Graphics packs made easy (Version 1.6)

  1. About the software
  2. Installation
  3. Main form
  4. Configuration
  5. Use of multiple graphics packs
  6. Mobility
  7. Uninstall
  8. Security
  9. Download


About the software

This software is meant to simplify the usage of local graphics packs. In particular it is no longer necessary to change your browsers configuration.

In addition this software offers the trouble-free use of graphics packs with Opera up to Version 9.27 and also the not really trouble-free use with Opera since Version 9.5.
Since Opera 9.5 the easy use of local graphics packs is no longer possible, but this software assists the user by changing the settings in Opera 9.5, so that it does work.


The software is "Open Source" and may be used by anyone in accordance with the terms of the German Free Software License (see below)


Please send Bugreports, suggestions, etc. to grafikpakete@googlemail.com



License

Copyright 2008, A. Buschmann

This Program may be used by anyone in accordance with the terms of the German Free Software License. The License may be obtained under http://www.d-fsl.de.


Installation*

  1. unzip the archive in the directory of the graphics pack.
  2. start gplg.exe
  3. In the system tray should appear the "GP" icon, which should not be crossed out in red
  4. The address of the local graphics pack for the game can now be copied from the "Address to use in game"-Field.
  5. That's all!

Additional, non-mandatory steps:

  1. Open the configuration form
  2. Check "Start with Windows" if desired - the software will be loaded, whenever the user does log in. To make it work, the settings must be saved.
  3. Check "Start minimized" if desired - the software will be loaded in minimized mode. To open the mainform, perform a doubleclick on the "GP" icon in the system tray.
  4. Close the configuration form by clicking on "OK"
  5. klick on "Save"
  6. klick on "Minimize"


*) For Users of Opera with Version 9.5 or newer, there are separate installation instructions


Please take a look at the security information


The main form


  1. Textbox: Path to graphics pack: If the preset is not right, chose the path of the graphics pack
  2. Selectbox: Port to use: Shows the port of the local webserver. Will be needed to access the local webserver. It is possible to select another port (after changing the portnumber, click on "Start"!)
  3. Textbox: Address to use in game: Copy from here the address of the local graphics pack to enter in the game. If more than one graphics pack is used, it may be necessary to append the name of the according subdirectory to the path.
  4. Button: (Re-)Start: This button (re)starts the webserver. Can be used to restart the webserver, if it apperently broke.
  5. Button: Stop: This button stops the webserver.
  6. Button: Save: Saves the configuration in the registry.
  7. Button: Minimize: Closes the form, but not the software.
  8. Button: About: Opens an About-Box.
  9. Button: Configuration: Opens a form that offers more settings for the software.
  10. Button: Exit: Exits the software, hereby stopping the local webserver.

The systray icon

Icon: / : The "GP" icon in the systray shows the status of the local webserver. If crossed out in red, the webserver is not running. The tooltip does contain more information about the path of the graphics pack and the used port number - or, if the server is not running, the reason for this.
A doublecklick on the icon opens the main form.


The Configuration-Form



The changes in this form will only come into effect, when the form is closed by click on the OK-Button (10). To save the configuration for the next start, click the "Save"-Button in the Main-Form. Only the language-picker and the "Uninstall"-Button will come into effekt directly.

  1. Selection: Language: Selection for the displayed language. When a language is selected, the software is translated directly. The selected language will be saved in the registry with the other configurations, if the user uses the "Save"-Button.
  2. Checkbox: Start with Windows: If the Box is checked, and the configuration has been saved (Button "Save"), then the software will start with the windows login, using the saved configuration.
  3. Checkbox: Start minimized: Ist dieser Haken gesetzt und wurden die Einstellungen gespeichert (Button "Speichern"), dann wird das Programm beim Starten automatisch "Minimiert", das heißt, das Fenster wird nicht angezeigt, kann aber über einen Doppelklick auf das "GP"-Symbol in der Taskleiste geöffnet werden.
  4. List of permitted filetypes: This list contains the filetypes, that the webserver will send to the browser.
  5. Textbox: Suffix: Type suffix here, that shall - together with a content-type - be put in the list of permitted filetypes.
  6. Textbox: Content-Type: Type content-type here, that shall - together with a suffix - be put in the list of permitted filetypes.
  7. Button: Add Filetype: If Suffix and Content-Type are filled in, they will be inserted into the list of permitted filetypes. If the given suffix is already in the list, then the existing entry will be updated.
  8. Button: X (Remove): A marked entry will be removed from the list. The suffix and the Content-Type will be filled into the respective textboxes.
  9. Button: OK: This Button will close the form and activate the new configuration. Only now, changes to the list of permitted filetypes will come into effect.
  10. Button: Cancel: The form will be closed and all changes (but uninstall and language change) will be discarded.
  11. Button: Uninstall: This button does remove all registry-settings of the software and thereafter closes the software. To complete the uninstall, the software files (gplg.exe, gplg.chm, D-FSL-1_0_de.txt, D-FSL-1_0_en.txt, source.zip) should be deleted. See also Uninstall


