Use the In-Game Community Mods - Original PA Mod Manager (PAMM) is Obsolete

Discussion in 'Released Mods' started by Raevn, August 17, 2013.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. cola_colin

    cola_colin Moderator Alumni

    Messages:
    12,074
    Likes Received:
    16,221
    Does this also work when the user (it was me) updates a mod via the manager and the mod adds dependencies with the update?
    I think it might not do that.
    Also I think the manager should make dependencies more obvious to the user. Don't just uncheck/check mods, show a warning dialog that something changed because some dependencies.
    cptconundrum likes this.
  2. Raevn

    Raevn Moderator Alumni

    Messages:
    4,226
    Likes Received:
    4,324
    You're right, it doesn't in that situation (yet :) ). Only when you physically check the box does it look for dependencies.
    I agree that it needs more feedback/UI presence.
  3. stormingkiwi

    stormingkiwi Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,266
    Likes Received:
    1,355
    Wow.

    The new version didn't update automatically.

    I've been running 1.73. Um. Until today, when I uninstalled PA, and it broke the mod manager.
  4. Raevn

    Raevn Moderator Alumni

    Messages:
    4,226
    Likes Received:
    4,324
    The auto-update feature was only included in v2.0.0, so if you had a version before that it wouldn't have notified you, sorry.
  5. stormingkiwi

    stormingkiwi Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,266
    Likes Received:
    1,355
    It's pretty awkward. I thought it was. I kept on using the manual update in the launcher. It never updated, so I assume there wasn't an update.

    Oh dear....
  6. stormingkiwi

    stormingkiwi Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,266
    Likes Received:
    1,355
    @raevn
    Ok.

    Now I want to install.. Multiple mods at once.

    Does it really need to flick between tabs for every mod I install? I know it's installed, I just clicked install, can I just install multiple mods at once without having to switch back to Available Mods after each install?
    zaphodx likes this.
  7. Raevn

    Raevn Moderator Alumni

    Messages:
    4,226
    Likes Received:
    4,324
    I wanted to make it obvious that you needed to enable the mod. But I agree with you, and am thinking now a better method is to simply automatically enable the mod and not switch back.
  8. stormingkiwi

    stormingkiwi Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,266
    Likes Received:
    1,355
    It's really only a pain because Cola Colin made 3 mods dependent on one another/
  9. cola_colin

    cola_colin Moderator Alumni

    Messages:
    12,074
    Likes Received:
    16,221
    ?
    What mods are that supposed to be?
    I have not used the dependencies function at all so far.
    cptconundrum likes this.
  10. stormingkiwi

    stormingkiwi Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,266
    Likes Received:
    1,355
    I'm Illiterate.

    Um... I'm talking about floating framework and settings mods?

    Err... When I download Hotbuild2, it breaks PAMM. Starts getting 403 errors everywhere.
  11. cola_colin

    cola_colin Moderator Alumni

    Messages:
    12,074
    Likes Received:
    16,221
    Those are all from raevn.
    cptconundrum likes this.
  12. stormingkiwi

    stormingkiwi Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,266
    Likes Received:
    1,355
    I know... I just read green name in the relevant thread. Sorry for confusion. Crazy boy.
    cwarner7264 likes this.
  13. LavaSnake

    LavaSnake Post Master General

    Messages:
    1,620
    Likes Received:
    691
    @raevn Could you update the news page? I've updated my Timers mod. Also, is there a way you could make that news page editable by those in the Github org so I don't have to keep bothering you about updates?
    Raevn likes this.
  14. Raevn

