PSO2 Tweaker - Various enhancements

[Pingu887]

Yeah, the tweaker just throws the access denied card at me when I try to download fresh .exe files. So, no help on this matter?

[Pingu887]

Attempted moving the files and still the same problem. :c

Additional info: Attempted fixing permissions through the tweaker. Changed nothing, pso2updater.exe fails to download due to this error: ''ERROR - Access to the path is denied'' (Checking back here later on, and will attempt to find a way to fix this darn error)

[electrolytes]

This issue with running in high-contrast mode has been bothering me for a while now. If there's any way to keep the background black like it is when starting up, it'd be much appreciated. Similarly with the dropdowns.

Spoiler!

[ph4zr]

Right. I remember reading about the launch issue both here and on bumped. Makes sense. Also glad to hear there will be a story version override option.

/off-topic reflection

Spoiler!

It'll actually be slightly slower than double-clicking a .reg file, but since I don't know how the program handles individual missing keys, still orders of magnitude faster than having to re-set all of my settings afterward. ... Then again, I could probably just have a .reg file to wipe, start and close the program to get the newest PSO2 version, and then have another reg-file to re-set my directory and patch settings. Still, that's slower than just clicking "no" a few times and opening a menu to select a drop-down item. Maybe.

But if the wheel is being invented, it's far easier to just wait. ^^;

As for the story patch version override, I take it by "available online" you mean the rar pack. In that case I guess it's fine to just use that option rather than having Tweaker unpack the rar itself every time to reset the patch status. So far the only option is for the latest pack, so I wasn't sure if the resolution was going to change to something finer than days. If that were the case figuring out which version we had of the Tweaker's files would have been a fair sight harder.

[Alpha2090]

Error?

http://pastebin.com/0P8BKKPG

[Pingu887]

Aida, I'm sorry to bother, but do you perhaps have a way of obtaining the required .exe files? D: I just want to play the game, but I've fought with it for almost 4 days now x)

Edit: I managed to get hold of the exe files by re-installing through the installer to a different folder. Now I'll most likely see what happens next. I hope it'll work

[ph4zr]

At the moment, none, unless Tweaker exclusive updates were included as options.

At that point I just wasn't sure whether 7-17 referred strictly to the rar pack or the update the Tweaker downloaded not too long after the pack was released—i.e., just the most recent patch. If they were -both- released on the 17th, there would have been no way to differentiate them and determine whether the Tweaker was resolving at a major pack level or also at the Tweaker update level.

But, honestly I don't know if it was still the 17th when the new Tweaker patch files were released, since I didn't get around to updating my story patch right away. It's possible the Tweaker DL'd a patch released on the 18th or 19th and I just hadn't re-DLed the story patch yet. In fact, since my client indicates I added the job on the 19th, it's quite likely.

Edit: Re: unrar.exe:

At this point, wouldn't it save some headache to have Tweaker itself check if unrar is a valid size (or even checksum it, assuming its target isn't just a pointer to the most recent release)? It's a relatively minor issue for users to fix themselves, but from the pages I have skimmed over it seems to show up now and again. Technically I'm assuming it's a connection issue (timeout or some such), but the fact that Tweaker chokes on it might elevate it to minor bug status. I'm using "chokes" loosely—the program fails quite gracefully (doesn't crash, notifies on failure) and even streamlines the bug-reporting process.

The fastest and easiest fix is probably to update the first post with a "common problems: unrar.exe missing" type deal, but I don't know how many people read first posts when they're DLing the Tweaker. I know I personally haven't managed to bring myself to read all 23 pages of this thread yet.

Second easiest fix might be to have Tweaker itself show the user a message regarding the possibility that unrar.exe is missing or invalid. It avoids having to import a checksum library or check the file size. Not having used .NET, I'm not sure how roundabout the methods for performing either task actually are.

[Idolon]

I have installed the latest version (7-17-2013) of the story patch, but the Tweaker keeps telling me there is a new version. I downloaded the patch via torrent, then installed it with the Tweaker.

Also, I got a "The remote name could not be resolved: 'psumods.co.uk'" error today, though I can access psumods.co.uk just fine with my browser: http://pastebin.com/ub5zyFvq

[Pingu887]

What do you mean? You can click the Orb -> Troubleshooting -> Fix PSO2 EXEs?

That didn't work. On the 2nd one, the updater.exe, it said that access denied. But it doesn't matter. I re-installed the whole thing, and downloaded a fresh ''installer'' from sega site. Then I combined using the tweaker and the classic launcher, and voila, it works. Thank you for the help, though :3

[ph4zr]

Override it in the Options menu - Set it to 7/17/2013.
No updates have been released for the new version, the files in the RAR are the same files available through the update.

Hm, that's weird. Probably just a minor glitch on my end, then. I had it install the 7/17 rar, but every time I relaunched after that it kept telling me there was a story update and a main update. I -thought- I tried overriding it *and* re-installing it, but I can't really be sure. I'll see if I can reproduce it after I re-run the ARKS Tournament or hash my files. If I can't then PEBKAC? ^^;

EDIT: The versions are indeed identical! Mostly PEBKAC.

