Some information about the ongoing development of PlayOnLinux and PlayOnMac 4.0

Hey everyone !

Today, I'm writing a little news to keep you informed of the development of PlayOnLinux and PlayOnMac 4

Some screenshots to begin:

On Linux
[box title=PlayOnLinux_4__1]https://www.playonmac.com/images/uploads/185.jpg[/box][box title=PlayOnLinux_4__2]https://www.playonmac.com/images/uploads/186.jpg[/box][box title=PlayOnLinux_4__3]https://www.playonmac.com/images/uploads/187.jpg[/box][box title=PlayOnLinux_4__4]https://www.playonmac.com/images/uploads/188.jpg[/box][box title=PlayOnLinux_4__5]https://www.playonmac.com/images/uploads/189.jpg[/box][box title=PlayOnLinux_4__6]https://www.playonmac.com/images/uploads/190.jpg[/box]
On Mac
[box title=PlayOnMac_4__1]https://www.playonmac.com/images/uploads/191.jpg[/box][box title=PlayOnMac_4__1]https://www.playonmac.com/images/uploads/192.jpg[/box][box title=PlayOnMac_4__1]https://www.playonmac.com/images/uploads/193.jpg[/box]

What's new ?

Since the release of PlayOnMac (2009), it feels like I'm coding each new feature twice. So, in this version, we have decided to combine PlayOnLinux and PlayOnMac entirely, in order to halve our working time. Now PlayOnLinux and PlayOnMac will have the same code. That means that it will be the same program on the two OSes. Linux users will now benefit from the same features as Mac users do:

- Double clicking on an executable will launch a very simple installation wizard.
- Integration of a POL_WebSite API, which allows you to sign into your PlayOnLinux
account with a script.
- Debug function: when a program does not start, PlayOnLinux will allow you to send an automatically-generated report to the Bug Tracker.
- A cleaner and better interface. (It is not bash that runs independent python windows, but a python script that launches bash when needed. This helps to unify the PlayOnLinux windows in one application).
- Create a shortcut on your desktop for already installed applications.

But we have not forgotten the Mac OS that will take advantage of features available in Linux:

- The scripts' signature. For security reasons, checking that the PlayOnMac scripts (= Windows application installers) have been verified and validated by our team.
- The automatic extraction of icons after installation.
- The plugin and package support. Pol (We will probably create the .Pom, so everyone's happy)

That's not all. We have added many other features:

- The application configuration window is completely remade.
- Possibility to install PlayOnLinux functions (vcrun2008, flashplayer, ie6, ...) from the configuration window.
- Updating the list of applications will not open a window, but gets in the status bar.
- The availability of a new version will also be displayed in the status bar.
- During the manual installation of a program, there will now be an MD5, allowing PlayOnLinux/PlayOnMac to identify if there is a script for this program.
- Many functions for scripters.
- New icons, windows, more aesthetic and less resource-intensive.
- The word prefix is replaced with "virtual disk".
- A very big clean-up. (PlayOnLinux v2 no longer supported, as well as many other functions not used).
- Fixed a major bug, quite annoying in PoL v3: when you click "Cancel", the current script will be killed. It will stop in any case.

Other functions are provided:

- A new manual installation wizard redesigned, with automatic creation of a script if the installation was successful.
- Possibility to connect to your PlayOnLinux account to test your scripts or to send us a note.
- Possibility to connect to your account to request the compilation of a Wine binary with a patch.
- Downloads Control.
- If other ideas come from me/you in mind

For our curious friends

POL_LoadVar_device will give you two variables in the Device ID and Vendor ID of the graphics card. (Runs on Mac and Linux). Useful in Wine.
POL_SetupWindow_prefix_selector will provide you with a list of icons, and a checkbox at the bottom to choose to display the prefix instead. The window will return a prefix to the final. (Useful for exemplr patches)
POL_WebSite_login is used to request logins to PlayOnLinux
POL_WebSite_check_login to check logins to PlayOnLinux
POL_WebSite_Init to log into accounts
POL_WebSite_Request can make a request to the site (send a bug, post a message on the forum, download a script, etc ...)
POL_WebSite_Close to log out
POL_WebSite_logout to delete PlayOnLinux logins (it will make another POL_WebSite_login, then request the user IDs to redo a query)
POL_MD5 et POL_MD5_file for calculating an MD5 sum (compatibility Mac and Linux)
POL_SetupWindow_textbox_multiline, displays a multi-line text box
POL_SetupWindow_show_exe displays all non-Wine executables in the Wine prefix
POL_SetupWindow_file displays a file

A test version is already available. For suggestions or opinions, please post a comment :-)