The DCS Updater / Launcher GUI Utility Version 2.0 (2023+)

[zork824]

44 minuti fa, SkateZilla ha scritto:

It's Saying the File/Assembly DLL could not be loaded.

Either it's not in the same folder as the App or it's being blocked by Anti-Virus.

It is in the same folder, so I guess it's the second one. I'll try to whitelist.

 

Tried to whitelist, run as admin, no luck. Basically everytime I re-download the utility, Windows blocks it because it thinks it is a virus. If I tell Windows to execute it anyway, it will work just that once and then never again.

Edited July 22, 2022 by zork824

[spikenet]

For some reason on latest OB version its not being picked up in latest versions section

[imacken]

That often happens. Try again, builds just take a while to register sometimes. 

Edited July 23, 2022 by imacken

[SkateZilla]

On 7/23/2022 at 12:59 AM, spikenet said:

For some reason on latest OB version its not being picked up in latest versions section

 

 

That's because occasionally the script on my server that Pings ED for the values shuts off, normally it pings at Midnight EST, but sometimes the process on the server is turned off.

A Problem that's already remedied in the new core.

[Solemn-laugh]

Thank you so much for this app. HUGELY useful.

[Omz]

How can I properly uninstall then install the program? Also a new saved games folder popped up in the old default location after i preformed a repair now i have two saved games folders

[mastershotgun]

Isn't this a dead project?

[YSIAD_RIP]

3 hours ago, mastershotgun said:

Isn't this a dead project?

DCS Updater Utility / Launcher GUI Utility by Skate Zilla Simulation s is very much alive and well.

I, along with "potentially thousands of others", have been using it for years. Skate Zilla is working on refreshed version that will be released when it is ready. 

Cheers. 

Edited August 7, 2022 by YSIAD_RIP

[mastershotgun]

7 hours ago, YSIAD_RIP said:

DCS Updater Utility / Launcher GUI Utility by Skate Zilla Simulation s is very much alive and well.

I, along with "potentially thousands of others", have been using it for years. Skate Zilla is working on refreshed version that will be released when it is ready. 

Cheers. 

 

Hope so... This software was not updated for auful long time like 400 days maybe... And there is fruit company which claims all software not updated in 30 days should be considered dead...

Quote

Apple App Store Remove from sale

 

“If no update is submitted in 30 days, the app will be removed from sale.” While Apple will remove the outdated apps from the App Store

 

[diamond26]

2 hours ago, mastershotgun said:

Hope so... This software was not updated for auful long time like 400 days maybe... And there is fruit company which claims all software not updated in 30 days should be considered dead...

 

Just two posts above yours, you have the author explaining (supporting) a user of the software and also mentioning his effort towards a rewrite of it.

I use Skatezilla's software everytime I use DCS and it's working fine even if it's more than 400 days without update 

[Rudel_chw]

2 hours ago, mastershotgun said:

This software was not updated for auful long time like 400 days maybe

updating just for updating’s sake is kind of absurd .. dcs has not changed its basic way of working since at least 2019, why would need you an updated utility? 

[Eaglewings]

updating just for updating’s sake is kind of absurd .. dcs has not changed its basic way of working since at least 2019, why would need you an updated utility? 

I am kind of wondering if I am missing anything.
The app has been working without any issue for a long time now.
Great application by the way.

[MAXsenna]

16 hours ago, mastershotgun said:

Isn't this a dead project?

If it works. Don't fix it!

[mastershotgun]

well, there are new airframes, new campaigns ect...

Edited August 8, 2022 by mastershotgun

[MAXsenna]

42 minutes ago, mastershotgun said:

well, there are new airframes, new campaigns ect...

 

Read the Dec's posts about it. Like suggested above.

[Rudel_chw]

1 hour ago, mastershotgun said:

well, there are new airframes, new campaigns ect...

 

OK, sorry, I had forgotten that functionality of the Utility .. I used it just for repairs and version backtracking, I use DCS's own Module Manager for the rest.

[diamond26]

at least for these functions (that I use) the application performs as expected

Primary Functions are:

Launch DCS World (Launches Selected DCS Build using Default Program Settings)

Update DCS World (Updates Selected DCS Build)

Repairs DCS World (Repairs Selected DCS Build, Note Repair Scans only DCS Files)

Cleans DCS World (Cleans Selected DCS Build, Note Clean Scans every file within the DCS Folder)

 

Secondary Functions:

(Most of these Functions were added as App matured, see change log history for details)

Launch VR/On (Launches Selected Build w/ VR Set to Enabled)

Launch VR/Off (Launches Selected Build w/ VR Set to Disabled)

Launch SteamVR (Launched Selected Build w/ SteamVR Interface on Oculus Devices)

Launch Oculus Mirror (Launches Oculus Mirror Window w/ Custom Options)

Launch Model Viewer (Launches Selected Build's Model Viewer)

Advanced Update Panel (Allows User to Update to Specified Version and Branch)

 

Supplemental Functions:

Launch DCS w/ Options Presets (WiP, Added in Build 5.31.2018 )

Copy/Backup/Delete DCS World Config (Graphics Options and Input Folders)(WiP, Added In Build 5.31.2018 )

[SkateZilla]

Im sorry. I did not realize I signed a contract with Apple.

