[1.3 & 1.2] KSP-AVC Add-on Version Checker Plugin 1.1.6.2 - MiniAVC - KSP-AVC Online (2016-10-13)

[cybutek]

If there is no such tool, I was considering making it myself. If so, am I allowed to query ksp-avc.cybutek.net for the versions?

If a mod's local version file links to ksp-avc.cybutek.net then yes, as it's being used as intended. I just ask that you don't excessively hit the website whilst testing. Use your own local server or similar.

Also note that an official out of game tool is not off the cards, as a few people have asked for it. But until then feel free to create your own.

[Bit Fiddler]

maybe it could be both... or can it somehow force the database load to pause while it checks the versions, then let you install any new files, then you press a button to "continue" the database load.

[cybutek]

Please bare in mind that ksp-avc.cybutek.net is not a database of all mods. It's not meant to be a search tool, just a convenient place for remote version file hosting. A version file can be hosted absolutely anywhere.

Edit:

Sorry, misunderstood what you meant by database load. Thought you meant it as a continuation of what was previously said, but it was with regards to the loading of the game after re-reading. To answer the statement... There's no way to install or update plugins whilst the game is running. All plugins are loaded into the AppDomain at launch, and because of how the AppDomain works, it is not possible to remove any assembly after it has been loaded. This requires a completely new instance of the AppDomain to be created, which requires a restart of the game anyway.

Edited September 29, 2014 by cybutek

[Bit Fiddler]

ah well. I guess we have to decide if we want a update check as a separate app before we launch, or a possible reload after this app tells us we need to update a mod... ether way has pros and cons... guess if someone wants a pre start check they can just make a new program..

[AetherGoddess]

Is there any chance of getting a stand-alone version check executable? [...]

Rover keeps updating things, being prolific and awesome and disruptive and all, and the latest update gave me an idea about how to make the reaction to out-of-date mods easier. How about adding a new button at the bottom of the "you have updates" window (where it asks for actions) marked something like "Download all and exit" that allows you to fork all of the download links for all mods that need updates, and then exits the KSP process. Most of the time you need to exit KSP to replace files anyways, and the existing download button already starts a web browser jumping to the download link, so it would just need a FOREACH loop, followed by a process exit.

idle speculation being what it is, i haven't checked if mods are sandboxed or something and might not even be able to call a process exit, but i assume exiting a process should be something any part of that process should be able to do. Win-x64 being unstable as it is, you could always just perform an access violation or something and no one would ever know the difference, so there's always that.

[cybutek]

Version 1.1.4.3 is now available!

Updated for KSP v0.25.0

Fixed: Typo in AddonInfo.ToString()

Fixed: Bug with empty version files which would cause the top drop down to not work.

MiniAVC updated to 1.0.2.4!

Updated for KSP v0.25.0

Fixed: Typo in AddonInfo.ToString()

Fixed: Bug with empty version files.

[TranceaddicT]

Is there any chance of getting this hosted on KerbalStuff?

[cybutek]

Is there any chance of getting this hosted on KerbalStuff?

There's always a chance, but is there a reason?

Right now there's no reason to increase my workload by uploading to multiple places without there being any benefits for me or players. I've no need for any of the analytics on KerbalStuff, and CurseForge works perfectly fine for me as a place for hosting downloads. CurseForge is a premium service, ad free, and full speed for everyone; unlike standard Curse. If this wasn't the case, or ever changes, then I will stop using it. Until then, I don't see how the overhead of me having to upload and manage multiple distribution platforms makes clicking the download button in the top right corner of the CurseForge page easier. KSP-AVC/MiniAVC notifies of updates, and it directly links to the page where they can be downloaded for all of my mods; so it's never more than two clicks from downloaded.

Nothing against KerbalStuff or for CurseForge. But my process of distribution right now is pretty smooth so it'll take a real reason for me to alter it. Never say never though

[Jacke]

Version 1.1.4.3 is now available!

...

MiniAVC updated to 1.0.2.4!

....

Do you think these still work with KSP v0.24.2? Understandable if you haven't tested that.

I'm not moving to 0.25 until most of the important mods (including BTSM) have all successfully upgraded.

Edited October 8, 2014 by Jacke

[hakan]

Windows ksp-32, 0.25, KSP-AVC 1.1.4.3:

I always have the dropdown menu with "Show All KSP-AVC Ready Add-Ons" on the top right. Is there a way to disable this dropdown once the game itself is started? The dropdown is not movable as well, so it hides important game elements too.

