SRL Archive - Suggestions

An (Auto) Updater is a must, IMO. It should help force users to stay up to date. (Of course it can be turned off, but leechers prefer to stay up to date.)
A bit like Firefox' updater, although I don't prefer it if it downloads any updates silently.

So, we need a way to notify the user there is an update available. After this, users can update using something like Tools -> Update.

Several ways to do this:

• Popup (Ugh)
• Write to debug. (Easily missed)
• Add another status bar to Mufasa, which indicates if it is up to date, or not.
• Some sort of extra `bar' that ``pops up'', like firefox' bar.

My personal favourite would be the status bar.

I think appending it to the main program title bar'y thing, ie "Mufasa/Simba v2.05" becomes "Mufasa/Simba v2.05 - new version released".

I think you meant to put the strike-outed force in FRONT of the help :p.
Just have a small square, if its Green you have latest version, if its Red update is available. Then just Tools>Update. Something of that sort would be nice.

(HOLY SHIT <3 FIREFOX! I accidenly closed this tab, ctrl shift T to reopen last closed tab, and 4 seconds later my message popped back up too!)

I prefer Firefox's status bar, as I think it more evenly balances noticeability and intrusiveness than the other options, as the user will almost definitely notice when there is an update (more so than any of the other options besides a popup IMO), but it will go away and take up no space when there is no new updates.

From: bullzeye95
I prefer Firefox's status bar, as I think it more evenly balances noticeability and intrusiveness than the other options, as the user will almost definitely notice when there is an update (more so than any of the other options besides a popup IMO), but it will go away and take up no space when there is no new updates.

A text that says You are up to date! is also not bad either. :)

From: Wizzup?
A text that says You are up to date! is also not bad either. :)

But it's not as sexy. And the user would have to do more work to update. Click "Install update" vs. click menu -> click update.

From: bullzeye95
But it's not as sexy. And the user would have to do more work to update. Click "Install update" vs. click menu -> click update.

But it is forgiving in the sense that, if someone sees there is an update, but has to quickly do something else, he may forget to update. But the status bar will always be there to remind him… :)

Update in the main menu, as well, a message in the status bar on the opposite bar to "Script Status" saying "Simba v2.05", and if an update necessary make it red and say "Update available".

How are we technically going to implement updates?
You can't override the executable you are currently using..

From: mastaraymond
How are we technically going to implement updates?
You can't override the executable you are currently using..

When updater is called, kill process open new one for downloading?

From: Nava2
When updater is called, kill process open new one for downloading?

Well yes, that would work, but then we have to create a separate program just for downloading + installing the newest version.

From: mastaraymond
Well yes, that would work, but then we have to create a separate program just for downloading + installing the newest version.

Wouldn't that program be rather small, not to mention it could just use some of the file protocols of the MML?

E: It would just be a splash screen.

From: Nava2
Wouldn't that program be rather small, not to mention it could just use some of the file protocols of the MML?

E: It would just be a splash screen.

Making a launcher should do the trick ya.

From: mastaraymond
How are we technically going to implement updates?
You can't override the executable you are currently using..

You can replace it while it is running on Linux. But I was thinking of making a separate program to `update'. Mufasa would download the replacement executable, and then invoke the ``updater''. The updater moves the replacement one over the current executable.

*cbf to read all of this above but got a brilliant idea for this*
Ok, see, we will probably have a menu bar.
In that menu bar, there will be a few menu's, in one of them will be the option to update.
How about we make that button to pick the menu which leads to the "update" thingy fade slightly? Like it turns for example from grey to blue and the other way around?
That way, the user's attention will be drawn to that menu. He will click on it and see the "Update Mufasa/Cogat/whatever" button highlighted (or the option will be changed to "Update to 2.0.1").

This way, it's non-obtrusive, still draws attention and it will make the point clear: there's an update available.

Linux is different than windows because of inodes. If a program is using a file and you delete that file, the inode (data) will still exist until that program closes.

A launcher would do the trick. Just make launch.exe either run mufasa.exe if it hasn't been updated, or replace mufasa.exe with mufasa_updated.exe and then run mufasa.exe if it has been updated.

Eh, if that makes no sense I apologize, since I'm out of it at the moment :P

From: NxTitle
Linux is different than windows because of inodes. If a program is using a file and you delete that file, the inode (data) will still exist until that program closes.

