Zugg Software :: View topic

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:32 am

The package library has some issues, but I seem particularly blighted by them so I'm starting this thread to see how many people are using the package library and what type of issues they are having.

How many people have used the Package Library (PL)?
How many people use it actively (check about once a week)?
How many people download packages?
How many people are uploading (or updating) packages?

I upload my packages and everything seems fine, but when I attempt to re-download them, I get an XML error. Initially I thought this only applied to packages with Windows but I'm seeing it in packages without windows now.

Since I get an XML error, I am assuming the uploading to the library really uploads an XML version of the package to the library and that is what is downloaded (and 'imported') to recreate the package. Following this train of thought I can assume
a) the export process is flawed somehow,
b) the import process is flawed somehow,
c) the source pkg is corrupted in some manner that is not manifested locally but detectable during import/export process or
d) some combination of the above.

I did an export of one package and was not able to see any immediate problems by 'eyeballing' it. I did an import of this same package and it's loaded into memory (i.e. I can see the associated buttons and #VAR and #TRIGGER both show what's expected), but nothing actually shows in the package editor. I'm not sure what to do since I've recreated my package a few times.

Zugg do you have any automated package validator tools? I also looked at the SQL Lite DB for these packages and once again nothing was immediately obvious.

Adept Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 246

A1. I have used the package library to download some packages to look at the code to figure out issues rather than downloading a package to specifically use. One problem I have is that I play Foxmud, which currently only has about 6 or so people on at a time, so the number of people making packages for fox is small (i'm the only one i know of Smile

). I've uploaded a package or two, and fully intend to upload a number of packages as time goes on and I get them shined up to the level i'd like to be able to share them with others.
A2. I check it prolly once/2 months
A3. see A1
A4. Memememe :)
I like the concept of the package library and like it's use, but to be perfectly honest I don't like having to download an entier package, and open it, just to see if there are any usefull tidbits of code in it. I know this has been discussed in another thread, but I'd still like to see a web page that has all of the code listed, along with being able to download the package. It sounds like Zugg wants to keep people using the package library, and doesn't have plans to develop an area to show the code of those posted packages, so I'm wondering what the ramifications would be if someone else (me) were to set up a site that somewhat automatically downloads each package out of the package editor, opens it up, then writes the code contents of the package to a webpage somehow... not to hijack your thread tech, but does anyone have any comments on this? would people be concerned about posting of their code (i'd assume not, as it's already available in the package)? Would zugg mind?
My $.02 Cool

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:36 am

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:06 am

Well to keep with the hijacking, the description fields, what's new fields and features fields of the package description are supposed to tell you what the package does. Exactly how accurate that is depends on the depth of the information the author provides. I'm not keen on posting code, because the 'posted' code can be outdated and this seems to directly go against the possibility of private packages.

Now back to the main topic. What problems, if any, have you guys encountered with uploads/downloads to the package library. I don't think my code is that complex, so I'm wondering if I keep corrupting my packages or am I that unlucky? Confused

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:49 pm

I did have a problem with that ColourWheel package I uploaded, actually. It had no window in it when I uploaded it (I checked, there was just a module containing a variable and an alias) but when I uploaded and redownloaded it, a window had appeared as well. If I deleted the window and reuploaded the package, and then redownloaded it, the window was back.