[cybutek]

Do you think these still work with KSP v0.24.2? Understandable if you haven't tested that.

I'm not moving to 0.25 until most of the important mods (including BTSM) have all successfully upgraded.

I would still use 1.1.4.2 in KSP v0.24.2. The fixes in 1.1.4.3 are minor. Also don't worry about there being a nag screen, as KSP-AVC will notice that you're running 0.24.2 and the latest version is for 0.25; so will not recommend the update.

I always have the dropdown menu with "Show All KSP-AVC Ready Add-Ons" on the top right. Is there a way to disable this dropdown once the game itself is started? The dropdown is not movable as well, so it hides important game elements too.

I'm not sure of what game elements you're referring to considering there's nothing in the top left of the menu screen, and it's disabled as soon as you enter the space centre. But I have been thinking of ways to make it less obtrusive and fit in better aesthetically. So expect something better in a future update

[hakan]

I'm not sure of what game elements you're referring to considering there's nothing in the top left of the menu screen, and it's disabled as soon as you enter the space centre. But I have been thinking of ways to make it less obtrusive and fit in better aesthetically. So expect something better in a future update

Thing is, I am seeing the dropdown in the space centre, in the VAB and SPH (preventing me from selecting part types), on the normal flight scene, preventing me from seeing the complete warp speed element, in the research center... Practically everywhere...

So, if you say that it should disable itself immediately when entering the space centre, maybe something on my system prevents it from doing so? Any idea where I can start to debug?

Ah, and additionally, the "DevHelper" addon which allows you to load a game and enter a certain scene without interaction also locates its two dropdowns at the top left... Nicely colliding with AVC

[hakan]

Ah, I have to modify my statement, the dropdown vanished after entering the space center scene. I need to observe whether I can find situations in which the dropdown stays throughout the game...

[HoneyFox]

Feeling weird about the mechaism of the .version file.

I made a plugin for 0.24.2 and now 0.25 is out, I tested the plugin and it's compatible to 0.25 so I don't need to make a new plugin version. What should I do then?

I went to the KSP AVC website and "Edit" the "KSP Version" entry to "0.25.0" but I still get the update warning when launching the game saying that the plugin is made for 0.24.2.

[cybutek]

Feeling weird about the mechaism of the .version file.

I made a plugin for 0.24.2 and now 0.25 is out, I tested the plugin and it's compatible to 0.25 so I don't need to make a new plugin version. What should I do then?

I went to the KSP AVC website and "Edit" the "KSP Version" entry to "0.25.0" but I still get the update warning when launching the game saying that the plugin is made for 0.24.2.

This is because it's doing a local compatibility check with the version file included with the mod, not the remote one. I would recommend in this case altering the version file that is bundled with your mod to be:

KSP_VERSION:"0.24.2", KSP_VERSION_MAX:"0.25"

There is information about these extra optional min/max fields in the readme. This will get rid of any compatibility warnings for anyone using versions 0.24.2 through to 0.25, but will still cause a warning if they use 0.25.x or 0.26 for safety reasons. Of course this relies on anyone getting this compatibility warning to re-download the bundle with the new version file. It might be worth incrementing your version by 0.0.0.1 so anyone continuing to get the compatibility warning also gets the new version notice as well. It's always safer to assume your mod will be incompatible with the next release and put up with doing this little update, rather than it say it's compatible and end up not being.

I'll have a look into the possibility of making this easier in future versions of KSP-AVC.

[Dunbaratu]

Is it possible to give the parse error message if a mod's .version file has syntax errors (isn't proper JSON)? Right now it just says this:

       NAME: NULL (required)
       URL: NULL
       DOWNLOAD: NULL
       GITHUB: NULL
       VERSION: NULL (required)
       KSP_VERSION: 0.25
       KSP_VERSION_MIN: NULL
       KSP_VERSION_MAX: NULL
       CompatibleKspVersion: True
       CompatibleKspVersionMin: True
       CompatibleKspVersionMax: True
       CompatibleGitHubVersion: True

Which is basically the default values prior to trying to read the version file. It took me a while when I was trying to add AVC suport to a small mod I made to realize that the actual problem was a syntax error in the version file making it unable to fill these values.

