[REL] Mod loader [54441]

Quick info for pure users (non-modders)

Note that this example uses PA Stats -and this example most likely will keep working-, but you dont need the mod loader anymore to install pa stats. Read the pa stats thread for instructions about that.

Download here: http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/mod_loader.zip
Install using the ui mod manager like any other UI mod. After it is installed you can add mod links to the file PA/media/ui/mods/mod_loader/mod_loader.js. Edit the file with notepad and add the mod lines at the marked position between the lines with // in them.

So when given this link for pa stats: 'http://www.nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/pa_stats_loader.js',
it would look like this:

Code:

var mod_loaders = [
    // in some cases it might be necessary to list the mods in a specific order
    // so some mods can work together correctly
    // add the mod url's below this line, each mod with one line
  'http://www.nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/pa_stats_loader.js',
    // End of the mod list
];

This results in the linked js file being loaded automatically. You wont have to update the mod unless major changes in PA occur, the modauther will be able to update the mod and you will get it without doing anything.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU TRUST THE MOD AUTHOR, as this enables the mod author to load any kind of js code into your pa at any point in time.

Info for modders below:
So I've been unhappy with how the current way of updating and distributing mods makes it hard for many people to install and update mods, especially pa stats. I would like to be able to push updates and have them automatically in the hands of the current users.

So here I present a (tiny) mod that enables you to load your mods from a server by providing the users with a simple line that they have to add to a js file.

The way it works is that it adds a global mod js file that looks like this:

Code:

var mod_loaders = [
   // in some cases it might be necessary to list the mods in a specific order
    // so some mods can work together correctly
    // add the mod url's below this line, each mod with one line



    // End of the mod list
];

for (var i = 0; i < mod_loaders.length; i++) {
    var loader = mod_loaders[i];
    loadScript(loader);
}

If the user now i.e. wants to use PA Stats I provide him with this line:

'http://www.nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/pa_stats_loader.js',

That is added as described in the top part of this post.

The loader file for pa stats looks like this:

Code:

// this are files that are supposed to be loaded globally.
// this loader script itself is a global mod file, so we can just load more at this position
loadCSS('http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/alert.css');
loadScript('http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/global.js');

// modify the mod list of the other scenes
// even if you want to add more scenes later it wont be a problem, just modify this file, which itself is loaded dynamically
scene_mod_list['game_over'].push('http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/game_over/gameOver_stats.js');

scene_mod_list['live_game'].push('http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/live_game/pa_stats.js');

scene_mod_list['lobby'].push('http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/lobby/capturePlanet.js');

scene_mod_list['matchmaking'].push('http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/matchmaking/captureLobbyId.js');

scene_mod_list['new_game'].push('http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/new_game/captureLobbyId.js');

scene_mod_list['server_browser'].push('http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/server_browser/captureLobbyId.js');

scene_mod_list['start'].push('http://nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/start/start.js');

So this way you can change anything about your mod and the user's PA will automatically download it from your server. This way you can provide updates for your mod and the user wont have to do anything to get them.
The drawback ofc is that your server needs to be online or the user wont be able to use the mod.

If you want to use this system with your mod and you need a server drop me a pm, you can use mine.

EDIT:
I just realized that you don't really need to use this mod to load stuff. All you need to do is create a loader file like above and use it as a global mod file, i.e. like I do now in PA Stats:

Code:

[PAMM]
Name=PA Stats Tracker Online Version
Author=Cola_Colin, Gunshin
Link=https://forums.uberent.com/threads/rel-pa-stats-52168.50690/
Category=Statistics Tracking
Folder=PA\media\ui\mods\pa_stats_online
global_mod_list='http://www.nanodesu.info/stuff/pa/mods/live/pastats/pa_stats_loader.js'
Version=10
Build=54696

That way you get an online mod without the mod loader thing.