    Raevn Moderator Alumni

    Messages:
    4,226
    Likes Received:
    4,324
    A large re-write is in progress to move into the new modding system. At present, this means the following:
    • No more mod ini files will be needed - all details are now included in the new modinfo.json files.
    • Much of the code is moving into javascript, leaving mainly just the file management code in VB.
    • A move away from ini files in general (online info such as download counts now sent as JSON), and data is now downloaded to memory rather than first saved to a cache.
    • No more requirement to run as administrator.
    • The news feed backend will probably also move away from it's current form, which should fix the issue with links always opening in IE. It should also allow others to enter news items too, but the exact way (and who can do this) is still being determined.
    • Mod load order will be handled via mods.json. I'm also thinking of adding more indicators and generally improving the way mod priority & dependencies are handled.
    • Mod ID will now be the mod's folder name.
    • I hope to allow multiple categories, rather than a single string, and then tie that into the mod sorting/filter.
    • This should also remove any issues due to differences between Steam and non-Steam versions.
    More info on the new modding system can be found here: https://forums.uberent.com/threads/beta-mod-changes.51520/page-2#post-835217

    A PAMM compatible modinfo.json should look something like this (subject to change, and more fields will be added):
    Code:
    {
        "context" : "client",
        "identifier" : "com.mydomain.bereallyspecific.noreallywemeanit.uniquemodname",
        "display_name" : "<name>",
        "description" : "<description>",
        "author" : "<author>",
        "version" : "1.0",
        "signature" : "(not yet implemented)",
        "date" : "<date>",
        "build" : "<build>",
        "category" : "<category>",
        "forum" : "<forum url>"
    }
    dfanz0r, Corang, DeathByDenim and 2 others like this.
  15. dfanz0r

    dfanz0r Active Member

    Messages:
    150
    Likes Received:
    47
    Sounds mostly good except (spcifically) that example generally wont be compatible with the current scene-based mods. Unless you are are planning to add the scenes and global list into the json files also (which is what i would do)
  16. Raevn

    Raevn Moderator Alumni

    Messages:
    4,226
    Likes Received:
    4,324
    Oh, definitely (and already have added them). Just hadn't when I wrote that :p

    JSON makes the code so much easier and neater! Work is coming along well.

    New features:
    • New filter: Recently updated (within 7 days)
    • No longer prevents re-installation of existing mods
    • Mod updating will be available from the Installed mods screen
    • rModsList variable in ui_mods_list.js now contains the full contents of all mods' modinfo.json files.
    • News links will now correctly use your default browser
    Remaining work/conversion from existing code:
    • Mod downloading/installing
    • Mod uninstalling
    • Mod dependencies
    • PAMM self-updating
    • News
    • Code cleanup & error checking
    Online mod entry
    online mod.PNG

    Installed mod entry
    installed mod.PNG

    Edit: Another change being made is that when a mod is updated, the existing version is first uninstalled. This prevents the issue of being unable to remove no longer needed files (and has the added advantage of no longer showing the windows file overwrite dialog). I'll include a way of overriding this though, in case modders somehow use their directory to store data that you don't want wiped between upgrades.

    Edit2: Also looking at making the downloads asynchronous, so the app doesn't freeze when downloading data or a mod.
    loading.PNG
    Last edited: December 20, 2013
  17. ORFJackal

    ORFJackal Active Member

    Messages:
    287
    Likes Received:
    248
  18. cola_colin

    cola_colin Moderator Alumni

    Messages:
    12,074
    Likes Received:
    16,221
    cptconundrum likes this.
  19. dfanz0r

    dfanz0r Active Member

    Messages:
    150
    Likes Received:
    47
    So raevn since i've got the file loading working for all files in the media folder.

    I think rather than keeping the rModsList variable around. It would be best to mirror the mods.json and all of the modinfo.json files within a shadow mod. Which you could then load within your code.

    But thats just a suggestion :p

    edit:
    After thinking about that a bit more, it wont work as there is no way to list all of the directories within a path in javascript as far as i know.

    So nvm, but how about putting all that information just inside of a json file called modinfolist.json or something like that. Also copy the mods.json into a location accessable from javascript.


    (Yes all of this is because i want to remove ui_mods_list.js lol)
    Last edited: December 21, 2013
  20. dfanz0r

    dfanz0r Active Member

    Messages:
    150
    Likes Received:
    47
    I dont know the best place to post this at, but there is 2 new scenes i have found defined in the game code.

    social
    replay_browser

    Might be good to go ahead and change some stuff so they get added in also.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page