[Ippo]

[...] So expect something better in a future update

Since we are at it, I'd like to point out that the list of mods that support this is growing. Now, that's absolutely awesome, but I think it's time you start considering the idea that the list might go off-screen and will need a scrollbar (in my setup, AVC shows 24 entries and takes up already half of the screen's height). Just throwing my 2 cents in your general direction

[UAL002]

Since we are at it, I'd like to point out that the list of mods that support this is growing. Now, that's absolutely awesome, but I think it's time you start considering the idea that the list might go off-screen and will need a scrollbar (in my setup, AVC shows 24 entries and takes up already half of the screen's height). Just throwing my 2 cents in your general direction

After reading that I heard the "Woosh... smack" sound in my head. lol

[HoneyFox]

This is because it's doing a local compatibility check with the version file included with the mod, not the remote one. I would recommend in this case altering the version file that is bundled with your mod to be:

KSP_VERSION:"0.24.2", KSP_VERSION_MAX:"0.25"

There is information about these extra optional min/max fields in the readme. This will get rid of any compatibility warnings for anyone using versions 0.24.2 through to 0.25, but will still cause a warning if they use 0.25.x or 0.26 for safety reasons. Of course this relies on anyone getting this compatibility warning to re-download the bundle with the new version file. It might be worth incrementing your version by 0.0.0.1 so anyone continuing to get the compatibility warning also gets the new version notice as well. It's always safer to assume your mod will be incompatible with the next release and put up with doing this little update, rather than it say it's compatible and end up not being.

I'll have a look into the possibility of making this easier in future versions of KSP-AVC.

Well I think we can do this:

Check the latest plugin version first, if remote & local sides match:

Check KSP version,

if it matches on the local side nothing to worry about.

if it matches on the remote side but not on the local side: we download the remote .version and replace the local .version.

if it doesn't match either side, show the warning (well I have to agree that it's best to support min/max KSP version input on your AVC website since there's possibility that a plugin supports more than two KSP versions, but that's a minor issue IMHO).

If the latest plugin versions don't match,

Check the KSP version to see if it's still compatible... if not, show the warning.

Edited October 12, 2014 by HoneyFox

[Ippo]

After reading that I heard the "Woosh... smack" sound in my head. lol

Ehm... I don't get what you mean :/

[TaranisElsu]

I'm not sure that I understand how to use this:

• GITHUB - Optional
  Allows KSP-AVC to do release checks with GitHub including setting a download location if one is not specified.
  If the latest release version is not equal to the version in the file, an update notification will not appear.
  This is only used from the remote version file.
  
  • USERNAME - Required
    Your GitHub username.
    
  • REPOSITORY - Required
    The name of the source repository.
    
  • ALLOW_PRE_RELEASE - Optional
    Include pre-releases in the latest release search.
    The default value is false.
    

(http://ksp.cybutek.net/kspavc/Documents/README.htm)

So I still need a remote version file? I cannot use this instead of one?

I was wondering if I could use the Github section instead of a remote version file. Just create a local version file that will point it to the Github repository where it will parse the latest release's number and check that against the local file's number. If they don't match, then notify that an update is available.

I am also confused by this line: "If the latest release version is not equal to the version in the file, an update notification will not appear."

Have I misunderstood how the Github section works?

Thanks!

[cybutek]

It works exactly the same as normal, requiring a mod version in both the local and remote version files. The GitHub field is for synchronisation only. Basically put, what happens is that if a GitHub field is present it will also check the remote version against the release versions (tag) on GitHub. If a GitHub release version does not match the one in the remote version file, it will not display an update. This solves the problem with regards to committing an updated version file before having actually released it. Without using this field the act of committing an updated version file to GitHub will notify users of an update immediately, even though it's not actually available for download.

Hopefully that makes sense

[Tahib]

Does it notify the end user (me) about available updates for supported mods?

[slumpie]

Yes, it does.

[cybutek]

KSP-AVC Plugin 1.1.5 is now available!

Get it here!

Added: Remote version files take priority when local/remote add-on versions are the same.

Added: 'Any' type versions are now fully supported.

Added: Wildcards for version fields with '-1'.

Added: New informational toolbar to the top left of the screen, replacing the drop down button.

Added: Toolbar display's the number of installed add-ons that are KSP-AVC ready.

Added: Toolbar has a dynamic list that will allow scrolling when taller than half the game screen height.

Added: Toolbar has a 'Copy to Clipboard' button that will copy the list and environment information (KSP/Unity/OS) to the clipboard.

MiniAVC has been updated to 1.0.3!

Get it here!

Added: Remote version files take priority when local/remote add-on versions are the same.

Added: 'Any' type versions are now fully supported.

Added: Wildcards for version fields with '-1'.