Next versions of Cheetah.

The updater will show a list of all files that will be updated to allow people a chance to alter any of them with custom modifications if needed before they are actually installed, and eventually it will even be able to point out any files to be updated that appear to have been previously altered.

I also plan on changing the module installers version compatibility check. A new field will added for modules specifically built for cheetah and if it exists it will be used. If that new field does not exist, it will assume it's a converted dolphin module and ignore the compatible with version field.

This change should help with the problems version number changes cause with modules.

I really hope this works. There's noting worse than having to change every file just because the version stamp can't be recognised. I'm all in favour of only updating each file as it's been modified. The database thing will hopefully replace those fields that have been altered. If it can come with an update file we can easily read to ensure there are any conflicts, that will be terrific.

I know many of you have been anxiously awaiting the next release of cheetah. However i am aware that at least one person has installed directly from the github repo, and geek_girl (RIP) has updated several sites with files from that repo as well.

So to make sure this was not going to cause a problem i have been conducting tests to see if this will cause any problems with the next release due to the mixed files and database differences.

I have found out that the update script will likely fail on many of those sites due to database issues.

The problem is the original updater script and packaging method by Boonex for Dolphin and is used by Cheetah does not take these kinds of issues into consideration when installing the update.

As such, i have decided i need to finish my new update system first and release that as a separate package that will update cheetah 1.2.0 sites to version 1.2.1. The updater will then take over all future updates. You must be running at least version 1.2.0 or higher to install the updater. It will not install on older versions.

The new updater will be able to download updates as i release them rather than combining them all into one giant package. It also will scan an existing system and see if files or database changes that will be done by the update already exist on the site to be updated and will skip any that are not needed thus effectively solving the problem with sites that have mixed files from both an official release and the repo.

The updater will ensure that the site is in sync with all of the updates that have been released. Those that have installed files from the repo will not need to worry about whats been installed and what has not. The updater will check all of that and update only the files and database changes that are needed and ignore what is not needed and update version numbers as necessary.

Once the new updater is installed, all sites will begin getting updates as i release them which will include the updates to bring the sites up to version 1.3.0.

The new updater will make it far easier to keep cheetah updated. You no longer will have to download large update packages to be installed. The updater will fetch what is needed for you. You can then choose when to install any updates the updater retrieves.

I'll keep you posted.  I am trying to get the updater out for the end of the month, but may take a couple of weeks longer.