Getting back to updated games for a moment and the flag we see on the game icon.

I've been in the habit for a while now of giving such games a TAG called UPDATED.

I eventually got around to doing that, because often there is no Changelog entry for the updated game, and unless it is a patch file that has been provided, I don't bother downloading a whole game again, unless I know why it was updated.

Often we see the update is either added support for another language or the installer element itself has been updated, rather than the actual game, and those are not required downloads to me. I'm only interested in bugfixes and new features or bonuses.

I've also noted many times, that if I wait a bit, the actual Changelog entry does eventually appear, from days to months later. And we appear to get a new update notification just for that. In other words, we get two update notifications for the one update ... one for the file, one for the changelog.

So I guess I just need to be more diligent about checking my library at GOG, and not do any updates with 'gogrepo.py' until I have checked and at least tagged.

So, the original just downloads the standalone installers which makes perfect sense.

I'm not a Galaxy user and never will be so I can't directly answer your question. However, I guess the advantage is that you get a reliable way to update/download your entire Galaxy game collection, or to concurrently manage both.

Oh another thing that I believe Kalanyr introduced with his version of gogrepo.py, and that you should be aware of, was the creation of the !downloading and !orphaned directories. I find these to be extremely useful. The !downloading directory is where downloads in progress are stored and if a download is interrupted then it can be continued starting from what had been previously downloaded. Only once a file download is complete is it then moved from the !downloading directory to the correct game folder.

The !orphaned directory contains prior versions of game files that have been replaced with updated versions. Folders and files in this directory are not deleted by default and require the user to manually delete them as desired. After doing a full update and download this is where I look to see exactly which files have been changed so that I can investigate what those changes are. On occasion I'll keep a backup of "orphaned" files due to known issues/bugs being reported with the newer updated files.

I remembered to try out the Shutdown option before going to bed last night, and it worked well, as expected.

I just set it to auto download a small game demo, verify, then shutdown .... watching the whole process.

You get a dialog prompt, that gives you 99 seconds to abort.

In a future update, I will compliment that with an optional audio alert, which can be used to catch your attention.

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Yes on further reflection, I can see where downloading your whole collection with one command or click, beats having to select them all one-by-one in Galaxy ... and even doing a single game is less clicks etc.

Sounds good, thanks for the info.

On a related note, I am one of those who never replaces older versions, so getting updates means chewing up more space, hence I only get them if I really know I need to.

At the end of the day, it is also down to how you store your game files too. I don't use the 'gogrepo.py' or GOG Downloader structure myself .... or I do for Linux downloads ... except they get relocated to two external drives, and the only files in each game folder, are the game installers and cover image. By comparison, I relocate Windows installers, game extras and cover image, to four external drives, and I use the proper full titles for the game folders, and often have sub-folders for updates and patches etc. I also save a copy of the game store web page and keep it with the game, plus record the basics in an Excel file, that contains lists of games from elsewhere as well. And then there is my Wishlist programs, which also keep a record.

I like to be organized and cover potential future requirements. :)

P.S. I also use alphanumeric folders for the Windows game backups.

You certainly do like to be organised :) One thing that puts me off of that level of orgainisation is, for example, when GOG does mass updates of game installers, e.g. when I got nearly 100 game updates because they incorporated the latest version of DosBox into most of their DOS game installers.

I guess that's true, but it depends.

Was there something wrong with the older version of DosBox, would be my first question?
Generally I wouldn't want to update for something like that, unless I knew there was an issue with a particular game.
I've also managed to implement DosBox for a few older games myself, so unless GOG are doing something tricky or something I can't do, it doesn't overly concern me. Of course, it is preferable they do all the work, not me.

However, this is why the Changelog entries are so important, and why I see GOG as badly slack in that area. It might ultimately be due to the Dev/Publisher, that they are missing or not kept up-to-date, but GOG should enforce due diligence. That said, even if you don't have an entry, if a game is playing up, needs a bugfix, then you are going to install the latest version or patch anyway, hoping for the best. Still, if the issue isn't fixed, then you could end up being even more annoyed ... so a potential double edged sword that slackness.

Anyway, if GOG are still around, and I am having trouble with a game, then I will check for updates and likely also visit the game forum page. So missing out on an update due to slack Changelog upkeep, doesn't overly concern me. And its not like the many GOG customers are ever going to disappear overnight, so if GOG does die, other forums will pop up, I am sure.

So as I just wrote in another thread here ... sometimes you just gotta take a gamble.

I've added some more improvements and done another release.

