I like the idea, before I read your reply I was thinking something akin to a ninite.com for Softimage plugins/scripts? Checkbox select your desired plugins from a list, hit go, and download a workgroup ready to connected, with all the requested plugins/scripts in the right folders ready to be invoked.
It wouldn't need a single central repository for all tools, it could draw them any reliable hosts, as long as the tools themselves are somehow documented and categorized well enough to be auto-installed in the right place in the workgroup.... Ah, blue sky thinking :) On Thu, Jan 17, 2013 at 4:40 PM, Gene Crucean <emailgeneonthel...@gmail.com>wrote: > Yeah count me *out* of any dropbox solution. 3 main reasons... > > 1: I would go freaking MAD if anyone could add, remove or change versions > of addon's from my working setup. 2000% deal breaker. > 2: Space is limited with the free accounts and I don't want just anyone > being able to use my space however they feel is necessary. > 3: A lot of studios don't allow you to install 3rd party software, but * > especially* things like dropbox that tunnel through firewalls and > generally disregard network safety. > > @Thomas: If descriptions are the main reason that you prefer rray, then > why not make a small text file a requirement for submitting? Same level as > addon/plugin/script that contains a short description. > > Also it does have advantages. First of all it's instant availability for > everyone, don't forget, the second you upload something, it's available to > all. Also don't forget that *you* have read/write access to it. > > > Here's another idea which has been one that I've been tinkering around > with the concept for a while now. I've had this idea to create a full blown > package manager for Soft for a long time now. Think of a full GUI that lets > you browse all available packages (addon's, plugins, scripts) and their > versions and also prompts you to update your local copy when a new version > gets published. It would be crowd sourced, meaning everyone would have > read/write access. If I had extra time... hah, I could create a whole user > account system where users create accounts to manager their own packages, > but only have read access to everyone else's. > > Another advantage is that anything uploaded would also be available via > http: > > > http://www.genecrucean.com/softimageRepo/Rendering/GeneCrucean/AddonName/v001/TestAddon.zip > > I also have a small utility I built that lets me recursively create xml > files that describe the folder contents and structure: > http://www.genecrucean.com/softimageRepo/Rendering/GeneCrucean/contents.xml<-- > this file "could" exist in every level of the directory. It's parseable > ;) > > Or if someone that knows PHP and has more time than I do wants to write a > proper api endpoint, well then things get really cool. Until then, xml it > is. > > > > > -- > Gene Crucean - Emmy winning - Oscar nominated VFX Supervisor / iOS-OSX > Developer / Filmmaker / Photographer > ** *Freelance for hire* ** > www.genecrucean.com > > ~~ Please use my website's contact form on www.genecrucean.com for any > personal emails. Thanks. I may not get them at this address. ~~ > -- Technical Pretty Picture Making Person Kettle <http://www.kettlestudio.co.uk/>