Considering The Mod Authors

[Vince G.]

Well i know this has been posted a million time, but my thought is a little bit diffrent then others posted.
Each moder have to make an installer with his own DB qureys, components inserts, lang bits adding and template bits additions.
Well this also takes time to code, what i suggest is making a mod installer that will act just like fusoyas mod installer, If anybody dont know that installer by FuSoYa, then here it is: FuSoYa's Universal Mod Installer v1.3.2.
I think IPB should have someting like that built in, this would ease up the mod creation.
The installer doesnt have to do "File edits", just what Fus. installer does, with a samll addition of writting the instructions inside the .xml file.
lets say for example:

<file_edits>
<file>
<file_name>lang_topic</file_name>
<search><![CDATA[$lang = array (]]></search>
<replace></replace>
<add_below><![CDATA['test'  =>  "Test",]]></add_below>
<add_above></add_above>
</file>
</file_edits>

You can see from the above example how this thing works.
Fus. installer is great and i think this should be really taken to consideration.

Regards, vadim.

[Msb_last]

For sure u have right. It will make installing and coding new mods more easy.

I think that this thing should be included in coming IPB 2.2 version, cuz it's really gr8 thing. It will be nice help for new IPB users.

[bfarber]

Nothing new will be included in 2.2 - it's too late at this stage.

Something like what you are talking about would be disastrous for us to try to support. Instead, we're looking at ways to allow modifications without file edits for 3.0

[Vince G.]

Yeah, I figured that that wouldn't be included in 2.2 beacuse it's being released soon.

But if some how you guys could work a way to make the mod installations a little bit simple then it is now then it would be great.
The mod installer was a suggestions, but i guess you have your own ideas on making the mod installs alot simple then they are, i just thought it should be implanted as soon as possible.

[Strange_Will]

Had this with PHPBB, it's a mess if you install more than a couple mods, NOT WORTH IT. :P

[Luke]

Nothing new will be included in 2.2 - it's too late at this stage.

Something like what you are talking about would be

disastrous

for us to try to support. Instead, we're looking at ways to allow modifications without file edits for 3.0

I think what he was trying to say was an installer that did simple stuff like run sql code, import templates, import settings, import components, etc... Not make file modifications.

[Jaggi]

i had a quick read but think they have been some improvements for mod makers like the ability to export setting groups and one i will personally enjoy the ability to export xml skin files.

[Vince G.]

I think what he was trying to say was an installer that did simple stuff like run sql code, import templates, import settings, import components, etc... Not make file modifications.

Right, No file edits just installing simple stuff like run sql code, import templates, import settings, import components, and show instructions.

i had a quick read but think they have been some improvements for mod makers like the ability to export setting groups and one i will personally enjoy the ability to export xml skin files.

Yeah but instead of 4 xml files u would have 1 with the content of all 4.

[bfarber]

You can manually combine your 4 xml files already...when IPB does the insertion it looks for specific XML tags, so just make sure you don't break them.

I've written up a few API's for 2.2 that will allow you to easily import settings and skins (and rebuild skin caches). I'll probably release a basic installer framework on IPS Beyond once 2.2 is released for mod authors to use. :) Plug in a settings.xml file, a templates.xml file, modify the queries in the queries.php file and off you go.

[Jaggi]

i've written my own install to install templates/settings/tables/rows/rebuild but i'd be interested in seeing yours bfarber so definetly looking forward to it.

[Vince G.]

i've written my own install to install templates/settings/tables/rows/rebuild but i'd be interested in seeing yours bfarber so definetly looking forward to it.

Same Here, And It could be great for it to be an official IPB installer.

[Tim Dorr]

Instead, we're looking at ways to allow modifications without file edits for 3.0

If you start using eval()'s, I'm coming up to Virginia to personally punch you in the nose. :P

[Mat Barrie]

If you start using eval()'s, I'm coming up to Virginia to personally punch you in the nose. :P

Heh, start using PHP 5 specific code - REFLECTION ALL THE WAY!

[Vince G.]

If you start using eval()'s, I'm coming up to Virginia to personally punch you in the nose.

LOL , That one just nocked me down.

I am sure they will be making something like Hooks, or a way to add PHP code from the ACP that will be run in a file.

[Antony]

If you start using eval()'s, I'm coming up to Virginia to personally punch you in the nose. :P

Heh.

A neater way to do this might be to use the create_function() ability, no? Including a file for every modification wouldn't be the best thing though for performance, and neither would eval().

Heh, start using PHP 5 specific code - REFLECTION ALL THE WAY!

Using reflection would be nice, but not enough servers support it. :( I wish everyone supported PHP5, but as they don't this isn't realistic.

[bfarber]

Most likely, we will use a hooks type system. We haven't mapped out all the details.

On the one hand it needs to be completely modular so you basically upload a file or two and it can work. On the other hand, you're right - including 15 files on the topic view page (on top of what is already included) might cause the page to load a bit slower...however, would that really be *our* fault/problem if a user installed 15 mods to that page?

There has to be some sort of balance between usability and ease of use.

[Vince G.]

U sure right Brandon, But what ever u do i am sure it would be the best way possible.

P.s i sent u a pm with a question about upgrading one of your mods is it possible?

thanks.

[Vince G.]

Ignore.