After taking the time to read every post on the board that corrosponded with the search "servers.ini", and getting a better understanding i now think that i can post a proposal for for a change. Initially i came to teh bulliton board to research how one would get their network added to the servers.ini list, however, after my reading i have a different proposal.
This proposal requires extending the functionability of the "/links" window, as well as the extension of how "servers.ini" works.
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This implementation would require two seperate lists; the origonal "servers.ini" list and a new "myservers.ini" list.
The origonal list would simply be a super large list of networks and their servers. There would be no need to edit the list as a user. Downloading a new list from the server would be so that soneone could find new servers to try out.
The new list would be a user editable list. This list would hold a users list of servers that they want to use.
Either list can be selected as a choice to use in the connection dialogue box. They are exclusive lists.
The new list would start empty, and be populated as the user wants -- either through editing the list manually or through the use of the "/links" command.
when a user executes the "/links" command and brings up links window, a new option should be available to "update the custom servers list". This option would do one of two things: (1) if the particular server does not exist in the custom servers list, it will add it, and all its links. (2) if the server does exist, it will update the information already there. (probably by a simple re-write of the section)
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Example:
(a) select undernet from the standard list , and connect using the generic server
(b) use the "/links" command to get the complete list of active undernet servers, and then add it to the custom list
(c) use the "/server -m irc.enerla.net" command to get onto my favorite network because it is not in the standard list
(d) use the "/links" command to get the complete list of active EneralNET servers, and then add it to the custom list
(e) Use the standard list, get lucky and connect to dalnet
(f) use the "/links" command to get the complete list of active dalnet servers, and then add it to the custom list
(g) exit and then re-start mIRC
(h) Select Dalnet from the custom servers list, get lucky again and connect.
(i) use the "/links" command to get the complete list of active dalnet servers, and then update the custom list
(j) Select EnerlaNET from the custom servers list to connect.
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considerations not taken into account:
The perform list would have to work with both the standard and custom list since a user could connect to the same irc network from either the custom or the standard servers lists.
how the actual servers.ini file physically looks like
The fact that the "/links" command does not supply port numbers with the server names. although most servers can use the standard 6667 port, some do not. this could cause problems if a private server is on a custom port because it could potentially lead to inaccurate information on connection being placed into the custom list.
