.\" $Id: Client.py.1,v 1.3 2005/05/06 21:32:38 arigo Exp $
.\"
.\" Process this file with
.\" groff -man -Tascii Client.py.1
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.TH Client.py 1 "APRIL 2005" Linux "User Manuals"

.SH NAME
Client.py \- the bub-n-bros client

.SH SYNOPSIS
.B python Client.py [
.I options
.BI "] [" host [: port ]]
.PP
Note that this script is in the
.B display/ 
subdirectory of the original directory layout.

.SH DESCRIPTION
This is the bub-n-bros client that connects to bub-n-bros servers
started with
.BR bb.py "(1) or " BubBob.py (1) .
It supports many different audio and video drivers and is very
multi-platform.

.SH OPTIONS

.TP 
.I host
Search for a game on the given machine, and connect to one if found. 
If this is not defined, search for servers on the local network.

.TP
.IB host : port
Connect to server running on given port on given host. If this is not
defined, search for servers on the local network.

.TP
.BI --bits= N
This option concerns only the
.B windows
audio driver. Set bits per sample. Valid values are 8 and 16 (default).

.TP
.BI "-d " DRIVER ", --display=" DRIVER
Use video driver
.IR DRIVER .
Valid drivers are:

.RS
.TP
.B X
X Window driver for Linux and Unix systems with an X server
running. See the 
.B --shm
option.
.TP
.B windows
MS Windows driver.
.TP
.B pygame
PyGame gaming library for python (if installed) has video output. Use
it if this is specified. See
.BR http://www.pygame.org " and the " --transparency " option."
.TP
.B gtk
Use the PyGTK library (if installed). See
.BR http://www.pygtk.org/ " and the " --zoom " option."
.RE

.TP
.B -h, --help
Display help.

.TP
.BI --fmt= format
This option concerns only the
.B linux
audio driver. Set the sound data format. Defaults to
.BR S16_NE .
You can get a list of supported formats with
.BR --fmt=list .

.TP
.BI --freq= N
This option concerns only the 
.BR linux " and " windows
audio drivers. Set mixing frequency to
.I N
(in Hz). Defaults to 44100.

.TP
.B -m, --metaserver
Connect with the help of the Metaserver (see 
.BR bb.py (1)
for more info).  Run
.I Client.py -m
to print a table of currently running servers, pick the
the exact IP address and port of the server of your choice
from the table, and run again
.I Client.py -m
.BR host:port .

.TP
.BI "--port TCP=" port
In conjunction with the
.I -m
option, force a specific
.I port
on which to listen for an incoming TCP connexion from the
remote server.  This is only used if a direct connexion to
the server fails.  A random port number is picked by default.
This option is useful if you are behind a firewall but can
let TCP connexions on specific ports reach you.

.TP
.BI "--port UDP=" port
Force a specific
.I port
on which to listen for incoming UDP traffic (animation
data).  Useful if you are behind a firewall but can let UDP
traffic on a given
.I port
pass through.  This is optional: animation data is routed
over the TCP link if it does not appear to reach the client.
A random port number is picked by default.

.TP
.BI "-s " DRIVER ", --sound=" DRIVER
Use driver
.I DRIVER
for audio. Valid drivers are:

.RS
.TP
.B pygame
Use the audio capabilities of the PyGame library
.RB ( http://www.pygame.org ).

.TP
.B linux
Use the linux audio mixer. See the
.BR --freq " and " --fmt " options."

.TP
.B windows
Use the Windows audio mixer. See the
.BR --freq " and " --bits "options."

.TP
.B off
No sounds.
.RE


.TP
.B --shm=yes, --shm=no
This option concerns only the
.B X
display driver.  Disable or enable the
.B shm
(Shared Memory) extension. It is enabled by default and should only be
disabled for remote X connections and old X servers.

.TP
.B -t
Use the
.B TCP
protocol. The default is to autodetect the protocol. See the
.B -u
option.

.TP
.B --transparency=yes, --transparency=no
This option concerns only the 
.B pygame
display driver. Disable or enable transparent bubbles. Enabled by
default. Disabling makes game a bit faster.

.TP
.B -u
Use the
.B UDP
protocol. The default is to autodetect the protocol. See the
.B -t
option.

.TP
.BI --zoom= N %
This option concerns only the 
.B gtk
display driver. Scale output by
.IR N %.

.SH SEE ALSO
.BR bb.py (1)
.BR Client.py (1)
.BR python (1)