Improved the browser for game folder location.
Added a 'Folder Content' right-click Games list option, to show existing files and overall size.
File sizes now converted to user friendly on HTML page shown by MORE button.
The 'Download Cover' option now gives a choice of two download locations.
The 'Show' checkbox for cover image, now instigates showing the image without need for list re-selection.

See this post for other detail and a link to the download.

Today I did six game downloads with the auto started queue. All covers downloaded fine. I also elected to de-select Verify, and instead did that individually afterward. I'd also de-selected 'alphanumeric folders'.

I got three Verify errors, due to same game files missing. This was due to some mistake by GOG for the latest release ARMA games, which you can read about here.

Before i start, my apologies for such long posts. There is often a lot to say, and much that needs expanding upon for greater clarity. I do at times try to spread things over more than one post, and in any case try to limit the size of my paragraphs, but it ain't easy. And in this age of short attention spans, it is even harder. Still the information is there for those motivated to be diligent enough with their reading. I also have no problem with those who want to skip, so long as they keep that in mind when responding, especially with accusations or claims, which they shouldn't do without a proper read.

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I also forgot to mention, that because I had de-selected the 'alphanumeric folders' option, I was also able to run a VERIFY ALL process, not just the individual ones, which I did first.

Of course, I was able to do that, because the only game folders in my main game folder, were those of the 6 downloaded games. That gave me an overall summary of the lot, with the 3 errors listed together.

With all that in mind, and unless the 'gogrepo.py' script produces an error file, then I would advise against using the 'alphanumeric folders' option, and instead relocate your latest downloads to them afterward. Though that means a disconnection with 'gogrepo.py' and the other benefits it gives, if you remained with the folder structure it supports.

If the 'gogrepo.py' script doesn't produce an error file, and the developer Kalanyr cannot be talked into adding such support, then I do have at least one option I could pursue, though I would rather not. That option would involve creating a secondary EXE program to run and control 'gogrepo.py' and read its output. There could be other benefits from doing such, but also issues, especially if more than one download thread is used. With a single thread, I could even make the secondary EXE file a floating progress bar for each download. More than one thread adds in an unwanted level of complexity, and going beyond what I could be bothered to deal with.

It should probably be noted, that while I have gone to a lot of trouble with my GUI for 'gogrepo.py', I am more aware than ever of that scripts limitations, certainly unless i want to delve deep into complexity, which I don't.

This is especially brought home, when it comes to DLC incorporated into a games manifest entry, or if you just want to download one file or less than the complete number. With 'gogrepo.py' as far as I can see, you either get the lot or just game files or extra files. This is not forgetting, that you can just get what is missing, but for that to work, you have to stick to the folder structure supported by 'gogrepo.py'.

I've tried to use wget.exe to just grab one file, but even using a cookie file with that program, there is something missing from what is required. I could and probably will try, to work out from the internals of the 'gogrepo.py' script, what is needed, but I am not a Python programmer and my understanding will be very limited.

I am also no SDK expert. I am just a person who uses a pretty basic coding language, AutoIt, the best as far as simplicity goes, second to none in fact, and ahead of the others by light years in that regard. But I have also spent almost two decades getting to know the ins and outs of that programming language, and while I have a degree of expertise with it, I am far from being an expert. I've made hundreds of programs in that time, but it still remains just a hobby, based on giving me greater control of my PC.

I love to share my work, which I do often, and I never expect or require recompense for it. Knowing my work is appreciated, is enough for me. That said, donations are always welcome ... ha ha ha ha ha.

Testing has been going well, and while I have been taking it easy on the coding front, now and then I get inspired to add a new feature. Aside from those, and now that I have provided something for people to play with, I am taking a bit of a break for a while, to address other things in my life.

I've added some save to list file right-click options for the Games list.

Basically, based on which option you select, a text file with results is saved in the program folder.

Context Menu screenshot

Just some listings which might come in handy, based on OS.
NOTE - The 'Windows only' list options, excludes entries that also contain 'Linux' or 'Mac'.

The "Sorted" option for each, lists games alphanumerically ... so in the order they appear in on the Games list.

The "Unsorted" option lists them via how they are sorted in the manifest. Which generally shows recently added games last (recent means added via an update since initial manifest creation). The rest are sorted by the title not game name, which due to how GOG does things is not always the same. Take the game "STAR WARS: X-Wing" for instance, where GOG list one game as a title starting with "X-Wing" not "STAR WARS".

Name = STAR WARS: X-Wing Collector's CD (1994)
Title = xwing_cdrom_placeholder

NOTE - Strangely, it is only that one X-Wing entry that occurs that way, as the others start with "star_wars".

