New Updater
 

Since the old updater will cease working anytime soon due to Java's security restrictions and there are no free code signing certificates available, I have developed a new version as 'stand alone' Java Application.

http://updater.pala.de/new/

I am currently testing any possible fault condition I can think of, but it is always better to have other people play around with it and try to break it.

Java 7 is required, but the launcher will automatically download a local version to its folder if it cannot find any installed on the system.

The download is currently tunneled through a CDN (updater.pala.de.nyud.net, which is coralcdn.org), because Chrome freaks out about the executable file until Google has crawled the website again.

Please feel free to test it and report back.

Here's a shortcut icon for it that looks a bit better than the old Web updater one, and is a bit more obvious than the default one for the executable. I did 3 sizes that should fit most uses. They're zipped up, just unzip the zipfile to extract the icons.

The executable icon is deliberately generic, as the updater is used by other UIs as well. Could use better icons though :P

As per windows design guidelines, you need sizes 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, and 256x256 (optionally 24x24, 40x40, 64x64)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr.../aa511280.aspx

I'll give it a test.

Will you be able to support an updated version for me as well? Appreciate your time spent on this!

Will do once it runs stable

I'll have to add those. I did it as separate files for the most common desktop/shortcut icon sizes since I figured having them in the binary wouldn't work.

ProfitUI icon file
 

A new icon file, with multiple icon sizes: 16x16, 24x24, 32x32, 40x40, 48x48, 64x64, 256x256. That should cover all the sizes of icon Windows will need. The .ico file's zipped up, just unzip to extract it.

Variants reset
 

Noticed that when the new updater ran today and updated itself, it reset all my selected variants to the defaults (the ignored files list and the settings like the path to the game folder were unaffected). This hasn't happened before, just today.

Changed a lot of things around. You are actually lucky it did not destroy itself. I think it might have done that for some people :P

Should not happen again.

I have to test MSI installers. "destroy itself" I'm intimately familiar with. :) At least yours is a standalone program, worst I have to do is delete 2 folders and grab a new copy (as long as I remember my ignore list and the variants, anyway).

Settings wipe incoming .. probably ..

it wont keep the variants after "exit" nor will it apply the variants the the game once launched. The merc window is also back to b4 the fix, no buttons

Tested every configuration I can think of and it is working fine for me. Maybe download the *.zip file again and overwrite your current installation. The latest update will delete all settings though, that is the expected behaviour.

I can actually see where things go wrong with already installed variants. To fix it just do Install/Uninstall/Install of that particular variant.

Or delete the UI files (or to be specific: the *.zip file of that variant).

Had to change things around to support other UIs. Should not happen again :P

The behavior I'm seeing is that when I applied the update it reverted all variants to the default and downloaded/installed the default version of files, but then when I selected the variants I wanted it didn't download the variant zipfiles and didn't install the variant versions of files. I had to exit the updater, restart and unselect my variants, then reselect them to get it to download the zipfiles (they were already present, shouldn't they have been used without re-downloading?) and install the variant files. It's like when I select variants it's not rescanning to check whether the current files match the new variants.

I'm going to try wiping out the program and settings, downloading a new copy of the updater and reinstalling it, see if it's some sort of artifact from leftover cruft.

Put in some code which will delete unused files, should fix that behaviour.

Thinking about it it looks like a nasty glitch. It's easy enough to fix if you know the trick, but it happens every time variant selections get reset. It may be that you want to not minimize disk access so much, when a variant's selected it's zipfile should always be unzipped if it's present and current (I'm assuming that'll happen automatically if it's queued and downloaded either because it's absent or because it's presetn but out-of-date compared to the copy on the updater).

crc error
 

I have tried to unzip the file, but I am getting crc errors. Is it possible I have tried installing it incorrectly?

where are we with this? i just noticed the old updater no longer works. is this still in testing? is it official? is there someplace i can find my old settings to duplicate in this new version?

thanks.

New Updater Stopped Updating...
 

A few days ago the new updater stopped working. It closes the update window as soon as it opens with no update. The log file shows:

de.pala.updater.Updater - Cannot activate core
org.java.plugin.PluginLifecycleException: can't find plug-in class de.pala.updater.services.settings.SettingsPlugin
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginLifecycleHandler.createPluginInstance(Sta ndardPluginLifecycleHandler.java:117) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:403) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.checkPrerequisites(StandardPlugin Manager.java:469) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:397) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:245) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at de.pala.updater.Updater.start(Updater.java:102) [Updater.jar:na]
at de.pala.updater.Updater.main(Updater.java:76) [Updater.jar:na]
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: de.pala.updater.services.settings.SettingsPlugin
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginClassLoader.loadClass(StandardPluginClass Loader.java:378) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.7.0_51]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginLifecycleHandler.createPluginInstance(Sta ndardPluginLifecycleHandler.java:113) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
... 6 common frames omitted
de.pala.updater.Updater - Cannot activate updater
org.java.plugin.PluginLifecycleException: plug-in de.pala.updater.services.updater requires plug-in de.pala.updater.services.settings which failed activation
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.checkPrerequisites(StandardPlugin Manager.java:445) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:397) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:245) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at de.pala.updater.Updater.main(Updater.java:77) [Updater.jar:na]

Not sure if its somthing with Java or the de.pala.updater address. Java 7 is installed and verified.

