Simutrans Updater

Topic: Simutrans Updater (Read 10702 times) previous topic - next topic

Simutrans Updater

January 21, 2009, 04:56:16 pm

Hi!

What about a autmatic simutrans updater which will prompt the user if a new stable - or if wanted - a new nightly (then every day^^) is availible and will also download it.
It would be convenient if you are a nightly-tester, if it would download nightlies automatically.
This updater could either be implemented as an additional program or as an internal routine in simutrans.

Alex

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #1 – January 21, 2009, 05:03:41 pm

You have a Problem to get the last nightly automatikly from the Server, but I (whe) want it, because the human MUST read, if there is an Info on the page ...

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #2 – January 21, 2009, 05:04:29 pm

It already exists and it's name it Simusetup. If I remember correctly it updates you Simutrans copy, in case it detects Simutrans is already installed in your pc. However, it only works with stable versions, released through Sourceforge.net

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #3 – January 21, 2009, 05:05:45 pm

and what abaout an integration into simutrans?

[edit]
wernieman: do you mean, that you want to read the user if there's any specific text to the release attached on your nightly-page,
don't you?
[/edit]

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #4 – January 21, 2009, 05:17:47 pm

Yes ... at exaple that there is a compiling error / or "don't use this Version" ... or somethink else ....

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #5 – January 21, 2009, 05:20:53 pm

yes, okay
but I think that such infos could be implemented in the updater too...

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #6 – January 21, 2009, 05:25:04 pm

Quote from: blitzmaster – on January 21, 2009, 05:05:45 pm

and what abaout an integration into simutrans?

Well, it's a posibility, but there're some problems (mainly the multiplatform issue) I can't remember if there's a game that updates itself. Usually, games have a patch manager but not new version managers. You usually must download and install every new version.

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #7 – January 21, 2009, 05:32:42 pm

well, I think simutrans could have one ;-)
the issue of multiplattforms is an actual problem, but I think with an additionally update/patch manager, which is built independently we could solve this problem
it's true, that games usually have a path manager, but this is probably due to the fact, that most games aren't freeware, and so you must buy a new version. I think especially for freeware it is a very nice thing, if it updates itself =)

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #8 – January 21, 2009, 05:51:01 pm

Quote from: vilvoh – on January 21, 2009, 05:25:04 pm

I can't remember if there's a game that updates itself.
...
You usually must download and install every new version.

My lovely multiplatform media player VLC works similary:
* find the available updates
* download instalator with new version (for "autoupdate" may be only patch package)
* run instalation

VLC is opensource, you can draw inspire from here

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #9 – January 21, 2009, 06:00:00 pm

a similar processing could be done with simutrans
but I prefer that only the files which have been changed are updated
as an alternative the updater could only download the installtion package... but I personally hate so-called "Updaters" which just download a new installation package...

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #10 – January 21, 2009, 06:55:34 pm

Simutrans is released in variety of formats, on various places...

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #11 – January 21, 2009, 07:31:38 pm

VS, this is good or bad?

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #12 – January 21, 2009, 07:58:47 pm

Bad for automatic updates. Having to do unpacking means that support for more formats must be added. You could make it so that all files are zip, but then again, it is about the weakest compression format I know. Gzip, rar, bzip2, all these compress better.

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #13 – January 21, 2009, 09:57:57 pm

Also updating the exec would make some pak set stop to work. The automatic updating would be only for pak64 users.

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #14 – January 22, 2009, 07:42:44 am

But .. if in the PAK64 a "Version Info"?

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #15 – January 22, 2009, 02:47:01 pm

ok, I see, this topic is more complicated than it seemed to be...
wernieman: sorry, but what do you mean?

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #16 – January 22, 2009, 03:29:06 pm

It was the answer to prissi

Quote

....The automatic updating would be only for pak64 users.

for an automatik update, at first the program mußt look, if the Version on the Web is newer than the local.

There is an Version Info in simutrans (Version or at the nightly the revision), but I don´t see a Versioninfo in the PAKs! So for an automatik System it is a problem to see, if the Web version is newer than the local.

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #17 – January 22, 2009, 03:31:00 pm

ah, Thank You!

This is an interesting point. But paks will have to contain version infos in future because of the network mode, won't they...

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #18 – January 28, 2009, 01:44:03 pm

Well, someone would have to maintain a public table that contains info about
- public locations for all files
- order of versions (program and pak sets)
- compatibility of pak sets with a certain program version
- upgradability of savegames from one version to another (at least inform the user of limitations in that regard)

This has been done - partially - already, I guess.

Re: Simutrans Updater

Reply #19 – January 28, 2009, 05:53:10 pm

Yes, you are completely right. But I think that these are the least problems, because - as you mentioned - this things have partly been implemented so far.