See this post for other detail and a link to the latest download.

Not sure what I'm doing wrong but when I press the STOP button in the Queue and Options window the download doesn't stop. I get a window asking for verification that I want to stop the download so I say OK and the GUI shows it's stopped but the console window is still open and it continues downloading until I actually close that window myself.

Also, I'm still not getting any covers downloaded for any of the games I've tested. All the relevant checkboxes have been ticked in the GUI.

And finally, I'm wondering will a Resume feature be added especially one that works after a reboot?

Anyway, thanks for all your work on the GUI, it is a blessing to those of use who have no idea on how to use the command line.

I suspect this might be down to a permissions issue, as the process should have closed. I am using the soft form of closing the process though, and I could use the Windows Taskill program instead, but that again might be effected by permissions, and you might need to click something in response anyway, so just as easy to manually close the console window as you did. In fact, originally I was just going to do the GUI side of it and let the user close the console.

To be honest, I am a bit baffled by this issue, as it seems quite random. The last few game downloads I have done, have all been flawless in regard to the cover. Whereas before that, the first game cover was usually failing. I have no idea why it now seems to be working fine for me, as I have no idea why it wasn't before. It is possible, that the GOG site itself or even AV is causing the problem. It might go away if I was to use something like wget, but I am trying to avoid other dependencies.

Do you get a preview of a cover at all?
If not, then maybe it is a firewall issue and you need to add an exception for GOGRepo GUI.exe.
Your AV program might be stopping the images from downloading as well, so you may need an exception there too.
One of the things that Ransomware supposedly does, is download many small image files. So perhaps your PC security is being over protective.

NOTE - Depending on the speed of your web connection, it might takes a few seconds for the preview image to download and display.

There can only be a Resume if gogrepo.py provides and supports that. I've still not looked into Kalanyr's version yet, but I will be soon.

No worries, thanks.

Not sure how to reply so that the formatting stays like how you've done it. It's a horrible mess whenever I try! Anyway, hopefully you'll make sense of my responses...

Console window - as long as I know that happens I'm happy to close the window to stop the download. I thought I was doing something wrong.

Download covers - you are right, it was a firewall problem. All fixed now and the covers are showing up.

Resume feature - I do hope gogrepo.py provides this feature as it is the main reason that I want a download program. My internet connection is slow and my computer is not always on so downloading large games is a nightmare (I'm desperate for Dishonored 2 but 40.5 GB will take me about a week on and off to download) so I really need a program that can resume where I left off to take advantage of being online to grab chunks whilst I can.

Kalanyr's latest stable release includes a resume feature - https://github.com/Kalanyr/gogrepoc, and this is the version I regularly use.

While the stable release is 2 years old it continues to work flawlessly for me and Kalanyr is still actively developing it. This version of gogrepo.py creates a "!downloading" directory and stores resume (partial download) files there. When the download of a file is complete gogrepo.py then moves the completed file to the desired dlowloaded game directory.

However, be aware that I don't believe that Timboli has tested Kalanyr's version of gogrepo.py with his GOGPlus Download Checker so there may be incompatibility issues that would need to be fixed.

Thank you for the information, that sounds just what I need if it can resume after a reboot. I'm hoping that GOGPlus Download Checker will eventually have this feature as the trouble I'm finding is how to get the script to run without Timboli's GUI so I can input the commands.

I am hoping to look into that version very soon.

By the way, GOGPlus Download Checker is an entirely different program, it is my GOGRepo GUI that is the program using gogrepo.py. I've no doubt confused the issue by using this thread until I am ready to do one specifically for GOGRepo GUI. I won't do that last, until I've adapted what needs to be done to support Kalanyr's version.

Meanwhile, I am still in the testing phase as well as attempting improvements.

One such new element, that I spent way too much time on yesterday, dealing with various issues mostly, but I was motivated to have a go at, was a floating Progress Bar GUI.

Progress Bar GUI screenshot.

I finally got it working well enough, and I may implement it for when only one downloading thread is used.

I've only tried it with downloading so far, but I intend to make it suitable for verifying as well. The height of the window can be increased beyond what is shown in the screenshot, but that's its default startup size. As you can see in the image, there is three lines of text in the main field, and that rarely changes for downloading. You briefly see more lines just after downloading first starts, and verifying will probably require showing more ... certainly for the final result.

I'm not a hundred percent sure I will include it, but if I do so, it will only show if one thread is used and even then it would be optional.