OPM External Update json Editor

Information and Downloads

Screenshots

Purpose

• To make and maintain package update information for Online Package Manager easily, accurately and quickly.

Installation

• There is a Windows Installer and a Zipfile of Linux executables (see #Download below) available.
• Source code is also available to compile with Lazarus v1.62+ and FPC v3.00+ (best with Laz1.7+/fpc3.11+)

Directory Structure

• OPM External Update json Editor is designed to be deployed in the same folder as your component.
  • If you maintain multiple components in separate folders, a copy of OPM External Update json Editor should be deployed in the main folder of each one.
  • Each copy of OPM External Update json Editor will maintain its own distinct cfg file in the GetAppConfigDir location.
• When first started up, OPM External Update json Editor will make the subfolders:

- \updates
- \locale

• Suggested structure for your component:

- \componentfolder
- \componentfolder\stable_version
- \componentfolder\stable_version\updates
- \componentfolder\stable_version\locale

• \componentfolder - contains the working version of your component code (development source, libs, backups, resources, executables and so on)
• \componentfolder\stable_version - contains the published version (stable source code only), and also a copy of JsonEditor(.exe)
• \componentfolder\stable_version\updates - contains the update json and update Zipfile
• \componentfolder\stable_version\locale - contains the language files for OPM External Update json Editor
  • This works very well in practise, especially if your project is under version control (svn, github etc)

Making a new OnlinePackageManager update json

• Fire up OPM External Update json Editor (jsoneditor[.exe]) and fill in all the fields for your package.
  • If you use the ellipsis button [...] to locate your Zipfile, OPM External Update json Editor will offer to copy the Zipfile to the \updates folder if it was in a different folder
  • It is essential that the package lpk name exactly matches the one already installed in Online Package Manager, otherwise you can choose whatever filenames you like.
• The first time you use OPM External Update json Editor, a pop-up hint window will show you what each field is for.
• When you click [Save], if any field needs amending a dialog will tell you what is wrong, and problem fields will highlight.
  • Only a validated json will be saved to disk.
  • By default the json is named update_<zipfilename>.json and saved to the \updates folder
  • OPM External Update json Editor will offer to Auto-Load the same component info when it is next opened.
• If you have a multiple components entry in OPM (e.g. Designtime and Runtime), you can make an update_json file for them all (Click [Add] in OPM External Update json Editor)
  • Each can have its own version number and other characteristics
• Finally, upload the Zipfile and json file to a place where Online Package Manager can find it.
  • Please note: After you uploaded the JSON the changes are not immediately visible in the tree. Usually it takes 1-2 min. or less.

Maintaining a package with OnlinePackageManager and OPM External Update json Editor

• Make a new update Zipfile and put it into the \updates folder
  • Pay attention to embedded paths in the zip
  • You can include example/demo source code in the Zip
  • Be sure to prune out anything not needed, like /backup /lib folders and executables etc.
• Fire up JsonEditor and click File/Load
  • If Auto-Load was chosen, it will already have loaded the last-saved package info
• Update the version info for your package(s) thus:

"DownloadZipURL" --> Link to your new, updated package

"DisableInOPM" --> If you want to temporary disable your package, set this boolean to true. It's useful for maintenance, the package will be grayed out in the tree. The user cannot download/install/update the package.

"Version"/"ForceNotify"/"InternalVersion" --> To trigger an update message on the users computer, you can either:

• Increase the "Version" number. Useful when you want to release a new version of the package.
• Set "ForceNotify" to true. Useful after a minor change in your source, that does not require a version change or in case of trunk version. To prevent continous error messages, "ForceNotify" must be used in combination with "InternalVersion". After the user updates the package, OPM locally stores the "InternalVersion" value. If you want to trigger a new message, increase "InternalVersion" with one. If "ForceNotify" is true, "Version" is always ignored.

The most common scenario is this:

• Modify "DownloadZipURL"
• Increase version number when necessary.
• Click [Save] in OPM External Update json Editor
• Finally, upload the Zipfile and json file to a place where OPM can find it.
  • Please note: After you uploaded the JSON the changes are not immediately visible in the tree. Usually it takes 1-2 min. or less.

Licence

• OPM External Update json Editor is published under a general GPL license.

Languages

• OPM External Update json Editor is available in English or Español. Help/Languages

Download

• Windows installer: https://sourceforge.net/projects/lazautoupdate/files/otherpackages/setup_jsoneditor.exe
• Linux Zipfile: https://sourceforge.net/projects/lazautoupdate/files/otherpackages/linux_jsonpackager.zip
• Source code: https://svn.code.sf.net/p/lazarus-ccr/svn/applications/json_packager/

Links

Online Package Manager

Minesadorada

From the Free Pascal wiki, page "OPM External Update json Editor", as it stood on 2017-10-20 after a change by Mai, out of the wiki's dump of 2024-05-26. Copyright stays with the author who wrote it, according to the old wiki's Licensing page. If you have concerns about this material, message the admin.