A few suggestions and requests

[rome]

I like good programs. This is one of those.

But I do have a few suggestions and requests:

 

* DB cleanup method

I noticed that after deleting programs, even to the extent of an empty list, the db size doesn't really change -

as if the files were not really deleted from it.

Sometimes to the point that Ketarin would say that a program is already present with the same key, rendering my whole DB useless.

 

* Place backups in Backup folder

this is a minor one. I just don't like to see my folder cluttered with files that should be better off grouped in a folder of their own:)

 

* Template variable description

It's sometimes easy to get lost, especially when you share a template.

A short description of each variable could clarify exactly its purpose and means to an end.

 

* SUMo like version control

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/SUMo.shtml

Is a nifty little tool that can scan directories for executables (or be dragged n' dropped into) to calculate the version of the program (from the binary itself).

Although it doesn't ALWAYS find the version number, I found that out of 10 programs I use, it does find 9.

It can also search the web to find out automatically if there's a newer version available.

However, it can't provide a direct link to download, nor perform any command before or after.

 

* Silent install

Up to now I could'nt figure out if there's a universal method to install files in Ketarin.

I figured that there isn't one.

I did stumble upon, however, on a site that provides silent switches to most packaging systems in windows.

http://unattended.so.../installers.php

 

There are a couple of examples that allow for silent install.

Ninite.com is one example, Chocolatey.org is another. But if they can, why couldn't we?

 

* Common scripts integrated, or script DB.

There are a couple of things I usually use, but some that I tried to find out but couldn't.

For example, I tried to find a way to check if the program I'm about to install is already running.

If it does, close it, install and then restart it.

I did find something in one of the templates, but it didn't work.

Since I have no clue in C#, I couldn't even debug it.

 

Some of these scripts would be fit to be integrated within Ketarin IMHO.

 

Thanks for your patience:)

If any of the above already been proposed, let me know.

[shawn]

* DB cleanup method

 

sqlite3 jobs.db "VACUUM;"

 

 

* Place backups in Backup folder

I use a batch file to manage my downloads and cleanup stuff. I backup my snapshots to a 'Ketarin' subfolder. Here's a fragment from it:

@ECHO OFF
:variables
REM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FOR /F "tokens=2-4 delims=/ " %%a in ("%date%") DO SET MM=%%a&SET DD=%%b&SET YY=%%c
FOR /F "tokens=1-4 delims=:. " %%a in ("%time%") DO SET HH=%%a&SET NN=%%b&SET SS=%%c&SET LL=%%d
FOR /L %%a in (0,1,9) DO @IF "%HH%"=="%%a" SET HH=0%%a
SET timestamp=%YY%%MM%%DD%T%HH%%NN%%SS%
SET TARGET=W:\USB-Key\Support

ECHO Exporting current settings
ketarin /export=ketarin-%timestamp%.xml
move ketarin-%timestamp%.xml .\Ketarin\

ECHO Obtaining new and updated files
robocopy "." "%TARGET%" /MIR /BYTES /ETA
SET TARGET=

 

 

* SUMo like version control

 

This really isn't something that should be within this program.

Version checking installed apps is great for something that is an installer itself, like update-checker or ninite, that's great. But this is intended as a local package manager of sorts. I don't really care what version of xyz I have installed, I want to download whatever the current release is, period.

 

 

* Silent install

 

Have you tried "/silent" with the /install switch?

http://wiki.ketarin.org/index.php?title=Command_line_arguments

 

* Common scripts integrated, or script DB.

 

A list of common scripts or commands would be a great new addition to the database.

[rome]

* DB cleanup method

Could there be an internal command of such,

for the likes of me who don't have sqlite setup on my windows system, nor would really want to setup one just for that?

 

* SUMo like version control

Wouldn't it beat the purpose to download all the programs each and everytime?

Most of the templates have a variable called version as it is, and it is used to determine if a newer version is available.

The SUMo just makes it easier, making that variable more reliable and not be possibly useless if and when the site changes.

 

* Silent install

Nope. It's not so obvious that Ketarin is able to install any downloaded software -

Hitting install in the GUI just says I don't have any setup determined,

so I figured I need to add all the silent switches myself.

and anyway I wonder - what exactly does the /slient switch do?

