TIPI Interweaved Files Repository (is it time).

[Omega-TI]

As the utility and usefulness of the TIPI grows, we are finding that there is some really specialized software coming onto the scene that uses it.  Some of this software requires specific hardware, settings and even specific storage locations on our SD cards.  The idea of this thread is to have "PACKAGE ZIP FILES".  Each "PACK" would have...

 

1) All the correct programs and files in the proper sub directory to move to the TIPI.

2) Any necessary or linked files like scripts (with directions on where to put the associated files).

3) Instructions on use and installation.

 

For example there is a really nice program that was recently updated and enhanced by Vorticon that uses the TIPI, FG99, F18A and the T80XB utilities.  If everything needed was bundled together in one ZIP file (including the FG99 files), in this case Extended BASIC, it would probably make things easier for those interested to try it out and find that they really like it.

 

[Shift838]

1 hour ago, Omega-TI said:

As the utility and usefulness of the TIPI grows, we are finding that there is some really specialized software coming onto the scene that uses it.  Some of this software requires specific hardware, settings and even specific storage locations on our SD cards.  The idea of this thread is to have "PACKAGE ZIP FILES".  Each "PACK" would have...

 

1) All the correct programs and files in the proper sub directory to move to the TIPI.

2) Any necessary or linked files like scripts (with directions on where to put the associated files).

3) Instructions on use and installation.

 

For example there is a really nice program that was recently updated and enhanced by Vorticon that uses the TIPI, FG99, F18A and the T80XB utilities.  If everything needed was bundled together in one ZIP file (including the FG99 files), in this case Extended BASIC, it would probably make things easier for those interested to try it out and find that they really like it.

 

I agree this would be easier...but this would require the ZIP Package to be updated every time one of the required programs were updated by it's author.  I can see this falling behind to not be the current versions.  I think it would be easier to create a simple document to outline what is needed for each package with links to the main threads where typically the software developers update their versions.

 

Maybe a Wiki?

 

Don't get me wrong, it's a good idea, but my experience with creating packages that are dependent to install other items that are required tends to get out of date if the package creator and the software developers do not work hand in hand.

 

 

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Pretty soon we're going to need another thread to track and reference the  'idea' topics.

 

Are we able to leverage existing resources like WHT or create a new repository?  Like @Shift838 pointed out this will fall behind quickly.  And not every author wants their programs captured in distribution ZIP files.

[Omega-TI]

3 hours ago, InsaneMultitasker said:

Are we able to leverage existing resources like WHT or create a new repository?  Like @Shift838 pointed out this will fall behind quickly.  And not every author wants their programs captured in distribution ZIP files.

 

I understand this point of view.  I also realize some of these things are getting a little bit more complicated to implement (at first), so in that respect I thought having a package to get people up and running a little bit easier might be beneficial.  It would then of course be up to the user to update with new versions once they get "the hang of things", and if they decide the want to retain and use the software.  Having choices can be a good thing too, especially if it encourages more people to try something new. Of course the choice would be up to the individual.

 

[Omega-TI]

2 hours ago, InsaneMultitasker said:

Pretty soon we're going to need another thread to track and reference the  'idea' topics.

 

That is not a bad idea!  If people want to "toss an idea out there" it would not clutter up the rest of the main forum, and if people are not interested, they could even choose to ignore the topic.

 

Over the years though, some people have seen some of these ideas and decided, "Yeah that sounds pretty good", the result is some of the stuff we all use now. 

[+FarmerPotato]

This is a problem that has been solved in many ways for Linux/Unix.

 

There is the tarball. A compressed tar unzips to a folder, which hopefully contains a configure/install script or makefile, typically autogenerated. The script moves files where they need to be. Tarballs have been around since the 80s.

 

Raspbian (what you have on TiPi) uses APT. Apt is a full-featured package manager with versioning and dependencies. For instance, if your package is xdt99 (Ralph Benziger) then you need a certain version of Python and maybe some Python module that Ralph is using. A package file declares this dependency, so "apt-get install xdt99" goes on the internet and does the dependency package(s) first.

 

If whtech contained some apt packages for TIPI programs, then you would list its URL as a "repo" and any request that APT makes would check there.

 

Someone would have to maintain the repo, and get permission from individual authors to make a package. But it would be one author, one package, plus a list of dependencies.

 

Multiple versions of the same thing can co-exist, with a link pointing to the latest. You can get source or binary packages separately if you like, and compile+install from source. The source package declares what compiler and libraries you need, too. Docs can ship separately too, or be combined.

 

I might be wrong on some details. A package manager evolved to solve all the problems that come up with integrating packages into a useful multi-author platform. And everybody with a TIPI already has APT on the command line.

 

[Omega-TI]

That sounds pretty slick, but I would never learn how things interact or understand what is happening.  

[+InsaneMultitasker]

4 hours ago, Omega-TI said:

 

That is not a bad idea!  If people want to "toss an idea out there" it would not clutter up the rest of the main forum, and if people are not interested, they could even choose to ignore the topic.

 

Over the years though, some people have seen some of these ideas and decided, "Yeah that sounds pretty good", the result is some of the stuff we all use now. 

Well, the comment was somewhat 'tongue in cheek' at the time.  My perception is that lately there have been a lot more 'idea' and 'what if' threads that grab attention for a day then drop into the topic abyss, never to be seen again.  A home for them might help, depends on the forum and topic, I suppose.

 

[Omega-TI]

13 hours ago, InsaneMultitasker said:

Well, the comment was somewhat 'tongue in cheek' at the time.  My perception is that lately there have been a lot more 'idea' and 'what if' threads that grab attention for a day then drop into the topic abyss, never to be seen again.  A home for them might help, depends on the forum and topic, I suppose.

 

 

Good to hear it was tongue in cheek!

 

Actually, << this thread >> may be a good thing for another reason as well.  There are some out there that appear to not want to know what users would like in new devices or improvements in current software or hardware... especially in their threads.  This thread will give some the opportunity to avoid and ignore what they don't want to see, while giving others the freedom to finally let it all out without fear of getting jumped.

[+InsaneMultitasker]

I've been using OneDrive for some of my own files but nothing substantial like a TIPI starter pack.  I know a good number of people have FG99 or similar but others don't use the cart, so there are splits just like there are for F18A versus standard console software.  Personally, what annoys me the most about WHT is that the software is categorized by emulation and disk type - or other weird groupings.  For me, I don't mind looking in a games folder for Parsec but then give me all possible iterations - .bin, .dsk, etc.   But that's just me and how I look at organization. Maybe others find it better to group by device but to me that doesn't serve the community when you say "go try xyz program" and it might be in the PC99 folder.  I've now exhausted my $0.01 for the day.