Just checked the new updater. I didn't get the problem mentioned above, but did have other issues. When the updater opened, a popup appeared stating that there were updates available for the updater and asked permission to proceed. I clicked OK. The update completed and the updater restarted, but had lost the EQ2 file path. I had to select the path again, quit the updater and run it again for the updater to work correctly.

Besides the clumsiness of the operation, it reminded me of another issue that I find annoying. When you click CHOOSE to update the EQ2 file path, the selection dialog opens pointing to the current user's My Documents folder. In the current case, the updater had lost the file path so I can understand it not having to path to start from. However, most of the time I am switching from the live instance to the Test instance or vice versa. In such cases, the updater really ought to start at the last selected path, which would save a lot of clicking.

Another option would be to let the user directly edit the displayed path, but I can see how that might be more work to code and could create another failure point.

-= Therendil =-

Should be a one time thing when I changed around where settings are saved.

This is already implemented, but not yet released as I am still collecting bugs.

Okay. Probably the same reason that the welcome screen started showing up - the Ignore setting for that file got lost. No big deal. I'll set things back as they should be and let you know if there are further issues.


I'm glad to hear that you're adding that. Even more glad that you have your priorities right. I don't mind waiting for a new feature if the delay is due to squashing bugs first.

-= Therendil =-

The older Updater usually popped up the Changelog if you patched any files. The new one doesn't seem to do this (I only saw it when I first set my directory).

Not sure if intentional or not.

Any chance of adding support for side-by-side installations of the same installer, ie. i run multibox on 1 machine with multiple installations of EQ2. inorder for the updater to work i would prefer to install it once per EQ2 installation etc.

The 'simple' solution would be to use config files based on the name of the executable (like how ACT does it) would make it simple for those who want to use multiple installs etc.

Will be back in.

Renaming files will break updating capabilities.
Easiest way to do this would be setting an environment variable. So (in Windows) for every profile you would create a *.bat file with
and maybe create shortcuts to them.

If I set the new updater to bypass the Launchpad it correctly changes the path to run EverQuest2.exe but it throws a fatal error.

It's the <verify> G:\live\eq2\game\Client\src\ClientApp.cpp (3810): No game assets Found. Please launch the game from the patcher. 0141bbd8 error.

I run this way from the EQ2MAP Updater all the time just fine even immediately after this error in the ProfitUI Updater.

Wouldn't it be simpler to just keep multiple configurations then? with 1 per install directory?
I got no idea where your keeping your current configuration etc, but

If its in a .ini file you could section it w. 1 section per EQ2 installation

If its in the registry, enumerate them w. 1 sub key per installation of EQ2

Then upon launch of the updater, if there is more than 1 installation, present a list for the user to select from or just run on the single installation.

Hell if you wanna be real advanced :P make it so that if you got multiple installations you can select "Update All" :p

Updater Treated as a virus.
 

The application that Profit Updater downloads ( 168rursf.exe ) appears as a virus to 3 different mallware / virus programs that I use. Without 168rursf.exe then Profit Updater will not load or update files. I then have had to move the instilation location of the updater so it will run. This will allow me to update Profit untill the next time my security software detects the file 168rursf.exe again and deletes it. I then once again, have to move the updater files to a new location just so I can update Profit. 168rursf.exe is being reported as a Downlodius (fs) virus / mallware. Please fix this as it currently is a PItA to keep ProFIT updated and current.:mad::mad::mad:

Where did you download?

Neither there is a 168rursf.exe delivered with it, nor does it download or create that file. So changes are good that is in fact a virus.

From the link you posted
http://updater.pala.de/new/

I have been having this problme since you first changed the updater. Every time my anitvirus / mallware programs runs I would loose the ability to use the updater and would have to change the install path to get it to work again. On one ocation I found 168rursf.exe in the quarentine folder and when I replaced it, the updater once again would function. Then the next time my antivirus / mallware would run the updater once again refused to update and I once again would have to move the instlation path to get it to work again.
This is getting very annoying. If that program is not part of Profit Updater then whey when I put it back does the updater work? That and why does an avitvirus / mallware programs have any affect on the updater.
I use StopZilla for antivirus and SuperAnti Spyware for mallware.
Where is the config. file kept, that way I may just be able to change the configuration instead of needing to change the install path all the time. I have searched my system but can not find it.

