redfetch 1.4.2

Download and publish EverQuest scripts and software using the RedGuides API

redfetch is for updating software and scripts for EverQuest that RedGuides recommends, as well as those you "watch". It's also open source, how nice.

Installation

On Windows the easiest way to install redfetch is to download and run redfetch.exe. (optional: If you're still on Windows 10 and want a more modern appearance, follow this guide to set Windows Terminal as your default terminal.)

Terminal / Python / Linux

Make sure you have a recent version of Python

1. Install pipx

python -m pip install --user pipx

2. Make it so you can run packages without having to type "python -m"

python -m pipx ensurepath

3. Install redfetch

pipx install redfetch

When you open a new terminal window you'll be able to run redfetch by typing redfetch from the command line.

Usage

1) Double-click redfetch.exe to run the script.

Take a moment to consider your configuration and the settings tab.

2) Click the big blue "Easy Update" button, and then "Yes" or "Always" on the popup.

(It's updating Very Vanilla MQ and any of its scripts or plugins you have watched on RedGuides, your licensed resources, and scripts recommended by staff. You can customize this if you like.)

Now you're ready to play EQ with the big boys.

Add more MQ Scripts

To add more MacroQuest scripts, "watch" them on www.redguides.com/community/resources, and then click the Easy Update button again.

If there are non-MQ resources you'd like to keep in sync with redfetch, you can add them as a "special resource" in the local settings file, as shown in settings section.

Command Line

To run redfetch from the command line:

.exe file	python
.\redfetch.exe update	redfetch update

Command Line Reference

Run redfetch --help for the current list, or redfetch <COMMAND> --help for a command's options. It looks like:

📦 Resource Management

• update - Update all watched and special resources.
  • --force / -f - Force re-download of all watched resources.
  • --server / -s - Update this server for this run only, without changing your current server (LIVE, TEST, EMU).
• download <ID_OR_URL> - Download a specific resource by ID or URL.
  • ID_OR_URL - RedGuides resource ID or URL
  • --force / -f - Force re-download by resetting this resource's download date.
  • --server / -s - Download from this server for this run only, without changing your current server (LIVE, TEST, EMU).
• check - Non-interactive update check (for automation.)
  • --server / -s - Check this server's env for this run only, without persisting it (LIVE, TEST, EMU).
• list - List resources and dependencies in your local cache.
• reset - Reset download dates for watched resources in the database.

🔧 System & Utilities

• ui - Launch the Terminal User Interface.
• run [SHORTCUT] - Run a shortcut (e.g. vvmq, eqbcs, myseq). run by itself will show a full list.
  • SHORTCUT - Shortcut to run: vvmq, eqbcs, eq, eqgame, etc.
  • --server / -s - Run for this server this run only, without changing your current server (LIVE, TEST, EMU).
• open [SHORTCUT] - Open a folder or file (e.g. downloads, eqhost). open by itself will show a full list.
  • SHORTCUT - Folder/file to open: downloads, vvmq, eq, etc.
  • --server / -s - Resolve paths for this server this run only, without changing your current server (LIVE, TEST, EMU).
• web - Launch the RedGuides.com web interface.
• version - Show version and exit.
• uninstall - Uninstall redfetch and clean up data.
• logout - Log out and clear cached token and API cache.

🍔 Configuration

• config <SETTING_PATH> <VALUE> - Update a setting by path and value.
  • SETTING_PATH - Dot-separated setting path (e.g., SPECIAL_RESOURCES.1974.opt_in)
  • VALUE - New value for the setting
  • --server / -s - Server to apply the change in (LIVE, TEST, EMU)
• server <SERVER> - Switch the current server/environment to LIVE, TEST, or EMU.
  • SERVER - Server to use: LIVE, TEST, EMU
• status - Show the configuration for the current or specified server.
  • --server / -s - Server to show (defaults to current)

📤 Publishing

• publish <RESOURCE_ID> - Publish updates to a RedGuides resource.
  • RESOURCE_ID - Existing RedGuides resource ID
  • --description <README.md> / -d - Path to a description file (e.g. README.md) to become the overview description.
  • --version / -v - New version string (e.g., v1.0.1)
  • --message <CHANGELOG.md | MESSAGE> / -m - Path to CHANGELOG.md (keep a changelog), other message file, or a direct message string.
  • --file <FILE.zip> / -f - Path to your zipped release file
  • --domain - If description or message is a .md file with relative URLs, resolve them to this domain (e.g., https://raw.githubusercontent.com/your/repo/main/)

The publish command also has a GitHub Action.

