Post by MarkF » Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:54 pm

Hi everyone,

I'm a little concerned...! :(

I've dived into the code, hacking wherever I need to make some changes (with my limited skills).
I know - I should have made notes on all the changes I made!

When I come to upgrade to a later version, or install some of the great mods contributed, how the heck do I keep track of what I need to do to put all my changes back?

Most of the instructions seem to be "overwrite these files..." - I'm going to undo all I've done!

I guess the same applies when applying a new version over one with mods installed?

Any tips on how best to manage this and minimise effort?

Another thought, is there a standard may of commenting the mods made to core code, e.g. sections of code commented with the mod name & version?
That way you could pick out the mod code and just insert it in the relevant file?

Help!

Thanks
Mark :)

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Post by iloveopencart » Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:13 pm

Hi MarkF,

While I agree that updates to the core every couple of days can be frustrating, I am also glad to see a VERY active and constantly developing application. There's nothing worse than an open source project that becomes stagnant or unresponsive to bug reports and suggestions for improvements.

With that said, I am in the same boat as you. I am making my own modifications and have to redo them every time a new version of OpenCart comes out. Therefore, as you led on to, I document EVERYTHING I change. It takes a little more time, but it's well worth it when you need it. Also, in the modules I've created and posted in the community, I have added comment lines to everything. I know some of the more active contributors have done this as well.

It's also helpful just to read the new forum posts. Often times, Daniel makes 1 bug fix and releases a new version. By reading the forum, you may be able to make the changes yourself instead of downloading again. Personally, I'd like to see Daniel just release "patches" for minor bug fixes and then every now and then release a new version of the whole app with all those patches included. But for now, I've learned how to adapt.

Hope this helps.

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Post by mal-schauen » Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:36 pm

A decent changelog in this forum would help us all.

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Post by iloveopencart » Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:04 am

A decent changelog in this forum would help us all.
That I would agree with 100%!

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Post by Daniel » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:42 am

How to make a change log i have SVN already.

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Post by nde » Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:23 am

I think SVN is enough for a detailed changelog (code). And there's already a static one which is good for new features etc...

And this wouldn't cover the changes you make yourself anyways. A diff tool comes in handy, the best one I've found is Winmerge.

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Post by iloveopencart » Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:03 am

A diff tool comes in handy, the best one I've found is Winmerge.
Thanks, nde, for pointing out this awesome tool. I never heard of it before, but it certainly makes life a lot easier.

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Post by mal-schauen » Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:58 pm

The changelog in the forum should only be kept short. That all the people in short clips to see what files in the current version have been modified or integrated.

I have already pointed out that a traffic light system could be introduced. Then you could for the next version of the improvement proposals to be gradually processed. Everyone then sees what has to be done and how far the progress is gone.

Here are a few ideas on how something might look like:

Proposal 1 (german Joomla-Addon)
Proposal 2
Proposal 3

There are certainly more ideas how you could achieve something. But the most important thing is what you see errors or enhancements in the new version to be integrated.

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Post by MarkF » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:44 am

I think SVN is enough for a detailed changelog (code). And there's already a static one which is good for new features etc...
Sorry, this doesn't mean anything to me!

Is this a list of the actual code changes between versions?
How do I get to it?
While I agree that updates to the core every couple of days can be frustrating, I am also glad to see a VERY active and constantly developing application.
Agreed on both counts - but unless you have a patch for a security issue, why not roll all changes up into a scheduled release (every 2, 3 or 4 weeks?), with bug fixes described as they're done so that you can implement those manually if required before the next scheduled release?

Thanks
Mark :)

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Post by mal-schauen » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:10 pm

But this is now a joke. Now it is once again a new version of Opencart out without a description of the bug fixes or enhancements.

I am Opencart adapt and now once again arranged a version without the changelog. It's really no fun anymore if you do not know whether the next version everything has to be done.

If there is not a solution comes soon, many people from actually very good project Opencart go away. And that's really not the idea behind it.

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Post by tifosi » Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:53 am

mal-schauen wrote:But this is now a joke. Now it is once again a new version of Opencart out without a description of the bug fixes or enhancements.

I am Opencart adapt and now once again arranged a version without the changelog. It's really no fun anymore if you do not know whether the next version everything has to be done.

If there is not a solution comes soon, many people from actually very good project Opencart go away. And that's really not the idea behind it.
I have to agree. It's simply not professional to release a minor/major stream update without an indication of the changes made both to the file and/or table structure.

While it's good the project is so active - one reason I want to use it, it's not good to see the changes not handled well:

1. release announcement on forum - with each minor/major release indicating enhancements & changes and which official bugs resolved.
2. incremental changelog within zip to show changes.

