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Adventures in Minecraft Pt. 5


As the 2015 Snowmageddon blanketed Chicago, I found myself with time to get back to my adventures in Minecraft! Last we met I had created the start.server.command file, which actually launched the server. Next step, create the StartCanarymod. command file.

After figuring out that TextWrangler works best for writing command files, the StartCanarymod.command file was pretty easy. From there it was a matter of downloading the RaspberryJuice plugin and copying the necessary file to the Canarymod folder. The last step was to download and copy several different files to the My Adventures folder. These were included in the 1.6.4 version, so I just copied them to my new folder.

Time for the moment of truth…

Screen Shot 2015-02-01 at 6.09.46 PMAnd, we’re a go! The server, plugin and world all initialized!

Now, to test the Python and see if my server accepts the programming! Launching IDLE, I wrote my first program for Minecraft.

Screen Shot 2015-02-01 at 7.45.46 PM

Cue happy dancing! There’s my first Python programming of Minecraft! See it? Minecraft said “Hello Minecraft World”! Your first program…always an exciting time.

After several weeks of challenges, I finally have a working Canarymod Server and files to give the avtivities in Adventures in Minecraft a go!

Adventures in Minecraft…Pt. 4


So, let’s recap. I wanted a fun way to engage my students in programming and I found this awesome looking book, Adventures in Minecraft. I bought it, dowloaded the required files, tested it on my work computer and tried it on a student computer. It worked on my computer, but not on a student machine. The book provided guidance for creating your own files, so I went in search of those, only to run into a DMCA. That takes us to today (Tuesday).

Creating my own Bukkit server wasn’t an option, but the book also suggested creating a server using CanaryMod. Off to the CanaryMod site I went in search of the necessary downloads. I found and downloaded the file for MinecraftEdu 1.7.10 and pulled out the directions.

CanaryMod

 

I set up my folders nad copied the files to the correct folder. The next step was to create an executable file that would launch the server. I opened TextEdit, careffully typing in the text provided. I saved the file as instructed, but it refused to save as a .command. It wanted to be a .rtf, so some manual editing of the file name was needed. File completed and placed in the correct folder. The next step ws to open Terminal, type a command and NOT press enter. Instead, I had to drag the previously made file onto Terminal then press enter. So, I did and things started to happen! Yay, it’s working, I thought. And then, the message…

No such file or directory
Unable to access jarfile Canarymod.jar
logout

So close! I went back and checked all of the files for errors or incorrect file names. Nothing. I started over using a different text editor, but to no avail.

The one issue I noticed was the guide indicated a file path of AdventuresInMinecraft\Canarymod. Now, doesn’t a backslash in a path name indicate one level/folder up? I know I’m a bit rusty with the technical stuff, but this isn’t right. I compared all of the files and folders provided in the preconfigured Bukkit server for 1.6. Everything looked right. Okay, time to walk away for a bit.

A few days later (Thursday)…I sat down to work on this post feeling defeated. I did everything the “guide” said and things didn’t work. After all the excitement and work, I ws really disappointed nad a bit annoyed at myslef for buying a book that I couldn’t use.

While I was working on this post I took a few screenshots of what had been happening and looked through things again. Again, I typed everything as instructed, I created all the correct folders, I didn’t press enter when I shouldn’t have. I just didn’t get it. While telling my colleague what had been happening I decided to copy the start_server file from the preconfigured Bukkit server and paste that into the CanaryMod start_server file I had created. Since the text was exactly the same as the CanaryMod (with the exception of the .jar file name, which I changed) I figured it wouldn’t work. But, what the heck. Copy, paste, edit file name, save the file. Double-click the file…and…

Cue office chair happy dance and exclamations of success! The libraries were initialized! The XML database was created! The world was started!

CanaryMod Initialized

 

This might actually happen!

Adventures in Minecraft Pt.2


So, where did we leave of? Oh, that’s right…to the computer lab!

As a tech admin I have greater powers than a classroom teacher and, of course, than students. As such, my excitement over writing my first Python script for Minecraft was tempered by the fact that my students might not have the permissions necessary to run all of this fun.

I scooped up my laptop and external hard drive with all of my files and settled in for some testing. Hopes were high. I pull up a student login, got signed in and copied over the Adventures in Minecraft files.

I went to launch Python and noticed it was no longer on our computers. What? Off to the tech office I trotted, donning my best smile and most pleasant voice in hopes of convincing someone to drop everything and install this software for me. Bad form on my part knowing how many people try this everyday and how often I have to gently tell someone that there are others needing more urgent assistance. But, I did it anyway. The upside is that I can download and install the sofware myself, I just needed a password! Lucky me, our tech was willing to pop in and enter the password for me.

  • Signed in as a student…check!
  • Adventures in Minecraft files…check!
  • Python…check!

Let’s do this!

I launched the Bukkit server from the Adventures In Minecraft folder and launched Minecraft…Edu version. As I mentioned before, I knew this might be an issue, but I had to try. Everything launched, but because of the way our version had been packaged students do not have access to the launch Minecraft option, only the Edu version. It’s testing, so I launched Edu and tried to connect to the Bukkit server. No dice!

Okay, our existing configuration wasn’t an option, but I knew we were almost ready to launch the 1.7 update. I scrapped my files and moved to the computer we were testng the 1.7 update on; starting the process all over.
Before I began I knew this would be a longshot, because I was using a Bukkit server for 1.6 with a computer running Minecraft 1.7.Minecraft users know what happened next. It didn’t work! No surprise since it’s already know that your server and client need to be running the same version.

Screen Shot 2015-01-14 at 2.23.08 PM_1 Screen Shot 2015-01-14 at 2.23.51 PM

So, what’s a girl to do? Make her own Bukkit server compatible with 1.7, of course!