Wow how could I possibly missed this thread???
There I am, thinking about writing a mod manager and here you are doing one
May I add the ideas I had for my own? Do with these as you like
- for modpacks the manager reads special config files. In these the modpack author writes a download link to one or as many files as he likes (the order in the file is the download and install order to ensure overwriting is correct). This is especially great for these packs with multiple configurations. You no longer have to download 4+ infividual files, merge them manually and choose the correct modconfig - as the numerous posts in the release area shows this is to error prone. You load one config, fire up the manager and load this config. Done.
- version checking. Mods which supply a modconfig - easy. For those who don't - yeah. Either config file (point 1) or filename or ... bad luck maybe ...
- high goal: read the xml's for added stuff and do a compatibility check
- high goal: modpack creator. Throw mods (and modpacks) together and create a new modpack. When the point above is realized check for compatibilty beforehand
- updater. self explanatory
And for me the example was the Kerbal Mod Manager. Never played Minecraft. The one of the X-series is very well done, too.
There I am, thinking about writing a mod manager and here you are doing one

May I add the ideas I had for my own? Do with these as you like
- for modpacks the manager reads special config files. In these the modpack author writes a download link to one or as many files as he likes (the order in the file is the download and install order to ensure overwriting is correct). This is especially great for these packs with multiple configurations. You no longer have to download 4+ infividual files, merge them manually and choose the correct modconfig - as the numerous posts in the release area shows this is to error prone. You load one config, fire up the manager and load this config. Done.
- version checking. Mods which supply a modconfig - easy. For those who don't - yeah. Either config file (point 1) or filename or ... bad luck maybe ...
- high goal: read the xml's for added stuff and do a compatibility check
- high goal: modpack creator. Throw mods (and modpacks) together and create a new modpack. When the point above is realized check for compatibilty beforehand
- updater. self explanatory
And for me the example was the Kerbal Mod Manager. Never played Minecraft. The one of the X-series is very well done, too.