Yoma's Arma Addon Synchroniser

[Yoma 0]

You can get more info on the tool on my new website.Yoma Tools

GET IT HERE (requires .net 2.0), for installation issues please review the FAQ on my site.

Most important features

+Synchronize (download) addons from a webserver or FTP server in an easy way. The application will scan your local armafolder, if you allready have a addon you're about to download the app will simply copy it in stead of downloading it again. Also the app will ask if it should overwrite config files when it tries to download one.

+Server admins can easily create "packages" that they can store on their servers. (So players can easily connect with the correct mods loaded)

+Possibility to check extra info about the mods you are downloading via link to  ArmedAssault.info or Armaholic website. (If the mod is known there)

+Add/remove/import/export server configuration files (So admins can send them to clanmembers for easy configuration)

+Game launcher that automatically preselects mods from linked modserver. Check modfolders Faq

+Possibility to query gameservers via Gamespy query to check if server is playing/ who's playing on it before you connect.

+Possibility to monitor a server when it's full and have the application auto-launch arma when spots become available.

+Server monitor checks status with 30 seconds intervals and gives a warning when server state changes (good for non JIP games so you don't have to stay in lobby waiting for game to restart).

+Possibiltiy to define a distinct order in which to load selected mods (both serveradmin and player can specify a modfolder sequence).

+Launch TeamSpeak,TeamSpeakOverlay, and Track IR from within the program

+Compression of mods in ZIP or 7Z format. For more information on the superb 7Z compression visit http://www.7-zip.org

+Server admins can automatically open their squad webpage or a help webpage via a setting in modfolders.txt

+The application is now available in multiple languages (English, Dutch, Spanish (by Big from Armaholic), German (by Crowe),French (by Spawn Hell),Norwegian(by torbjorn))

The use of this program is AT YOUR OWN RISK. I will not be held responsible for possible damages to a modfolder due to the use of this program.

[vipermaul 246]

Sounds promising.

[buliwyf 4]

Really nice stuff. We need it!

I guess someone knows OFPWatch. A wonderful stuff for Operation Flashpoint to adminstrade addons and servers... it`s a pity that noone converted it 1:1 to ArmA...

[Yoma 0]

OFPwatch that was the name!

It was real good, but the thing i have in mind will be completely independant from a gameserver. This will enable addonsites to publish their addons with the tool, and also enable really untechsavvy users to use addons.

At least that's the goal.

[Hyrax0740 0]

Basicly like the functions of a Fast redirect?

[Yoma 0]

I don't know fast redirect, but basicly like:

Your in a clan and they updated the mods they use.

Instead of having to download an entire pack/figure out what addons have changed:

Click one button and your mods are the same as the rest of the clan's.

[MEDICUS 0]

Sounds interessting.

Is this something similar to the good old OFPWatch?

Edit:

Nvm ... just read it 2 posts above

[Dwarden 1125]

i would suggest to use 7-zip instead of archaic zip ...

ofcourse You can support zip too

also source release is welcome

[Yossarian 0]

This is a great idea! keep it up

[dmarkwick 261]

This is something ArmA does need thanks for setting it up, looking forward to it.

When the files are unzipped into an addon folder, does it use the default addons folder or will you create a special one for the purpose? And will the game need a reboot before recognising it?

[Yoma 0]

i would suggest to use 7-zip instead of archaic zip ...

ofcourse You can support zip too

also source release is welcome

-If you have a .net module that allows me to easily create 7 zip files i'll be happy to oblige/ add it as an option.

-The pro side of using simple zip is that everyone can allways, without installing anything new unzip a zipfile when they use windows. (and as most people will be playing arma on windows for now :-)...)

-about sourcing it: this will have 2 downsides:

*People will laugh at my scrappy coding ;-)

*Some nasty people might just get happy hacking thoughts over it, releasing a version that does A LOT MORE then just upload/download arma-addons.

I'm thinking about it. It might turn out handy as i could probably use a set of extra brains.

[Yoma 0]

This is something ArmA does need thanks for setting it up, looking forward to it.

When the files are unzipped into an addon folder, does it use the default addons folder or will you create a special one for the purpose? And will the game need a reboot before recognising it?

Due to the way arma works:

-Arma WILL NEED TO BE SHUT DOWN BEFORE SYNCHRONISING

(arma locks files in addonfolders when arma is running as far as i know) => synching at such a time would be a really really bad idea

-Whenever you put a new mod in a modfolder, you need to restart arma.

-You can currently select an addonfolder (or create a new one) from within the application. The application will then download the addons to the selected folder.

To everyone: read my initial post carefully: THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS OFPWATCH. OFPWATCH WAS BETTER! (at least in most ways i think)

THIS WILL NOT BE THE HOLY GRAIL OF ADDONMANAGING, but will, with a bit of luck make life at least for clans easier.

[smiley nick 51]

Great work Yoma

Can the same system be used for syncing global animations for broadcasting, rather than having it set for client side only?

Nick

[Yoma 0]

Great work Yoma

Can the same system be used for syncing global animations for broadcasting, rather than having it set for client side only?

Nick

What do you mean with global animations?

All this thinghy does is download addons.. I've absolutely no clue on how animations have anything to do with this?

I think the anims are stored INSIDE an addon?

