SCPM - A proposal for an SC Plugin Manager

[gizgiz 0]

Hi everyone

Like wouanagaine, i'm sorta developing a tool that hopefully will help SC4 players with their...well, SC4-ing. What I'm making is a univeral web-based plugins manager, and I need to see whether there's a large enough "market" out here for something like this...

I can't actually post a screenie atm since this project sorta started after I got pissed at managing my Plugins folder and wrote a terminal based PHP script for it (sadly it's the only language I'm comfortable with), and I'm in the process of webify it to (1) make it look nice and (2) make it easier to use.

The "program", if you can call it one, will install a VERY LIGHT webserver on your computer. By visiting the site, you'll be able to:

• write descriptor/manager files to each and every plugin FILE
• manage your plugin packages (eg: NAM)
• unzip and zip plugin packages (no install program support, sorry)
• quickly enable/disable plugins (SHOULD work well with SC4 Startup Manager as it only renames your addons...)
• anything else you think of that's feasible

all from the same website

I know I don't post at all on the forums, but I am interested in seeing how many people want this before I continue with it. I'll see if I can attach a screenie asap...

For the techies: Basically, it's going to be a bunch of scripts located within your SC4 plugins folder, with about 5 files in the document root (C:\Documents and Settings\yourName\My Documents\SimCity 4\) along with a folder named SCPM (SimCity Plugin Manager). This folder will eventually contain lighttpd (a miniscule web server @ 3.5Mb), and about 1Mb worth of resources and scripts, so the whole thing will have a footprint of less than 5Mb.

[gizgiz 0]

I figured no replies as much.

Let me clear something up

This isn't the BAT version of a plugin manager. It's for people who need to manage their plugins folder, and has nothing to do with making plugins, just having them. Especially if you plugins folder is a complete mess.

I've been able to get through quite a bit so far, here's what you can do:

* Disassociate (remove SCPM sovereignty over a file)

* Disable/Enable associated plugins

* Uninstall plugins

* Read plugin file information (access/modify/create date/times, size, type, enabled/disabled...)

* Check for updates to SCPM

And some screenies...

The main "welcome" page:

A "non-compatible" file details page - non-compatible means it doesn't have a Plugin Manager Descriptor file (PMD) that goes with it...

And of course, a page for a "compatible" file (it has an associated PMD):

Any comments? Please???

[Andreas Roth 607]

Looks interesting, but I must admit I still don't know what exactly you're trying to do. How can this application help me to keep my plugins folder organized? If it is "messy", can I click a few buttons and the tool sorts things out for me "magically"? I already use the SUM for starting up the game with a specified profile, so I assume I don't really need that feature, and I can uninstall files simply by deleting the files with Windows Explorer (which also displays file dates etc.). For ZIP files, I use WinZip and never had any problems so far. I appreciate your efforts, but so far, I don't really see the need of this tool - maybe if you could explain your approach a bit more detailed, it would become clearer.

[gizgiz 0]

Hi, thanks for asking. Glad I could try to make things more clear

I know that you could very well do *almost* everything I plan SCPM to be able to do with other tools, such as WinZip, even just good ol' Windows Explorer to do stuff such as deleting files, copying them in, etc..., so here's what it will do (eventually):

* Act as a one-stop-shop for all the following

* Unzips newly downloaded add-ons

----- * Runs EXE if present (install app)

----- * If EXE not present, automatically creates a folder (you name it) and sticks those files in (and automatically "associates" it)

* Allows you to easily update a plugin if one is released

* Allows different file "levels" so you don't need to remember which plugins are in-development/which don't work/which does what

* Makes descriptor files for each and every plugin file

----- * Allows you to store a description and package name (if there is one) with each file

----- * Searchable database to find a particular plugin (updates?)

* Asks you to confirm replacing of plugin (won't if last modified time and filesize are the same for old and new file)

* Disables plugins completely (if broken/you don't want it but don't wanna delete yet)

* Lets you create your own plugin "packages"

----- * Groups similar plugins / plugin packages into same folder with shared assocation (if one is deleted/changed/disabled, it'll alert you)

----- * Zip packages complete with (or without) descriptor files (and readme.txt if you want) for distribution

----- * Create NSIS install files (easy way to make installation app) and, if you HAVE NSIS, makes the .exe for you and zips that up

* Safely manipulate plugins (if SC4 is running, all actions disabled)

* One-click zip entire plugins folder for transport (moving computer/email)

* Finds package and uploads to FTP (great if STEX turns FTP ) of your choice and configuration

* Ability to be extended since source code is all open (you don't even need to decompile to find the source!)

* Small footprint (<10MB)

* Very stable and safe (uses Apache 2.2 and PHP)

* Depending on user config, can be viewed from ANYWHERE on the Internet (you can disable this if you want)

* Works on Mac and Windows - looks the same, works the same

* Feels like an app, done through a website!

How's that? If you think there should be more, don't hesitate to gimme a ring...