Keeping FlightGear (win32) up to date without compiling

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Revision as of 18:47, 11 December 2009 by Michaelfavor (talk | contribs) (updated current version)
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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Using TortoiseCVS with FlightGear.
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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Flightgear 1.0 to CVS : Piece of Cake.

There are three easy steps to keep up with the latest developments in FlightGear:

First step:

You can find the latest FlightGear development branch already compiled as a Windows(TM) executable file (fgfs.exe) at

ftp://ftp.ihg.uni-duisburg.de/FlightGear/Win32

by Frederic Bouvier. There you will find several precompiled binaries, the most recent one also comes with the latest FGRun. While these are irregularly updated, they may sometimes be updated on a weekly basis.

So check the filename for the latest version. For example, fgfs-win32-20060710.zip tells you that it is the version of July 10, 2006. The download size will be about 5 MB.

As of December 2009, the latest version is from 8/17/2009 at ftp://ftp.ihg.uni-duisburg.de/FlightGear/Win32/fgrun+fgfs-osg-win32-cvs-20090817.zip


Second step:

It is obligatory to combine a new FlightGear binary (the main program) with the matching FlightGear data (the base package) not only to get the newest developments but mostly because configuration files or data formats (fgfs internals) might have changed, so that an old fgfs core may not know how to deal with resources in a more recent version of the base package.

You have to download the newest data from the FlightGear data CVS repository using a CVS client (as discussed here).


Two CVS clients for Windows are

The initial checkout from CVS is a pretty big amount of data (about 2 GB!) so you should have a fast internet connection and preferably a flatrate, too.

Using WinCVS to keep the base package updated:

If you don't want to download all that stuff again and again it is more practical to download information and data about what has changed since the last upgrade, this means using the CVS system.

1. WinCVS download:

WinCVS is GNU General Public License (GPL).
http://www.wincvs.org/download.html

2. Unzip and read Install.txt. You only have to run “wincvs_setup.exe”, the rest is done by the program, so don't keep attention to the other files.

3. When running WinCVS for the first time you are asked to install python on your system (in case you don't have it already there). This all is very easy, just click on the link in the message window and download a stable Windows binary version. After downloading let Windows do all the install work, just click on the downloaded file,

ie “python-2.4.3.msi”.

In case the WinCVS window is still open, close the program and start it again after the python installation has finished.

4. Selecting or creating a download folder It is highly recommended not to upgrade directly into your Flightgear data folder. That way, if there are any errors due to internet connection or otherwise you will not corrupt/destroy your checkout of the FlightGear base package (you could however also keep a compressed image of the base package in a separate archive to be able to easily restore a CVS checkout).

You may use WinCVS to create a new folder on one of your harddisks with enough space left for the big download. Use the yellow folder symbol (inside the red circle) to select or create your CVS folder. You may name it as you like. WinCVS creates the data folder itself when downloading. After selection, “your” CVS folder shows up, see the red dotted lines.

5. Now you are ready for downloading, you must have established your internet connection. When downloading for the first time, you have to type in 2 command lines. But this has to be done very carefully without any typo, otherwise you won't be able to checkout the base package.

6. Use “Admin” from the upper menu bar, then select “Command Line...”

7. The command line window shows up

8. Using the command line window: a) the first time you have to type the commands into the little window. This is always the same: Use the [Enter] key, if your command line is too long and you have to write the rest into a second line. Use the [Control] + [Enter] keys when you are ready (finished with your inputs). Then press the “OK” button at the bottom of the window.

Start with:
cvs -d :pserver:cvsguest@cvs.flightgear.org:/var/cvs/FlightGear-0.9 login
Your password is “guest”.
Type “guest” (without quotation marks)

9. If all is ok, then you should read these messages:

cvs -d :pserver:cvsguest@cvs.flightgear.org:/var/cvs/FlightGear-0.9 login 
Logging in to :pserver:cvsguest@cvs.flightgear.org:2401:/var/cvs/FlightGear-0.9 
***** CVS exited normally with code 0 *****

10. If the command line window has disappeared, repeat step 6 of this manual

11. Your next command line reads if it is the FIRST time you download CVS:

cvs -d :pserver:cvsguest@cvs.flightgear.org:/var/cvs/FlightGear-0.9 co data

The “Previous” field remembers your old command line inputs:

12. Using WinCVS the SECOND time: The login as described in (8) is much more fun as WinCVS remembers your command line inputs. Use the [arrow down] symbol of the “Previous” field and select the login command. (see screenshot). Then, as you already have a working CVS data folder the next command line is very short:

cvs update -dP

13. You have to type this again into the command line field. Don't use the command as shown in (11) as this would write a complete new CVS! If you start WinCVS the third time, you'll get all the necessary commands by selecting them from the “Previous” field.

Last Words

Frederic Bouvier and Martin Spott are the providers of the Windows fgfs.exe and fgrun compilations (CVS snapshots) and server space. Frederic is also the author of fgrun. A big “thank you” to them for this service. Keep up with the ongoing development of FlightGear. All the steps described above are very easy to handle if you have read this document carefully. Have much fun with FlightGear!