JacaByte's EV Nova TC Launcher

Just a few questions, then hopefully a release

Some of you may have figured out that I've been working on a TC launcher of my own as an answer to Guy's TC launcher. (I don't wish to let him have a Monopoly on the trade. ) Currently the it's composed of two scripts. The first can check the versions of plug-ins/TCs of the same name and compare them before subsequently copying the files and folders to ~/Library/Application Support/EV Nova/ and create folders if necessary. The second works much more like Guy's script in that it can launch Nova using any TC on a user's hard disk as long as the launcher is in the same folder with Nova Files and/or Plug-ins.

The question about which compression formats to support have been settled; apparently you guys would rather use .zip.bin for compressing, while the public at large would either rather use .bin.zip (I'm betting these are Windows users) or could use both .sitx and .bin.zip. Guy is going to let me use his debinning tool to decode .binned files, so now my Installer will be able to use both. .sitx and .bin.zip.

I want to know if you guys would use the copy files, and if so, where you would want them placed, would you use the version comparing capability, or would you rather have just a launcher? The launcher by itself is an extremely simple and versatile piece of script, but it doesn't have the same features as Guy's launcher, it can only fire up TCs when it's in the same directory as the required files. The other piece of script, the installer, can look for and install files to Application Support and makes sure that it isn't overwriting files in the process. If it is, it'll look for a file "Info.txt", grab a version number and compare it with the TC being installed and then tell the user if the existing version is older, newer or the same as the one being installed.

Once the installer is done installing, it'll copy the launcher into Application Support with Nova Files/Plug-ins and create an alias in Applications that will launch the launcher. This alias can be placed anywhere you guys want or it can be removed entirely.

I'm currently working to implement a system where the installer will write a list of the contents of the Plug-ins folder to the Info.txt file so that upgrading won't erase plug-ins that a user might have installed. When the user requests overwriting existing files, the installer will take the list, look at the files on it and remove the files on it from the plug-ins folder. Then it'll replace those plug-ins with the ones from the installation folder and write a new list. It should be handy for betas and updates where files are added, but I'd like input on this feature as well.

Any input would be welcome seeing that this forum isn't as busy as it once was, but the more constructive your feedback is, the better.

This post has been edited by JacaByte : 05 January 2009 - 11:14 AM

Nice, you seem to have come a long way from your earlier versions!

The only issue I have with your method is the alias idea, because aliases have those alias arrows (unless you replace them - I replaced mine with a blank icon, which makes aliases nicer ).
Wouldn't it be possible to have a launcher of the launcher, or a launcher that doesn't have to be in the same folder as the plugs? For example, could you have your launcher say, instead of "launch Nova with this folder", "launch Nova with the folder designated in the following line: …"?

Re the .bin/.zip issue, I wonder if anyone really wanted .zip.bin, because I've never actually seen plugs in that format.

The problem with a launcher that isn't in the same folder as the plug-ins is that it'll either not know where the files are or it'll have to be a fixed location for a specific TC. The latter is out of the question, as this is meant to be used by the masses and in order to change a fixed location a given person would have to know some Applescript.

Other than sticking the launcher in with the files, I could have the installer give the launcher the location of the files in a preference file and have the launcher ask for them if they move, but then the launcher will be identical to Guy's launcher, save for the installing of fonts.

Re .bin.zip files; the .zip.bin file format is a typographical error on my part, in the poll I meant to use .bin.zip. The .bin.zip format is more commonly used by Mac developers making plug-ins that don't have to use Stuffit on the Windows side of things. The poll speaks for itself; if anything, developers want to use .bin.zip for their files.

This post has been edited by JacaByte : 05 January 2009 - 12:30 PM

I would hardly say Guy has a monopoly...

He won't if I manage to get this thing out the door, which will require more feedback.

Maybe I'll only get constructive feedback after I've released it? I don't know, but I guess there is only one way to find out.

I was referring more to the fact that I have had such a utility for two years now, and SpacePirate had one even before that.

EDIT: To be fair, it's not really useful anymore with 1.1, but still.

This post has been edited by orcaloverbri9 : 12 January 2009 - 10:26 PM

True, and Applescript is-

Wait, I could have made a scenario starter with Applescript prior to EVN 1.1... :blink:

Didn't think about that... Point taken.