Host programs validate turn files before incorporating them into the game files. Doing so, they classify turn files into one of three colors:
- a green file is completely ok, and will be used.
- a yellow alert means that host found some minor problem with the turn file.
- a red alert is a major error.
In PHost, it is a yellow alert when you lost some minerals. PHost will attempt to give you back the stuff. It is also a yellow alert if you set a mission which is not allowed (like intercept a ship you do not see). PHost will ignore the offending commands.
It is a red alert if you generate minerals, or do some really impossible things (like transferring stuff to a planet you are not orbiting). PHost will ignore the turn file completely and continue as if you had not at all sent in a turn.
The exact conditions for HOST are not known, but there, too, missing stuff is a yellow alert and appearing stuff is a red one. In HOST, sharing a registration also gets you a red alert and severe punishment.
The most common reason for a data status alert (red or yellow) is that a player is using the wrong ship list: if the client bills 100 mc for a small freighter whereas Host thinks it costs 120 mc, it looks as if 20 mc magically appeared. With a bug-free client program and correct data files, it is impossible to produce a red alert. Another common cause for a yellow alert is that a player tries to intercept a ship he does not see.
Another reason for data status alerts is that you are using non-standard starbase costs or other options that are incompatible with your client program. In this case, you must switch to another program which supports these options.