What i am also thinking of is synching stuff like strategy maps etc for clans.

[bravo 6 0]

brilliant Yoda!

great .. keep up the good work

[Yoma 0]

Ok can someone confirm this to me please.

I think a valid @addonfolder can only contain the following directories:

Addons: containing pbo's with addons.

Campaigns:containing pbo's with campaigns

Dta:containing pbo's

Missions: containing sqm,sqf or pbo files

MPMissions: containing sqm,sqf or pbo files

I need a full list so i can correctly sync any addon. The file types may not be that important, but THE FOLDERNAMES ARE!

[.kju 3244]

should be correct AFAIK

note that you can nest modfolders too:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">ArmA\@MFLVL1\@MFLVL2\addons etc

also absolute path of modfolder should be possible as well:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">-mod=d:\games\ArmA\@MFAbsolute

excellent project mate

ps:

one more note

you can also have other files inside DTA and ADDONS, like txt, hpp etc

This mechanism is used by some projects to let people change

the configuration of an addon by themselves (check sixpack1).

[Yoma 0]

should be correct AFAIK  

note that you can nest modfolders too:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">ArmA\@MFLVL1\@MFLVL2\addons etc

also absolute path of modfolder should be possible as well:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">-mod=d:\games\ArmA\@MFAbsolute

excellent project mate  

ps:

one more note

you can also have other files inside DTA and ADDONS, like txt, hpp etc

This mechanism is used by some projects to let people change

the configuration of an addon by themselves (check sixpack1).

hmm

-about the nesting: what exactly does this do?

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">ArmA\@MFLVL1\@MFLVL2\addons etc

i mean: can you start the previous by just using

arma.exe -mod=@MFLVL1

and will it then also load MFLVL2 mod?

-I also need a full list of other file extensions that can be used (if that is even possible)

Thanks a lot for the feedback.

I'm currently adding stuff like:

When you sync a addonsfolder, you get a list of the addons and can mark missing/different files for download.

The upload will have the same feature, so you only upload new/changed files.

The whole thing is bloody experimental, but it's getting more real day by day.

[Yoma 0]

One downside will be that extra mod configfiles will be overwritten by default (you'll be able to mark them off for download, but you'll have to do that yourself)

Then again if a mod changes chances are very likely that a moddable config will change as well.

[[aps]gnat 28]

There was a lot of good discussion at

ArmAWatch but John (Certa) just disappear .... and the forum shut down.

Hope hes alright

[Yoma 0]

Gnat @ Sep. 29 2007,19:09)]There was a lot of good discussion at

ArmAWatch but John (Certa) just disappear .... and the forum shut down.

Hope hes alright

That's too bad.

That forum must have had TONS of good info. And if Certa was the man that made the originall we lost a real good man!

Don't think i'll be able to match the originall.(I program mostly as a hobby)

Anyway i'll do my best to fill the gap a bit.

[.kju 3244]

Quote[/b] ]-I also need a full list of other file extensions that can be used (if that is even possible)

it can be any, yet i would go for cpp, hpp and txt. maybe sqs and

sqf, but i am not sure if those two actually work / make sense.

you should however also keep readme files in mind:

txt, doc, html, odt, etc

(maybe with a proper standard naming schema )

(like ADDONNAME_readme(_v1.0).txt inside ArmA\docs)

nested modfolders only means that the modfolder can be inside

an any amount of folders itself, so it doesn't have to be:

ArmA\@MF\addons

but also

ArmA\@MF\MORE\addons

ArmA\@MF\MORE\EVENMORE\addons

its hardly used, yet you asked for it

[Yoma 0]

Hmm i'm looking at the sixpack1, this kind of complicates stuff.

Right now what i have starts with the principle that every modfolder CONTAINS the stuff it needs.

It looks like for sixpack you have to place stuff OUTSIDE your modfolder.

I consider this dirty as i don't like putting stuff OUTSIDE a modfolder and i certainly don't wanna tamper with any default Arma folders, this opens the gate to ruining your Arma installation (been there plenty of times with OFP)

I wonder if what they do is even possible WITHIN a modfolder.

For now i think i'll take the easy/safer road, which means i will only be synching mods INSIDE modfolders.

I'm thinking of doing it like this:

-The pbo's in the modfolder's Addons root will have their own CheckSums and will be zipped separatly.

-Anything except the pbo's in /Addons will be stuffed in a separate zipfile, with complete directorystructure/files

A checksum will be calculated from the zipfile and added to checksumlist.

-I might split it up a bit so that missions can be synched separatly too.

All this synching stuff is not as easy as it looks :-)

[hardrock 1]

-about sourcing it: this will have 2 downsides:

*People will laugh at my scrappy coding ;-)

*Some nasty people might just get happy hacking thoughts over it, releasing a version that does A LOT MORE then just upload/download arma-addons.

I'm thinking about it. It might turn out handy as i could probably use a set of extra brains.

I doubt it. These nasty types of people usually can't program in .NET. And even if they do, you don't really have to worry about it. On the other hand, experienced programmers might geht interested if they can actually see and modify your code.

[.kju 3244]

Quote[/b] ]I wonder if what they do is even possible WITHIN a modfolder.

it is possible. check my proper sara addon