Bundling Toolbar with your add-ons

[Bobe]

The wonderful Toolbar add-on seems to be growing in popularity and many developers are working to integrate Toolbar support for their own add-ons. However, I've noticed quite a few add-ons are bundling Toolbar in the download package.

While for some, maybe most, this might be a convenience, it might cause issues or maybe just a minor annoyance for others. Obviously if the user didn't already have Toolbar, great, two for the price of one. However, what if they had previously downloaded an add-on that included a more recent version of Toolbar and they overwrote it?

Most people are probably smart enough to see the Toolbar folder in the GameData folder and either ignore it or check their existing version, but doesn't it make more sense to not package it with the add-on and just leave Toolbar support optional by including a link to it on the add-on page?

[Majiir]

Mods probably include Toolbar because it's a dependency, and without it, some mods may not function at all. Kethane adds optional toolbar support, which is more involved but worth the effort in my opinion. I believe taniwha is also adding optional support to Extraplanetary Launchpads. You might encourage mod authors to take that route so they don't have to bundle Toolbar.

[nothke]

If I just see there is a toolbar folder in the mod's package, I just don't install it.

[boberts314]

If I just see there is a toolbar folder in the mod's package, I just don't install it.

I do the same. Without a version number on the folder it's a bother to check which folder is more up to date, so I just download it manually.

[Bobe]

If I just see there is a toolbar folder in the mod's package, I just don't install it.

As do I, but it just seems pointless nonetheless.

[Papa_Joe]

For me, I include it because it is a dependency. However, in my instructions, I clearly state the version, and provide instructions for properly installing, depending on the installation status of Toobar.

I understand that it may seem pointless, but consider the people that faithfully download the add on, only to find it doesn't work without another addon and they have to "find" it.

So, I'll err on the side of convenience for those that may not yet be "savvy" enough to "know" what to do.

[Bobe]

So, I'll err on the side of convenience for those that may not yet be "savvy" enough to "know" what to do.

I think it is for the sake of those people that I feel it should be kept separate. Like I said before, they may copy it over and unknowingly overwrite a newer version, which may cause some things to break. You can't assume every developer will always have the latest version included.

I don't think any mod uses Toolbar as a strict dependency. In other words, if you used any mod that came with Toolbar in the download package and didn't install Toolbar, they would still work completely fine, just without a convenient button group. If that isn't the case, I strongly believe it should be.

I don't want to seem like I'm getting aggressively overenthusiastic about such a minor thing, it's just in my nature to ensure things are as logical as possible.

[FenrirWolf]

Most mods that use the toolbar no longer have buttons of their own, so they do require it as a strict dependency. Some do provide their own interface if the toolbar is gone though.