This is the javadoc generated code documentation for FreeCol.

See:
Description

Packages

net.sf.freecol	The main package of FreeCol.
net.sf.freecol.client	This is the main client package.
net.sf.freecol.client.control	Contains the classes responsible for the control of the game.
net.sf.freecol.client.gui	Contains the GUI classes.
net.sf.freecol.client.gui.action	Contains the Actions used by the GUI in menus and other places.
net.sf.freecol.client.gui.animation
net.sf.freecol.client.gui.i18n
net.sf.freecol.client.gui.menu
net.sf.freecol.client.gui.option	Contains user interface classes for visualizing options.
net.sf.freecol.client.gui.panel	Contains the panels and dialogs.
net.sf.freecol.client.gui.plaf	Contains the user interface objects for the "FreeCol Look and Feel".
net.sf.freecol.client.gui.sound	This package contains the classes for handling sfx/music in FreeCol.
net.sf.freecol.client.gui.video	Support for playing video.
net.sf.freecol.client.networking	Contains the client networking classes.
net.sf.freecol.common	Contains classes in use by both the server and the client.
net.sf.freecol.common.io	Classes for reading and writing FreeCol data files.
net.sf.freecol.common.io.sza	Support for reading an animation made from images stored in a zip-file.
net.sf.freecol.common.logging	Contains classes for handling the logs.
net.sf.freecol.common.model	Contains the game model.
net.sf.freecol.common.model.pathfinding	Classes used when making searches on the map.
net.sf.freecol.common.networking	Contains the common networking classes.
net.sf.freecol.common.option	Contains classes for describing, and saving the state of, a game option.
net.sf.freecol.common.resources	Classes for handling resources.
net.sf.freecol.common.util
net.sf.freecol.metaserver	This package contains an implementation of a meta server.
net.sf.freecol.server	The main package of the server package tree.
net.sf.freecol.server.ai	The main package of the ai package tree.
net.sf.freecol.server.ai.goal
net.sf.freecol.server.ai.mission	Contains the missions an AIUnit can be assigned to.
net.sf.freecol.server.control	Contains the classes responsible for the control of the game.
net.sf.freecol.server.generator	Contains the map generator.
net.sf.freecol.server.model	Contains model classes with server specific information.
net.sf.freecol.server.networking	Contains the server networking classes.
net.sf.freecol.tools	Contains tools directly related to FreeCol.

This is the javadoc generated code documentation for FreeCol.

Overview

The main package contains the class FreeCol which is responsible for handling the command-line arguments and starting either a stand-alone server or a client-GUI.

The rest of the program has been divided into three separate packages: client, common and server.

You might have noticed a fourth package named metaserver, but this is a separate program. The metaserver is running on meta.freecol.org:3540 in order to maintain a central list of public servers.

Client/server-architecture

We use a client/server-architecture. That is: a group of clients connects to the server in order to play a game. We are also using this approach even when a singleplayer game has been chosen (then there is only one client connected to the server).

The client and the server are really two different programs, even though it is possible to start the server from the client GUI, and all interaction between the client and the server, after the creation of the server, should be done by communicating through the network.

Both the clients and the server has a game model, but only the server has the complete game model containing all the information. The client model only contains the information being visible to the player using the client.

One important point here is: You will need to update all the clients' models as well as the server model if you want perform an action (like building a colony, moving a unit etc).

Read more at: Overview of the client/server-architecture

The game model

The common package contains everything being shared between the client and the server. One of these things is the game model which is best described as being a model of the imaginary world we are creating.

The model should only contain the information needed to model the imaginary world. That is; it should not contain information on how the map should be displayed etc.