How to dowload a copy of the Distro scripts.

Discussion about the development of POL's official distribution scripts.

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Yukiko
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How to dowload a copy of the Distro scripts.

Post by Yukiko »

Note: The Distro is now available as a ZIP file on the Downloads page. So there is no need to go to GitHub and get it unless you want to have the repo locally on your machine.


Here's how to get the Distro from the GitHub repository.

In this tutorial I discuss the use of a GUI client for Windows to clone the poldistro repository to your computer. The Linux versions of Git GUI clients may operate differently.

1. If you want to clone the repository to your desktop so you can update it easily when updates are posted you will need a GitHub account. If you don't already have one go to GitHub website and create one. There is an option on the repo website to just download the repo as a ZIP file as well which is much faster but limits your ability to get quick updates when they are posted. If you want to do that then you won't need an account. Read step 3 where you can find out how to just download a ZIP file of the repo.

2. I recommend using a desktop client for getting the repo because of its ease of use in maintaining current versions. I use GitHub Desktop. I'm a Windows user but there are Linux versions as well. Download and install it. Now open it and you should be prompted to sign into your GitHub account.

After installing the client and logging in you will be prompted to take a tutorial. Go ahead and take the tutorial because it will help you understand how the Git system works.

If you are like me you want to choose your own location where your copies of repositories are stored. If so click on the gear icon in the upper right of the GitHub client window and choose "Options". In that window you can change the path where the local cloned repositories are stored.

3. Now go to the POL Distro GitHub repository. If you are not signed in to your GitHub account on the site then do so now. On the site you will see a green button labelled "Clone or download". Click on that button and choose "Open in Desktop". The GitHub client will open, if it isn't already, and prompt you for a location to place the poldistro repository. Choose the place you want it and click the "OK" button. The client will now start downloading a copy of the repository. Once it finishes you will have a copy of the latest Distro for POL. This is the preferred method of obtaining repositories because it makes it easier to update your copy when updates are made to the repo.

You also have the option of downloading a static copy as a ZIP file as well but as I said cloning is preferable.

You'll most likely want to work with the 0.99 releases. In your copy of the repo navigate to \releases\099\

The Distro is based on the POL 0.95 Distro but has been updated to work with the current release of POL and any near future releases. As it is an upgrade of the POL 0.95 Distro it was made with the intent of the early POL Developers as a basic set of scripts (mining, crafting, regular spell system etc.) for developers to build on. It contains a few custom scripts but is pretty much like the 0.95 Distro. It is intended for people who want to have their own server without having to figure out how to remove those things they don't want. Many times, if custom features are integrated into a scriptset it can be a major task to remove a feature if you don't want it. Thus the reason for this set of basic scripts in the Distro.

I usually copy it out of the repo to it's own directory so as not to "pollute" the copy of the repo.

3. Now you will need a copy of the Core. There's a Downloads page that has links to the build of Windows and a Linux version that should be current builds. Just extract those to the directory where you have the scripts you chose from the repository.

If you chose to use the Git Hub Desktop client you can open it periodically and select the poldistro repo on the left. You can update your local copy by clicking on the "Sync" button in the upper right of the client. Once it is done syncing you will have an updated copy.

That's pretty much it.

Disclaimer: There might be a step or two I missed in creating this tutorial but I don't think so/ If you have any problems post them here and I will try to help you resolve them.

[Edit 21-Sep-2017 to change the link to the repo and add the Downloads page for acquiring the Core. Also added the note about the Distro soon becoming available as a direct download from the Downloads page.]
boberski
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Re: How to dowload a copy of the poldistro repository from GitHub.

Post by boberski »

Distro can be also downloaded from:
http://pol.hell-yeah.eu/#tabs3

Archive renenerated every day.
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