81 replies to this topic

[Michael]

Ugh. I would have gone crazy after about three mods. I admire your stamina.

Oh, the crazy will set in, no doubt. Just finished with the BG1 NPC Project before I checked this thread. Annoying, but I'm multi-tasking while doing this, so it feels a lot less tedious then it is. If er... that makes any sense.

I'll send a PM to bigg with a link to this topic. Maybe he'll be able to gen something up for the next version. If not, well... it was a good thought, anyway.

Thanks. Something like this would really, really help.

It's up to you, of course--however you want to do. Just letting you know that we'd be able to help provide you with space/dbs/bandwidth/etc, in case you'd be interested.

If I feel that the project would be better located on SHS, I'll let you know. Currently, I'm thinking about this... but I'm not sure at the moment. As/If this project progresses, I'll think about it.

Ambitious--that's a lot of work, too... The main problem would be that links sometimes change from one version to another. Keeping them all up-to-date would be a major PITA. In that sense, the PPG modlist approach seems more sensible with static links that don't change, and then direct download links from the page the modlist directs you to.

I was thinking of that too, but I had an idea.

I did this project once for IconBuffet where I made a site where people could post their link codes and use other people's link codes, to get more icons, rather then posting on a forum. The community part of it worked very well (IconBuffet redid thier whole site, and their link system less than a month after my project was done, though...).

So, I was thinking of having the file-name link be editable. So, in example... if mod xyz-v1 changes to mod xyz_v2 at G3, the url http://www.gibberlings3.net/downloads/ is static, but anyone can go in there and change it from http://www.gibberlin...oads/xyz-v1.exe to http://www.gibberlin...oads/xyz_v2.exe. It will let people fix things, but wouldn't offer most people a way to exploit it. If it turns out that this doesn't work, as in the community doesn't keep the links up and active... well, I can just take over the project of keeping links active myself. Or, I can trust a few others with the ability to keep links recent. Perhaps make a registration system, of which I'm sure I have half a dozen laying around that can be sliced up and re-used. At this point I'm rambling, but you get the idea. Trust the community as a whole first, and if that doesn't work, put things back into either my, or a select fews' hands.

Thanks for the offer. For SHS' part, however, we've got enough to cover our needs for now (but can't speak for anyone else, of course). Above all else, though, the most valuable assistance is devoting time and energy (and skill) to help the community. And you seem to be doing a lot of that already.

Heh, thanks again. I've been trying to learn to mod, and am slowly learning. So, I figured in the mean time I can use the skills I've already developed to help out... hence this project.

---

EDIT: Almost half way done through my mod list. Meaning, if I keep at this pace, I should be done with putting the components into the database in a few days.

Edited by Michael, 23 March 2008 - 11:40 PM.

[SConrad]

Apparently, there's already such a WeiDU feature. (It's just not listed in the readme. )

I'm sure this'll help you a little bit:

weidu --list-languages setup-refinements.tp2 --out languages.txt

results in languages.txt being:

0:English
1:French, by Sir Crapoilleau
2:Japanese, by Kuroukome Veland
3:Polish, by Yarpen


weidu --out modules.txt --list-components setup-refinements.tp2 0 [0 being the language index]

results in modules.txt being:

~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #0 // Revised High Level Abilities
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #1 // "SwashImoen", full revision (suggested)
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #2 // Shapeshifting fix
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #3 // Universal lesser mage robes
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #4 // Sword Angel - New Fighter Kit
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #5 // Revised Armors & Shields
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #10 // Revised High Level Abilities
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #20 // "SwashImoen" -> "SwashImoen", full revision (suggested)
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #21 // "SwashImoen" -> "SwashImoen", simple kit change (undocumented)
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #22 // "SwashImoen" -> "SwashImoen", points in Detect Illusions rather than Set Traps.
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #30 // Shapeshifting fix -> Heal on shifting back to human (Default)
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #31 // Shapeshifting fix -> Heal on shifting to animal (by Borsook)
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #40 // Universal lesser mage robes
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #50 // Sword Angel - New Fighter Kit
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #60 // Component Outdated.
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #61 // Component Outdated.
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #62 // Component Outdated.
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #63 // Component Outdated.
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #70 // Revised Armors & Shields -> Update the descriptions only in YOUR_LANGUAGE
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #71 // Revised Armors & Shields -> Update the descriptions in YOUR_LANGUAGE or, if missing, in English
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #72 // Revised Armors & Shields -> No description update at all.
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #73 // Revised Armors & Shields. -> Update the descriptions.
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #74 // Revised Armors & Shields. -> No description update at all.
~SETUP-REFINEMENTS.TP2~ #0 #75 // Revised Armors & Shields. -> Update the descriptions, no penalties to movement rate.

