Transport Tycoon Forums

Wile E. Coyote wrote:Looking forward too, I'm too lazy to manually edit configs.

Ditto!

I do have a suggestion, and that is, would there be a way for TTDXC to integrate with GRF Crawler so as to automatically download new versions of all the GRF files? Because when you get a lot of them, that's an ongoing pain.

GRFCrawler doesn't track versions though, and neither does it direct-link to .grf files (Infact eis_os reccomends against direct linking when you add entries to grf-crawler).

Hmm. Wonder if there's a way to improve that and make them work together? A reliable GRF updating function is really needed.

krtaylor wrote:Hmm. Wonder if there's a way to improve that and make them work together? A reliable GRF updating function is really needed.

Fully agree!

krtaylor wrote:Hmm. Wonder if there's a way to improve that and make them work together? A reliable GRF updating function is really needed.

Well TTDXC already provides a GRF updating utility accordingly to TTDP versions that needs them... and since 2.8.0 it will be able to remove obsolete/replaced GRF files as well, all from info provided by the TTDPatch server.

What info is provided by the TTDPatch server? I mean, just on the core GRF files? Or, more usefully, on the wide world of all manner of GRF files that people have made and released? I was thinking of GRF Crawler, because its purpose was to keep reference of all of them, in a way that the main Patch server doesn't.

Currently, the TTDPatch server provides this information:
This info is enough for adding/removing GRFs accordingly to certain TTDP version.

I think the server mantains a list of just the essential files, if you think more files are necessary, simply get in contact with Josef to tell him, because he mantains that info.

Also this information is maintain manually by myself, so it's, shall we say, less than perfectly reliable at times...

I see. Well, I know nothing about the internals of GRF Crawler, but presumably it must

- maintain a record of dates of the files it knows about, or at least be able to get the date off the file itself
- know the names of the files, and hence keep track of them from version to version (as long as the name doesn't change)
- be publicly accessible over the Internet

Certainly it has a wider reach than does Patchman's list. And really, I don't think it's the best use of Patchman's time to manually keep track of all the GRFs. I very much like your auto-updating idea, Andrex, it's really enormously helpful in principle, just as the rest of the auto-updating features are. I do think there's scope for using the wider reach of GRF Crawler to improve the feature.

Huh, TTDPatchAutoInstaller maintains such a list aswell ... (with md5sums)

Grfcrawler doesn't know any graphic version ....

A suggestion and I hope it's workable.

It will mean that the user of the tool will have to do some work, but not too much.

Give the tool a download function:
1. Player wants a grf file.
2. Player enters into the tool the address of the grf file.
3. The tool downloads the file to the player's system.
4. The tool stores the address and the rev date
5. Every now and then the player clicks a "Check for updates" button.
6. The tool reads each stored address and goes to each site, checks the build date and compares it to the stored value.
7. If there is a difference the tool advises the player and asks for permission to download now.
8. If the player accepts, the download is done and the tool updates the stored date.

Many grfs are stored in compressed files so perhaps the tool could also decompress a downloaded file and add it to the player's newgrf folder and cfg file.

Actually, that's not a bad idea at all. It's infinitely extendable with no active work on the part of the TTDXC or Patch staff.

eis_os, can you elaborate on the TTDPatchAutoInstaller list? What's this and where does it get it from?

wallyweb wrote:A suggestion and I hope it's workable.

It will mean that the user of the tool will have to do some work, but not too much.

Give the tool a download function:
1. Player wants a grf file.
2. Player enters into the tool the address of the grf file.
3. The tool downloads the file to the player's system.
4. The tool stores the address and the rev date
5. Every now and then the player clicks a "Check for updates" button.
6. The tool reads each stored address and goes to each site, checks the build date and compares it to the stored value.
7. If there is a difference the tool advises the player and asks for permission to download now.
8. If the player accepts, the download is done and the tool updates the stored date.

Many grfs are stored in compressed files so perhaps the tool could also decompress a downloaded file and add it to the player's newgrf folder and cfg file.

To check for new versions in such way, the server where the file is stored should be able to create index pages like this, otherwise there's no way to query file dates/sizes without downloading them first.

Andrex wrote:To check for new versions in such way, the server where the file is stored should be able to create index pages like this, otherwise there's no way to query file dates/sizes without downloading them first.

I guess you've never heard of the http HEAD method. You still have to query each file, of course, but you only get the filesize and modification date without having to download the file that way.

Patchman wrote:I guess you've never heard of the http HEAD method. You still have to query each file, of course, but you only get the filesize and modification date without having to download the file that way.

That's right, I just tried it and it retrieved file dates from my server perfectly with 5 lines of code. Anyway, this custom GRF updater won't be available in version 2.8.0 because I can't delay its release anymore.

The idea is good and perfectly feasible, it will be added to my unpredictable to-do list of stuff.

Andrex wrote:The idea is good and perfectly feasible, it will be added to my unpredictable to-do list of stuff.

