Testimonial Manager Support Thread

[DivaVocals]

And if you look JUST ABOVE your post I re-wrote the instructions to help make it clear what to do.. DO THEY make more sense to you?? (that would help the current author who is doing this in their FREE TIME)

or

Since you seem to have some very good and strong ideas here, how about contributing to the community by making the very changes you suggest including re-writing the readme instructions.. My first Zen Cart contributions were more about a reorganization of the files and a re-write of the readme files and less about upgrades and improvements.. why not make these changes you suggest and re-submit this add-on??

Ok so the difference is that the previous Testimonials Manager was for 1.3.9 and the new one is for 1.5.0, and that is the upgrade they're referring to? That makes sense written out that way, but is not clear at all in the text file that came in the zip for the new version. Those instructions made it look like this is what you should do if you're upgrading ZC from 1.3.x to 1.5.0.

I hope I'm not coming across as cranky or anything (I'm not cranky, I promise!)--I am legitimately trying to help make the upgrade package more user-friendly which will lead to fewer people coming to the support thread asking questions, and less time for the developers to spend answering them. I have some suggestions for how to make this package better and confusion-proof.

Basically I recommend this:

The zen_1.3.9 folder is very well laid out:



That is so clear and unconfusing. The filenames are intuitive and it's obvious what they mean/do. There is a separate folder for install and upgrade (even though they likely have many duplicate files). This is a well put together package.

The zen_1.5.0 folder, on the other hand, is much less organized and more confusing:

• The upgrade instructions are buried in a rather muddy way within the install instructions file--nonintuitive.
• The sql patch looks like it's for a different ZC version--nonintuitive.
• There is no obvious breakdown of which files need to be uploaded for an upgrade (probably some subset of the total new install files); a separate folder like the 1.3.9 folder would solve this cleanly. Putting the upgrade sql patch in that folder would make things much clearer as well.
• install.txt includes the instruction: "3) Run the included install_testimonials_manager new_install.sql using the Zen-Cart Sql Patches tool (admin -> tools -> install sql patches) for New Installs" yet there is no file with that name in the zipped package--erroneous text.
• Step 4 prefix "Upgrading from 1.3x to zen cart v1.5.0" is unclear--it should be reworded to make it clear that it's referring to the module compatibility version, not to your ZC install version--unclear.
• I'd rename "1.3.x_Upgrade.sql" to just "upgrade.sql" or "1-5-3c-upgrade.sql" or similar for clarity.

Sorry to be so long-winded, I just wanted to be extremely clear about what I am recommending be changed. If the package were set up the way I describe, I would not have needed to ask *any* questions in this thread, and would have been able to simply upgrade my module on my own, confident that I had done it correctly. I hope my advice is taken in the spirit in which it is offered and not as a slam of any kind.

If the package were reorganized using the 1.3.9 folder as a model for the 1.5.0 folder, and the instructions were broken down into install vs upgrade, etc--the changes I've suggested--and then upload that newly reorganized zip to the addons page, I bet you will experience many fewer support questions in this thread, and fewer frustrated users (it's always frustrating when you have to wait for your support question to be answered, in the meantime you can't proceed with your install/upgrade). Between the changes I've suggested and making the clarifications that the previous post made, this would be a much stronger release.

I apologize if this has sounded overly critical--it's just that I'm trying to be clear. When you've written instructions yourself, they always make sense to you. It's hard to gauge how a 3rd party will do with them until one tells you. You've gone 50% of the way with the well-organized 1.3.9 folder. Take it the rest of the way and organize the 1.5.0 folder just as well and you'll be golden. It's a great module--I have it installed on two different sites and really like it.

[WebKat]

And if you look JUST ABOVE your post I re-wrote the instructions to help make it clear what to do.. DO THEY make more sense to you?? (that would help the current author who is doing this in their FREE TIME)

Yes, I know--I acknowledged that and pointed out that your instructions were far easier to follow, and suggested that they change the instructions to be more like yours. Don't know why you're getting all worked up. I specifically said that with those instructions and better folder structure I'd have had no questions at all about the upgrade.

or

Since you seem to have some very good and strong ideas here, how about contributing to the community by making the very changes you suggest including re-writing the readme instructions.. My first Zen Cart contributions were more about a reorganization of the files and a re-write of the readme files and less about upgrades and improvements.. why not make these changes you suggest and re-submit this add-on??

...is that kosher? I mean that seems like it could be stepping on some toes. Also, I don't have enough information. For example, I don't know which files need to be uploaded for upgrading and which can be left as the old versions.

[DivaVocals]

Yes, I know--I acknowledged that and pointed out that your instructions were far easier to follow, and suggested that they change the instructions to be more like yours. Don't know why you're getting all worked up. I specifically said that with those instructions and better folder structure I'd have had no questions at all about the upgrade.

Worked up?? Really?? that's what you got out of my post??? I always FAIL to understand how folks read emotions and sentiments into posts that JUST AREN'T there.. I just asked you a question because honestly in that long post you wrote I didn't see anything that looked like you had seen what I wrote.. (which is why I asked the question..) But okay.. thanks for the response..

...is that kosher? I mean that seems like it could be stepping on some toes.

