A system that should manage the add-on distribution.

To allow a better system of sharing the add-on files a mechanism of repository should be implemented.

Description:

Actually the various add-on file are distributed via some FTP or HTTP internet sites that are updated manually.

Some kind of add-on management is actually required to being able to manage the very large number of very beautiful and interesting add-ons that continuously are created and updated by the Celestia Community.

The most important problem related to solving in an elegant way this issue is the availability of an internet centralized repository for the add-ons. Means an FTP server with adequate disk space and bandwidth. Obviously it must have a very low or none cost and so this is the REAL problem.

Having this shared repository should be relatively easy to implement an automated mechanism that should allow to Celestia (if an internet connection is available) to search itself for the available add-on. The list should be prompted to the user. The more interesting ones should be downloaded directly in a local repository.

The local repository should be simply a structure of subfolders managed directly by Celestia.

Having this local repository Celestia should manage it transparently to the user (no hand work on these folders). The user should develop new add-on in a work or temp directory and then when finished the user should tell to Celestia to add the new add-on in the local repository.

The Add-On registration (see FR16) should work simply listing the files in this local repository.

Moreover having the correct rights should be possible to upload the add-on in the shared internet repository.

To allow to users to have the control over Add-ons in the local repository the on-the fly add-on load/unload (see FR17) is needed. With this feature the user should tell to Celestia to enable-disable the add-on at runtime choosing from the list of the ones present in the local repository and in the working directory.

Required/Suggested:

  FR15 Add-On identification;

  FR16 Add-On registration.

Further related improvements:

  FR19 Auto-Update

Related Newsgroup Threads:

  Add-On Manager Proposal

Reference Celestia Version:

  1.3.0

Status:

  (17-08-03) Submitted to forum attention.

  (24-08-03) Waiting.

Subscribers (Subscribe this item)

  Paolo Angeli.

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