Launch Base Beta Test

[Marshall]

I certainly like the idea of a Status label for plugins. There is space for it so I will certainly do something along those lines. Not sure about an alternative button though - that would require quite a bit more work and would also require another skin element.


If you install plugin version 1, upgrade it to version 2, and then try to install version 2 over the top, there won't be a problem - Launch Base knows it's the same one because it is in the same folder and has the same name. Launch Base will uninstall version 1 first.

However, if you install version 1, then download and add version 2 to Launch Base in a separate folder then version 1 will not be removed first so there could be issues.
The exception to this is the Terrain Expansion and RockPatch - these have special flags so Launch Base knows that you are only allowed to install one of each of these at a given time. You can have multiple versions of these set up in Launch Base. If you try to install a version of the TX/RP from another folder then Launch Base will tell you to uninstall the other version first.

And I can see that there could be some confusion with the term 'installed' now.
There is 'installed in Launch Base by an installer' and 'installed in the game by Launch Base'. Hopefully that won't confuse too many people.

Oh, and thanks gordon for that splash image. It's way better than mine and I do plan on using it so thanks.

[gordon-creAtive]

I found a LaunchBase related RockPatch bug: version 1.08 is the only one without LB compatiblity. I'm sure repacking this one with the TFD installer would solve the problem. pd?

Edit - Hey that's a joke. I wrote t-f-d not the fuckin' dvd


I tried to make the NPatch compatible to LB. It doesn't work and also can result in a deleted (!!) gamemd.exe. I nearly spent one our with it. This is meant as warning to others. In case you think I try to influence you - try yourself and fail.

[Bobingabout]

TFD
Edit - Hey that's a joke. I wrote t-f-d not the fuckin' dvd

the forum does that automaticly when you type T.F.D as a single word ;P

old joke...

[Marshall]

I tried to make the NPatch compatible to LB. It doesn't work and also can result in a delted (!!) gamemd.exe.

Can you tell me how you got Launch Base to delete gamemd.exe?
There is no way Launch Base should ever do this so if this really is caused by LB then I need to know how to replicate it.

[gordon-creAtive]

I tried to reproduce it but I really don't know how it occurs. It happened when I uninstalled my NPatch Plugin, LB removed the patched gamemd.exe and didn't copy the old one (note: I used the RP flag in the NPatch Launcher config file) I can try to find the lines in the logs.

I didn't 'submit' this bug becaused it only occured with my NPatch plugin and NOT with the RP versions, this workes fine (for me)

[Marshall]

If the NPatch works by simply replacing gamemd.exe then setting this up as an LB plugin that mimics the RockPatch LB plugin should have worked in exactly the same way.

[gordon-creAtive]

Yeah, but you said NPatch is not supported, that also includes bug reportings on it, isn't it?

[Blade]

Surely it would be possible to create a RP like installer for the npatch and then use that to create the plugin? I know they both use different .mix files (thanks to VK again not listening to advice from the community) but that should be possible to account for.

[gordon-creAtive]

The installer isn't the problem (you can even use your own), it's die NPatch.mix. LB refuses to install it when clicking "Install Plugin", because it checks if the mix files have valid filenames. Also the version numbering is a problem, because LB still thinks it's RP and can't differ between RP version 1.10 and an imaginary NPatch version 1.10. I solved this problem by beginning version numbers with 7 (N-> Z-> 7 ).
But I just got another idea how I can make NPatch possible, I'll try now.

I really don't want Marshall to include NPatch support, because - oh, come on old damn discussion. It's Marshall's and only Marshall's decision.

Edit: I tried my new idea, doesn't work. Not at all.

Edit One day later:
MOD CATALOGUE BUG
It just happens again, Marshall. When I try to view the Mod Catalogue, it chrashes with

Code:

Run-time Error '35600':
Index out of bounds

I already installed all mods, before it happened.
LB last words in log:

Code:

2003-01-09 13:38:27  Downloading Mod Catalogue.

[Blade]

Some mods will use NPatch unless RP2 ends up covering most of the regularly used features as well though and it will be more difficult for them to use launch base if it can't install npatch as a plugin.

[gordon-creAtive]

There are three ways to solve this problem:
a) Talk to Marshall to include NPatch support
b) Talk to VK so that he renames NPatch.mix to expandmd02.mix
c) Wait until RP2 comes

Edit: I finally managed it. It works. I'll post details later. Problem: mmenu.mix isn't supported, I'm working on it.

[Marshall]

Index out of bounds

I'll look into this.


NPatch
I could replace the "RockPatch" labels with "Required Patch" and use a combination of version and name to distinguish patches. I think this would have too many problems though:
1. Mod authors would have to type in the patch name exactly as it appears.
2. If the author changes the patch name (VK) then it would no longer be valid.
3. I'd have to ignore certain mod file rules to make sure things like new mix files were allowed. I don't want to do this because who knows what files someone may decide to include in future, and these could potentially compromise safe usage.
4. Any patch can affect the way the game works - it could change filenames or create new files, all of which I would have to keep writing new code to handle them. At least I can rely on pd to keep me apprised of those kind of changes, and to discuss them with the community beforehand.
5. Authors would have to send me a security.lock file and wait for me to send them a security.key file. At the moment this is not required for RockPatch, so pd does not require involvement from me in order to release updates.

On the whole, I think only supporting RockPatch2 (maybe RockPatch1 too if the setup is the same) is the best way to go.


On another note, I'm thinking of adding a new flag for RP plugins so that pd can specify whether a new version is backwards-compatible or not. That way, a mod can say "I need version 2.3", and RP can say "this is version 2.5 but it is backwards-compatible to 2.0" so okay, or "this is version 2.5 and it is only backwards-compatible to 2.4" so it's not okay.

[Bobingabout]

i think we need more than 1 RP to be installed into launchbase at a time.

also, was i suposed to be looking into something? i've totally forgot since i got my new laptop...

[Marshall]

i think we need more than 1 RP to be installed into launchbase at a time.

That's already possible. The issue here is supporting other patches.

I don't think there's anything outstanding that you have reported Bobingabout.

[Marshall]

Version 0.99.0017 [2007-10-23]
Replaced splash screen image with a new one, courtesy of gordon-creAtive.
On Plugins tab, added 'Status' label so as to more clearly indicate whether or not a plugin is installed.
Fixed crash that would occur if you had downloaded every mod from the mod catalogue.
Fixed bug where InstallPath in registry wasn't getting updated.