install.bat - Technical Documentation

Overview

install.bat is a Windows batch script designed to automate the installation of the Skyblock by Asma mod into the Hytale saves directory. It provides a user-friendly interface with color-coded output and supports both automated and manual folder detection.

Features

• Automatic folder detection: Searches for folders matching the pattern Skyblock_by_Asma_v*
• Custom folder support: Accepts a folder name as a command-line argument
• Dry-run mode: Preview installation without making changes
• Color-coded output: ANSI color codes for better readability
• Overwrite protection: Prompts user before overwriting existing installations
• Version extraction: Automatically extracts version from folder name or uses folder name as fallback

Command-Line Arguments

Syntax

install.bat [FolderName] [/dry-run | /d | --dry-run] [/? | /help | --help]

Arguments

Argument	Description	Example
FolderName	Optional. Name of the folder to install. If not provided, searches for Skyblock_by_Asma_v* pattern.	install.bat "MyCustomFolder"
/dry-run	Optional. Run in dry-run mode (no changes will be made).	install.bat /dry-run
/d	Short form of /dry-run	install.bat /d
--dry-run	Alternative form of /dry-run	install.bat --dry-run
/?, /help, --help	Display help information	install.bat /?

Examples

# Default behavior - auto-detect folder
install.bat

# Specify custom folder name
install.bat "MyCustomFolder"

# Dry-run with default folder
install.bat /dry-run

# Dry-run with custom folder
install.bat "MyCustomFolder" /dry-run

# Display help
install.bat /help

Technical Implementation

Color System

The script uses ANSI escape codes for color output. Colors are defined at the start:

• RED (31): Error messages
• GREEN (32): Success messages and found items
• YELLOW (33): Warnings and cancellation messages
• CYAN (36): Information, paths, and headers
• MAGENTA (35): Dry-run mode indicators
• BOLD (1): Emphasis on important text
• RESET (0): Reset to default color

ANSI support is enabled by extracting the escape character using echo prompt $E | cmd.

Folder Detection Logic

1. Custom Folder Name (if provided):

   • Validates that the folder exists in the script's directory
   • Checks that it's actually a folder (not a file)
   • Uses the provided path directly

2. Default Pattern (if no folder name provided):

   • Searches for folders matching Skyblock_by_Asma_v* pattern
   • Uses the first matching folder found
   • Exits with error if no match is found

Version Extraction

The script attempts to extract version information from the folder name:

1. Pattern Match: If folder name matches Skyblock_by_Asma_v*, extracts everything after Skyblock_by_Asma_v as the version
2. Fallback: If pattern doesn't match, uses the entire folder name as the version identifier

Example:

• Folder: Skyblock_by_Asma_v1.0.4 → Version: 1.0.4
• Folder: MyCustomFolder → Version: MyCustomFolder

Destination Path Construction

The destination path is constructed as:

%APPDATA%\Hytale\UserData\Saves\Skyblock_by_Asma_v{VERSION}

Where {VERSION} is the extracted version or folder name.

Installation Process

1. Validation:

   • Verifies source folder exists
   • Checks if destination directory structure exists (creates if needed)

2. Overwrite Check:

   • If destination folder exists, prompts user for confirmation
   • User can choose to overwrite (Y) or cancel (N)

3. File Operations (only in non-dry-run mode):

   • Removes existing installation if overwrite confirmed
   • Creates destination directory structure if needed
   • Copies all files using xcopy /E /I /Y (recursive, assume destination is directory, suppress prompts)

4. Error Handling:

   • Validates folder existence before proceeding
   • Checks file operation success
   • Provides clear error messages with troubleshooting tips

Dry-Run Mode

When dry-run mode is enabled:

• All file operations are skipped
• Output is prefixed with [DRY-RUN]
• Shows what would happen without making changes
• Useful for testing and verification

Error Handling

The script handles several error conditions:

1. Folder Not Found: Exits with error code 1, displays helpful message
2. Invalid Folder: If path exists but isn't a folder, exits with error
3. Copy Failure: Checks xcopy exit code, displays troubleshooting tips
4. User Cancellation: Exits with code 0 (normal exit)

Exit Codes

• 0: Success or user cancellation
• 1: Error (folder not found, copy failure, etc.)

Dependencies

• Windows: Designed for Windows batch scripting (cmd.exe)
• ANSI Support: Requires Windows 10/11 or terminal with ANSI support for colors
• xcopy: Uses built-in Windows xcopy command for file copying

Environment Variables

The script uses the following environment variables:

• %APPDATA%: Windows application data directory (typically C:\Users\{Username}\AppData\Roaming)
• %~dp0: Script's directory path (automatically set by batch processor)
• %CD%: Current working directory

Limitations

1. Windows Only: Designed specifically for Windows batch scripting
2. ANSI Colors: Color output requires ANSI-capable terminal (Windows 10/11 default terminal)
3. Single Folder: Only processes one folder at a time
4. No Rollback: Does not provide rollback functionality if installation fails mid-process

Future Enhancements

Potential improvements:

• Support for multiple folder installations
• Backup creation before overwrite
• Installation log generation
• Support for custom destination paths
• Progress indicator for large file copies

See Also

• INSTALL.en.md: User-friendly English installation guide
• INSTALL.it.md: User-friendly Italian installation guide