Update: Version 1.1
-many minor bugs
-parse dsskin and dslang and dsplugin for images
-icon
-when creating install file, wrong directory
-listings twice



I've written a little program to create the DSPackage file for all you developers out there. Point it to the directory where you do your development for desktop sidebar and it will list all the sub directories (project names). Click on a sub directory and click create and if that subdirectory has the necessary files (.install, .dsplugin, .dll) it will create the dspackage for you. It's very basic right now, but if people could check it out and give me feedback i can make it better.

JGA

BTW: this might only work for people coding in Visual Studio .NET because it looks for the bin/release or bin/debug folders. Let me know what other people are using so I can adapt it to others standards

Excellent idea, and thanks! I've already used it once.

Suggestions:

• Currently, it doesn't include dslang/dsskin files. Also, I need a way to somehow tell it to include more files (or it can do it automatically by parsing the dsplugin/dsskin files and determining which images are used [dsplugin can use images for the panel icon]).
• Why does it use bin\Debug files (in that test case I didn't have bin\Release yet however I don't think it should use bin\Debug in any case)?

Also, what about a Pack Source option if you want to release the source code? That sounds an even bigger timesaver.

Oh and do use FlatStyle.System (I know this has a problem with button background though so you can use Browse instead...) for the buttons. It really bothers me when an application does not get skinned.

What about generating an install file? Could make my life a lot easier.

Droplet anyone?

Generating an install file is on my list of things to do, I will also look into parsing the files to find any images, hopefully I can kick those things out in a day or two and upload a new version

also, if anybody has an creative graphical skills and they have some time, I need a cool icon for the program

Goma, reguarding the PackSource option, would it be best for me to just zip the entire folder and then add that to the dspackage file? I don't know how people typically include their source with their dspackage files

I don't include the source file in the DSPACKAGE - it wastes precious download time and storage space for most users who are not interested in the source code at all.
Instead, I post a zip file in the Source Code thread that is pinned in the Panel Development & Requests forum.

ok, I'll just create a check box for package source and it'll create a zip file for the entire folder separately from dspackage

Can it automatically strip out the bin/obj directories and .suo/.user files?

EDIT: I want to be able to pack the source without making a DSPACKAGE, I think that what you meant to do doesn't allow me to do that.

you want to be able to just make a souce zip without creating dspackage? that should be fairly easy, I'll make two check boxes, one for dspackage and one for source so you can do one, the other or both

Great, thanks!

other than something like:
fillImage="newMail.bmp" in the dsskin file?

where else could images and other files pop up?

In the dsplugin file - don't remember the exact syntax, it's the icon -
icon="panelIcon.bmp"

GoMa? Where do you post from?

8 Cresthill Rd, Verona, NJ.

new version posted....look at the first post

Wow nice - I've just seen your post