Swifty : the simple and no-hassle mod updater

[headswe 17]

https://getswifty.net

 

 

Swifty aims to be a simple and no-hassle mod updater for Arma 3 communities.

It doesn't try to do everything, but instead tries to be intuitive for end-users, with short time-to-play, less buttons to press and less confusing menus.

Rather than a common mod repository, it relies on communities to host their own, thus allowing their administrators to maintain control over updates.

 

Speed

In the background, Swifty employs delta patching and caching to make mod updates faster.
Once cached, a repository of nearly 25 GBs can be diagnosed in a second or two.

 

Deep pbo inspection and patching

Go deeper, Swifty compares every file inside the pbos to save on both space and timefor your users.

Only edited one file and need to update, don’t fret Swifty gives you 1:1 on the updates.

 

Your own conditions

Community administrators who spend their free time maintaining a repository will surely appreciate the freedom of pushing updates when it suits you and your group best.

 

 

Screenshot

 

Videos

Guide to setup a repository

https://youtu.be/AOLrHb0es6c

[connorwarman 60]

This program is seriously awesome, it's likely the best program for community repository installation, updating and management out right now, and I'll even go as far as to say it's the best tool of it's sort the ArmA community has ever had.

 

If you aren't already using it, I highly suggest you do. 

[jonpas 294]

The only community modpack manager that does actual delta patching on PBOs, very simple to use, lightweight and easy server administration. Keep up the good work @headswe!

[snippers 36]

Swifty is nothing short of superb community modpack updater! It's super easy to use which is a huge plus as it means as a community maintainer I don't need to write guides for how to use it or help people out as much as I have with other tools in the past ;). Thanks again Head for making this awesome tool!

[nikolauska 10]

We have used this modpack manager in our community for several months and I can highly recommend this program! It's so easy to use for users and admins!  :)

[Bamse 223]

This is a really nice alternative for custom repos, really good job man!

 

Some input from my point of view after trying it out for a short while

When focusing on ease of use the less stuff to do when creating the repo on the client/player computers the better.

 

* Imo, and if possible, when setting up the repo or repos for the first time as a player ... having something more in line of the Import screen would be a better choice instead of the quite daunting Create-screen. This also goes well with if FTP isn't to be used anymore like the YouTube-video hints since many of the fields wont even be used anymore. The name is supplied by repo.config so that seems a bit redundant to fill in just to get started. It's better to let the repo admins be able to set a set of defaults and let those who want to change stuff have the option to do it after the repo is created rather than requiring everyone to do it.

* The default addon folder on each repo gets defaulted to the Documents folder if left blank, but isn't it rather standard to have mods installed into your "Steam\steamapps\common\Arma 3\"-folder directly? From my PoV it would be better to use the Arma 3 folder found in the general settings as a default folder and for those who wants to have them elsewhere they can click the browse button. The less required input the better :)

 

 

I know you don't want to be a mod/repo manager that does everything, but stuff that we found to be a nice addition is;

 

* Is there some way to synchronize folders over for instance ftp? Right now it seems like the only way to make sure you don't have any old files on the server is to delete and start uploading again.

* Having multiple repos with different userconfig-folders is a bit of a battle. Right now the different repos battle it out and deletes stuff every time something is updated. Having the option to ignore other already existing folders would be a good thing.

* Launch option for use with multiple repos. Our group has a main repo that is needed for everyone that joins, but also an optional client side repo and there's no option I can find to launch the game with both main and client repo. Maybe a tickbox in the upper left corner of the repo-logo could be one way to go?

 

The build process is straight forward, streamlined and easy to automate for repo-admins and once the initial setup is done it really seems to be a sweet client for players to use.

I'll present it for my group and see if the other find it as good as I do. Thanks for doing this!

[Guest]

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Swifty v2.1.2.4

[headswe 17]

* Imo, and if possible, when setting up the repo or repos for the first time as a player ... having something more in line of the Import screen would be a better choice instead of the quite daunting Create-screen. This also goes well with if FTP isn't to be used anymore like the YouTube-video hints since many of the fields wont even be used anymore. The name is supplied by repo.config so that seems a bit redundant to fill in just to get started. It's better to let the repo admins be able to set a set of defaults and let those who want to change stuff have the option to do it after the repo is created rather than requiring everyone to do it.

