Hi folks,

another not-quite-beta in our series of "let's not test POV-Ray itself, 
but all the stuff that surrounds its compilation, deployment and 
installation":

https://github.com/POV-Ray/povray/releases/tag/v3.8.0-beta.x.cmedit.669

This time, we would like you to test-drive an update to the editor DLL 
mechanism:


(0) Make sure you have an existing POV-Ray v3.7 installation.

(1) Make sure to _uninstall_ any of the previous technical verification 
builds. Most notably, make sure there are no editor DLLs left in the 
`.../POV-Ray/v3.8-beta/bin` directory that might have somehow found 
their way there.

(2) Install the version published at the URL above, _declining_ the 
installer's offer to download the editor DLLs.

(3) Run the newly installed POV-Ray version, verifying that it offers 
you to download the editor DLLs (_decline_ again), and that you can't 
use the editor.

(4) Copy `povcmax32.dll` and `povcmax64.dll` (but _no_ other DLLs, not 
even `povcmax32-sse2.dll`) from the `.../POV-Ray/v3.7/bin` directory of 
your existing v3.7 installation into the corresponding directory of the 
new installation.

(5) Run the newly installed POV-Ray version, verifying that it does 
_not_ offer you to download the editor DLLs anymore, and that its editor 
is now fully functional.


We would like your feedback...

- whether you do indeed see the expected behavior (and if not, what 
divergent behavior you are seeing)
- what version of Windows you are using
- which of the three POV-Ray binaries is actually being run on your 
system (32-bit, 32-bit SSE2 or 64-bit; see version information in the 
Message Window)


Background:

Due to licensing issues, we previously distributed both the 
`cmedit*.dll` and `povcmax*.dll` in an installer package separate form 
the POV-Ray installer. However, this required us to provide new editor 
installers for each new "generation" of POV-Ray that installed in a new 
spearate directory (`v3.7-beta` vs. `v3.7` vs. `v3.8-beta`, and so on), 
even though each time we only need to update `cmedit*.dll`, and even 
though only `povcmax*.dll` is subject to those licensing issues.

There were reasons to do it this way, but we think we have managed to 
find a way around those reasons. We now like to enlist your help to 
confirm that this approach works for all versions of Windows that the 
binaries are intended to support.

If it does indeed work as intended, we will distribute the `cmedit` 
module in the main POV-Ray installer, and package only `povcmax*.dll` in 
the separate editor installer, which can subsequently be left unchanged 
for future versions. Furthermore, our plan is to have the POV-Ray 
installer try to automatically "steal" those DLLs from an existing older 
POV-Ray installation.


Happy testing!
Christoph

Post a reply to this message

Op 29/06/2021 om 12:07 schreef clipka:
> Hi folks,
> 
> another not-quite-beta in our series of "let's not test POV-Ray itself, 
> but all the stuff that surrounds its compilation, deployment and 
> installation":
> 
> https://github.com/POV-Ray/povray/releases/tag/v3.8.0-beta.x.cmedit.669
> 

The update povwin-v3.8.0-beta.x.cmedit.669-setup.exe does not download 
(correctly). I only get an empty file: 0 bytes. Using Win10.

-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

Op 30/06/2021 om 08:29 schreef Thomas de Groot:
> Op 29/06/2021 om 12:07 schreef clipka:
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> another not-quite-beta in our series of "let's not test POV-Ray 
>> itself, but all the stuff that surrounds its compilation, deployment 
>> and installation":
>>
>> https://github.com/POV-Ray/povray/releases/tag/v3.8.0-beta.x.cmedit.669
>>
> 
> The update povwin-v3.8.0-beta.x.cmedit.669-setup.exe does not download 
> (correctly). I only get an empty file: 0 bytes. Using Win10.
> 

OK. Skip that. Firefox blocked the download.


-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

Op 29/06/2021 om 12:07 schreef clipka:
> Hi folks,
> 
> another not-quite-beta in our series of "let's not test POV-Ray itself, 
> but all the stuff that surrounds its compilation, deployment and 
> installation":
> 
> https://github.com/POV-Ray/povray/releases/tag/v3.8.0-beta.x.cmedit.669
> 
> This time, we would like you to test-drive an update to the editor DLL 
> mechanism:
> 
> 
> (0) Make sure you have an existing POV-Ray v3.7 installation.
> 
OK

> (1) Make sure to _uninstall_ any of the previous technical verification 
> builds. Most notably, make sure there are no editor DLLs left in the 
> `.../POV-Ray/v3.8-beta/bin` directory that might have somehow found 
> their way there.
> 
OK

> (2) Install the version published at the URL above, _declining_ the 
> installer's offer to download the editor DLLs.
> 
OK

> (3) Run the newly installed POV-Ray version, verifying that it offers 
> you to download the editor DLLs (_decline_ again), and that you can't 
> use the editor.
> 
OK

