News:

Wondering if this will always be free?  See why free is better.

Main Menu

Replacement packages

Started by NanoSector, January 20, 2012, 05:08:17 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

NanoSector

Hi there :)

I've been thinking about this one.

What if (and it's just an if) SMF offered "Replacement" packages. Those are packages that include a fresh set of files, but without all the mess of installation files and the Settings.php files. Maybe you can also create a migration assistent or something to hand over your existing Settings.php into a fresh one, too.

Just a tiny suggestion (well, not that tiny actually), you can do whatever you want with it :)

Thanks! :)
My Mods / Mod Builder - A tool to easily create mods / Blog
"I've heard from a reliable source that the Answer is 42. But, still no word on what the question is."

Arantor

...which would be identical to the large upgrade package without upgrade.php or the .sql files. Seems like it'd just duplicate stuff a bit much.

NanoSector

Quote from: arrowtotheknee on January 20, 2012, 05:10:43 PM
...which would be identical to the large upgrade package without upgrade.php or the .sql files. Seems like it'd just duplicate stuff a bit much.
Did you read the bit about the migration (don't know if that's the right word?) assistant to basically clean it up any further?
As that would be pretty useful, to me.
My Mods / Mod Builder - A tool to easily create mods / Blog
"I've heard from a reliable source that the Answer is 42. But, still no word on what the question is."

Arantor

As far as a migration assistant goes, it's called repair_settings.php. You could, I suppose, make it nicer but it's still basically the same thing.

NanoSector

Quote from: arrowtotheknee on January 20, 2012, 05:13:37 PM
As far as a migration assistant goes, it's called repair_settings.php. You could, I suppose, make it nicer but it's still basically the same thing.
That repairs your settings, it doesn't clean up the database and all of that kinds of stuff.
I would implement an interface that lets you dump non-SMF tables, to clean it up.
Of course, you can use repair_settings.php but to really clean up SMF you need to have a lot more tools to begin with.
My Mods / Mod Builder - A tool to easily create mods / Blog
"I've heard from a reliable source that the Answer is 42. But, still no word on what the question is."

Arantor

People have talked about doing a clean-up script over the years but it will have to be maintained for *each* version. You can't even rely on the same structure/tables between minor versions (since 1.1.8's DB structure is not the same as 1.1.9's) and not every mod just adds new tables.

The other thing is that there is an interface for cleaning up mod tables when uninstalling mods (presumably otherwise you want to keep them if uninstalling to reinstall a later version) only too few mods use that facility in 2.0.

NanoSector

Quote from: arrowtotheknee on January 20, 2012, 05:20:49 PM
People have talked about doing a clean-up script over the years but it will have to be maintained for *each* version. You can't even rely on the same structure/tables between minor versions (since 1.1.8's DB structure is not the same as 1.1.9's) and not every mod just adds new tables.

The other thing is that there is an interface for cleaning up mod tables when uninstalling mods (presumably otherwise you want to keep them if uninstalling to reinstall a later version) only too few mods use that facility in 2.0.
Yeah, but what if the user's installation is broken? They can't go to the package manager anymore.

Or you just release a version once in a while, for 2.0 to 2.0.2 per example, then pause until a new structure comes out, update again, etc.

Really, it's not needed or something, but it would be useful :)
My Mods / Mod Builder - A tool to easily create mods / Blog
"I've heard from a reliable source that the Answer is 42. But, still no word on what the question is."

Arantor

If their installation is broken, they'll use the large upgrade package. You'd be surprised how many people actually don't care about the extra cruft in their system.

Worse, though, you can just bet people will 'clean things up' without realising that it will break things that they still have installed.

QuoteOr you just release a version once in a while, for 2.0 to 2.0.2 per example, then pause until a new structure comes out, update again, etc.

That also relies on people reading the right version and doing what they're supposed to with it. It also doesn't properly take into account migrated versions (since there are times when 1.1.x -> 2.x will leave extra stuff around)


I can see where you're coming from, but practical experience suggests it would be more trouble than it would save.

NanoSector

Quote from: arrowtotheknee on January 20, 2012, 05:28:50 PM
If their installation is broken, they'll use the large upgrade package. You'd be surprised how many people actually don't care about the extra cruft in their system.

Worse, though, you can just bet people will 'clean things up' without realising that it will break things that they still have installed.
Ah, you got a point there.

Quote
QuoteOr you just release a version once in a while, for 2.0 to 2.0.2 per example, then pause until a new structure comes out, update again, etc.

That also relies on people reading the right version and doing what they're supposed to with it. It also doesn't properly take into account migrated versions (since there are times when 1.1.x -> 2.x will leave extra stuff around)
Well, can't the upgrade assistant trim out the mess?

Actually I've just changed my mind: With all the people around that don't have a too great clue of what they are doing, it probably would be more a risk then a goodwill, as you said. Oh well, you can't say we haven't tried ;)
My Mods / Mod Builder - A tool to easily create mods / Blog
"I've heard from a reliable source that the Answer is 42. But, still no word on what the question is."

Matthew K.

It would be possible to develop a package that allowed you to run it and restore the SMF to the default, while keeping posts, base settings, etc. although it'd be more work than it's worth.

As Arantor said, there are already existing methods in place to deal with this.

NanoSector

Quote from: Labradoodle-360 on January 20, 2012, 05:38:27 PM
It would be possible to develop a package that allowed you to run it and restore the SMF to the default, while keeping posts, base settings, etc. although it'd be more work than it's worth.

As Arantor said, there are already existing methods in place to deal with this.
Yeah, that's what my intention was.
My Mods / Mod Builder - A tool to easily create mods / Blog
"I've heard from a reliable source that the Answer is 42. But, still no word on what the question is."

Matthew K.

I wouldn't personally waste my time writing it...

Although you'd just go through tables, pulling columns, deleting any columns that aren't in the base install (columns a mod adds) and same deal with actual tables with the same prefix (smf_mod_table) so that all SMF related tables that weren't default were removed, just like the columns.

I suppose it'd be relatively simple, although still not worth the time for me.

You'd then wipe all directories, and files, besides Settings.php and Settings_bak.php, which could also be cleaned up fairly simply.

Kindred

Yoshi,

As with most things that might be a good idea but need some testing and trial...   Make your own version of it - release it as a mod or as a stand-alone add-in.
If it become popular, there is a good chance that it (or something like it) would be considered for addition as an official product at some point.
Слaва
Украинi

Please do not PM, IM or Email me with support questions.  You will get better and faster responses in the support boards.  Thank you.

"Loki is not evil, although he is certainly not a force for good. Loki is... complicated."

NanoSector

#13
Quote from: Kindred on January 20, 2012, 09:00:33 PM
Yoshi,

As with most things that might be a good idea but need some testing and trial...   Make your own version of it - release it as a mod or as a stand-alone add-in.
If it become popular, there is a good chance that it (or something like it) would be considered for addition as an official product at some point.
I'll try, that's a pretty good and logic solution actually, lol.

EDIT: I don't have too much time for this, it might take a long while. Heh.
My Mods / Mod Builder - A tool to easily create mods / Blog
"I've heard from a reliable source that the Answer is 42. But, still no word on what the question is."

Advertisement: