Editing a file through Java

[TheRealMcrafter]

Been looking around for a while and I cant find anything. Is it possible (without coremods or crazy Java wizardry) to either

 

A) Edit a file in my GitHub repository (on github.com) and save the changes while in a separate thread by using OutputStreamWriter, or

B) Download said file, edit it locally, and re-upload to my GitHub repo, via the aforementioned separate thread?

 

I'm just grasping at straws here, I have no idea if any of this makes sense.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

-TheRealMcrafter

 

[TheRealMcrafter]

I have some beta testers that are not allowed to share my download link. I shipped my mod with a unique string for each beta tester. I want, for the first time my mod is loaded, to send that string to my file. Then, if I have two of the same strings in my repo file, that person is sharing the link.

[SanAndreaP]

The only way to do this is if your mod commits every change to the file. Problem with that is if two of your beta testers connect and edit the file at the same time, it will cause conflicts, thus resulting in you having to merge those commits...

 

What I'd suggest rather than messing with GitHub is using Pastebin. Create a new user there for your purpose and use the API to create new paste files containing the unique string under that user. Then you can go through each paste and see if there are duplicates of your string.

Here have the documentation of the pastebin API: http://pastebin.com/api

 

But if you really want to use GitHub, then the only way you can programatically edit files in a repo is via GitHub API -> https://developer.github.com/v3/

[TheRealMcrafter]

I think you misunderstand. My beta testers cannot commit to my github. They get access to my beta builds, and report problems to my issues page. I dont want them spreading around the download link, so I'd like my mod to communicate with a file in my github repo and tell me if one of my testers is spreading around the link.

 

(Also I need this for future use in my mod)

[Ernio]

Hey man, just an opinion passing by. I've been here for a while and I remember, when I started, that I was all about mod/source security.

I even tried obfuscating source or trimming it from server classes (2nd I still have leftovers).

 

There is just NO POINT in doing it. Seriously. Release beta, if they spread it - what's the big deal?

I mean, there is no real way of providing 100% "safety". Not possible.

 

As to problem - it's really easy if you step outside Java and GitHub.

Get hosting, place php script, set keys in secured file. Make http request/response. Literally 1h of work.

If you really want to key-checking systems like that I don't think GitHub is right place to do it (opinion).

 

... but why?

[TheRealMcrafter]

Hey man, just an opinion passing by. I've been here for a while and I remember, when I started, that I was all about mod/source security.

I even tried obfuscating source or trimming it from server classes (2nd I still have leftovers).

 

There is just NO POINT in doing it. Seriously. Release beta, if they spread it - what's the big deal?

I mean, there is no real way of providing 100% "safety". Not possible.

 

As to problem - it's really easy if you step outside Java and GitHub.

Get hosting, place php script, set keys in secured file. Make http request/response. Literally 1h of work.

If you really want to key-checking systems like that I don't think GitHub is right place to do it (opinion).

 

... but why?

 

Honestly, thanks for the opinion. I used to be like that with my source too. I'm not concerned about my source being released, I'm concerned about a tester releasing a ridiculously buggy mod to the public. And in reality, I could just send them unique download links and count downloads on them, but well, I tend to overcomplicate things sometimes. Just wanting to screw around with file sending really.

[jabelar]

And in reality, I could just send them unique download links and count downloads on them.

 

Yes, I was going to suggest something similar (count accesses to a unique page rather than edit files).

 

In terms of github, you said you want to edit files based on the mod's usage but also say you don't want to do a commit. Isn't that pretty much the same thing? I don't know how you'd get git to consider a new file in a repository without committing it.

 

I'm still not sure how you could prevent redistribution, but I guess you're just trying to detect redistribution?

[SanAndreaP]

I think you misunderstand. My beta testers cannot commit to my github. They get access to my beta builds, and report problems to my issues page. I dont want them spreading around the download link, so I'd like my mod to communicate with a file in my github repo and tell me if one of my testers is spreading around the link.

 

(Also I need this for future use in my mod)

 

That is the point I made: you cannot change a file on github without committing the change! In your case, the only option would be the suggestion I made with Pastebin, or count the DLs on those links like you said.

 

By the way, is the GitHub repo considered a pure issue tracker or is the mod source on it?