Deliver the skin as MPEI package

[bodiroga]

Hi Nico!

I suppose that you are going to reject this suggestion, but I feel that I have to "fight" for it as much as I can, so here it is.

In my opinion we should do several changes to the installation and update process of the skin as it is really nonstandard and not so userfriendly. This are the changes that I would do (some of them are made by me):

1) Build the skin installer using the MPEI format. C'mon guys, aren't we part of the awesome MediaPortal community? Why don't we use then the standard extension installer format? (I have build myself an Avalon.mpe1 file that it's working fine in my first tests, so this part is nearly completed) 2) Upload the Avalon.mpe1 and an update.xml file here in Git with the actual release information and change the download link in http://www.team-mediaportal.com/extensions/widescreen/avalon-skin to point to the .mpe1 file. (Easy to do) 3) Delete all the "skin update" related things from the AvalonConfig.dll file as they are going to be useless. (Uppsss... no C# skills, although I'm having a look at the source code) 4) Add the "Extensions" plugin to the installer. This way users could install newer versions of Avalon (and other plugins/skins) easily and in a standardized way (Done). 5) Change the "Update Available" button in homescreen and redirect it to "updates view" of Extension plugin. Really easy to do, done it myself, the only things that have to be done is change the hyperlink id of button to "801", the hyperlinkParameter tag to "view:updates", and the visibility tag to "!string.equals(#mpei.updates,null)". It's working great here although I'm having problems with the focus of the button due to the AvalonConfig program (I hate it :D:D:D)

Which are the benefits of this changes? Users will be able to install Avalon from MediaPortal Extension Installer and from inside MediaPortal with the Extensions plugin, easier way of delivering updates of the skin without having to use paths and 3rd party software, give a hand to damienh (ltfearme) with the Extensions plugin popularization, help the users updating their extensions with the home screen button,...

Sooooo... what's your opinion guys? Do you like the idea?

Many thanks for all your work and looking forward to hear your opinion ;)

Best regards,

Aitor

[ncoH]

Hi Aitor,

there is a possibility to integrate nsis installers in a mpe package. I already made some tests with it and it works fine. In that way we can provide a mpe1 installer and use the current script.

It`s much easier to create a nsis installer. I only must click "compile" and all is done. With mpe, it takes hours before i can make any file/folder changes.

The update system will also stay as it is. I think it´s more userfriendly when users with lower internet connection don`t have to download the whole package again and again. This system works great, so why should we change that?

regards, Nico

[bodiroga]

Hi Nico!

Many thanks for answering to my questions and suggestions ;-)

1) Great to hear that there's a possibility to integrate nsis installers in a mpe package, does that mean that they work in the same way that a "pure" mpe? Anyway, I have been playing with the mpe maker and it's not so difficult to build the package, I can summit here (in a Setup folder, for example) the files that I've used (Avalon.xmp2, Avalon.mpe1, update.xml, logo.png) and you can test the installer if you want ;-)

2) Yes, you are right, the patch system works better than having to download the whole package again and again, but I'm sure that in the future Migue will add the posibillty to only update the changed files. The question for me is: if the MediaPortal community is building it's own standard installer shouldn't we support them although it's not perfect for now? Shouldn't we use it and report bugs and feature suggestions to improve it? If MediaPortal needs a better way of handling plugin/skins installation, why don't we help them installing by default the Extensions plugin? Why don't we provide an easy way of updating plugins as we do now with our skin? It is as simple as replacing the "skin update" button and pointing it to "view:updates" hiperlinkparameter of Extensions plugin, that's all. We can also update Avalon from there, all in the same place and with the same installer! We are part of the same community, we need to help each other, this is open source guys!

Many thanks again for your attention Nico and I hope that in the end I will achieve to persuade you :D

Best regards,

Aitor

[ncoH]

Hi Aitor,

i`ve uploaded a mpe installer here: https://github.com/downloads/ncoH/Avalon/Avalon%20-%200.9.6.1.mpe1

It includes the current nsis installer.

Please test it and let me know...

Thanks, Nico

[bodiroga]

Awesome Nico, many thanks for your work!! I will deeply test it tomorrow and let you know if all goes right ;-)

One question: can you also upload the .xmp2 file? I would like to have a look a it if you don't mind.

Regards,

Aitor

[bodiroga]

Ok, here are the problems I've found:

1) In a fresh MediaPortal installation (full cleanup uninstall), BasicHome doesn't load correctly (item1, item2,... problem) if you open MediaPortal directly after installing the skin. If you simply open Configuration and press ok without doing anything else then BasicHome loads fine. Perhaps this is the problem I'm seeing: http://mantis.team-mediaportal.com/view.php?id=3751 2) If you uninstall the skin using the "MediaPortal Extension Installer" and you open again MediaPortal you will get a black screen. Is it possible to write a script that automatically sets Default skin as the default one after uninstalling Avalon? 3) Avalon Configuration and Avalon Editor plugins are not deleted after uninstalling the skin. 4) The nsis installer build in the .mpe1 package will not support "silent" installations using Extensions plugin as it requires user interaction.

Best regards,

Aitor

[ncoH]

1) Looks like the mantis bug. The BasicHome config file installs corrrect. 2) This happens with all skins which are uninstalled within MPEI. I will try to to add a function to resest to the default skin in the nsis uninstaller. But this should definitely fixed in MPEI. 3) You are right. Will fix that. 4) This was my intention. The installer ask for installing additional plugins. I don`t want to install them by default.