Binary packages

Hey Andy, Blair,

I can't remember whether you guys said that binary packages would be kept in
D6 or not?

I've been staying away from attempting to use them because it is unknown
whether they would be available in future versions of dolphin. I happen to
think they're a neat way of distributing updates to clients/deployed
applications, so personally, I'd like to see them available in D6. I'd like
to use them as a way to plugin languages (A binary package of a single class
with lots of class side methods for each of the strings), that way a user
can select the language they want to work with.. Anyways I'm getting off
topic.

Also, is there a way to turn off the package authentication? I know its a
security risk, but its only going to be used internally for now. I'm pretty
happy to assume the .pak files are "safe"

If there has been a decision made and mentioned here, I must have missed it!
I have seen comments in previous posts over the last couple of years which
have said that binary packages probably aren't going into the bit bucket,
but there isn't anything concrete.

Hey, better idea: just release D6 now, and I can see for myself? ;)

Sean Malloy wrote:

>think they're a neat way of distributing updates to clients/deployed
>applications, so personally, I'd like to see them available in D6. I'd like
>to use them as a way to plugin languages (A binary package of a single class
>  
>
Hey Sean - I've been wanting to look into these binary packages as well,
for much the same reason, my app is being distributed with different
'themes' for various clients and I'm wanting to provide additional
features for each distribution ( its a generic app that works with
multiple backends, but each backend provides their own extra
functionality I'd like to expose ) - and this would work nicely.

Although the requirement to use DolphinSure authentication prevents me
even testing it ( although I understand one can get a free licence or
something... )

> Hey Sean - I've been wanting to look into these binary packages as well,
> for much the same reason, my app is being distributed with different
> 'themes' for various clients and I'm wanting to provide additional
> features for each distribution ( its a generic app that works with
> multiple backends, but each backend provides their own extra functionality
> I'd like to expose ) - and this would work nicely.

I'd really like to enable people to extend deployed applications using
Dolphin. Sort of virus like, to try and get more people interested in
Dolphin - "Hmm, I can extend this software if I have a copy of 'Dolphin'.
May as well give it a crack"

I'm specifically thinking webapps. Dolphin is such a nice integrated
environment to develop web applications.. blah blah blah.

> Although the requirement to use DolphinSure authentication prevents me
> even testing it ( although I understand one can get a free licence or
> something... )

You don't actually need a cert. Create a binary package, when the dialog
asks you to select a certificate, just hit ok. The binary package gets
created anyways, in an unsigned format.

When you try and load the classes from the .pak file, Dolphin will present
an "Are you sure" type confirmation regarding loading an unsigned package.

The actual DolphinSure certs were/are free. OA doesn't issue them anymore
because some part of the cert format is changing with D6. Not really sure of
the details. Search the NG for more details

Mark,

> Although the requirement to use DolphinSure authentication prevents me
> even testing it ( although I understand one can get a free licence or
> something... )

Why can't you test it?.  If, when you deploy a package in binary format, you
press cancel when asked which certificate to use then the binary package is
still created - it just doesn't have an embedded security certificate. When
you attempt to reload the pak file then you are warned that it does not have
a certificate but you can then choose to load it anyway.

--
Ian

Use the Reply-To address to contact me.
Mail sent to the From address is ignored.