RAPPS

RAPPS, previously known as Download!, is a small GUI program that allows users to download multiple programs without hassle.

It has it's own application list that can be expanded by the user and the community. Applications that are included in the list by default are tested and most likely work on ReactOS.

How It Works

When you first start RAPPS, it will automatically connect to the internet, and it will seek for the file "rappmgr.cab". Then, it will extract the contents of this archive file to the same location where main RAPPS executable is, creating a folder called "rapps". The contents of the archive are just UTF-8 .txt files.

Every single file that is on download list in RAPPS, has it's own "description" file.

Custom files must be placed in /rapps folder created after .CAB file download. TXT file names should correspond to the software they are relative to.

RAPPS also has experimental support for icons for application list. See Experimental Features for details.

Command Line Support

Apart from graphical interface, RAPPS features a command-line options that can be used to install apps. They would install exactly as if selected in the app itself.

There are two keys now:

• /INSTALL - accepts multiple apps as values and installs them if they are available.

Example: rapps /INSTALL 7-Zip AkelPad

• /SETUP - accepts a full path to the .inf file, where in [RAPPS] block you can specify which apps to install using one Install= key per single app.

Example:

[Version]
Signature = $Windows NT$
ClassGUID = {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

[RAPPS]
Install=7-Zip
Install=AkelPad

[Version] section is a nessesary header for .INF files. [RAPPS] is a section where you specify the needed apps. Apps should be added in .INF one-by-one, as can be seen in the example.

Names used are same as in the Name field in the database textfiles.

Submitting new applications

Some people may complain why his/her favourite application is not in the RAPPS list. The description files can be created by anyone. (See File Schema for a detailed breakdown).

Description files need to be saved in UTF-8 format, or some specific languages will be displayed strangely.

After a description file is created, it has to be submitted to JIRA.

• For the category, choose 'Core ReactOS'
• Name it something along the lines of: 'Add xxx to rapps'.
• To make the inclusion process faster, include some screenshots of your application running on ReactOS.

NEW! : You can now clone the https://github.com/reactos/rapps-db repository and send your submission as a Pull-Request.

File Schema

Here is a description file that corresponds to the DosBox program:

 [Section]
 Name = DOSBox
 Version = 0.74-2
 License = GPL
 Description = An open-source DOS emulator.
 Size = 1.4 MiB
 Category = 15
 URLSite = http://www.dosbox.com/
 URLDownload = http://download.sourceforge.net/project/dosbox/dosbox/0.74-2/DOSBox0.74-2-win32-installer.exe
 SHA1 = 06f23be4ceba35c8c547a98f1b327da20082b483
 CDPath = none
 SizeBytes = 1453151

 [Section.0407]
 Description = DOSBox ist ein DOS Emulator.

 [Section.040a]
 Description = DOSBox es un emulador de DOS.

 [Section.040c]
 Description = DOSBox est un émulateur DOS.

 [Section.0415]
 Description = DOSBox – emulator DOSa.

 [Section.0422]
 Description = DOSBox - емулятор DOSу.

Let's analyze it from top to the bottom.

[Section]

This is the beggining of the area that is read when user click on the name of the program that he chooses to download. It consist's of several things:

Name

This is the program name that is displayed in the list, and in the lower grey description field.

Version

This is the version of the program, also displayed in the list and in the lower field.

License

The license that the program is based on. Typical options are : Trial, Demo, Freeware, Open-Source.

Description

The description of the program For example : "A program that emulates older hardware to run older games".

Size

DEPRECATED: The value should be kept for backward compatibility.

Size of the program. Template: NUMBERUNIT For example "223 MB".

SizeBytes

Actual size of the download in bytes. Used to display size value in the application info as well as while downloading.

Category

The category of the program. Category name correspond to the number. There are 15 categories for now:

• 1 – Sound – Software for recording, playing, modify, convert sound
• 2 – Video – As above but applies to video and movies
• 3 – Graphics – As above, but graphics and images
• 4 – Games and Entertainment – There are games, emulators for games
• 5 – Internet and Networks – Browsers, IM clients, FTP software, Remote desktop...
• 6 – Office stuff – Software that is used in the Office for example Open Office
• 7 – Developement / programming – programs used for compiling, and source writing for example Dev C++
• 8 – Education – Programs that help in teaching, learning. For example dictionaries, translators
• 9 – Engineering – Programs simmilar to CAD, SolidWorks (tm)
• 10 – Financial – Programs for financial stuff, TRade monitors, database systems for warehouses e.t.c
• 11 – Science – For programs that makes simulations, helps in the Chemistry, Physics....
• 12 – Tools – Utilities for users for example archiving software
• 13 – Drivers – Files for the devices that are installed in the system
• 14 – Libraries – Files that are needed to run some programs like Visual Basic and .NET
• 15 – Other – programs that did not fit in above categories

URLSite

Main web site where the program can be found.

URLDownload

Direct link to the installer/program.

CDPath

Field that contains a path to go to after downloading. Currently unused. (CDPath = none)

[Section.0407]

Specific language of the description, based on the host system language settings.

When host language is different that languages in the file, English is choosen by default (If you talk Spanish, and there is no such entry avaliable in the file, software description will be displayed in English).

Locale IDs (that number in Section.xxxx) can be found here (numbers from the left column).

Thanks to the author, wojo664

Experimental Features

Icon support

RAPPS supports 'per app' icons, that can be loaded from AppData/rapps/rapps/icons folder (that's where the database entries are).

The filename should match the Name field in the database plus the extension. Only icons of the .ICO format are supported.

New fields in the DB files

There are two experimental fields in the database files - Languages and LicenseInfo.

Languages field is used to inform the user whether the app is available in their language.

You should place all the language codes app supports separated by | there. Multiline parameters are also supported.

Example:

Languages=0C09|0813|0422 \\English|Dutch|Ukrainian

LicenseInfo is a field in the DB which, when present, changes the way License field in the info is shown. Application license types correspond to a number.

• 1 - "Open Source"
• 2 - "Freeware"
• 3 - "Demo/Trial".

See Also

• RAPPS GSoC 2017 Final Report