It's open source.. which means it's OPEN to anyone who wants to volunteer to contribute.. Now if you want to make sure you're not stepping on anyone's toes you can approach it one of two ways..

1. Contact the author and offer to help by implementing the suggestions you made. You guys can coordinate how you will work together..
   
   
   OR
   
   
   
2. post a message to the current author in the support thread of your desire/intent to make the changes you suggest.. Then again you guys can coordinate and decide how you will work together..

This is PRECISELY how I got started submitting updates to add-ons.. I offered publicly to help the person who was re-writing IH2 to be PHP 5.3 compatible. I offered to take on re-writing the user documents and reorganizing the installation files. It's how the current "team" of folks working on IH4 got together..

So YES you sure can do this!

Also, I don't have enough information. For example, I don't know which files need to be uploaded for upgrading and which can be left as the old versions.

I thought this was made clear in the sample instructions I posted.. Are you saying it's NOT??

Either way if you decide to contact the current author, you can work on this TOGETHER..

[countrycharm]

Worked up?? Really?? that's what you got out of my post??? I always FAIL to understand how folks read emotions and sentiments into posts that JUST AREN'T there.. I just asked you a question because honestly in that long post you wrote I didn't see anything that looked like you had seen what I wrote.. (which is why I asked the question..) But okay.. thanks for the response..


It's open source.. which means it's OPEN to anyone who wants to volunteer to contribute.. Now if you want to make sure you're not stepping on anyone's toes you can approach it one of two ways..

1. Contact the author and offer to help by implementing the suggestions you made. You guys can coordinate how you will work together..
   
   
   OR
   
   
   
2. post a message to the current author in the support thread of your desire/intent to make the changes you suggest.. Then again you guys can coordinate and decide how you will work together..

This is PRECISELY how I got started submitting updates to add-ons.. I offered publicly to help the person who was re-writing IH2 to be PHP 5.3 compatible. I offered to take on re-writing the user documents and reorganizing the installation files. It's how the current "team" of folks working on IH4 got together..

So YES you sure can do this!

I thought this was made clear in the sample instructions I posted.. Are you saying it's NOT??

Either way if you decide to contact the current author, you can work on this TOGETHER..

I will take what WebKat said into consideration. The install.txt could be bettered outline. to a upgrade.txt. Thanks Diva for that.

I've never used ZC 1.3.x; I started out my whole Zen Cart odyssey with ZC 1.5.0--so in my case, what file do I run? If this is the one I'm supposed to run it's badly named: install_testimonials_manager new_install.sql since this is not a new install--I already have Testimonial Manager installed. On 1.5.0.

If you where already on a zen cart v1.5.0 and had Testimonials Manager installed why are you trying to install it again? That is what doesn't make since.

[WebKat]

If you where already on a zen cart v1.5.0 and had Testimonials Manager installed why are you trying to install it again? That is what doesn't make since.

Because it was a newer version, I figured some things had changed.

[WebKat]

Worked up?? Really?? that's what you got out of my post??? I always FAIL to understand how folks read emotions and sentiments into posts that JUST AREN'T there.. I just asked you a question because honestly in that long post you wrote I didn't see anything that looked like you had seen what I wrote.. (which is why I asked the question..) But okay.. thanks for the response..

Well, I said this "Ok so the difference is that the previous Testimonials Manager was for 1.3.9 and the new one is for 1.5.0, and that is the upgrade they're referring to? That makes sense written out that way, but is not clear at all in the text file that came in the zip for the new version." which I thought made it clear that I understood YOUR instructions but not the ones that came in the zip. As for why I thought you were worked up, it was the large font and the repeated use of ALL CAPS which made it seem that you were annoyed.

As for the files--no, it wasn't clear from either set of instructions whether any/some/none of the files needed to be uploaded. It appears now that you're saying that the only file change is getting rid of that folder, and that the only other change is an sql patch. If that's the case, it should be spelled out specifically; i.e. "No files need to be updated; remove the folder blah blah blah"

Anyway I'd be happy to help put together a new update package once I know for sure that I know what the details really are.

[WebKat]

Oh, and it looks like it also says to re-upload these two files:
admin/includes/extra_definitions/testimonials_manager.php
admin/includes/languages/english/extra_definitions/testimonials_manager.php
However, saying to upload those two files isn't the same as saying to upload ONLY those two files, IMO. It's always best to err on the side of being more clear than assuming that someone will infer your meaning.

[DivaVocals]

Oh, and it looks like it also says to re-upload these two files:
admin/includes/extra_definitions/testimonials_manager.php
admin/includes/languages/english/extra_definitions/testimonials_manager.php
However, saying to upload those two files isn't the same as saying to upload ONLY those two files, IMO. It's always best to err on the side of being more clear than assuming that someone will infer your meaning.

Like I said why don't you take a stab at making these updates?? You've got some ideas for improvements and if you feel that you can improve it, you should absolutely give it a shot..

[WebKat]

Like I said why don't you take a stab at making these updates?? You've got some ideas for improvements and if you feel that you can improve it, you should absolutely give it a shot..

Did you not see my post just above?

Anyway I'd be happy to help put together a new update package once I know for sure that I know what the details really are.