 

Not too sure what you mean, when using import skip the create screen?

 

* The default addon folder on each repo gets defaulted to the Documents folder if left blank, but isn't it rather standard to have mods installed into your "Steam\steamapps\common\Arma 3\"-folder directly? From my PoV it would be better to use the Arma 3 folder found in the general settings

as a default folder and for those who wants to have them elsewhere they can click the browse button. The less required input the better :)

No, i don't consider placing mods inside the Arma 3 folder a standard in any way.

 

* Is there some way to synchronize folders over for instance ftp? Right now it seems like the only way to make sure you don't have any old files on the server is to delete and start uploading again.

I personally generate my updates on the server.

The patchcreator works both on windows and linux using mono ( ensure you have latest version ).

But i understand your pain, in the future i plan to implement a feature that cleans the output folder afterwards and thus you could use something like rsync or alike application to sync the repos.

I can tell you this aside size concerns the old files aren't dangerous in any way.

* Having multiple repos with different userconfig-folders is a bit of a battle. Right now the different repos battle it out and deletes stuff every time something is updated. Having the option to ignore other already existing folders would be a good thing.

Agreed, this feature was lost during a rewrite, I'll make a point to add it.

 

* Launch option for use with multiple repos. Our group has a main repo that is needed for everyone that joins, but also an optional client side repo and there's no option I can find to launch the game with both main and client repo. Maybe a tickbox in the upper left corner of the repo-logo could be one way to go?

Optional addons are on my todo list.

For now, you can add the repo folder to the external addons folders list and you will be able to use repo settings -> mods to enable them for the main repo.

Thanks for your interest.

[Bamse 223]

 

Not too sure what you mean, when using import skip the create screen?

Sry my english is a bit shoddy ... but in the youtube video you tell us one way of adding a repo to the client via the Create Repo screen. That screen is at this time of writing a bit, in lack of better words, daunting for some users with what looks to be quite a number of fields to fill out.

The suggestion from my side was to eliminate as many fields as possible making it look and feel easier to add a new repo for the user. More making it look more like the Import procedure ... kinda like this: Create -> paste url -> done.

If then someone wants to do more advanced stuff (90% of our player base wont touch a single additional thing) like change the repo display name, default addon folder and stuff or whatever it can be done by pressing the cogwheel once it's added.

This is from my point of view and just a humble suggestion. Not requesting stuff in any way or form, so take what you will from it :)

 

 

No, i don't consider placing mods inside the Arma 3 folder a standard in any way.

Oh, copy that. I've always put my mods in the Arma folder since back in the day. I didn't even know it was possible using the Documents folder as one of the default places to have them in. You learn something new every day, indeed :)

 

Thanks for all the answers, I'll keep fiddling with Swifty and subscribe to the thread.

[headswe 17]

Sry my english is a bit shoddy ... but in the youtube video you tell us one way of adding a repo to the client via the Create Repo screen. That screen is at this time of writing a bit, in lack of better words, daunting for some users with what looks to be quite a number of fields to fill out.

The suggestion from my side was to eliminate as many fields as possible making it look and feel easier to add a new repo for the user. More making it look more like the Import procedure ... kinda like this: Create -> paste url -> done.

If then someone wants to do more advanced stuff (90% of our player base wont touch a single additional thing) like change the repo display name, default addon folder and stuff or whatever it can be done by pressing the cogwheel once it's added.

This is from my point of view and just a humble suggestion. Not requesting stuff in any way or form, so take what you will from it :)

 

Oh, copy that. I've always put my mods in the Arma folder since back in the day. I didn't even know it was possible using the Documents folder as one of the default places to have them in. You learn something new every day, indeed :)

 

Thanks for all the answers, I'll keep fiddling with Swifty and subscribe to the thread.

No worries mate.

Also yes, what you described have been discussed and planned for regarding the import screen, we just discussed it in discord the other day.

[Mozkelby 39]

Good work, but doesn't the current Arma 3 launcher already updated mods automatically?

[snippers 36]

Good work, but doesn't the current Arma 3 launcher already updated mods automatically?

