Plugins + Scripts VPM - VaM Package Manager

[gicstin]

gicstin submitted a new resource:

VPM - VaM Package Manager - Manager for your VaM packages, with advanced functions.

Join the VPM Discord Server!

Check out the VPM community on Discord – hang out with 106 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.

discord.gg

VPM - VaM Package Manager v0.4.08

A powerful, modern package management tool for Virt-A-Mate

Disclaimer - Work in Progress

Please Note: VPM is currently in active development and should be considered beta software.

• Bugs may occur - While we test extensively, unexpected issues can happen, especially with unusual...

Read more about this resource...

 

[Faco2000]

Hi @gicstin ! Sounds like a very interesting tool, thanks a lot ! I'm afraid to install it because I may spend hundreds of hours to play with it
You say it's a beta but is it already workable or an early WIP ?

 

[crashb]

Cool app, really curious if you can make it work with browserAssist's var management feature as it stores its own version of unloaded vars in an offloaded folder inside the plugin data folder. Basically, I would like the app to be able to scan the addonpackages folder as well as any other folder where unloaded vars may be and then use this app just to browse and manage dependencies without using it's native unload feature.

 

[femma]

Hi @gicstin ! Sounds like a very interesting tool, thanks a lot ! I'm afraid to install it because I may spend hundreds of hours to play with it
You say it's a beta but is it already workable or an early WIP ?

Yes, it very much works fine already. Come say hi at our Discord!

 

[femma]

Cool app, really curious if you can make it work with browserAssist's var management feature as it stores its own version of unloaded vars in an offloaded folder inside the plugin data folder. Basically, I would like the app to be able to scan the addonpackages folder as well as any other folder where unloaded vars may be and then use this app just to browse and manage dependencies without using it's native unload feature.

It supports sfishere's VAR Browser seamlessly. I also use BA with it, but BA doesnt see stuff in /AllPackages (as VPM does). So I preload stuff I need and VPM makes the autoload list super easy to manage.

Please come to Discord to give your input!

 

[kretos]

Do you respect AllAddons folder structure?
Ie. I have everyhing divided according to hub: scenes/looks/etc - what happen after install/uninstall? If I have scene in AllPackages\best_scenes\BestSceneCreator.HisBestScene.2.var - after install and uninstall it will be in the same location? Checked, looks like it respects structure.

What do you mean by "VPM moves and modifies files" - why files are modified and can it turned off? Or is it only in those action on demand like compress textures or modify hair?

What should be done after install - VAM restart? VAM refresh? Nothing?

You've wrote "compatible with var_browser" - so I guess you scan also AllPackages? Checked, yes AllPackages are scanned.


The interface is weak:
* filters - you can make filter invisible but it still occupies some space - after moving all but 3 as invisible and set as last, I have only half of screen height for use - the rest is taken by "hidden" filters and some empty space - hint - hide them all under single icon with list
* don't know how to clear autoinstall or favourite - no action in context menu, clicking same icon probably does not work
* too many information on packages - could be in details. Do you really need number of dependecies?
* dependencies - to install you have to choose any missing dependency and then can download them all. Some windows appear but there's no warning before close and interrupting the download. So I've choose to download all dependencies but closed the window - I think not all were downloaded. Also - why display packages names in two panels? What is clear button useful for?
* there's fancy dependency window with dozen of display modes and no "download" button... Why not just show a dependency tree on main window?
* whole interface is a little chaotic - you see packages, next dependencies with package info (package from left side) below dependencies, next to the right the preview of package under hub buttons... And there's not so useful context menu... There are buttons on top, on the left, on the right, on the bottom and context menu and buttons under buttons... Steam app design is really not the best in the world.

Errors:
* I've tested it on 9 vars and 16 dependencies - after clearing filters there's a delay with filling the list of vars or vars does not appear at all
* filters - i've managed to hide some filters, after clearing sorting criteria (?) all appear again
* application hide all packages and couldn't get them back and after that it hanged
* it's not so fast - with only 25 vars. And I have like thousands...
* you probably have memory leaks - after few minutes and playing with things the app took almost 1GB of memory...

I'm long time user of var_browser but always looking for sth new. Idea is great but currently var_browser is easier to use.

 

[Anand]

Hi. I just want to voice support for what you're attempting (and you've bitten off a LOT). More power to you.

I am monitoring your development since I need a better solution for my VAR collection chaos. As a long time user and fan of Var Browser, my ideal scenario is that sFisherE comes back and picks up development for VB. But since that is not likely, VPM may be the alternate solution.

I don't use Browser Assist for VAR management, but it seems a lot of people do. So a few words in your excellent documentation addressing your plans (or non-plans) for BA may be needed.

Anyway, keep on keeping on. VPM appears to be more diamond than rough.

 

[kretos]

BIG WARNING

This thing uses the same files as var browser for auto install and favourites - it will overwrite your var browser setup...

Second - it seems that var browser is very sensitive on json formatting - event if it's a proper json, after rewrite, it does not load scenes on start - you should check any filter and uncheck

@gicstin
It seems that i've been a little harsh on your software, but it still requires lots of work and you should warn about such things. It took me a while to figure out what happened...

 

[TBD]

It'd be great if the app took references from e.g. local scene files or appearance presets into consideration when filtering by "no dependents". I'd love an easy way to move everything, that's not referenced from my saves/scene or custom folders, to the AllPackages folder.

 

[gicstin]

gicstin updated VPM - VaM Package Manager with a new update entry:

VPM v0.4.17 - VPB Integration

Hi all, this is an update to the VPM app that adds support to the VPB plugin.
VPB = my fork of the excellent "var_browser" plugin created by sFisherE

In this update you are able to launch a scene directly from VPM without having to open VaM and navigate trough the gallery.
Feature is called VDS, VaM Direct to Scene. VPB plugin is required to be installed in order order for VDS feature to work.

Credits for the VDS idea goes to...

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

[coverstar]

This is great! This takes the place of half a dozen other tools or scripts and it works better than any of them.

Just a note: while VPM is great, VPB is causing extensive assetbundle errors when enabled. It took me a while to track down that this was the source, since I assumed I needed the VPB patch to make full use of VPM (and maybe I do). No idea if anyone else has encountered this or if it's just me, but at least in my case, VPB breaks most scenes.

 

[femma]

For all the VAR Hoarders, here are the important links once more:

Github VPM: https://github.com/gicstin/VPM (VPM can also install and update itself and VPB automatically)
Github VPB: https://github.com/gicstin/VPB (forked originally from famous Var Browser by sFishere, but quite a lot more advanced today)

Join our Discord for help and development feedback @: https://discord.gg/vghNSbHVxw (UPDATED) - Welcome!

These tools include VAR manager and size & settings optimizer, modern VAM Hub UI outside of VAM, VPB in-game UI with drag & drop support, five star favorites system, advanced VAM cache optimizer to save more than 5x space, fast starts & .latest plugin rerouting and much more! Our tool(s) documentation is lagging behind, so best to ask around about features directly in our Discord.

NB: These both tools (VPM + VPB) have been lately updated on Github and this VAM Hub version is already quite old.

Especially the latest version of VPB, released just yesterday, is real snappy!! No more refresh bug either.

• We are also looking for talented DEVs to contribute and co-develop both tools with our lead dev gicstin!

 

[femma]

Here is a new Discord link as og above has expired:
https://discord.gg/vghNSbHVxw

Lot of cool features have been added to the VPB tool especially and its UI and performance has improved a lot, please come and test our nightly releases! Also looking for talented devs to join and help! Updates to VPB are done via VPM's latest Github version.