Suggestions for net AutoPatcher releases

[maxkohl]

Hi great AP team!

You're doing a fabulous job and thank you very much for all the efforts dear people!

Since this month's update-release-only left me a bit aghast, I thought of possible improvements.

(first, I'd like to state that although I was being quite dumb and lazy and haven't saved the former releases, I think you're doing the right thing)

1. When installing, like some microsoft installations, choose the default destination to be the partition with the most free space. Also, since AP is rather fundamental, I'd opt to the root folder instead of "Program Files".

2. During installation, ditch the two desktop icons (or offer them as options), and make a start-menu folder for AutoPatcher, having these items:

2a) Launch AutoPatcher XP/2000/Whatever

2b) AutoPatcher command-line options

2c) AutoPatcher help (FAQ/Forum/RTF/Readme/whatever: you choose, I donno ;)

2d) Download latest AP updates (link to forum...)

2e) Download additional AP modules (3rd party's topic link?)

2f) Hotfix Cleaner

2g) Undo tweaks

2h) Uninstall AutoPatcher

* some notes for 2f-2h:

Hotfix cleaner - make it show only the hotfixes that actually take space on the HD, make it possible to choose multiple selections (select all by default) - maybe even show saved space, and when finally cleaning them - remove them from the list (currently, it's hard to tell that any cleaning actually took place)

Undo tweaks - show a readable list (like in AP's main screen) of the tweaks, and filter the ones that do not need undoing (i.e. hide those not tweaked).

Uninstaller - Allow several remove levels: (i) removing modules packages that are installed on the system, (ii) removing everything, leaving only the neccessary tools to install an 'update' release and to do/undo tweaks, (iii) remove every little trace of AP from the system: folder, and registry data as well.

3. When launching AutoPatcher, make it easier for the eyes: Maximize (or atleast enable the button itself, not just a resizable border...) the AP modules window.

4. When coloring some of the tweaks blue, please rely on current system's state, and not on some old, maybe overriden/deleted registry data that you save in your own registry location.

5. When finish updating, actually start the 60-seconds countdown automatically, and please don't rely on a manual "Finish" button... (or atleast give the option to choose so at startup...)

6. Back to installation: After installing the start-menu items and finishing, since we (hopefully ;) ditched the desktop icons, offer an option to launch AP at the end of installation. Actually, offer such option in the beginning, to launch AP at the end of installation automatically, without user intervention.

7. Again on installation and auto-launching: Offer a "temporary-mode" to unpack all modules (i.e. "install") to a temporary folder on the HD, automatically launch/patch/restart and completely remove AP from the host systemafterwards. All with one click ;-)

8. After applying tweaks, and maybe even on the screens before (if user chose to auto-resart), suggest the option to automatically remove the modules for packages that are being installed (maybe even two levels of removal: programs/hotfixes, so user may uninstall/reinstall a program - rarely done with a hotfix).

Well, that's what I remember for now...others can add their comments too :)

And last important note: It's very easy for me to suggest all the above, yet much less easier to implement and I'm aware of that! Had I knew anything in Windows programming, I would've offer my help of course, but unfotunately I'm not that savvy. If you could implement even a few of the above, I'd be great, but even if you won't - I'm still very grateful for what you're did and doing already!!!