HOW-TO:Create a repository for add-ons

When you have created your repository, feel free to add it to the 3rd party add-on repositories list.

Things you will require
- In your code project page, make sure you set up the correct version control system (source tab). Most skins use SVN. - This will get you the right checkout address (link) and folder structure. - Start by installing an svn program (like Tortoisesvn). - Right click the empty folder, choose 'SVN Checkout' to let it build a folder structure inside. - Make sure you get asked for authentication (!), the folders look like your source code server. - If you don't get asked for authentication check your server settings and http vs https links. - Make a test.txt file in the trunk, right click to mark it as 'add' and use and use 'SVN Commit' on top folder. - A master addons.xml file. This file contains metadata about all available add-ons. - A checksum of the above file (this file only contains a hash of addons.xml). - Easiest way is to have a look at another repository file and change the name, info and links. - You can also have a look at how other repos set up their folder structure.
 * Any HTTP server. A popular method is to use the svn or git source code servers of googlecode, gitorious and github.
 * A folder containing one or more add-on.
 * Make the following two files using the python code below. These 2 files are made from the addon.xml files in the folders below (from the addons). Where you can have your addon unzipped (or zipped as long as there is an addon.xml file next to it, that is always up to date with the one in the zip).
 * A zipped repository add-on for distribution. This allows you to share your repository with others.

You can use addons_xml_generator.py to generate the master xml and the MD5. Put it in the folder with all your add-ons (it needs to see addon.xml files in a folder below) and run it from your Python interpreter. If using a source code server, you can now upload your add-on folder via svn or git to your repository. Every time you update an add-on run the addons_xml_generator.py before uploading the add-ons folder.


 * For Windows users. Install the latest version of Python.msi (from their website) in it's default directory. Python (.py) files should now be associated with python.exe and can be run like a program.
 * Make a new text file and name it addons_xml_generator.py. Open it with Notepad++ (or equivalent) and paste the following code inside.

addons_xml_generator.py

Repository Files
Repositories are distributed just like any other add-on. In order for you to browse one in XBMC, you'll need to create an add-on and install it. The repository addon extends the xbmc.addon.repository extension point, so in addition to the general XML structure and icons required for an icon, you'll need an block specfically pointing to your repository. Use the addon.xml of any of the 3rd party add-on repositories as a template. Online repositories should always have zip set to true, both for efficiency of download and for the protection that .zip offers by way of verifying the download (i.e. can we unzip it).

Using your repo to host images
You may as a developer need to host images from time to time. Something like photobucket or flickr may work, but you can also use your repo. Commit an image to it, and then form the url to it as you would if you were accessing the image via git or svn (like below):

http://xbmc-adult.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/repository.xbmc-adult/icon.png

This can then be accessed easily from python code, or even embedded on the XBMC forums.

How to make an add-on self-updating without distributing a repository file
This is optional. You still need a repository for this, you just distribute the actual zipped plugin or script, as opposed to the repository file. First you need to have a working repository file. Copy the equivalent of this code from the addon.xml of your repository file: Then simply add it under the other entries of your add-on's addon.xml The name= part of this repository extension must never be the same as your add-on.