a network game.I had thought about a server and client version of the game, but most games these days let you choose whether you are server or client inside the game.eg Battleship chess (Which is a great game I might add)Asimov   ;Socket* s;if (bserver==true){   SocketServer in(3000,5);   s=in.Accept();   unsigned ret;}and for the send dataif (bserver==true){   string sendstring="Red Move y="+y+" x="+x;   s->SendLine(sendstring);}Define s outside of the if...   ;  Hi Trihex,After sending the last mail I thought I would be more specific.When I add the line Socket* s;out of the if statement and server is set to true, it waits for a client to connect and then my game shuts down.I have no idea why.However when server is set to false the game runs as normal.Asimov   ;  Hi Trihex,I take it all back your solution worked.It was I who got it wrong. I putsocket* s;outside of the if statement but what I forgot to change was this,Socket* s=in.Accept();After changing this tos=in.Accept();everything worked.Thankyou very much.My gameserver now works.Next step is to make the client work.Then to write the menu to give  you the choice at the start of the game.Anyway thankyou to all that replied.Asimov   ;Quote:string sendstring="Red Move y="+y+" x="+x;SendLine(sendstring);Another thing you may want to keep into consideration is bandwidth usage.  I.e. use an ID number for commands and a table lookup to find what function to call.Ex:struct cmdDef {std::string cmdName;void (*cmdFunction)(Player *player, std::string args);};//command send to clientstruct clientCmdDef {std::string cmdName;std::string clientFunc;};//commands received from clientsconst struct cmdDef socketCmd [] = {{"0", testCmd},{"1", socketCmdRegister},{"2", socketCmdLogin},{"", 0}};//commands sent to clientconst struct clientCmdDef clientCmd [] ={   {"test", "0"},{"MessageBox", "1"},{"RegisterComplete", "2"},{"loadLobby", "3"},{"updatePlayerList", "4"},{"updateFriendList", "5"},{"UpdateRoomList",   "6"},{"lobbyDoChat","7"},{"JoinRoom",  "8"},{"UpdateRoomInfoPlayerList", "9"},{"RoomInfoDoChat", "10"},{"LaunchGame", "11"},{"GameUpdatePlayerList", "12"},{"", ""}};