Question on Installation Software

[BananaBob]

I want to create a program that will make it easy to install a variety of different GlobalEnvTest.dds and the GlobalEnv_AC_Chrome.dds files for different flying and terrain situations, similar to what Samoshin has done with his Natural World Manager that allows you change the trees while backing up your originals.

What software would I need and would it be hard to do for a noob like me?

:ernae:

[kimdahl]

Hi Bob

I am not a programmer but I would suggest that it could be made as a small Java applet. One of my team mates from the Denmark Scenery team has made the same thing for switching between seasonal versions of bgl files that contain vegetation information. Or if you want to make it even more simple, take a look at the texture changing bat files in the Plum Island scenery. (By simple I don't mean that Bill's solution is primitive or something like that, I just mean that it doesn't require programming skills to make it work...)

Regards
Kim

[Roger]

Yes, Bill's .bat files in the fsaddon/Plum island/texture folder are extremely simple yet very effective. there are 2 sub folders called I think winter and non-winter. If you copy the .bat files and rename them to .txt you can read the instruction to " copy winter *.* /Y" or "Copy non winter *.* /Y"

So your .bat files could be made in notepad with folders called "Dusk" and "day" with the relevant textures placed in them and then placed in the main texture folder with 2 .bat files (notepad .txt files renamed to .bat files) called "use dusk" and "use day". then create the instruction in .txt copy day *.* /y
and copy dusk *.* /y

The 2 notepad files are then renamed to .bat and placed in the Main texture folder with shortcuts to desktop for easy access.

[BananaBob]

I'll look into that, was just hoping I could purchase a program that would make it easier, LOL :d

[Bjoern]

Nothing against "changing stuff automatically" programs (I think you can write one of those fairly easily in Visual Basic), but make sure to not include an installer.

If I hate one thing about some FS tools or add-ons, it's an automated installer, because it basically undermines my admin authority and insults my computer skills. Also, it leaves :censored: in the registry and you may never know *whatelse* will be installed.

So I would just program an .exe (the tool itself) and wrap it into a regular .zip archive when you're going to distribute it.