Suggestion: Powershell script for Windows installation/configuration about shadowfox HOT 3 CLOSED

Hi there!

I think something along these lines is a fantastic idea and would love to see something like this incorporated into the repository :) It's late, so I apologize in advance for any ramblings haha.

Now that the project is, dare I say it, starting to reach a more "stable" form, I think a little more focus needs to be centered towards user-friendliness.

This would include:

(1) The initial install

(2) Keeping up-to-date with changes

(3) Customizability

(4) Improve the GitHub site/README/create a WIKI outlining how to do all the above

I think there are a lot of different approaches we could take to all of these and are worth looking into/considering before we decide on a path.

For example we could:

(1) Create a shell/bash script similar to what you are describing.

Advantages:

• Relatively easy to use (would require a user to download the script, run it from the command line)

Disadvantages:

• Would be OS dependent (would need to create/maintain different scripts for Windows, macOS, etc.)

• Might be difficult to incorporate a good way for users to keep up to date (how frequently changes to the repo need to occur once it's initial set-up is done has yet to be seen)

(2) Create a python program to do everything you mentioned

Advantages:

• Not OS dependent

• Could fairly easily create a GUI for users to interact with, pick colors, select what files/changes they want incorporated etc.

Disadvantages

• User would have to download python

(3) Create official "releases" through GitHub

Advantages:

• Simplifies the process of gathering/downloading the necessary files off GitHub

Disadvantages:

• Doesn't simplify the process of moving the download to the correct location

• Makes "quick fixes" much more difficult/almost impractical

(4) Recommend the use of git

Advantages:

• No need to "re-invent the wheel" in terms of finding a way for a user to reliably install/update the repo across all platforms.

Disadvantages:

• User would have to install/use git

(5) Any combination of the above.

I'm open to discussion, so I'm glad you brought this up/started the topic. I don't have my heart set on anything yet...but I almost think the best approach would be this:

(1) Recommend git for install/keeping up to date. It might be a bit of a learning curve, but we should be able to write a "how to" that's easy to follow.

Installing is a matter of one of two commands from the command line, and then we could give the user the proper commands. i.e.

git clone https://github.com/overdodactyl/userContent-tweaks/ xxxx

and then git pull to update. On top of this, if the user already has to use the command line for a script, I'm not sure git is terribly more complicated. We could even write a little script that automatically pulls from the repo every so often to keep updated without having to do anything. Alternatively, we could also write a little script that when it's executed, it does the pull request and grabs the new lines from the README (which I'll need to be better about updating...it's been a few days) and prints them out for the user to see.

Taking this approach would also save us some time/effort which could allow us to focus on creating some type of GUI to do the things you mentioned - i.e. select colors, uncomment necessary import statements etc.

For reference, here is a little script I recently wrote for another repo I frequently use. Basically, it takes file A from a profile directory, creates a backup of it, downloads the new version of file A off the repo, puts it in the directory, and appends file B to the end of it. It's a little longer than you may expect, but might provide as a good base point/references if we go with the route you suggested.

Anyways, these are just a few thoughts! Honestly I'm just stocked to have someone like you making recommendations and volunteering to help :) So any scripts you want to write, code you want to include etc., we will find a way to incorporate it in...not a chance I won't add something someone provides!

Thoughts?

from shadowfox.

Having covered most of this in the #14 thread, I think you've got this covered with the release plan. Good to close this? I'm happy to contribute any windows-specific stuff you like.

from shadowfox.

We could certainly close it -

I think the only thing you brought up here is the idea of a script that moves the directory to the correct location...I'm not sure if that's a really necessary thing though or just more work/things to upload/download that no one would use

from shadowfox.