 

I thought I was developing and distributing by my own means, an app that runs on VB Windows and not Apple.

 

As for updates, the updates for new modules stopped because of the Aforementioned rewrite.

Edited August 9, 2022 by SkateZilla

[Rudel_chw]

4 minutes ago, SkateZilla said:

Im sorry. I did not realize I signed a contract with Apple.

 

You have a much ticker skin than I do .. If it were me, after such an entitled post, I would have thrown the towel and retired the App for good, kept it just for myself and my friends. 

[SkateZilla]

I'll even offer a detailed explanation:

This App Launched w/ the First Build in Jan 2016, 8 Years ago,

Over the last 8 Years,

it has expanded from this:

 

To This: (And even then, there was builds after that remained privately tested, before I decided to re-write the core).

 

 

The Problem, is the Core Code I initially wrote remained the same throughout that 8 years.
So Imagine a Core Written for the Simple App, Being Constantly expanded, with functions on top of functions, and Variables on top of variables.
It was clear last year when I wanted to add a few things that the core simply needed to be re-written from the ground up.

There were dozens of Text boxes, and over 3,000 text box calls to go with them, There were duplicate functions one handled the new items, one handled the old ones. there were duplicate variables, one formatted for one function, one formatted for another, heck I had hidden labels and controls on the app just to convert values from one function to another.

A Simple 1 Pass Scan, evolved into 7 Pass Scan, 1 Pass for each function, as they were added on over the course of 8 years. With many of them doing the same processes multiple times, but not able to be a single function due to the nature of the functions that came before it and how they were written at the time.

Memory usage slowly crept up, as well as lag/delay in functions as one function waited for the previous to finish before starting.

I was spending more time coding links between new functions and old functions and then re-writing functions, instead of simply being able to have them all as a single function. And Merely Update content with new releases.

not to even mention the conflicts between some functions (ie Presets), constantly had problems working properly with other functions.

With the new core, multiple functions are merged into one, there's vastly wider use of user.settings and Stored Functions vs TextBoxes and the 1000's of Calls to retrieve textbox data.
The Core code is futureproofed to allow me to add items to functions as needed, without having to script entirely new functions and links between them.

With the new UI, a lot of functions that took dozens if not 100's of lines are reduced to a Simple few lines. The New UI also allows me to have Multiple Themes.

The Longest Delay was the Core being Rewritten 5x as of this month,
I am on the Fifth From Scratch re-write, because the core had issues with Windows Core functions being removed or changed with Windows Updates or with Visual Studio Changes. Instead of trying to make workarounds and daisy chain the new core, I scrapped them and started over with new methods.

The graphics have also vastly changed, as with the old app each update it was simply change the image and title, add it to the app code it,
Since I've re-done the UI from Scratch with an entirely new render style core, everything visual had to be redone as well, we are talking Hundreds of graphics for each button/module.

So the new Version when released, will be entirely new, as Core UI and graphics have changed, but the heritage will be the same.

So The Reason for over a year since the last build?,
the Core had outlived it's original Design, and needed to be re-written.
-Entire Core Rewrite.
-New Graphical UI and New Graphical Assets
-More Powerful/Expanded Functions.
-New Unannounced Functions.

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by SkateZilla

[Mistermann]

@SkateZilla - As part of the "non-vocal majority" here, I LOVE what you've done.  Use it multiple times a day.  Consider it a must have application to sit alongside DCS.  I suspect Rudel's comment was tongue in cheek.

On 8/9/2022 at 3:38 PM, Rudel_chw said:

You have a much ticker skin than I do .. If it were me, after such an entitled post, I would have thrown the towel and retired the App for good, kept it just for myself and my friends. 

Please know there's a contingent (...and I hope its a majority, but have no way of knowing) of us that would run this as-is for the next 10 years and don't expect/demand anything from you whatsoever.  Thanks for sharing your passion with us!

[MAXsenna]

@Mistermann

Rudel was referring to this comment. 

"And there is fruit company which claims all software not updated in 30 days should be considered dead..." 

We all love the app. And an update is coming when it's coming.  

Cheers! 

[YSIAD_RIP]

DCS Updater Utility always felt like a Labour of Love provided by @SkateZilla

Not to give SkateZilla and Eagle Dynamics any ideas but I would pay $9.99 for the  Updated Version of this app as a DCS Special Add-On/Module. 

[MAXsenna]

1 hour ago, YSIAD_RIP said:

DCS Updater Utility always felt like a Labour of Love provided by @SkateZilla

Not to give SkateZilla and Eagle Dynamics any ideas but I would pay $9.99 for the  Updated Version of this app as a DCS Special Add-On/Module. 

Me too!!!

[Cathnan]

I love @SkateZilla 's tool. I even have it run as one of my startup programms on boot. Thank you for your work