3. Stress any table changes and major functionality changes, that way users can decide if to wait until a major release point to upgrade.

4. development cycle and development path. What's planned for development between 1.2.x and 1.3.x etc. How many if any of the mods developed for 1.1.x & 1.2.x have been / will be integrated into the core. Some should.

5. patch release. If no table changes a release should be available os a file patch.

S

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Post by Daniel » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:25 am

Ok guys just released another version.

you can see the differnces here:

http://code.google.com/p/opencart/source/detail?r=81

I think I'm getting the hang of SVN. Before I was updating on every change. I think its better to wait until the next release then upload the whole script onto SVN.

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Post by MarkF » Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:57 pm

1. release announcement on forum - with each minor/major release indicating enhancements & changes and which official bugs resolved.
2. incremental changelog within zip to show changes.

3. Stress any table changes and major functionality changes, that way users can decide if to wait until a major release point to upgrade.

4. development cycle and development path. What's planned for development between 1.2.x and 1.3.x etc. How many if any of the mods developed for 1.1.x & 1.2.x have been / will be integrated into the core. Some should.

5. patch release. If no table changes a release should be available os a file patch.
This would be ideal, linked in with scheduled releases...

Daniel, I know you've probably got a lot on your plate, but can you start adopting this type of approach?
It would make life so much easier for a lot of people I'm sure - especially if we're juggling core changes, contribution changes & project hacks?
I'm getting lost already! ;)

I'm still in the process of installing 1.2.3 and now 1.2.4 is out and I've no idea if it's worth taking that release or stick with 1.2.3 and even if I take 1.2.4, will 1.2.5 be out in a few hours time? ;)

Thanks
Mark :)

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Post by mal-schauen » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:02 pm

Google Code is shit and totally confusing!

The Chagelog must be published in the Forum and also in the zip file releases each time (Changelog.txt). That is a lot user friendly than this Google Shit.

It isn't really funny.

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Post by tifosi » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:33 pm

Big letters! But the point he's making is somewhat valid. SVN is a developer tool not for the end user setting up or updating their online shop.

It should be for the developer to take the svc changes and create the changelog in end-user format: files changed, sql file to run, functionality changes. Nothing else. Especially NO code to wade through.

It's tough I know, but I speak from 10yrs commercial development experience with a £M product range. There's differences but the principle is the same. From a web standpoint I'm having to think about the same issues with a mature project I've taken over.

In the long run, and with the new OC personnel structure you have, how you plan and release the product should be close to the top of the list. Along with that should be a bugfix list and a strategic functionality developement plan, which also includes mod incorporation into the core.

S
Last edited by tifosi on Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by mal-schauen » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:48 pm

It is, in principle, only by one.
I'm still in the process of installing 1.2.3 and now 1.2.4 is out and I've no idea if it's worth taking that release or stick with 1.2.3 and even if I take 1.2.4, will 1.2.5 be out in a few hours time?
It should not feel attacked. You just never know whether the next version should rewrite everything. Therefore, here it must be written an small Changelog so that you don't must look on any third-party sites.

Otherwise I am of the opinion by MarkF:
1. release announcement on forum - with each minor/major release indicating enhancements & changes and which official bugs resolved.
2. incremental changelog within zip to show changes.

3. Stress any table changes and major functionality changes, that way users can decide if to wait until a major release point to upgrade.

4. development cycle and development path. What's planned for development between 1.2.x and 1.3.x etc. How many if any of the mods developed for 1.1.x & 1.2.x have been / will be integrated into the core. Some should.

5. patch release. If no table changes a release should be available os a file patch.

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Post by mal-schauen » Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:11 am

It should also publish any changes to Opencart! Especially when the language files always strikes me that what has been changed and not in the changelogs was written! >:(

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Post by MarkF » Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:32 pm

so v 1.2.5 is now out and has a considerable number of changes, although we don't know exactly what they all are and which files are affected unless we do something with SVN?.. or have I got this wrong? ???

Don't get me wrong, updates are great, but we're now back to how releases are scheduled and notified to the user base.

This is very frustrating - I just can't spend my life constantly applying changes in case I might need a bug fix or change (even if I knew that they were in that release) and then applying all the other changes - contribs etc.

Sorry, but Daniel - could you PLEASE reply regarding all the posts about how updates are planned and released? There are some really good suggestions being made, but they appear to be falling on deaf ears.

OC has the potential to be a really good product, I want to use it, but this is unmanageable! :(

I'm on the brink and maybe you don't care if I go somewhere else, but my concern is that you'll start to loose other people because of this.. and that isn't what OC deserves.

Mark :(

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Post by mal-schauen » Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:58 am

The really good Opencart project likely to fail the poor support. It's a pity

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