Spoiler!

In trying to reproduce the log linked several posts back, I managed to reproduce my own story patch thing: If you install from the rar it still claims there's an update. It doesn't appear to actually download anything in terms of actual patch files, though I didn't actually monitor network usage. Judging by "bytes read" and "CPU time" values, it's hashing the files to compare them to the latest patch checksums.

Or possibly simulating hot newearl on newearl porn. It's up in the air at this point. =P

Registry values are also changed: "StoryPatchVersion" takes the version date, vs. "Installed", and "NewVersionTemp" is blanked. In other words: Yes, the versions are the same. Tweaker is just being smart and making sure the files are correct. Much more thorough than just checking the rar's name and size, et cetera. Kudos.

I apologize for all the fuss. Back in uni ... well, let's just say the code of first years at uni taking a mandatory programming class tends to be... worrisome. I've gotten into the bad habit of assuming every message that doesn't make sense in context is due to a bug or erroneous design. I might suggest changing the procedure so that checking the story files happens automatically after install rather than "updating", though. The message itself is potentially misleading—or I'm just incredibly daft. But, hey! if the lowest common denominator gets it, then everybody will, right? lol.

I probably have a few other suggestions relating to patches and updates now that I've witnessed evidence as to the probable inclusion of checksumming, but I should probably ponder those a bit longer and examine how your program handles manual requests for installations/updates and overrides before I bring them up. It's possible or even probable they are already implemented, especially given the existence of the checksum files.

Override it in the Options menu - Set it to 7/17/2013.
That's the thing though - I did this. And I haven't been able to get it to keep a 0kb file in the tests I ran - That's why I'd like them to absolutely confirm that was the problem, so I can be 100% sure the bug is/is not fixed.

Haha. I don't even know why I would've thought that might be missing, considering the rest of the program. I'm assuming if you say "keep" a 0kb file, that includes a download verification step somewhere in between downloading and using unrar.exe.

Other unrar:

Spoiler!

On a side note, in my unsuccessful attempts to reproduce the log provided, I did discover that a file of non 0kb size will be "run" by Tweaker. Ah... to test this I did something rather stupid: I took a random text file (actually a log file) and renamed it "UnRar.exe". The program did indeed try to "launch" it. It doesn't give the "file not found" or "UnRar.exe appears to be corrupt" messages, though. Rather, Windows gets mad at me. Testing it a second time, I just copied Tweaker itself and renamed it (and it worked!). Two issues with this: 1) it means that a partial but -corrupt- UnRar.exe download will not trigger your error, and 2) it's a security risk in case anyone ever "bundles" Tweaker with say... a virus named UnRar.exe. Granted, there are easier ways to deploy them, including handing out a fake Tweaker! So (2) is... mostly not even academic.

It is possible my Tweaker version is dated and you have changed this behavior. MD5:
1728f8137f336f7d10a0f5b6167f96ee *PSO2 Tweaker.exe

Currently, one of several things happens with an invalid or missing UnRar.exe:
1) at startup: it's detected as a 0kb or missing file and Tweaker downloads a new one.
2) at startup: it is corrupt or has been replaced but is not 0kb and Tweaker okays it.
3) after verification: someone replaces UnRar.exe
-3a) with a 0kb or invalid executable file: Windows gets mad (optional) and Tweaker reports it as "The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform."
-3b) Tweaker launches it, and then whatever.
4) after verification: someone removes UnRar.exe, and Tweaker reports it missing.

So far (4) is the only thing I can think of that would generate the error in that log for UnRar.exe, since the 0kb issue reports a different error.

Wild mass guessing!

Spoiler!

I don't really know much about permissions (except how to change them using the security tab XD), but is it possible that Tweaker is running with a different permission set than the user themselves? If they have read+write permissions for the folder they could copy Tweaker there, but if Tweaker was running without write permissions they couldn't create the file. Based on my -guesses- of what the messages are triggered by, selecting the story patch worked and it installed (no file not found error), but the downloads for the EN patch were not created. As I note later, parts of the log appear to be missing, so the fact that the "story patch installed" message is not included is inconclusive.

I don't think it would be a lack of delete or modify permissions, since I'd expect an I/O exception in that case when UnRar.exe was being replaced.

As I see it, possible explanations:

1) AV is detecting UnRar.exe as a virus and automatically and silently quarantining it?
2) Something else is causing it to be deleted.
3a) For whatever reason, Tweaker IS downloading UnRar.exe, but it isn't getting written to the folder.
3b) Alternatively, Tweaker IS downloading the EN patch files, but they aren't getting written.

In both (3a) and (3b), though, I would expect some kind of I/O error when Tweaker tried to DL the files. In any case where file creation or deletion permissions were an issue, I would expect an I/O error. Depending on how exceptions are handled, it is possible there is an I/O error, but it's getting lumped in with another exception and being mis-reported or ignored. That latter case seems unlikely, though, considering the rest of the program.

That log is incomplete, however, as it does not include any startup information, so it's impossible to tell at what point or even if UnRar.exe was downloaded.