[Dx4win] DX4WIN Data Updater - working on new version

[Jim Reisert AD1C]

Hi Folks,

I'm working on a new version of the DX4WIN Data Updater (in the spare
time I don't have).  The new updater will be completely graphical, and
come with a real Windows installer (I've been wanting to do this for a
while).  You can see a *very* preliminary screen shot here:

    http://dx4win.ad1c.us/updater/progress.jpg

The window is divided into three vertical "frames".  In the top frame,
you select which data files you want to update.  In the middle frame,
you pick an action.  The lower frame shows the progress as each file
is downloaded.  Whatever selections you make in the top frame will be
saved for the next time you run the updater, i.e. boxes that were
checked the last time will be checked this time.

As I said, this is *very* preliminary.  Updating will end up being a
three mouse click process (now it's only takes two mouse clicks):

1.  click to start the program
2.  click the Update button
3.  click to confirm update, exit program

If I skip step #1 above, there is no way to set/clear the check boxes.

I'm considering getting rid of some of the features of the program:

*  I want to remove is the ability to prompt you before updating each
file.  I assume everyone just runs it without that option.

There will still be a "windowless" mode for people who want to run the
program as a "cron" job under Windows.  You will have to specify that
option on the Windows command-line that starts the updater.

I'm not sure yet how to duplicate some of the existing functionality
other than using command-line arguments, like having a local
DX4WIN.TCP file with your preferred nodes at the top, or specifying
which DX4WIN log file to backup.  I could try to do something clever,
like duplicate the top part of your existing DX4WIN.TCP file (where
your preferred nodes are), then append all the rest of the nodes from
the new file to the end of that list.  It's more coding, but easier to
deal with from a user point-of-view.

I might let you install the program anywhere.  I might let it
automatically find your DX4W### directory (it will top on the first
one it finds).  I don't know how important these features are to
people.

If you have any comments or suggestions (especially on features I may
remove), please let me know.  I have no timetable on the completion of
this side project.

- Jim

--
Jim Reisert AD1C, <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>, http://www.ad1c.us