[Michael]

Aahhhh, so, so much better. This will shorten my work significantly.


Thanks, SConrad!

[Michael]

Just want to say thanks again. I've made a script that converts the output from WeiDU directly into an SQL querry. Since I don't have to install mods to see the components anymore, WeiDU doesn't have to load bloated resources. I can just punch "weidu --out Setup-XXX.txt --list-components Setup-XXX.tp2 0" into my address bar for each mod, put it into my converter, and run queries left and right.

I'll be moving onto the actual site scripting soon, perhaps tomorrow.

Edited by Michael, 24 March 2008 - 04:51 PM.

[SConrad]

I figured it'd be easy to do something like that, yeah. At least it saves you a lot of time. Now, if only there was a way to do this without having to download the mods...

[Michael]

Oh, downloading them is easy enough. Finding them is another thing. There are some pretty obscure mods out there, it seems.

[theacefes]

Oh, downloading them is easy enough. Finding them is another thing. There are some pretty obscure mods out there, it seems.

Banana! for example...

[Michael]

But the Banana! link works correctly, and is therefor easy to find. =P

I currently have 331 IDs used in my mod catalog, with only 286 rows actually in the database. The difference is all the mods I couldn't find.

EDIT: Also have just over 1,300 components cataloged at the moment too, amounting to 2.75GB of compressed downloads.

Edited by Michael, 24 March 2008 - 11:47 PM.

[Kulyok]

Have you tried browsing the modlist?

[Michael]

That's what I've been doing. Going through it though, you find a lot of broken links, or links to broken links.

---

Done with database entry, at least until I can hunt down the remaining mods.

Tomorrow I'll start writing the PHP scripts that will put together the XML file, then I'll work on coding a conflict detector.

The XML file will be the hardest bit, as mods are packaged in many different ways. The conflict detector is easy to set up code-wise, but putting the individual conflicts will take a while, and is bound to change.

So far, this is what the site will handle a lot like how Windows Update does. You browse the categories, click on the mods you want to install, click on the components from the mods you want to install. All this will be stored client-side in cookies. Once the user gets to the download page, the PHP scripts will search through the cookies, and put together the XML file. The conflict detector will be put between the reading and the XML compiling, when it is finished.

I still haven't heard from anyone but Conrad as to if anyone would be interested in a tool like this. More information is a page back.

Edited by Michael, 25 March 2008 - 12:12 AM.

[Kulyok]

If you find the time to stop by and post them in Modlist Dead Link Notification Thread, I'm sure it'll be appreciated. You do not have to log in or register to do that, by the way.

[Jarno Mikkola]

results in modules.txt being: ...

Isn't that the foundation of the Weidu.log As to my knowledge, it's re-written every time, or some times it wouldn't have the ??? at the end otherwise... (yes, I know the reason why the ??? are made)

if anyone would be interested in a tool like this.

I would, definitely. Well, and I am sure many people would contribute to the upkeeping of the tool, so long as it is some what up-to-date, so you'll have to work quite hard, at the start at least.

[Michael]

If you find the time to stop by and post them in Modlist Dead Link Notification Thread, I'm sure it'll be appreciated. You do not have to log in or register to do that, by the way.

Just posted 25 or so of them.

Isn't that the foundation of the Weidu.log As to my knowledge, it's re-written every time, or some times it wouldn't have the ??? at the end otherwise... (yes, I know the reason why the ??? are made)

WeiDU.log is just that - a log. What SConrad showed bypasses the entire install of the mod, and just lists all of its components. Very handy when you're putting stuff into the database... so long as you can write a program to convert the output into SQL querries.

