Installer for custom maps

[Ducky]

People keep on having problems installing those custom map files.

We are still waiting for TWI to solve the automatic map download issues. While waiting for that I wrote a small program that will do the job for you. The name of the program is DropZone, just because it's a drop zone for the custom maps.

Latest version V4.1 Release date December 30, 2011

The installer can be downloaded here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/54368035/DropZone/Installer/DropZone.msi
The installer will install the DropZone application and it will create a desktop icon for you.

How to install a custom map from archive file (.zip file):
If you placed the DropZone program on your desktop, then just drop the downloaded map archive on top of the DropZone icon and... that is all!!!
You can also open the DropZone application and drag and drop the map archive on top of the main form. And again... That is all!!!


How to install a custom map directly from download link: New!!! (V3)
From version V3 (and up) it's possible to install a custom map directly from a map download link. Just open the DropZone application and drag and drop the download link on top of the DropZone window. The DropZone application will download the map for you and install it if the download is finished.
Please note that this feature will not work by dropping the download link on the DropZone desktop icon (Windows limitation).
One remark. DropZone has to connect to the internet to download the map archive if you did a download link drop. Your firewall may block this or might popup an alert or approve window.


Change log:

Fix!!! (V4.2)
The new Butovo-B4 archive has a different folder structure. This did cause the files to end up at the wrong location. This has been solved.

New!!! (V4.1)
Changed the skin of the main screen to look more Red Orchestra 2 dedicated and added link to the TWI Red Orchestra - Heroes of Stalingrad web-site

Fix!!! (V4.1)
DropZone would crash if the Check for updates checkbox would be checked and unchecked more than once. This has been fixed.

Fix!!! (V4.1)
The updater would give the error window "Updater must be started by DropZone". This has been fixed.
This does mean that the old version V4.0 should be uninstalled and V4.1 must be downloaded and installed for the updater to work.
My honest apologies for the inconvenience!

New!!! (V4.0)
Added auto updater. DropZone will check for available update on the background (when it's running) and gives a message if an update is available. The user can then decide wetter or not to install the update.
Please note that the auto check for updates feature is default switched off.
Version V3.x does not have this feature. If you use that one, then you need to uninstall DropZone. Next download the newest DropZone installer and install it. From that point on your can rely on DropZone to keep up to date with the latest version.
I added this feature, because last week I had to patch too often to keep up with the new map archives. I do not know in front how such an archive will look like. For this reason I added the updater.
Please keep in mind that DropZone need to connect to the internet to check for updates. Your firewall may give you an alert as soon as you enable the check for updates features (check box on main window). The port used for updates is port 80 and the protocol is http. If you accept an update, then DropZone will start his Update.exe application. Update.exe will do the real updating work and will connect to internet to (again port 80 and http protocol). The remote server they connect to is dl.dropbox.com. That is where the updates and installers are kept.

New!!! (V3.4)
A modder can add a DropZone.cfg (case insensitive) file to his archive. In that file he can specify file locations and folder names in case his archive doesn't contain any folder structure (if all files are located in the archives root root). The syntax in the config file is: <pattern>=<folder>
Example:

.roe=Maps\Butovo-B3_FixTest
.upk=

In this example all files ending with .roe will be put in CookedPC\Maps\Butovo_B3_FixTest and all files ending with .upk will be put in CookedPC.
Please note that a DropZone.cfg file should only be added to a map archive if the archive itself does not have a folder structure like the current TE-Butovo-B3_FixTestplayer.zip file. The Ogledow_B4_PlayerFiles.zip map archive does already contain a folder structure and for this map archive no DropZone.cfg file is required.
The DropZone.cfg file will not be copied to your RO2 installation folder.

New!!! (V3.3)
If the archive doesn't contain folder information for the .roe files, then a popup window will appear to ask the user to specify the folder for the .roe files. It will already contain a default folder which will be acceptable in most cases.
The ReadMe.txt file will not be copied to your RO2 installation folder.

New!!! (V3.3)
If the map archive contains a ReadMe.txt (case insensitive) file, then the content of that file will be displayed in a separate window. This gives the map creator the opportunity to give extra information about the map.

Fix!!! (V3.2)
Versions V3.1 and down skipped the Butovo-B3_FixTest files. The reason was the lack of directory structure in the archive (both .upk and .roe files were in the root). DropZone will now figure out the correct directory structure for the .roe files if one is missing. It will do that by taking part of the .roe filename as sub-folder in the Maps folder.
Direct map installation by download ink drop of the Butovo map is still not working due to the MediaFire website that tries to push a commercial popup.

