console command 'dir'

[*kadle]

The 'dir .' command shows the contents of the baseq3 folder containing the maps.
Does someone know why the 'dir' command only works some of the time?

Here is a small extract from a condump, where I have connected to a server running campgrounds. I have edited and replaced the names of all the players, except my own:

--cut--
]\players
0 <not important>
1 <not important>
2 <not important>
3 <not important>
4 <not important>
5 <not important>
6 kadle
7 <not important>
]\dir .
Directory of .
---------------
]\condump 200
Dumped console text to 200.
--cut--

Best Regards
Kadle

[TheMuffinMan86]

It seems to only work when not connected to a server (ie: main menu). It must be another one of the Q3 features that the QL dev team broke.

[*kadle]

It seems to only work when not connected to a server (ie: main menu). It must be another one of the Q3 features that the QL dev team broke.

Thank you for your reply.

I have had 'dir .' work before and after pressing spectate or join.

Here is another example, from a few minutes ago, where the command 'dir .' shows some output.

The files listed seem to be from several different directories. I haven't noticed that before.

--cut--
<not important> was railed by <not important>
<not important> almost dodged <not important>'s rocket
]\dir .
Directory of .
---------------
uix86.dll
repconfig.cfg
qzconfig.cfg
quakelive.dll
qagamex86.dll
error.log
cgamex86.dll
autoexec.cfg
200
vortexportal.pk3
[EDIT: I deleted most of the long list of .pk3 files.]
almostlost.pk3
<not important> almost dodged <not important>'s rocket
<not important> connected
]\condump 201
--cut--

Best Regards
Kadle

[KETNAR]

/dir is just one of the old console commands that doesn't really do much, all it does is list the files in use by the game by showing contents of the basedir (I think.) which will be a combination of two directories. (base install dir, and user base dir where your configs and demos and such end up)

It doesn't really have a use, much like the old /ping command (which eventual led to a bug you could exploit, so it was removed from the game), its just leftovers from the old game engine QL was based from.

The only real use the command would have now is to show that the game is finding its files properly, for example, if you had to manually copy stuff around.. which is a bit moot as if the files didn't work, you probably wouldn't be able to load the game anyway..

Funny how muffin can even complain about a 'broken command' that does basically nothing, like it was vital and important. The command only works at certain times. It doesn't appear to be broken at all.

Want another weird one? QW had a /packet command, Yes, packet, as in UDP data packet. With the console, you could fire a single packet from your game client to..well, anywhere. While very strange, I saw some really clever things done with it. like a key that would send a message to an IRC bot, and alert people to a pickup game + whatever message was inside the packet. And of course, people had counting/timing programs as well. So it wasn't long after the game went open source that the command was removed due to potential abuse. :P

[*kadle]

It doesn't really have a use.

The only real use the command would have now is to show that the game is finding its files properly.

Funny how muffin can even complain about a 'broken command' that does basically nothing.

The 'dir .' command can show you the name of your pk3 files, and how to spell the name of a map, to use when voting for a map from the console.

The 'dir ../home/baseq3' command can be used to show only that directory. For example the names of the config files located there. Did my friend copy my config file correctly?

The 'dir ../home/baseq3/demos' can show which demo names u used before, fx. when playing from a friends computer. This can help you prevent overwriting any of his previously recorded demos.

There may be more uses for the command, that I have not listed above.

Best Regards
Kadle