I would, definitely. Well, and I am sure many people would contribute to the upkeeping of the tool, so long as it is some what up-to-date, so you'll have to work quite hard, at the start at least.

It would be up-to-date, I'm sure. I don't really see a problem with that (I'm obsessive enough to make sure of it). I'm just loving the idea of clicking on mods you want, then being presented with a file that you feed to two managers, and that's your entire install process. Less headaches!

Thanks for the comments.

Edited by Michael, 25 March 2008 - 01:22 AM.

[Kulyok]

Thank you very much: you rock. I'm on it!

[Michael]

Thank you very much: you rock. I'm on it!

Glad to help. I went ahead and added more that were messed up.

[Michael]

Okies, just started working on the actual website. I haven't decided on what Conrad said about being hosted by SHS, but so far the project will be located at:
http://iem.rp-addict.com/

Currently, I just have the basic layout done. Nothing fancy, just a few DIV tags, some images, and some CSS. My plans are to:
1) Program the database interaction
2) Program the cookies/sessions
3) Tie everything together, then write a checker
4) Use the checker to generate a modlist file.
5) Convert the modlist file into an XML file.

I will then work on the conflict detector.

EDIT: Took it down for a moment... host is having issues.

Edited by Michael, 25 March 2008 - 03:42 PM.

[Michael]

Still working on populating the database, and writing scripts. Before I continue with this interface, can I get any feedback on appearance or ease-of-use? The lack of text shouldn't be a problem, as the icons are self-explanatory... though, if I'm wrong, let me know.

An example section to look at is:
http://iem.rp-addict...show=3&type=cat

Note the components button, and the mirror button.

Thanks to those who provide feedback.

EDIT: Uhg, three posts in a row? Maybe I'm working too hard, or maybe I'm impatient.
EDIT2: Tested site layout in Firefox 3, IE 7, IE 8, and Opera 9.

Edited by Michael, 25 March 2008 - 10:14 PM.

[Michael]

Just want to say that "v1" of the site is almost done. At the moment is looks like a PPG Modlist rip-off, which I suppose it can act like.

There are two views that I made: one for general category viewing, and one for specific mod viewing.
Example category: http://iem.rp-addict...type=cat&show=2
Example mod: http://iem.rp-addict...pe=mod&show=237

The category view only fetches components and download mirrors when requested, while the full mod view shows all information. The faded green links show the built-in and fully-functional editing that users can do. If anyone is interested, I can give out a password that will let you edit mod information, add mirrors, remove mirrors, edit mirrors, and reload components. I'll also point out that component reloading is done through a WeiDU export. For example, one can put in "~SETUP-VALHORN.TP2~ #0 #0 // Improved Horns of Valhalla v1.2", and the system will convert an infinite amount of components exported like that into something the database can read. It will delete all old component data for that specific mod, then put in the new stuff.

Once I'm done filling the database with information and mirrors, I'll call it "v1" or whatnot. Which, again, functions like nothing more then a clone of PPG's modlist, with added features.

"v2" will have cookies coded in, so you can select which mods you want to add to your SMM installation, and select which exact components from each mod you want. It will then spit out an XML file.

"v3" will have the conflict detector, which will tell you what mods conflict, what the problem is, and what you need to do to fix it, if you can.

As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated. Would be eager to know if anyone but myself is going to use this.

[Kaeloree]

That looks absolutely fantastic.

[Michael]

Thanks. ^^

I'm attaching two images, of what the examples should look like. If they don't look like what I see, it would be great to know what browser you're using. Two of my three browsers are beta browers... so I'm not sure if the site looks normal in IE 6, and Firefox.

The first example is with exponents and mirrors shown. Which reminds me... you need to be able to use the AJAX scripts on the category page, but the component information and mirror information are still shown on the individual mod page. If the scripts don't work... again, I'd love to know your browser.

Anywho, what it should look like:




Thanks again!