Settings

settings.local.toml is found in your configuration directory, which by default is c:\Users\Public\redfetch\settings.local.toml. Any keys you add will override their default values in settings.toml.

All settings are prefixed with the environment,

• [DEFAULT] - encompasses all environments that are not explicitly defined.
• [LIVE] - EverQuest Live
• [TEST] - EverQuest Test
• [EMU] - EverQuest Emulator

Adding a special resource

To add a "special resource" (a non-MQ resource that you want to keep updated), open settings.local.toml and add an entry. You'll need the resource ID (numbers at the end of the url) and a target directory. Example:

[LIVE.SPECIAL_RESOURCES.153]
custom_path = 'C:\Users\Public\Daybreak Game Company\Installed Games\EverQuest\maps\Brewall_Maps'
opt_in = true

• Note the use of single quotes around the path, which are required for windows paths.

The above will install Brewall's maps to the EQ maps directory the next time redfetch update is run for LIVE servers.

Overwrite protection

If there are local files you don't want overwritten by a resource, you can add them to the PROTECTED_FILES_BY_RESOURCE setting. Include the resource ID and files you want to protect. e.g.,

[LIVE.PROTECTED_FILES_BY_RESOURCE]
1974 = ["CharSelect.cfg", "Zoned.cfg", "MQ2Map.ini", "MQ2MoveUtils.ini"]
153 = ["citymist.txt", "innothule.txt", "oasis.txt"]
navmesh = ["befallen.navmesh", "innothuleb.navmesh"]

Custom category directories

If you share lua, macros, or plugins directories across multiple MQ environments, you can override where an entire category is installed. Add a CATEGORY_PATHS section to your settings.local.toml:

[DEFAULT.CATEGORY_PATHS]
lua = 'D:\\shared\\lua'
macros = 'D:\\shared\\macros'

Absolute paths are used as-is. Relative paths are joined to DOWNLOAD_FOLDER. You can set this globally in [DEFAULT] or per-environment ([LIVE.CATEGORY_PATHS], [TEST.CATEGORY_PATHS], etc.).

Tinkerers

If you self-compile MacroQuest or use a discord friend's copy, you can still keep your scripts and plugins in sync with redfetch by opting out of Very Vanilla:

redfetch.exe config SPECIAL_RESOURCES.1974.opt_in false --server LIVE
redfetch.exe config SPECIAL_RESOURCES.60.opt_in false --server EMU
redfetch.exe config SPECIAL_RESOURCES.2218.opt_in false --server TEST

Then assign the Very Vanilla MQ path to your self-compiled MacroQuest.

Custom post-update launch

redfetch can launch extra programs after an update completes. Aside from the normal UI toggles, you can add custom to POST_UPDATE_LAUNCH.targets in settings.local.toml, then set command to whatever redfetch should run:

[LIVE.POST_UPDATE_LAUNCH]
targets = ["custom"]
command = ['C:\Tools\AfterRedfetch\after-update.exe', '--server', 'LIVE']

You can also combine it with the built-in post-update launches. For example, to start EQBCS and MySEQ and run your own Python script:

[LIVE.POST_UPDATE_LAUNCH]
targets = ["myseq", "custom", "eqbcs"]
command = ["C:\\Users\\Public\\Python\\python.exe", "C:\\Users\\Public\\redfetch\\after_update.py"]

You can set these per-server, e.g. [TEST.POST_UPDATE_LAUNCH], or global [DEFAULT.POST_UPDATE_LAUNCH].

Contributing

I'd love help, conceptually and technically. I'm not a developer and this is my first big python script.

[!NOTE] This project is built with LLM assistance.

To set up a development environment,

git clone https://github.com/RedGuides/redfetch
cd redfetch
pip install hatch
hatch env create dev
hatch shell dev

You can then run your dev version with,

redfetch

Or if the issue is ui-specific, run the terminal UI in debug mode,

textual run --dev .\src\redfetch\main.py

When you're done, type exit to leave the shell.