> (4) Copy `povcmax32.dll` and `povcmax64.dll` (but _no_ other DLLs, not 
> even `povcmax32-sse2.dll`) from the `.../POV-Ray/v3.7/bin` directory of 
> your existing v3.7 installation into the corresponding directory of the 
> new installation.
> 
OK
(Some extra grumbling about admins rights)

> (5) Run the newly installed POV-Ray version, verifying that it does 
> _not_ offer you to download the editor DLLs anymore, and that its editor 
> is now fully functional.
> 
OK

> 
> We would like your feedback...
> 
> - whether you do indeed see the expected behavior (and if not, what 
> divergent behavior you are seeing)
Initially a bit of confusion coming from protesting Firefox and admin, 
but finally worked as expected.

> - what version of Windows you are using
Windows 10

> - which of the three POV-Ray binaries is actually being run on your 
> system (32-bit, 32-bit SSE2 or 64-bit; see version information in the 
> Message Window)
64-bit (as expected)

> Happy testing!
> Christoph

You are welcome.

-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

Am 30.06.2021 um 08:48 schrieb Thomas de Groot:

>> The update povwin-v3.8.0-beta.x.cmedit.669-setup.exe does not download 
>> (correctly). I only get an empty file: 0 bytes. Using Win10.
>>
> 
> OK. Skip that. Firefox blocked the download.

Did FF give any particular reason for that? And how did you get past it?

Post a reply to this message

Am 30.06.2021 um 08:59 schrieb Thomas de Groot:

>> (4) Copy `povcmax32.dll` and `povcmax64.dll` (but _no_ other DLLs, not 
>> even `povcmax32-sse2.dll`) from the `.../POV-Ray/v3.7/bin` directory 
>> of your existing v3.7 installation into the corresponding directory of 
>> the new installation.
>>
> OK
> (Some extra grumbling about admins rights)

Something along the lines of, "to copy any stuff into this directory, 
you need admin rights; do you think you deserve those rights (Yes/No)?", 
I presume?

As you probably guessed already, that's perfectly normal at that step.


Thanks for testing.

Post a reply to this message

Op 30-6-2021 om 09:00 schreef clipka:
> Am 30.06.2021 um 08:48 schrieb Thomas de Groot:
> 
>>> The update povwin-v3.8.0-beta.x.cmedit.669-setup.exe does not 
>>> download (correctly). I only get an empty file: 0 bytes. Using Win10.
>>>
>>
>> OK. Skip that. Firefox blocked the download.
> 
> Did FF give any particular reason for that? And how did you get past it?

To tell the truth, I am a bit mystified. It happened on my other laptop 
(not the present one I am using) and apparently there is there an 
extension/add-on there which 'controls' the downloads. Very first time I 
got an action from it by the way. I need to go back there and see what 
it is exactly; it does not reside on the present laptop and I cannot 
find it (rapid browse) in the Firefox add-ons or extensions.

Anyway, when I found out it blocked the download, I could tell it to 
download anyway, and it did.

I shall come back later on this when I find out the truth. ;-)

-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

Op 30-6-2021 om 09:06 schreef clipka:
> Am 30.06.2021 um 08:59 schrieb Thomas de Groot:
> 
>>> (4) Copy `povcmax32.dll` and `povcmax64.dll` (but _no_ other DLLs, 
>>> not even `povcmax32-sse2.dll`) from the `.../POV-Ray/v3.7/bin` 
>>> directory of your existing v3.7 installation into the corresponding 
>>> directory of the new installation.
>>>
>> OK
>> (Some extra grumbling about admins rights)
> 
> Something along the lines of, "to copy any stuff into this directory, 
> you need admin rights; do you think you deserve those rights (Yes/No)?", 
> I presume?
> 
> As you probably guessed already, that's perfectly normal at that step.
> 
Yes, that was the message.

> 
> Thanks for testing.

Happy to be of service :-)

-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

Op 30-6-2021 om 10:06 schreef Thomas de Groot:
> I shall come back later on this when I find out the truth. ;-)
> 
In Firefox, when downloading a file, you get an icon in the toolbar saying:
"Display the progress of ongoing downloads (Ctrl+J)"

In the present case, download was interrupted with the message:
"This file is not commonly downloaded"

and you can go to a menu with explanation about safety and viruses, and 
the possibility to go on downloading or delete the file.

First time I experienced this.

-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

Am 30.06.2021 um 11:11 schrieb Thomas de Groot:

> In the present case, download was interrupted with the message:
> "This file is not commonly downloaded"

Ah! Yes, that makes sense. It _is_ indeed a file that is not commonly 
downloaded. An unsigned executable, none the less. So a download filter 
has every reason to have some level of mistrust.

Post a reply to this message