Re: Opinions wanted: Plugin "Packaging" for multiple Zen Cart versions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RixStix
6. UnInstall SQL to undo database changes that were made by an Install SQL
I always have mixed feelings about this. On the surface it seems like the 'right' thing to do, BUT in practice it will often cause unnecessary problems. What often happens is that when people uninstall a module (especially one that has modified the core files) they'll often not do a very good job at restoring back to the pre-install state, so what happens is that if the SQL changes have been 'un done' the *files* themselves could still be referencing the no longer existent DB fields/tables - Causing the site to crash. This can be avoided if the SQL changes were left as they were - and if all the *files* were correctly restored, it isn't going to matter if the DB changes were undone or not. If not it'll just be 'unused' data, and that isn't going to cause a problem for anything.
Just my opinion.
Cheers
Rod.
ps. I'll never run an SQL uninstall script until/unless I've 'vetted' it first so that I can be sure that it isn't going to have an unexpected/negative repercussion. Most uninstall scripts I've seen (and created) tend to have very little done in the way of testing. They tend to be pretty 'crude'.
Re: Opinions wanted: Plugin "Packaging" for multiple Zen Cart versions
Everything in this thread is all the more reason to try and create hook system that allows modules to insert code when an action is called instead of overwriting the core files. updating Zen-Cart and the modules would also be easier for both developers and shop owners. The over-ride system goes along way to avoiding editing core files, but it falls short of the goal. And it can be confusing where all those files are for any particular mod. Imagine a scenario where you skipped an update because it was such a pain, I'm pretty sure it happens all the time.
Despite what someone said earlier about users needing to get their hands dirty, I don't think that people who haven't got the skill should be changing the core files.
I also think that users should be able to trust the plugins available on this site, that they are not a security risk or have vulnerabilities. If they can't rely on Zen-Cart plugins, they might as well be downloading from a null site or theme forrest.
And don't get me wrong, I literally love Zen-Cart - I recommend it to clients all the time because I know I can get their store to do the stuff they want it to do fairly easily without a huge overhead. Unfortunately, its not as popular with them as it should be.
Jus' Sayin'
Re: Opinions wanted: Plugin "Packaging" for multiple Zen Cart versions
Quote:
Everything in this thread is all the more reason to try and create hook system that allows modules to insert code when an action is called instead of overwriting the core files.
I don't think this fact is lost on the devs.
ASAIK the reason things are not like that now is because it is simply not possible with the legacy procedural code that Zen Cart 1.x is based on. Hence 2.x.
Many basic plugins could be improved to use observers but some things will always require core changes.
In the end making major changes to the 1.x code to allow 100% overrides is wasted time that is better spent on 2.x.