 

That is true, but the arma 3 launcher has its owns pros and cons. For instance not all mods are available on the steam workshop and as a user you also don't have direct control over where the mods are installed. Steam does not automatically copy teamspeak plugins/userconfig files where as Swifty allows us. For our community there are net advantages to running this over the arma 3 launcher, but the needs of every community are different.

[System98 10]

Swifty offers very fast patching thanks to delta-patching and is easy to use. Totally recommended. B)

[viper4aa 0]

I still use Yoma's Addonsync, because there was no really good alternative, which is simple to use on client side and on repo admin side.

But Swifty could exactly be the tool I search for.

 

There is only one thing, what Bamse described in his post - a FTP delta upload feature.

I have the role of the repo manager. If I use the patchcreator it updates directly the repository, which has to be available via HTTP or FTP. In result patchcreator have to run on the same machine where your repository is stored.

But there are cases where you want to separate it.

There is often the case that you use webspace of a provider, because of the higher upload bandwidth. My repo is 16 GB at the moment and I have 1 MBit upload bandwidth at home. Now you can calculate how long it takes to upload the full repo to the webspace on every update, because I don't have a delta.

The use of another sync tool like rsync is further a problem, because the upload to an external webspace is possible via FTP only.

 

A FTP sync feature is maybe not possible to implement in Swifty, but maybe you can add a parameter to patchcreator where you additionally generate the changed and additional files to a separate folder inclusive the folder structure of the source (.\@mod\addons\file.pbo). Then I can upload the content of this seperate folder completely to the webspace via FTP. Deleted files is a bit tricky, but you can output it as log info of patchcreator and then I know which files I have to delete on the webspace.

[viper4aa 0]

Another question: Is there a special cause why the application needs Administrator rights to the runtime? It is a little bit annoying if the UAC pops up every time.

If I see it correct, it is a .NET application which is installed to your windows user profile. IMO these rights are not necessary.

 

Thanks.

[headswe 17]

A FTP sync feature is maybe not possible to implement in Swifty, but maybe you can add a parameter to patchcreator where you additionally generate the changed and additional files to a separate folder inclusive the folder structure of the source (.\@mod\addons\file.pbo). Then I can upload the content of this seperate folder completely to the webspace via FTP. Deleted files is a bit tricky, but you can output it as log info of patchcreator and then I know which files I have to delete on the webspace.

If you keep the ouput folder between updates, swifty wont replace the non modified files ;)

 

 

Another question: Is there a special cause why the application needs Administrator rights to the runtime? It is a little bit annoying if the UAC pops up every time.

If I see it correct, it is a .NET application which is installed to your windows user profile. IMO these rights are not necessary.

 

Thanks.

Answered on github.

[R3vo 2654]

Looks interesting, Arma3Sync and PWS can be kinda confusing for new players due to they !(straight-lined) UI.

[headswe 17]

FYI, FTP support is being removed when the next update hits.

Its implementation is sub par and not up to spec with rest of swifty.

[headswe 17]

2.0.2.5 release, changelog on site.

[colonelhartigan 50]

Is there any intention to provide FTP support again in the future?

[Singh Aram 137]

Awesome !!!!!!!!

[headswe 17]

Is there any intention to provide FTP support again in the future?

Unlikely.

[opendome 91]

This looks great!

 

I'm pretty confused by some things though. So firstly for the server in the repo.config is that the location of the repo or the game server itself? Also for the server I noticed to didnt use http:// or anything when configuring the repo.config, do you not need to add it or an alternative such as sftp? Also I tried creating the in/out but I got repo data file malformed! Line:6 which is the parameters line but I only have Parameters=-nosplash and even tried just leaving it blank but it keeps giving me the same error. THen when I try to start it, it says Error 4: No Data in repo.config

 

Thanks!

[headswe 17]

Just a small poke that swifty is still alive.

 

https://gfycat.com/AllFlimsyAvians

[bumgie 49]

Can optional mods be added to the repositories by the hoster? 

 

Is there a command line version of swifty for updating mods on gameserver?

 

Is there a linux version of repocreator process?

 

Is there any problem with clients to have multiple repositories with same mods stored to the same download location. Will this cause conflicts?