Use of multiple graphics packs at the same time

When using local graphics packs for more than one game, it's usually not reasonable to put the files of all the graphics packs in the same directory. Instead, create a parent directory (for instance "graphicspacks") and therein one subdirectory for every graphics pack. The software doesn't go drectly into the subdirectory of a graphics pack, but in the parent directory ("graphicspacks") (or, at least, select this directoy as path of the local graphics pack).
In the games use the following as address of the local graphics pack: "http://localhost:portnr/subdirectory/", where "subdirectory" is the name of the subdirectory, where the graphics pack for the game is located. For example, a player of "World of Dungeons" and "Starmarines" could have the following:
Directory: C:\graphicspacks (contains the software)
Directory: C:\graphicspacks\wod (contains the graphics pack for Wod)
Directory: C:\graphicspacks\sm (contains the graphics pack for StarMarines)

Setting in the software: Path to the graphics pack: C:\graphicspacks

Setting in WoD: http://localhost:portnr/wod/
Setting in StarMarines: http://localhost:portnr/sm/


Es ist somit nicht notwendig, für jedes Grafikpaket eine eigene Kopie des Programms laufen zu lassen (möglich ist es durchaus, bis zu ~40 Kopien gleichzeitig :D)


Mobility

Since the software does not require to be installed and doesn't need to write anything into the registry (it can, but it doesn't have to), the software can also be used to take a local graphics pack on an USB stick from one computer to another. Howto:

  1. copy the directory with the graphics pack and the software onto the USB stick
  2. at the target computer open the directory and start the software (do not! copy the software or the graphics pack onto the pc)
  3. Since there are no settings in the registry, the software starts with the standard configuration: current directory, port 8086 (at least if this port is free, otherwise another port is selected). In the field port select the port you do use at home (if not the standard port). Click on "(Re-)Start", click on "minimize".
  4. Have Fun
  5. To make sure the software will not leave any marks on the pc, before leaving the pc, click on the "Uninstall" button in the configuration form. This stops the software and makes sure, that no traces are left.


Uninstall

To uninstall the software, perform the following steps:

  1. In the configuration form, klick the Button "Uninstall".
    This will remove all registry settings, stop the local webserver and exit the software.
  2. If desired, the uninstall can be completed by manually removing the following files:
    • gplg.exe
    • gplg.chm
    • D-FSL-1_0_de.txt
    • D-FSL-1_0_en.txt
    • source.zip
    . If no files have been moved or deleted, then all of this files should be located in the installation directory.

While writing the software, I set great store by making sure, that the software really can be removed completely, therefor no files will be created outside the installation directory and all registry keys that the software could create, will completely be removed.
Thus, after the uninstall, the software should really be removed without a trace. Admittedly, it's always possible, that apparent "traces" will remain on the system, if, e.g. the software was started by "Start -> Run", if files of the software were searched or other things like that, because such actions are logged by windows in "Most Recently Used" lists, which I can't or won't change.


Security

The security features of the software:

Please note!

Though I have tried very hard to ensure that the software does not contain any security risks, I can and will under no circumstances guarantee that the software does not contain any security risk. The software utilize components that are the work of third partys and thus will be vulnerable if any of this components is vulnerable. Please do use a firewall to prohibit external access to your pc.




Download

Get the software now (source code & win32 binaries included)