thanks!

basically, you fix some bugs and recompile the program. then, you run a [separate] program that scans both the old and new EXEs, and writes any differences it finds into a new file. this new file now has all the changes in it, but without any of the old stuff that is the same.
then when someone runs the patch program, it inserts the new code from this "patch file" into the EXE on a user''s computer, and BAM! they have the new EXE quickly and neatly.
sometimes the patch data file is put right into the patch EXE, just for [the users''] simplicity.


--- krez (krezisback@aol.com)

A lot of the games now just replace any dll''s and even the exe itself with a newer version, just keeping the level data, sound and graphics.

,Jay

quote: Original post by Jason Zelos
A lot of the games now just replace any dll''s and even the exe itself with a newer version, just keeping the level data, sound and graphics.

,Jay

And that''s what I call security.

Replacing the DLL''s (much of which will be exactly the same) and the .exe''s can make the file kinda big (bad if you''re planning for people to download it; although, why else would you make a patch?)
Not always, but sometimes (Half-life, every new patch is something like 50 mb)

"I''ve learned something today: It doesn''t matter if you''re white, or if you''re black...the only color that REALLY matters is green"
-Peter Griffin

a-ha... sounds like by the time you know how to make a patch, you''re already very knowledgeable,

you said it scans inside the file? and replaces all the bad contents of it with the new ones? yikes!

quote: Original post by matrix2113
Replacing the DLL''s (much of which will be exactly the same) and the .exe''s can make the file kinda big (bad if you''re planning for people to download it; although, why else would you make a patch?)
Not always, but sometimes (Half-life, every new patch is something like 50 mb)

"I''ve learned something today: It doesn''t matter if you''re white, or if you''re black...the only color that REALLY matters is green"
-Peter Griffin

The reason HL patches and the like are 50 MB is not the exe or the dlls, all those together is maybe 1 or 2 MB. patches are 50 because they include new or updated art, levels, models, etc..

Ya w/e
You can find a free patcher/installer at
www.clickteam.com (I haven''t been there for a while, I hope the link still works)

"I''ve learned something today: It doesn''t matter if you''re white, or if you''re black...the only color that REALLY matters is green"
-Peter Griffin

hi, i hope am not expecting too much, but maybe if you could show me a very simple code on how is it done will give me a clue?
for example, i have file1.exe and file2.exe, when the user executes file1.exe, it prints "hello" on the screen, then, when the user executes file2.exe, it will patch the file1.exe, then the next time the user executes file1.exe, it will print "hello world", maybe if you guys could show me how this is done, i would have a clue? thanks!!!

quote: Original post by Anozireth
The reason HL patches and the like are 50 MB is not the exe or the dlls, all those together is maybe 1 or 2 MB. patches are 50 because they include new or updated art, levels, models, etc..

The specific reason is because they keep redoing the WAD files. Even though they are compressed, the WADs are still massive.

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The sad thing about artificial intelligence is that it lacks artifice and therefore intelligence.