Question Addon Devs: How to handle repacks?

[blane]

Since getting back into Orbiter I stumbled over a lot of issues and solutions, as usual if you like tons of addons.

Sometimes it is easy to notice a simple fix for some issue, let me use [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3251"]Deepstar 2.0[/ame] as an example here. It works fine in 2010P1 if the dll files in the root directory are removed. For convenience I changed the mod in my folder structure and also uploaded it (http://wikisend.com/download/753802/Deepstar 2.0.2010.rar)

Now my question is: How should such repacks be handled in general? It's not my addon so I wouldn't submit it, but is it okay to point others to such links for convenience? As another example check the Brighton Beach 2011 thread. It's clear that an addon developer doesn't want to mix it, but what are the unspoken policies of providing "all-in-one-packs" for convenience?

 

[MeDiCS]

They can't be distributed, unless you get permission from the original authors (or the addon licences explicitly allow it). Guides should be okay though.

 

[blane]

I understand that, but is it okay to give away a link in a public manner (via forum thread for instance)? Because if not, I'll remove my example as well.

 

[garyw]

a link to a new version of the download or a link to the fix?

Personally, I'd say add the fix to the orbithangar thread which advertises that download. I wouldn't provide a link to an external side because external sites have a habit of not being valid after an amount of time.

 

[orb]

a link to a new version of the download or a link to the fix?

I like the idea of the fix better, than repackaging the add-on.

In the case of Deepstar, how about a simple Windows batch file, which you place in Orbiter, e.g.:

del Saturn.dll Satsat.dll "%0"

It can be extended further to check whether you run it from Orbiter root directory, e.g. "if exist orbiter.exe", and whether those files weren't already deleted, and otherwise it could give appropriate message (with "pause" at the end, so people clicking on it would actually see it in the console window).

 

[Ripley]

If you choose the batch file route, may I point you to my "AMSO_zapper" batch file, which I wrote just for the sake of experimenting, a short while ago?
I think you can grab some ideas from that.

It's main and only purpose is completely removing an AMSO version prior to the installation of a new one.
Not THAT "useful", I admit it, but the process of making it was very funny!

It's quite "complex", displaying Italian or English text messages (based on OS language), with different DOS commands eventually used (depending on OS: XP, Vista, 7)...or at least some variables are set up to do that, because all these OSs have different DOS commands underneath.

It must be run from main Orbiter folder (checks if exists orbiter.exe file), and it detects if AMSO is installed or not (testing the presence of the "Angel" mesh file).
In case it IS installed, it gives the choice of removing it completely (zapping).

It's quite safe, so check it out without worries, or open it and edit it as you want.
It's "open source" after all!!

http://www.tuttovola.org/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=1082