Automatic update for plugins and parts

[whlabratz]

I\'m thinking of writing some sort of automatic update system for plugins and parts (think APT for KSP)

This would work something like this:

When you want to install an addon, the addon author gives you a link to an XML file that describes the different addons the author has published (think APT repository).

You then select the addons you want to install (hopefully some sort of automatic dependency resolution could be implemented), and the program automatically downloads and installs the addon. The next time you launch the tool, it will automatically check to see if there are any updates for addons you have installed

Anyone think this is a good idea? Is someone (HarvestR?) already working on this? should I work on it? Any addon authors want to suggest features they would need/want? Anyone at all want to suggest features/comments/criticisms?

[Capt'n Skunky]

I think someone tried this before. It didn\'t catch on, but there weren\'t nearly as many mods back then.

Don\'t think I would use it as it\'s a tad early in KSP development to be automating things IMHO.

Arrr!

Capt\'n Skunky

[Cthulufaic]

Just like some guy who wrote a book before cell phones said: 'It usually takes 5-7 tries to get a product right, but if they aren\'t succesfull after 2 tries, they are usually dead and are never tried again' or something like that.

[togfox]

Six updater is popular but only works with ARMA2. Goolgle that for ideas.

[semininja]

I think someone tried this before. It didn\'t catch on, but there weren\'t nearly as many mods back then.

Don\'t think I would use it as it\'s a tad early in KSP development to be automating things IMHO.

Arrr!

Capt\'n Skunky

While specific aspects of the game may change that render certain types of mods non-functional, I think an updater for mod packs would be able to function regardless of changes unless the folder structure of the game changes radically; even then, it probably wouldn\'t take a lot of work to update the program to work with the new system. The only way that a mod updater would have problems is if the game\'s part loader were changed completely.

In other words, go for it. Get as many mod creators on board as you possibly can!

[N3X15]

This would be nice, but the problem would be the same issue with KSP\'s website: It\'s a single point of failure. If it goes down, nobody can use that system. I\'d personally like to use a system kind of like Maven (where people can set up repositories of their own packages hosted on their own site, and the 'repository' just distributes the scripts that tells people how to download), but then it becomes overly complex and no one WANTS to use it. So it\'s a matter of finding a balance between usability and reliability.

[togfox]

What about a site that lists (legal) bit torrents?

[whlabratz]

This would be nice, but the problem would be the same issue with KSP\'s website: It\'s a single point of failure. If it goes down, nobody can use that system. I\'d personally like to use a system kind of like Maven (where people can set up repositories of their own packages hosted on their own site, and the 'repository' just distributes the scripts that tells people how to download), but then it becomes overly complex and no one WANTS to use it. So it\'s a matter of finding a balance between usability and reliability.

Yeah, i had thought about the \'single point of failure\' problem, but more from the angle of \'I don\'t want to be responsible for maintaining this\'. My current thinking is that it would be along the lines of a repository model, with some \'default\' repository preconfigured. Just a matter of deciding who hosts the default repository, and getting enough of the mod devs on board to get some traction .

What about a site that lists (legal) bit torrents?

That would get around the problem of distributing the mod files themselves, but still leaves distributing a list of available mods. Also, torrenting files isn\'t practical for everyone (ex: some ISPs actively filter torrent traffic to the point of it being unusable), so plain old HTTP would still have to be an option