[ php-blog-Feature Requests-1771722 ] add templates_local and plugins_local directories

Feature Requests item #1771722, was opened at 2007-08-10 16:54
Message generated for change (Comment added) made by christian_boltz
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Category: None
Group: None
>Status: Open
Priority: 1
Private: No
Submitted By: Christian Boltz (christian_boltz)
Assigned to: Garvin Hicking (garvinhicking)
Summary: add templates_local and plugins_local directories

Initial Comment:
When doing a shared installation, symlinking the templates and the plugins is too difficult because the same directory can contain subdirs shipped with s9y and subdirs later installed by the user.

The current way is:
    cd plugins && ln -s ../s9y-shared/plugins/*
which results in lots of symlinks.

The better way would be to have
a) a symlink to the shared plugins directory (like the htmlarea symlink)
b) another directory ("plugins-local") for plugins installed by the user

Advantages:
- less symlinks needed
- no manual work required in case s9y ships with more templates or plugins one day (with the current way, you have to create a symlink for the new plugin)
- read-only and writeable directories (from user's and webserver's POV) are better separated
- users can install newer versions of plugins in their plugins-local directory

All this is also valid for templates.

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>Comment By: Christian Boltz (christian_boltz)
Date: 2007-08-10 19:37

Message:
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> Why don't you, like the documentation says, symlink only the template
and
> plugin subdirectory? You don't need to symlink EACH subdirectory...?

If I want to allow users to install own templates and plugins, I _have to_
do so, unfortunately.

> Adding a new _local subdirectory would largely increase the overhead
for
> parsing plugins and templates, this will not likely be added.

Well, you'll need to parse two directories and let the local directory
"override" shared extensions. Doesn't sound like too much overhead.
(and, BTW, Typo3 does it this way for its extensions also ;-)

> In a shared install, it is much better to not allow users to install
own
> plugins, that removes the intention of a shared central installation :)

The answer is: It depends ;-)

Yes, I know the advantages and disadvantages of shared vs. local plugin
install (from maintaining a server with dozens of Typo3 installations, but
that shouldn't make a difference. In short: I don't want to miss
localconf/ext/.)

If I allow users to install own plugins / templates, there are some
advantages:
- most important: someone might have written his own template (including
his 
  logo etc.) he doesn't want to share for obvious reasons
- a plugin can be tested without "cluttering up" the "available plugins"
list of
  everybody, which is especially important if someone tests beta quality
plugins
- it's easier to remove a local plugin you just tested if you don't like
it. In a
  shared install, you always have to check if someone else is using it.
- it's easier to install a plugin locally from the technical POV ("just
download it 
  with Spartacus")
- a user might need to customize a plugin for whatever reason
- users don't need to annoy the admin

Yes, on upgrades, a shared install has its advantages. But you still can
move plugins and templates used by multiple users to the shared
installation. ;-)

I really hope you'll change your opinion.

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Comment By: Garvin Hicking (garvinhicking)
Date: 2007-08-10 18:40

Message:
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Hi!

Why don't you, like the documentation says, symlink only the template and
plugin subdirectory? You don't need to symlink EACH subdirectory...?

Adding a new _local subdirectory would largely increase the overhead for
parsing plugins and templates, this will not likely be added.

In a shared install, it is much better to not allow users to install own
plugins, that removes the intention of a shared central installation :)

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