[Debian-sf-devel] Re: [Debian-sf-users] Plugin infrastructure -- Request for comments

[Arnar Birgisson]

Hi

I'm not a long time sf user but having worked on similar projects with regards 
to the plugin structure I have only one comment about point 5.

If possible, the plugins should not have to modify any pages not their own, or 
any files for that matter. Instead you could f.x. define insertion points for 
plugins, such as the "Public Areas", "Main menu", "Project config pages" (for a 
checkbox indicating if the group uses this plugin), "User page" (possibly 
subdivided) and plugins register themselves to be considered for certain 
insertion points. When rendering these areas, sf then selects all plugins that 
have registered themseleves for the area in question and checks for each one if 
the user/group uses it. That way, no modification to any files is neccary for 
each plugin, they only need to register themselves in the database.

There was a posting earlier by Tim suggesting the use of a register_plugin 
function. I support this, that way with the addition of what I said above, the 
sf core system can have full control over the modifications of a plugin 
(providing plugin writers stick to protocol), and could even perform the 
creation of tables and other db objects for the plugin. That way there's even a 
possibility of the core system to keep track of neccessary data to uninstall a 
plugin, so lazy plugin writers that can't be bothered with writing uninstall 
procedures wouldn't have to.

I really like the plugin idea and even though I have to agree with you on the 
calendar argument, it would certanly be useful in my companys application of 
sf. Keep up the good work.

Arnar

>>> Roland wrote..
5. A plugin should not change the existing pages, except insofar as it
   adds links to its own pages.  I think these pages should reside in
   the /plugin/*/ URL-space (that is, plugin "foo" will probably put
   its files in /usr/lib/sourceforge/www/plugins/foo/), unless some
   better idea is found.  Of course, these additions will have to be
   merged into the pages of the main package, but it should be just a
   matter of inserting lines like
,----
| if $this_group->usesPlugin("foo") {
|    echo [Link to /plugins/foo/index.php?parameters]
| }
`----
   in the existing pages.  Most plugins will probably only add these
   links on the project summary page and/or on the user personal
   pages.