The old man smiles and looks forward to it.

P.S. Can I add the Get TTDX Configurator button to the New Graphics - GRF Set Index thread ?

TTDX Configurator 2.8.0 is out... and here's what's new:

• All TTDPatch switches not provided by TTDXC are dinamically created from the XML file at the alpha/beta tab (sorted alphabetically)
• All stable switches types and ranges are retrieved from the XML file, when available
• Alpha/beta switches won't be available for versions older than TTDPatch 2.0.1 alpha 40
• Special switches are now configured with popup text box (also applies to swicthes curves and mountains)
• Default values are now retrieved from the XML file properly for all types of switches (requires XML file)
• Default state and value for any switch can now be loaded using the the right-click popup menu (requires XML file)
• Alpha/beta switch values are checked for invalid ranges/types, and corrected automatically (applies to all bit and range switches except 'moresteam', requires XML file)
• Version detection is now performed without delays
• Version number and switches description is now retrieved from the XML file, when available (file swtchlst.txt no longer created)
• Version detection and XML removal won't be performed in case Live Update fails
• The detection of older TTDPatch versions (prior to 2.0) is now informed with proper version number
• Old TTDPatch versions detection will run the program visible and minimized, and ESC key wil be sent to quit it in case it hangs due to unrecognized switches
• Switches aiboost and loadallgraphics are disabled and not saved in the CFG when using an XML-compatible TTDPatch version
• Alpha/beta switches are now always enabled (when available)
• Alpha/beta switches not present in the main [ttdxconfig] section will be looked up at the [additionalc] section when opening the CFG file
• After downloading a new TTDPatch alpha/beta version, its new switches will be shown in bold at the alpha/beta switches tab
• Switches from alpha/beta tab cannot be activated/deactivated while Live Update is in progress
• New version switches are not added to the Additional Commands section anymore (they are created at alpha/beta tab automatically)
• Replaced the GRF controls with toolbar and added option to add GRF files manually
• Optimized the GRF info retrieval speed
• Rebuilt the addition of new GRF files from drag&drop or direct download, now accepts dragging of multiple GRF files to the list
• Overwrite of existing files is now asked before proceeding with new GRF file addition
• Download of new GRF files now can disable or delete superseded GRF files
• The file newgrf(w).cfg is renamed accordingly to the 'newgrfcfg' switch status when saving settings, and it's name is retrieved from the switch on file load as well
• Corrected wrong parsing of version code for nightly revisions at the GRF Updater versions list
• The new graphics for the GRF Updater are now stored on registry instead of temporary file
• Corrected issues with the new TTDPatch version notifications
• Added ability to download and install latest TTDPatch nightly versions
• TTDPatch alpha/beta version change log now formatted and displayed as HTML page (same for nightly releases)
• The Version Restore dialog now shows brief version description, and allows to restore nightly TTDPatch versions (added at the bottom of the list)
• Rebuilt the news ticker items retrieval
• Removed the title bar caption animation
• Removed the restriction that avoided program execution from network location
• Corrected all issues regarding files already being opened
• Modified captions for switches signal1waittime, signal2waittime and largertownsons
• Fixed labels on bitswitches window not showing some languages properly
• Added link to complete partial translations at the Settings dialog (only visible for incomplete translations)
• Added option to force english retrieval of TTDPatch switches description (requires program restart to take effect)
• The proper warning will be shown in case CFG file cannot be saved for any reason
• Program is now distributed with full installer (components installer no longer required)

Also:

• Created changelog here (all taken from this topic)
• Updated translation status files (check here)
• Program now comes with installer, so the classic Components Installer is no longer needed. This installer also has the ability to download and install latest version directly, if a newer one is available on server. (the installer also provides grfinfo.exe, which is installed on a Windows' temp folder)

@Patchman:
The "Version information" link for stable version is now showing this page. However if you add a parameter infourl at the TTDP Stable section of the updates file, you can specify what URL to show (maybe a smaller/simpler version info page).
Alpha/beta version info shows the classic version info formatted in HTML, but you can also specify any URL by adding the infourl parameter to the TTDP Alpha-Beta section as well. This would be specially useful for last-minute version info or critical notices.


Finally, this version has been almost ready to release over 1 week ago, but it needed serious testing due to the amount of changes made. I'd like to test it even more, but now I'm out of time due to some serious work I have here. I also have to install a new forum at divxland.org and have no idea where to start (nor time to do it anyway).

Comments/suggestions and (constructive) feedback of any kind is welcome here.

Sounds great!

**goes to run TTDXC updater**

I did find a bug, which was previously present and is still there. Using the GRF updater, it does not know when it's updated. I mean, it doesn't seem to check to see if you already have the file that it is recommending you to download. I would think it could look in the newgrf.cfg file, and see if the file is there with the proper date; and then report that you are up to date.

OMIGOSH!!

*dashed of to update )