Removing application but retain data

[Wolfie]

Something that I find interesting is that there is no option to allow the admin to retain data when uninstalling an application. What if the admin simply wants to remove the application (for whatever reason) but does not want to lose the data at all? There may be situations where removing the application is important, but not at the cost of losing the data associated with it.

Therefore, there should be a few choices. One is to do a normal removal, where the data is removed as the way is now. Then two options for data retention. One being no data removed, the other being a more advanced option, where the admin may pick and choose sections of data to retain or remove. Sections such as settings, changes to the members table, etc.

One other option that would be handy would be the option to backup only the data that will be getting removed, so that the admin has a copy of it to easily restore later.

:)

[.Ian]

I could see use for this - especially at the time of an upgrade :)

[Rog_Enk]

I can see why this may not be so easy to do as say, some data stored in the DB is not just content but settings etc.
But the developers could construct packages around this possibility, stripping out settings etc. but leaving content data.

Of course there is the SQL Toolbox where you as Admin can selectively backup data, before un-install, then after re-install you could run the queries to re-import..

Yes.. I too can see how handy his would be!

[Michael]

Why don't you just disable the application if you're not going to use it temporarily? There is a lot of different data that an application can install, along with custom SQL queries that are ran when an app is installed. Trying to come up with some intelligent 'just remove these items' system doesn't make any sense to me; either remove it if you don't want the app anymore, or disable it if it's just not ready for prime time yet.

[Wolfie]

Why don't you just disable the application if you're not going to use it temporarily? There is a lot of different data that an application can install, along with custom SQL queries that are ran when an app is installed. Trying to come up with some intelligent 'just remove these items' system doesn't make any sense to me; either remove it if you don't want the app anymore, or disable it if it's just not ready for prime time yet.

As an example of a case of wanting to remove it but retain data. Let's say someone is upgrading from 305 to 310, but their gallery license has expired. They plan to renew and upgrade later, but don't want to have it installed in 310 when it may not function correctly. Or better yet, from 305 to 320 (When It's Ready

[Michael]

As an example of a case of wanting to remove it but retain data. Let's say someone is upgrading from 305 to 310, but their gallery license has expired. They plan to renew and upgrade later, but don't want to have it installed in 310 when it may not function correctly. Or better yet, from 305 to 320 (When It's Ready

[Wolfie]

For all of your scenarios, just disabling the application takes care of all of this. It would no longer be presented on the public or Admin side (apart from being listed in the Manage Applications page), but all of the old data is still there so that it can be upgraded later.

But that's just it, it'd still be in the ACP (applications/modules). If someone decides to remove the entire thing, say by deleting the folder, wouldn't that cause issues?

[bfarber]

Who cares if it's still listed under Manage Applications?

I don't see why we would spend the development time (and I'm sure for this it would be quite a bit of development time, not just in original coding but in maintenance and bug fixing) when you can accomplish the same end goal by disabling the application, as Michael said. When you disable it, it's gone everywhere except the manage applications screen (where it should rightfully be).

If the person went into FTP and deleted the application folder, it's in the DB disabled (and all data is retained). They can reupload the application folder later and everything will be available again.

[Wolfie]

:wacko:

Okay okay.. What about being able to get a backup of the data first before removing the application though? Not an entire board backup, just of the application that would be getting removed.

[.Ian]

I could see use for this - especially at the time of an upgrade :)

Ignore me - disabling does indeed do the same thing. I think I was thinking of a previous occasion when I uninstalled ratehr than disabling.

Perhaps for newbies, who are unaware you can disable, then if you try and uninstall an option pops-up informing the user that if they wish to keep their data relating to the app then they can simply disable.

[Wolfie]

Ignore me - disabling does indeed do the same thing. I think I was thinking of a previous occasion when I uninstalled ratehr than disabling.

Perhaps for newbies, who are unaware you can disable, then if you try and uninstall an option pops-up informing the user that if they wish to keep their data relating to the app then they can simply disable.

That could definitely work.

Still would be nice to be able to download a backup of the affected data, so if someone insists on removing the application, then they can retain a copy of the data for possible future use.