aut-update

[reven]

just start a internal timer when the plugin is activate by gbpvr, just the same way you would do a timer in any other plugin, ive been using one in my videos for a few days now.

you could also use the "needsrendering" method, its called about once every second.

[KingArgyle]

A couple of suggestions here guys.

[XML Architect Hat on]
1. First, any XML file you develop, should include a schema. Especially if you are going to have it be manually edited.

This saves the developer in the long run, because you know you have a well formed and valid file (i.e, no required elements are missing, and they are in the right sequence. Any datavalidation that was specified is also handled).

1a. Avoid the use of attributes where possible. Attributes should be used to categorize something, that hold descriptions. Best practices in XML design dictate using very few attributes and only when necessary.

If nobody is comfortable with creating the schema, let me know and I'll take a crack at it.

[/XML Architect Hat off]

2. Make the polling user configurable. I'd like to use the Plugin Updater, but I rarely use the front end for GBPVR as mine is totally dedicated to recording shows.

3. Take a look at Meedio and a few other competitors. They already implement these type of update sites. MAID is meedio's example, and it works fairly well. Sorta what the Wiki and this plugin could become.

[jasonf]

[InterestingThought]

Something like this could very well evolve into a P2P type system.  Picture a network of GBPVR nodes that can host and share a variety of information, including updates to plugins and skins, and maybe even things like online multiplayer games (chess, checkers, poker, etc).  Centralized servers and bandwidth (wiki or gbpvr.com) are no longer an issue so long as enough nodes are continuously connected to this private P2P network.

hmmm....

[/InterestingThought]

[sub]

Two things that would need to be solved for this to be implemented.

- Versioning. Many users dont update the release of GB-PVR immediately. Sometimes they skip GB-PVR releases. Plugins often depend on function in GB-PVR.

- Security.

[reven]

i vote KingArgyle do the schema, hes smart.

[jorm]

If this did ever become a p2p style like jasonf suggested there could be security issues. If someone wrote a plugin to format your harddrive, install a virus or delete all of your videos.


And sub is right about some users holding off on updating to the latest version. I often do that, at least till the maintence release comes out.

[dottore]

we need something to check the gbpvr-version against the plugins... so only those updates would be downloaded, which are compatible to the gbpvr-version.

concerning security: the user MUST confirm an update. and updates to plugins should only be done by their developers.

[reven]

just add something to the xml schema (if we go that way) which defines the required gbpvr version.

[dottore]

and then we need something to get the gbpvr-version....does the plugin helper provide such informations?

[reven]

just go by the gbpvr.exe build/assembly number, im sure windows can get that somehow.

or you could be cheap and get the version number from the change.log
first line:
<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">2005-02-10 v0.90.10[/QUOTE]