1 Topic by Jansson (edited by Jansson 2004-08-15 13:07)

  • Jansson
  • Former PunBB Developer
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  • From: Sweden
  • Registered: 2003-01-06
  • Posts: 856

Topic: Regarding the Mod-ReadMe standard

I've been thinking about the mod-readme standard lately and I've seen some people using hdiff insted. There is both positive and negative things with that.

Hdiff:
+ Easy and fast to generate
- Can be confusing for a newbie to understand
- Holds very little information about the mod
? Is there anyway to include database changes?

The old standard:
+ Very easy to understand
+ The "header" holds very much info about the mod
- A real pain to make

Should we consider making the hdiff standard? Or maybe a modified version of it?

Discuss here

  • From: Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Registered: 2002-07-03
  • Posts: 946

Re: Regarding the Mod-ReadMe standard

I'm discussing here instead :)

I think hdiff is much better than the readme, mostly beqause it's MUCH easier to make them. Second, I don't think it's that hard to understand.

- Holds very little information about the mod

This can easily be changed. It's not hard to rewrite hdiff to include an information-header att the top (I've already changed my version so it includes a list with installation steps).

? Is there anyway to include database changes?

Well, we could make this as a part of the header as I mentioned above.

Should we consider making the hdiff standard? Or maybe a modified version of it?

Sounds like a good idea. I could make some changes to hdiff and show some examples here. Is there more things than the info from the current header we want included?

How does other forums solves this problem?

Edit1: I looked at the file-attachement-mod in phpbb, and it's basically using the same sort of readme as we does.

Edit2: The only problem with hdiff that I've encountered is that when you copy many rows from the html-file, you also get all the line numbers...

  • Jansson
  • Former PunBB Developer
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Re: Regarding the Mod-ReadMe standard

I think the current information is enough.

Yes, phpBB is using the same sort of ReadMe.

Chacmool wrote:

The only problem with hdiff that I've encountered is that when you copy many rows from the html-file, you also get all the line numbers...

Yes. Is there anyway to fix that?

  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: Regarding the Mod-ReadMe standard

I'm not going to interfere in this. I will let you guys decide :)

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

  • From: Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Registered: 2002-07-03
  • Posts: 946

Re: Regarding the Mod-ReadMe standard

Maybe like this?

(Not working, I've just made the html-file)

6 Reply by Frank H (edited by Frank H 2004-08-16 17:32)

  • Frank H
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Re: Regarding the Mod-ReadMe standard

Chacmool wrote:

Maybe like this?

First impression ... what am I supposed to do? big_smile

but should work smile

I kind of like the readme, but indeed a tough thing to do ... but if you either had a hdiff or two versions (one clean, one with _only_ the mod), then it's not that hard to make manually, as lines will match as soon as you have something different ... (if you start from top of file) ...

The points needed in a mod format IMHO should include:
* Mod info, standard format, much similar to the header in the readme.txt format
* Important notes/Mod documentation, stuff like some directories need to have certain permissions etc. Or like in the attachment mod, that post size, packetsize defined in php.ini and my.ini will influence max uploads.
* What files to upload where, when (not time, but more depending on what kind of bb one have ... if there are many variations, in one pack, who knows that odd mods we will come up with... wink)
* hdiffs for the editing in the files works fine by me ...
* SQL info on changes, and why not a link to the uploaded install_mod.php (that really should do the changes)? wink

and ... why not make it look like the rest of PunBB does? smile

  • From: Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Registered: 2002-07-03
  • Posts: 946

Re: Regarding the Mod-ReadMe standard

True... My example does not work that well when having ALOT of information to give. Back to the drawing board!

Do we want to have all the information on one page or can there be several ones? Is the show/hide"-part a good idea or not? (Maybe have different 'boxes' for different databases and so on...)

  • Jansson
  • Former PunBB Developer
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Re: Regarding the Mod-ReadMe standard

I'm not to keen on using javascript. Maybe we should go with a table?