Winamp Language Pack (WLZ)

[VIPer]

I propose to abandon the use of WLZ files because of the following reasons:

1. Winamp launch process is dramatically slowing down when using antivirus software (cold start takes about 30-45 sec on my PC). That's because an antivirus is performing the analysis of language files on every launch.
2. It happens that Winamp doesn't delete temporary language files from Temp folder and that results into garbage.

I would like that you extract the contents of language packs right into Lang folder and create a proper folder for every language (ex: de-DE, pl-PL, ru-RU, etc).

I understand that you have created WLZ for distribution on the Internet, but this idea hasn't justified itself, on the contrary it influenced the performance.

Yeah, let's make a step in favor of performance!

[Koopa]

Wlz system is the best system I saw, it makes it easy for translators to create and test their own language files. Publishing packs as one self installing file is good too.

Then you should also moan about any skin, which uses the same system.

My Antivirus program doesn't produce any delay. The files will be deleted on close too. My system is pretty old too and the performance is good. I compared English US with my pack and couldn't see any big difference in performance.

Dramatically slowing down sounds disproportionate. I never saw a delay of 45seconds. You probably should check your system. Or add Winmp to the whitelist of your AV program.

Another problem is, that we have no more packs, if the files are extracted, so other could extract their language files in that folder too, than it would make no more sense to write my name into the pack, because there is no guarantee, that it really contains files just created by me.

Don't complicate things, when there is no need for doing. I'm not interested in making an installer with more than 80 single files.

Nope, don't lets destroy a running system!

One thing I don't check, why do you not post your requests to translation list or beta list?

[Pawel]

Originally posted by VIPer
[B]I propose to abandon the use of WLZ files because of the following reasons:
...

Viper,
I think this is not good idea. WLZ files works very good.
Someone did great job projecting this system and there is no sense changing it. I dont see any difference between en or some lanngpack loaded.

But, I know, some anti-virus programs really slow down starting Winamp (some Polish user reported me that problem once). But this is because of Anti-virus, not Winamp.
Just change Anti-virus (I use NIS 09) or create Winamp directory as exclude directory.

About not deleted language files in temp directory - I thought it was fixed.
-Pawel

[DrO]

1. Winamp launch process is dramatically slowing down when using antivirus software (cold start takes about 30-45 sec on my PC). That's because an antivirus is performing the analysis of language files on every launch.

issues with anti-virus software are not something that we have any control over and the same would be case if using a wsz/wal. i'd suggest that you log an issue with whatever anti-virus software that you're using as there is no reason for scanning of a .wlz to cause such an issue - we explicitly designed it not to contain executable code for such reasons.

2. It happens that Winamp doesn't delete temporary language files from Temp folder and that results into garbage.

the design is setup to delete the files immediately or it will instruct the OS to remove them on the next restart of the system. however it is possible for plugins to mess that all up and as such you should be able to list the .lng files which aren't being removed so that it can be looked into.

I would like that you extract the contents of language packs right into Lang folder and create a proper folder for every language (ex: de-DE, pl-PL, ru-RU, etc).

the purpose of keeping the files in a wlz is to prevent files being incorrectly deleted and being messed with (when people don't know what they're meant to be doing). it also preserves consistency of the language pack - no more different than what i've seen you do in the past of binary editing dlls without people's permission which i'm sure you wouldn't appreciate being done in reverse.

I understand that you have created WLZ for distribution on the Internet

that was a secondary design decision, having a secure contained language pack on the local machine was the main design goal of the wlz - being able to redistribute it easily was not especially when most that would ever be created would be distributed in specific folders.

maybe i should have designed the system to work from folders for helping create/test a wlz but this would then have been abused i feel in real world usage - hence it's better to create a restricted system from the start so abuse of it cannot happen.

Originally posted by Koopa
One thing I don't check, why do you not post your requests to translation list or beta list?

i'll re-raise this question as well since you [viper] have been notorious for posting things but never responding when asked for information (i can look through a number of mails on the xlat list which have been directed at you). really things like this should have been raised over 2 years ago when there was full development support for the wlz system and the means to change the specifications (if it was decided that the change was correct), not after this length off time.

-daz