Patch Process

Hi I'm just starting out with Java and know a few things. I am making a semi-online game. At the beginning there will be a patch process that goes through 7 steps that i've come up with. I was wondering what I need to learn to do for each step. Here they are.

1. Connection check(If you are connected to the internet then hook up to the patch server)
2. Version Verfication(Check if you have paid for any features, patch appropriately, there is a free version)
3. File Verification(list of files to check date and time last modified, set each needed file in a list)
4. File Download(download each file that needs updating)
5. File Unpack
6. File Application(apply file to game)
7. File Cleanup(remove unneeded files, if any)

If you're starting out with Java I wouldn't recommend doing this project 0_0.
You would have to use sockets, some serverside stuff etc.
Depending on how exactly you want it coded, this could be a bit of a problem.

Well, still I would like to know the topics I will be researching if anyone knows. I've already started learning about displaying URLs within a program and its working just fine.

1. What type of a server will this be? Is this a simple HTTP server supplying the patch or will it be the game server through a socket?

Once the above is decided upon the rest should be fairly simple.

2. Verify the user and do a version check, I don't know how you'd want to supply the version info, but if you are using your own protocol you can simply design your own commands and issue a version command of some sort.

3. I guess you would need to have some sort of patch document which outlines what file needs to be replaced by what and which files are no longer needed.

4. Fairly simple, if you are using HTTP just have the client ask for a list of what it needs to download and then have the client issue a request for each file.

5. Have a look at java.util.zip (Java Platform SE 6)

6. Dunno what you mean really, once files have been unzipped you will need to start the game and that should load in the new files automagically shouldn't it?

7. Should this not be a part of 4/5 where you are unzipping files and then also deleting old stuff not needed any more.


I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for here but you need to decide what protocol to use for this. If you're only making an offline game which will be patched automatically you could have a look at using HTTP which is simple and already supported. If you wish to do it your own way you could have a look into any third party libraries for this like Apache MINA - Index

If you need any more specific help, just ask some more and eventually you should get an answer.

// Json