last few updates i have downloaded do have readable changelogs again. seems to contain a better formatted text file along with an xml file. anyone else notice this?
Yes, I noticed that as well. I don't care about XML, RSS, etc., just whatever works. If there is an easy way to see the changes like most mod sites allow authors to post them on the same page the mod is hosted (for authors who will actually do that), then that's great. The alternative is a human readable changelog with the mod itself, so Hooray, they're back!
I don't want to add more fuel into the discussion but...
I thought the xml part was a good idea:
With it you can easliy create a document which is easier to read than the txt file and
you can custimize it to no end to fit your needs.
The best part you don't have to do anything, just double click the xml file and
you can geat a neat table with the list of changes.
(It is even possible to change the order to oldest -> newest without any problems)
The only thing that the authors of the program which creates the xml changelog file would have to do,
is create a xsl file (which translates the xml file to a readable document) and put a reference to it in the xml file.
The enduser doesn't have to do anything.
I've attached an xml file (a changelog from Ace2 in xml format) where I just added the reference to the xsl file.
Open it and you see what I mean.
[EDIT]
I just noticed it doesn't work with FF, working on it.
While I have no real complaints about having really difficult to read changelogs with all the XML markup, is it really necessary for them to be as large as they are?
For example:
FuBar_HonorFu - The mod itself is 52.0KB, the XML and TXT file changelogs are 232KB combined. Since this occurs in every addon available on files.wowace.com, can't you at least lessen that a little? If HonorFu is any indication, my Interface folder is now 5 times larger than it needs to be solely based on these two files in every addon directory.
That's the problem with XML... it's entirely too verbose. Perhaps the changelogs can be moved so they aren't always downloaded? Or maybe the updaters could destroy them on extraction as an option.
I always read through all my changelogs, so I know what's been changed. (Reading changelogs cuts down on questions like: "what happened to this addon?", "why is this menu different?", "that's not how I had it set up last night...", etc. It also informs you: "yay that bug got fixed!", "ooh, this addon does that too?", etc.) I'm sure I'm not alone. ;)
If you want to clean up your changelogs, do what I do to cut down on the filesize of my UI compilation. (Note, I use Windows XP.) From your Addons folder, click the Search button in the toolbar. Search your addons folder for all files containing the word "changelog" in the name. This will show you a list of all the changelogs in your addon folder. Highlight them all and delete. *POOF!* They're all deleted out of each of your addon folders.
If you want to clean up your changelogs, do what I do to cut down on the filesize of my UI compilation. (Note, I use Windows XP.) From your Addons folder, click the Search button in the toolbar. Search your addons folder for all files containing the word "changelog" in the name. This will show you a list of all the changelogs in your addon folder. Highlight them all and delete. *POOF!* They're all deleted out of each of your addon folders.
I've got a batch file I run:
@echo off
c:
cd "\program files\world of warcraft"
wowclean
cd "\program files\world of warcraf\interface\addons"
del /s change-*.xml
Can't remember where I found wowclean, but it deletes saved variable files for add-ons you've deleted.
I was surprised how much space those files take up, on my UI, deleting the change-*.xml files gives back 14MB of disk space.
Yes, I noticed that as well. I don't care about XML, RSS, etc., just whatever works. If there is an easy way to see the changes like most mod sites allow authors to post them on the same page the mod is hosted (for authors who will actually do that), then that's great. The alternative is a human readable changelog with the mod itself, so Hooray, they're back!
I thought the xml part was a good idea:
With it you can easliy create a document which is easier to read than the txt file and
you can custimize it to no end to fit your needs.
The best part you don't have to do anything, just double click the xml file and
you can geat a neat table with the list of changes.
(It is even possible to change the order to oldest -> newest without any problems)
The only thing that the authors of the program which creates the xml changelog file would have to do,
is create a xsl file (which translates the xml file to a readable document) and put a reference to it in the xml file.
The enduser doesn't have to do anything.
I've attached an xml file (a changelog from Ace2 in xml format) where I just added the reference to the xsl file.
Open it and you see what I mean.
[EDIT]
I just noticed it doesn't work with FF, working on it.
as i already said on the first page...
While I have no real complaints about having really difficult to read changelogs with all the XML markup, is it really necessary for them to be as large as they are?
For example:
FuBar_HonorFu - The mod itself is 52.0KB, the XML and TXT file changelogs are 232KB combined. Since this occurs in every addon available on files.wowace.com, can't you at least lessen that a little? If HonorFu is any indication, my Interface folder is now 5 times larger than it needs to be solely based on these two files in every addon directory.
If you want to clean up your changelogs, do what I do to cut down on the filesize of my UI compilation. (Note, I use Windows XP.) From your Addons folder, click the Search button in the toolbar. Search your addons folder for all files containing the word "changelog" in the name. This will show you a list of all the changelogs in your addon folder. Highlight them all and delete. *POOF!* They're all deleted out of each of your addon folders.
I've got a batch file I run:
Can't remember where I found wowclean, but it deletes saved variable files for add-ons you've deleted.
I was surprised how much space those files take up, on my UI, deleting the change-*.xml files gives back 14MB of disk space.
I'm using this myself (v1.3), and I'm sure it was on Curse-Gaming, but I can not find it there anymore.