New hacks --- HTL, non, or both?
 

Just something I was wondering about... I'm creating quite a few hacks, and I was wondering if it would be better (to you, the end user; I'm happy either way) if future hacks were HTL-compatible or not.

This is just a quick check to see:

1. Who uses HTL
2. Who likes HTL
3. Who actually reads posts in the lounge (lol)

I'd appreciate it very much if you voted on this. :)

For simple hacks TXT only as this has less overhead, for bigger hacks (eg. thos whioch require seveal templates, phrases, etc.) i'd prefer HTL.

While it is more time consuming i make, or have matt make installers, which we borrowed(asked for permission to use) from Tigga aka Brian.

Its not that i dont like the HTL, its great for early releases and tracking things, but overall it still has a few bugs that make life harder for the end user.

i would NEVER want to see htl only.

I like the idea that HTL is based on. Having a log of all the hacks you have installed and the file changes you have made.

What I don't like is all the redundant features. I think hack authors need to look at installcore.php and upgradecore.php. The vBulletin team never said to delete those and with regard to installing hacks those two files contain the necessary functions to do everything HTL does. I believe Wyane or one of the vBulletin team may have hinted at this.

So I'm with Zachery and I never want to see HTL alone but I don't mind having both.

HTL is actually very very useful for phrases and templates but not neccessarily needed. A HTL version would be nice but definately not required in my eyes. :p As long as there's an installer, I'm good

I used the HTL during it's early days, but in the last upgrade I did - I removed it since I hardly use it anymore. There's hardly any support, I'm not sure if Kura is going to continue developing it any time soon (he's closing down EvB) and not many people seem to be releasing HTL compatible hacks.

It's a great idea, but it's lacking in a few areas..

yeah i used it but it's a dead duck of a product so kinda useless but it was a good dream, manual installer i guess :)

Well we don't allow HTL only modifications here anyway :) You have to provide a txt installer also.

I used to use it, but it has some bugs and limitations that made me restrict using it for only alpha/beta releases where I am just too lazy to make a full installer.

I myself used HTL for awhile untill everyone +++++ed about it so I still use it for myself but I can no longer do HTL only because people complained here about it.

so is HTL dead now or?

TXT updating the only way to go?

I'm saying it's dead. Kura hasn't updated it in ages, and I don't think many, if any, have it installed anymore. It was a good idea, I think is was a bad execution. Either way, I'd say it's dead.

Sorry, but I had to lookup what "HTL" was, so you can probably guess my vote.

A hack that installs hacks - hmm, I don't think I would trust such a thing.

I want to know what changes are being made, so that I can understand what is happening, and tweak them to suit particular needs.

It didn't do file edits and such for you. ;)

Ah, okay, that wasn't obvious from the few posts I read when I did a search. But in that case it seems to be even less useful, as people seem to provide install scripts for bigger hacks anyway. :)

I prefer txt installation !

I voted both because I do have HTL installed, but I hardly use it. However, if there's a hack thats released using HTL, I choose that version.
I do think its a pain that the uninstall function of htl aint there. It makes it harder to actually uninstall hacks (like this ever happens here, but meh :p)

the HTL has been phased out as far as im aware and i am not sure of kura has any plans of updating the HTL at this time.

may i ask what is HTL?

Hack Tracking log, it let you track hacks, what templates they added and changed, as well as querys run, but it never cought on like kura had wanted to for various reasons :)

oh ok, now i remember what HTL is back in the day when it was just vb2.

this was useful especially when upgrading boards. i would like this feature to come back but i doubt anyone would know or even remember to let their hacks log what is being instaled in the database.

the HTL wasnt around for vB2, it was a vB3 only feature.

hmm, i must be thinking of somthing else then.

vBhacker, which hacked files for you, was around for vB2 :)

I voted for Both by accident ><

TXT ALL the way!

txt > htl

HIS > Manuall Installer > TXT > HTL

:)

Txt of course ;)

i want to know exactly what i do and what not ;)
i don't like installers as well ^^

Txt for me too. I installed the HTL used it twice and made a mess of things so ended up doing the hacks the txt way anyway. After that I gave up.

I prefer text too.

Even with installers, I ALWAYS open it up and look at every query to make sure there are no conflicts, bugs or security issues. I suggest everyone does that - too easy for a hacker to insert a backdoor.

was thinking of the hack where it tells you in your admin cp which hacks you installed on your forums. it was for vb2. but it was a hack where you had to put in the info manually.