Using COPIES of themes...???

[SpectroPro]

I see where people say not to use the 'default' theme for changes as this changes when there are upgrades.  That makes sense.  But where I get lost is this....  If I make a copy of that theme, and I use THAT as my board theme with all the add-ons and changes, then am I not still screwed when the board is upgraded and the main default theme changed?  Because now there are upgrades in the code to the stock version, but I want all my add-ons changes installed.  So what I am asking, is don't I still have to completely reinstall and recreate all my changes to the NEW default to have the new fixes as well?

Seems to me, and I am NOT a programmer so I don't have a clue...just thinking here..  that if changes are made and add-ons added to the default theme, and then an upgrade comes along, it could just upgrade the code needed in the main file.  NOW, if it wants to change some code that has been modified by an add-on, it could alert the owner that one of their add-ons or upgrades will interfere with the new upgrade file.  By giving the line number and info, the owner could determine which add-on or edit would be affected, remove it, and then attempt the upgrade again.  Then they just need to reinstall that or those few add-ons or make the needed edits again. 

Makes sense to me....but what do I know.  LOL  Anyways, I am still confused on the copy thing.  Why copy if you still have to install all again anyways... 

[[Unknown]]

What you're missing is this: you can copy only those files you modify.  Thus, you have a list of files to check for changes in.

It cannot just upgrade the code in the file, because there's no catch all way to just "upgrade" it.  Let's say you have this:

<b>asdasd</b>

And you change it to be:

<i>dsa asd</i>

If the upgrade needs to make it:

<b>afsdads</b>

How can it make that change?  How?

No.  Upgrading themes is just not feasable - not if/when they are really changed.

-[Unknown]