--- deliantra/server/lib/cf.pm	2006/07/21 00:51:39	1.27
+++ deliantra/server/lib/cf.pm	2006/07/30 17:42:14	1.28
@@ -287,16 +287,40 @@
 };
 
 #############################################################################
-# extcmd framework, basically convert ext <id> <pkg> arg1 args
+# utility functions
+
+use JSON::Syck (); # TODO# replace by JSON::PC once working
+
+$JSON::Syck::ImplicitUnicode = 1;
+
+sub from_json($) {
+   JSON::Syck::Load $_[0]
+}
+
+sub to_json($) {
+   JSON::Syck::Dump $_[0]
+}
+
+#############################################################################
+# extcmd framework, basically convert ext <msg>
 # into pkg::->on_extcmd_arg1 (...) while shortcutting a few
 
 sub on_extcmd {
    my ($pl, $buf) = @_;
 
-   my ($type) = $buf =~ s/^(\S+) // ? $1 : "";
+   my $msg = eval { from_json $buf };
+
+   if (ref $msg) {
+      if (my $cb = $extcmd{$msg->{msgtype}}) {
+         if (my %reply = $cb->[0]->($pl, $msg)) {
+            $pl->ext_reply ($msg->{msgid}, %reply);
+         }
+      }
+   } else {
+      warn "player " . ($pl->ob->name) . " sent unparseable ext message: <$buf>\n";
+   }
 
-   $extcmd{$type}[0]->($pl, $buf)
-      if $extcmd{$type};
+   1
 }
 
 #############################################################################
@@ -392,6 +416,14 @@
       or -f sprintf "%s/%s/%s/%s.pl", cf::localdir, cf::playerdir, ($_[0]) x 2;
 }
 
+=item $player->reply ($npc, $msg[, $flags])
+
+Sends a message to the player, as if the npc C<$npc> replied. C<$npc>
+can be C<undef>. Does the right thing when the player is currently in a
+dialogue with the given NPC character.
+
+=cut
+
 # rough implementation of a future "reply" method that works
 # with dialog boxes.
 sub cf::object::player::reply($$$;$) {
@@ -407,6 +439,20 @@
    }
 }
 
+=item $player->ext_reply ($msgid, $msgtype, %msg)
+
+Sends an ext reply to the player.
+
+=cut
+
+sub cf::player::ext_reply($$$%) {
+   my ($self, $id, %msg) = @_;
+
+   $msg{msgid} = $id;
+
+   $self->send ("ext " . to_json \%msg);
+}
+
 #############################################################################
 # map scripting support