New!!! (V3)
DropZone (V3 and up) will check the content of the map archive before installing it. It will only take any *.roe and *.upk files from the archive. If the archive contains more files, then those will be ignored by DropZone. A map file must at least have one .roe file or else it refuses to install the map file. This will prevent that none RO2 map archives might end up in your CookedPC folder.


Please note that it will only work at client side.

Please let me know if you ran into any problems.

Thanks to CrossTrain for his DropZone icon

 

[r5cya]

are you serious? all we need to do is put that dropzone on our desktop and then drag any maps we dl onto it and they will go into thier proper folders? that's so simple, even i could do it.

 

[jones0430]

What in the world is wrong with you, Ducky? Computing isn't suppose to be simple and easy!

Thanks a lot man.

 

[Ducky]

are you serious? all we need to do is put that dropzone on our desktop and then drag any maps we dl onto it and they will go into thier proper folders? that's so simple, even i could do it.

Yup I'm serious. That is all you need to do. It will figure out where to put them by looking up the steam installation folder in your registry.

 

[fruitbat]

Nice one Ducky - now how do I use this mouse thing.............

 

[The Beast (nl)]

For silent hunter 3, 4 and 5 i use jsgme installer that also can be used
for other games. It is very simple and when a file is corrupt or whatever you can back to the situation before.

 

[Raneman]

How do I install Dropzone though?

Where is my Program for installing Dropzone easily?

 

[Ducky]

How do I install Dropzone though?

Where is my Program for installing Dropzone easily?

You don't need to install it. Just download it and place it wherever you want. It's just 1 simple executable with the unzip tool embedded inside that executable.

 

[Raneman]

You don't need to install it. Just download it and place it wherever you want. It's just 1 simple executable with the unzip tool embedded inside that executable.

(It was sarcasm)

 

[CrossTrain]

That is fricking sweet Ducky! Thanks.

 

[Mr. Brewski]

Great job Ducky, thanks

 

[sbr32]

Thanks Ducky. I haven't tried it yet but I hope to use it a lot in the near future.

 

[Ducky]

I've updated the DropZone application. The next changes have been made:

It's now possible to install a custom map directly from a map download link. Just open the DropZone application and drag and drop the download link on top of the DropZone window. The DropZone application will download the map for you and install it if the download is finished.
Please note that this feature will not work by dropping the download link on the DropZone desktop icon (Windows limitation). Dropping a RO2 map archive file (.zip file) will of course still work.

DropZone will now check the content of the map archive before installing it. It will only take any *.roe and *.upk files from the archive. If the archive contains more files, then those will be ignored by DropZone. A map file must at least have one .roe file or else it refuses to install the map file. This will prevent that none RO2 map archives might end up in your CookedPC folder.

The first post has been updated. The download link can be found there.

And now it's time for me to celebrate xmas.

Merry xmas to you all!!!

 

[CrossTrain]

THAT is so freaking sweet Ducky!! Seriously, great work man!

 

[k9mike]

Awesome job...great app. Will we have to redownload a newer version or will the old one update itself once we open it?
Thx again for your work on this.

 

[Ducky]

Awesome job...great app. Will we have to redownload a newer version or will the old one update itself once we open it?
Thx again for your work on this.

You need to download the newer version. I could make it an auto-download one, but that would mean that it always checks for updates when you try to start it. I'm not really a fan of that

Oh well... I suppose I can always build 2 versions. One with installer and updater and one without. But not today

 

[CrossTrain]

Just did a real quick image for the icon. Not sure what type of file it needs, but I saved both a PNG (w/ rounded corners) and JPG. Also did them in 128x128 and 64x64.

This is just a quick go. I can make something more sophisticated if you'd like...

If you want, I'll do something different. Just thought I'd give you something other than the default...

 

[k9mike]

Thats neat.
Maybe Ducky will know how An what file it will need to be to work for icon

 

[CrossTrain]

Thats neat.
Maybe Ducky will know how An what file it will need to be to work for icon

If it actually needs to be an ICO file let me know as I can convert it.

 

[Ducky]

If it actually needs to be an ICO file let me know as I can convert it.

Hi CrossTrain,

Thanks for the dropzone images. I like then. An icon file (.ico) would be preferable because I can link an icon file directly into my executable.

Many thanks for the help!!!