This is a copy of the log file I get when the updater fails to run.

de.pala.updater.Updater - Cannot activate core
org.java.plugin.PluginLifecycleException: can't find plug-in class de.pala.updater.services.settings.SettingsPlugin
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginLifecycleHandler.createPluginInstance(Sta ndardPluginLifecycleHandler.java:117) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:403) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.checkPrerequisites(StandardPlugin Manager.java:469) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:397) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:245) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at de.pala.updater.Updater.start(Updater.java:102) [Updater.jar:na]
at de.pala.updater.Updater.main(Updater.java:76) [Updater.jar:na]
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: de.pala.updater.services.settings.SettingsPlugin
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginClassLoader.loadClass(StandardPluginClass Loader.java:378) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.7.0_51]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginLifecycleHandler.createPluginInstance(Sta ndardPluginLifecycleHandler.java:113) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
... 6 common frames omitted
de.pala.updater.Updater - Cannot activate updater
org.java.plugin.PluginLifecycleException: plug-in de.pala.updater.services.updater requires plug-in de.pala.updater.services.settings which failed activation
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.checkPrerequisites(StandardPlugin Manager.java:445) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:397) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at org.java.plugin.standard.StandardPluginManager.activatePlugin(StandardPluginMana ger.java:245) ~[jpf.jar:1.5.1]
at de.pala.updater.Updater.main(Updater.java:77) [Updater.jar:na]

Hope the log helps. I posted it once before but it was ignored.

Question: have you run a full scan of your system and confirmed that you aren't infected with a virus? The sudden appearance of an executable where it shouldn't be is a common indication that malware's active on your system and is infecting a newly-installed program (in this case the updater). Also, which AV software are you using?

You should never run more than 1 AV program on your system. Even running an AV and a TSR type of malware scanner together at the same time can cause problems. I would recommend downloading a boot disc virus scanner (such as this one by Bitdefender) and scanning/cleaning using it.

I just did a Google search on ' 168rursf.exe' to see what might be known about it. I got *one* result - this thread. Whatever this thing is, nobody has mentioned it anywhere online that Google can see it. If it is a virus or malware, it's so new that no one else has seen it yet.

I also tried with Bing. There were no exact matches, but it did find a very close match: Skype_4.0.0.168_RUS.exe. According to Process Checker, "this executable is known as Skype Portable and it is developed by PortableAppZ.blogspot.com."

In any case, it is not part of ProfitUI.

I agree that you should not run more than one real-time AV tool or resident malware scanner at a time. However, I think it is good practice to run periodic scans with different tools as no one can catch everything.

-= Therendil =-

Only run one antivirus and one mallware. The mallware is run manualy the AV runs all the time. The issue is not how I secure my system it is why Profit Updater stops working.

I also sent the program in question in for annalysis and it did come back as a non-leathal, but questionable applaction known as Downlodius (fs) which is a Java download assistant.

My antivirus will kick out anything that is an unauthorised downloaded application, ie somthing I did not install myself. It will even try to delete stuff like Punkbuster or Pando Media Booster. Which are harmless and many times needed by the game or application that downloads them.

I take it then that I am the only person that is having problems with Profit Updater not working.

Sounds like a Malware infection to me.

Some people have had issues with the new updater, but I don't think anyone else has seen the specific problem that you are having.

-= Therendil =-

Pretty much. What you describe sounds a lot like you at some point (possibly accidentally) installed some of the cruft that comes along with a lot of "free" packages (download "accelerators", toolbars, that kind of thing) and it's now becoming a problem. What I'd do is ignore your AV and anti-malware program and go through the Windows control panel into your installed programs and features list. Look for things that you don't recall installing, find out what they are and delete any that shouldn't be on your machine. Then get a reliable well-known antivirus program (Kaspersky's my personal favorite) and do a full scan of your machine after rebooting into safe mode. That'll take a while, but it'll avoid as much chance of having active malware as you can get on Windows. I prefer doing the scan from a clean boot from a CD or USB drive, but the state of Windows these days makes that not a viable option most of the time.

I can say that, having run the Profit updater myself, the executable you're having a problem with is not part of the updater and isn't being sent by Kaldran's server.

There are many virii/malware that create randomly named executables and try to run those instead of the program you are wanting to run. You are infected with something that your AV is not detecting. I've never even heard of StopZilla and I have worked with a lot of them through the years.