 

* Place backups in Backup folder

I guess anything can be scripted to fit my needs, but alas - I have no clue in batch scripting. Only shell scripting:)

Needless to say that some of your fragment is Chinese to me.

Specifically this - robocopy "." "%TARGET%" /MIR /BYTES /ETA

 

There was a late edit to my first post, adding the variable description request.

Just for convenience I'll re-add it here:

* Template variable description

It's sometimes easy to get lost, especially when you share a template.

A short description of each variable could clarify exactly its purpose and means to an end.

[shawn]

Could there be an internal command of such...

This has been discussed in the past - at that point the bottom line is that the amount of space saved by vacuuming just isn't enough to justify an interface.

Wouldn't it beat the purpose to download all the programs each and everytime?

It doesn't. It only downloads programs that either have an updates or whose servers don't actually provide tracking data. For those servers the best option is to use either a 'variable for tracking' or set a date-formatted version value such as '{yyyy}{MM}{dd}'.

The SUMo just makes it easier, making that variable more reliable and not be possibly useless if and when the site changes.

That's what the 'use the following variable as indicator for changes' option does on the Advanced tab.

I installed and played with SUMo this afternoon to get an idea of what it was capable of. It's not nearly as capable as Ketarin for the ability to track specific apps. Sure, it'll provide a check on certain apps, but for something like Excel, for example, it reports an error (major update) when the version is not the last major version - even though other versions are supported. That kind of thing really bothers me.

Hitting install in the GUI just says I don't have any setup determined...

Ah - that part. For most apps you can just set it to default to the filename. Something as simple as this in the setup box:

"{file}"

You can set this in all your templates and then edit them to provide the specific formats if it requires a different style.

what exactly does the /slient switch do?

Runs Ketarin without an interface.

robocopy "." "%TARGET%" /MIR /BYTES /ETA

Robocopy is AWESOME. This command clones the current folder to that in the "target" variable. It ERASES anything that's NOT in the current folder from the target (creates a mirror image of the local files), and it only copies new files. If you're a linux guy, robocopy is a lot like rsync with the "--recursive" and "--delete" options enabled.

 

Template variable description

Are you talking about these variables?

http://wiki.ketarin.org/index.php?title=Special_variables

Or these ones?

http://wiki.ketarin.org/index.php?title=Templates

[shawn]

And if you're a Linux guy, you should give the batch commands more attention than the C# stuff. Sure, the C# is more powerful, but batch translates to Bash and shell scripts far more consistently.

[rome]

Template variable description - neither of the options you gave.

Something more along the lines of

 

  <item>
    <key>
	  <string>appSource</string>
    </key>
    <value>
	  <UrlVariable>
	    <RegexRightToLeft>false</RegexRightToLeft>
	    <VariableDescription>This is some description of the variable for future reference</VariableDescription>
	    <VariableType>Textual</VariableType>
	    <TextualContent><!-- Fill here --></TextualContent>
	    <Name>appSource</Name>
	  </UrlVariable>
    </value>
  </item>

 

For the rest - Thanks. I'll play around some more and see what I can get.

[shawn]

Ah, that's what's commonly referred to as a data dictionary. We don't have anything like this since most people don't really edit template files by hand. The Template page on the wiki does have some details, but not anything close to a data dictionary.

[Guest thawizz]

 

 

* Common scripts integrated, or script DB.

There are a couple of things I usually use, but some that I tried to find out but couldn't.

For example, I tried to find a way to check if the program I'm about to install is already running.

If it does, close it, install and then restart it.

I did find something in one of the templates, but it didn't work.

Since I have no clue in C#, I couldn't even debug it.

 

Some of these scripts would be fit to be integrated within Ketarin IMHO.

 

 

 

use batch command 

TASKKILL /F /IM "progrmaname.exe /T

[Guest thawizz]

* Silent install

Up to now I could'nt figure out if there's a universal method to install files in Ketarin.

I figured that there isn't one.

I did stumble upon, however, on a site that provides silent switches to most packaging systems in windows.

http://unattended.so.../installers.ph

 

Best Place to find silent install switchs

 

http://www.itninja.com/software/browse?Popular=1