Different Addon versions for Retail and Classic
 

I have an addon that has one version for retail and another for classic.
The code is really fundamentally different even though the functionality is the same.

Even if I managed to get the code for both retail and classic in the same files using
to decide which code to use, I would sill like to provide two alternative toc files.

Will WOWI at some point have the option to upload one retail and one classic version for the same addon?

Even if you put two TOC files in the same folder the game will only load the one that matches the name of the main folder.

Yes, I did not mean to put two different toc files into the same addon folder.
I meant that I am providing two downloads of my addon, each with a different toc file.

Or can I simply select the classic client in the compatibility section and WOWI will treat this as a download of its own; i.e. it will not be treated as "the most recent" version of the addon?

It marks the same file as compatible with both versions. Not exactly what you're looking for. From what I get, you're asking about attaching 2 files to the same project like Curse does. WoWI doesn't do that. You can add optional downloads, but the system still lists those as separate projects and puts a link to it in a different tab. This is mainly for plugins and patches.

You were asking if this support was to be added in the future, and I don't know what Dolby has planned. This is why I was avoiding answering this.

Yeah, exactly. That's what my question was aiming at.
In the meantime I have seen that many addons, which exist for both versions, have two separate addon pages on WOWI. E.g.

https://www.wowinterface.com/downloa...-InFlight.html
and
https://www.wowinterface.com/downloa...-InFlight.html

or
https://www.wowinterface.com/downloa...yBossMods.html
and
https://www.wowinterface.com/downloa...s-Classic.html


Other addons in spite of being compatible with classic and retail only provide one single file. E.g.
https://www.wowinterface.com/downloa...artender4.html

So in this case of bartender you can only download the addon with the retail toc file at WOWI.
Whereas on Curse you can get it either with retail or with classic toc file.

It's probably not that big a deal, because literally nobody is prevented from using an addon only because it does not have the correct version in the toc file. :p

We are working on a way for authors to provide 2 files for download if they wish (being built to provide for the possibility of even more release types). We like the option and flexibility of allowing either 2 files on one page or having seperate pages for each like it is now.

If you use the API to upload you can actually upload a classic file to your current project. Just do a GET on the update endpoint https://api.wowinterface.com/addons/update and you'll see the new fields at the bottom for classic that you can use in your POST.

This is very early stages so there are some features missing and one big one is that the files won't show in Minion just yet however I'm working on that along with a way to upload a classic file via the webui too. Also there is no visual indication that the classic file you uploaded via the api is pending in the moderation queue.

Cool, thanks!

This would really be great as I hate having multiple projects for the same addon rofl.

@Dolby: Multiple files on the same page would be great. It would allow for some further enhancements, eg, no-lib packages, etc. :p

Just a heads up I'll be re-working the classic upload via the API based on feedback. I recommend everyone wait for those changes if you are looking to both classic and retail releases listed on your info page.

How long, do you think? I was using the API to post retail/classic versions so I didn't have to create separate pages. I don't want to screw anything up. :p

If you have a page that has both retail and classic files then its fine to use. I'll keep the old stuff as legacy for a bit.

Some were trying to use it to only have a classic file on their addon page and this wont work like that just yet. So that prompted me to work on a totally different way based on wow api version.

Awesome. I just wanted to verify whether I needed to wait for further updates.

I have a feeling I was one of those annoying ones... sorry to cause you problems if I was.

I have updated the site api to now use the compatible data point to route releases for classic or retail. If you upload an update with compatible=1.13.2 the file and version will be updated for your classic release. If you leave compatible blank or provide any 8.x game version it will be applied to your retail release.

This path does still require that you have a retail release, I'm working on ironing this out for those that only have a classic release of their AddOn.

The following is now deprecated but I really have no plans on removing it so if you are already using this method its ok.

is there an example addon that has the 2 zip available, what does the UI look like (for users to pick the right one)?

I haven't been able to find one randomly clicking in the newly updated addon list

I think StormFX is the only one using it under the deprecated format at the moment.

https://www.wowinterface.com/downloa...97-Masque.html

nice, so if what I have for instance is:
https://github.com/mooreatv/AuctionD...g.yaml#L23-L33
(where I only upload so far the -classic zip to wowi)

if I just put back -w for the non classic section, it'll show up like Masque's ?

neat! it worked
https://www.wowinterface.com/downloa...fectAlign.html

not sure if that's the legacy way or not... but it works so I am happy
if others want to use the same:
https://github.com/mooreatv/PixelPer...packaging.yaml

not _fully_ working as I just updated 1 addon, only uploaded a classic zip and now it shows as
BfA + Classic with 2 buttons instead of 1 like before and the R one is the previous classic zip
https://www.wowinterface.com/downloa...DBClassic.html

Ah ok, I think for now if you don't provide the compatibility game version it will let you upload classic without it adding it as a 2nd download.

I'll work on a more perm fix.