A launcher would do the trick. Just make launch.exe either run mufasa.exe if it hasn't been updated, or replace mufasa.exe with mufasa_updated.exe and then run mufasa.exe if it has been updated.

Eh, if that makes no sense I apologize, since I'm out of it at the moment :P

I'm not really sure what that means but what you could do instead of having a special loader is have Mufasa.exe download a Mufasa_new.exe, launch Mufasa_new.exe, which would copy itself to the Mufasa.exe, then close itself and open the now new Mufasa.exe. (Basically just renaming+copying itself to avoid replacing an in-use file.)

I support the use of a bar above the tabs like with firefox.

From: Widget
I'm not really sure what that means but what you could do instead of having a special loader is have Mufasa.exe download a Mufasa_new.exe, launch Mufasa_new.exe, which would copy itself to the Mufasa.exe, then close itself and open the now new Mufasa.exe. (Basically just renaming+copying itself to avoid replacing an in-use file.)

I support the use of a bar above the tabs like with firefox.

This is what I was thinking. It downloads the update (to like a update folder) then asks if you want to restart etc. (now or later) then when you reset it or close it/open later the update is automatically done.

I personally would prefer the status text, but the extra pop-up bar like firefox could be nice as well.

After some research I found out that Windows allows you to rename programs, wile running, so that would fix the problem for updating during runtime :-).

And I vote for the firefox bar as well. It will be implemented the same way as the current firefox like search :-p.

I like Markus' idea, just has a better feel to it compared to a status bar

From: The Claw
I like Markus' idea, just has a better feel to it compared to a status bar

Depends if you like things that constantly fade in and out to bug you about an update while you are working.

Well, as long as the updating itself is separated from the trigger for updating, multiple ways could always be implemented.

From: Wizzup?
Depends if you like things that constantly fade in and out to bug you about an update while you are working.

You could just click it once and then say "ohai, I know about it know so stfu"?

From: Markus
You could just click it once and then say "ohai, I know about it know so stfu"?

"Remind me in X" one of X being never.

How about the choices being "Install on restart" and "Not now", then if you pick Not now it shows a hint or debug or something about it being in the Tools menu or wherever we end up putting it.

Added Extra -> Update.
It isn't "auto" update yet, so you'll have to call run it when there is an update.
It should however, do the rest for you. (eg; you won't need to move binaries yourself)

Set it to silently autoupdate by default and you dont have to worry as much about visibility of the message.

^ this.
Have an option when you install simba / options to choose whether you want auto update.
If so then no need for any buttons or flashy things.

From: Smartzkid
Set it to silently autoupdate by default and you dont have to worry as much about visibility of the message.

Hmm… Personally I don't really like it if an application suddenly starts using my network to do ``something''. But if everyone thinks it's a good idea, I can implement it.

Make it a setting!

Btw, might also be a good idea to implement some kind of signature checking to be sure the exe wasn't tampered with?

From: Markus
Make it a setting!

Btw, might also be a good idea to implement some kind of signature checking to be sure the exe wasn't tampered with?

What? Why would you want to tamper a Simba update?

I would say it would be a better check to make sure it wasn't corrupted during download

From: mixster
I would say it would be a better check to make sure it wasn't corrupted during download

^, yes, however I cannot be fucked to make a MD5 of every update… /me points at Wizzup?

The TCP/IP protocol should prevent any corruption from happening… All the packets are checked with md5's…

In theory TCP/IP should indeed, in practice however that doesn't always happen.

And Mozilla does the same: it prevents people from updating to a malicious version because someone hacked the server or did some APR spoofing or whatever.

From: Wizzup?
Depends if you like things that constantly fade in and out to bug you about an update while you are working.

I would say use Markus' idea along with any others you like, but have it when you click the thing that's fading in and out, have an option to turn it off perm until the next new update, or turn it off until the next time Simba is opened (after being closed since the flashing "things" were clicked).

So I think combining Markus' idea along with the status bar would be a good way to go.

From: Markus
In theory TCP/IP should indeed, in practice however that doesn't always happen.

And Mozilla does the same: it prevents people from updating to a malicious version because someone hacked the server or did some APR spoofing or whatever.

Feel free to add it.