2005-02-06, 03:45 AM
For the most part, the current method of distributing a plugin involves creating a zip file containing the directory structure relative to the gbpvr directory, and then having the user unzip into the gbpvr directory.
Not that this is an overly complex process, but I thought it might be nice if we had a more formalized way to allow the user to setup a plugin.
I created a console application that is named "setup.exe". Â It reads from a manifest file (setup.xml) that contains a sequence of commands that are executed. Â Because it's named "setup.exe", a user can run it right from Winzip, which will extract all files in the archive to a temporary directory first.
In the initial version, the only command recognized is "copy" (for copying a file in your distribution to a source destination).
Destination paths can contain directory tokens, so you can copy a file to the GBPVR directory ($INSTALLDIR), plugins directory ($PLUGINSDIR), and active skin directory ($ACTIVESKINDIR) without worrying about creating the directory structure in your zip.
Details and the source code can be found here:
http://www.bladerhq.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...ingPlugins
For enhancements, I can see adding an action to insert information into config.xml. Â I welcome anyone else to come up with additional actions.
I can also see a GUI front-end created to assist the developer in creating the manifest file, and maybe even creating the entire distribution zip file.
Not that this is an overly complex process, but I thought it might be nice if we had a more formalized way to allow the user to setup a plugin.
I created a console application that is named "setup.exe". Â It reads from a manifest file (setup.xml) that contains a sequence of commands that are executed. Â Because it's named "setup.exe", a user can run it right from Winzip, which will extract all files in the archive to a temporary directory first.
In the initial version, the only command recognized is "copy" (for copying a file in your distribution to a source destination).
Destination paths can contain directory tokens, so you can copy a file to the GBPVR directory ($INSTALLDIR), plugins directory ($PLUGINSDIR), and active skin directory ($ACTIVESKINDIR) without worrying about creating the directory structure in your zip.
Details and the source code can be found here:
http://www.bladerhq.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...ingPlugins
For enhancements, I can see adding an action to insert information into config.xml. Â I welcome anyone else to come up with additional actions.
I can also see a GUI front-end created to assist the developer in creating the manifest file, and maybe even creating the entire distribution zip file.
JasonF