> Ah ok, I think for now if you don't provide the compatibility game version it will let you upload classic without it adding it as a 2nd download.

it's not exactly an option with the current packager, I need to give it -g so it changes my toc for me which I think is what is also sent (guessing, not sure) to wowi

I can leave it as is for now I guess or maybe you mean manually re upload the same zip?

I was able to manually fix it. I'll work on a perm fix

Edit:

bug should be fixed now.

So, to make sure I understand ...

If I upload an addon for Classic and marked for a Classic Version it should be downloadable using the 'C' button, but with a requirement for a Retail version at the moment ?

And similarly an addon for Retail and marked for a Retail Version it should be downloadable using the 'R' button ?

And finally, if you have an addon that works with both Classic and Retail and doesn't need any changes, barring the TOC Interface number, and marked for Retail and Classic Version that same addon will be marked for download under both buttons ?

Thanks ! and sorry I was trying to fix it myself by reuploading manually. Will stop touching it until next release now!

What's going to happen to Classic category?
Can you add a way to merge projects and/or redirect to main?
This is also relevant for any expansion beta categories

Does this work with the checkboxes on the web upload page or currently still only available via api?

Are there still plans for improvements regarding retail/classic versions?

I just tried to upload a retail and classic version of an addon via the web interface, but I can only find "modify file". When I do this, my "retail" upload replaces the "classic" one and vice versa. How do I add an extra file? Is this even possible with the web interface? If not, how do you do it?

The dual file download page classic uploads only work via our api at the moment. For now I'd continue to have 2 seperate projects.

I'm having issues with classic (1.13.4) releases from packager overwriting the retail version. And i remember it working fine just after the release of 1.13.4, so something happened since then

Sorry, should be fixed now.

I used the API to upload a classic version for DynamicCam.

The file name was automatically given a date prefix. Is this normal, or could I have done anything to prevent this?


Another question: There seems to be no way of showing two separate changelogs for retail and classic, right?

Correct, no separate changelogs for classic/retail. I still suggest a separate release if the classic version is different enough.

We store the files in folders using the project id/classic/ so if there is a file named the same already in the folder it will start to prefix it with things. Since you already had a file named DynamicCam_classic-1.0.0.zip it put the next update as 05-06-20-DynamicCam_classic-1.0.0.zip to avoid a conflict. Not the best system but its what we have atm. :)

Ah, I see. I uploaded again, because I thought something had gone wrong the first time: The page still only showed the retail version except for "Compatibility: Classic Patch (1.13.4)". So I uploaded again only to realise that my previous upload had obviously just taken some time to be fully processed.

Another odd thing I noticed: Both times I uploaded the classic file, a copy of my retail file was automatically (and unnecessariliy) put into the archive. I manually deleted these archived files afterwards.

Thanks!

So in order to have two changelogs I now created a dedicated classic project for my addon.
(Thanks, Dolby, for deleting the classic file in the latter!)

The first upload when creating the classic project had to be manual via the web page. But what happens when I use the API the next time?

Am I allowed to put e.g. '1.13.4' in the 'compatible' endpoint? Its description goes: "If you provide the classic version number it will tag your upload for classic." But will it recognise that my current file is already classic and replace it? Or will it think my current file is retail and add the new API upload as classic, like it seemed to be the case some time ago?

It is as I suspected: My second upload via the API got recognised as "classic", and my initial upload is still shown as a putative "retail" version (but at the same time it is also shown as archived... @Dolby or any admin, is there a way to not show the putative "retail" link any more?

https://www.wowinterface.com/downloa...amClassic.html

Hm, this is even more messy... I just uploaded a third "classic" version (1.1.1) via API. My previous "classic" version (1.1.0) did not get replaced, though. Only the changelog was updated including the 1.1.1 entry.

And instead of archiving the previous 1.1.0 classic version, I got a second copy of 1.0.0 in the archive...

Then I uploaded 1.1.1 again and this time it actually did replace the previous file. But yet another copy of 1.0.0 was added to the archive.

I just tried uploading my newest version (classic-1.1.2) three times via the API. Each time another copy of the putative retail version (actually classic-1.0.0) was added to the archive. But the classic download link is still referencing to classic-1.1.1.

I looked how other classic addons are doing it. They do not use the additional "classic" download link, but still the compatibility states a classic version like "Classic Patch (1.13.4)".

So how do I upload my file via the API setting the compatibility to a classic version but not have the file added as classic download link in my addon? Isn't both done with the -F "compatible=..." endpoint at the same time?

If you want to have just a classic download upload it via the api with out providing the compatibility tag, set that via the UI if/when it ever changes. It should then be uploaded to the regular download. Some authors wanted it to add the addon as classic if a classic version number was submitted.

I can remove the classic downloads and clean things up.

Cool, thanks! I see you already did the cleaning up. Uploading without the compatibility tag now worked as intended! Cheers!