VB4 and mod backwards compatibility
 

Not wanting to start another OMG!!!! RUN FOR COVER!!!!111!! VB4 thread here, I just have a simple question that can be answered with one of the following:

• Yes
• No
• Unknown

Will VB4 be backwards compatible with existing mods / template hacks, i.e. will it still use the same hook model with the same hooks?

It will not be backwards compatible with templates or template modifications. The entire style it being rewritten from the ground up. Any modification that uses templates will need to be rewritten to use the new variable registration system and template classes. The templates used by modifications will have to be rewritten to use the new template syntax. Any modification that rewrites templates in the cache or during output will most likely fail as well. None of the current 3.X styles will work in vBulletin 4 and will need to be recreated from the beginning.

If your modification doesn't access templates in anyway or create any onscreen output than it will most likely still work.

((sigh...))

The only thing I can say to that response Luke is that vB 4 better have a kick-ass style! I hope the vB 4.0 coders have considered style as well as all the updated/upgraded feature sets. I'm hoping to see a really new, streamlined default style that is not so generic as the (what I like to call) bla-blue...

I'd heard of the new template system and am really looking forward to it - but there's so much difference between the 3.x series and the 4.x series - It's gonna be a mad dash towards updating templates (making compatible anyway), upgrading modifications (for the mod authors) & just so much work... I'm not looking forward to upgrading at all ARG

Jacquii.

this is really gonna be a punch in the gut for a lot of people, huh? Can say for myself that I have kept up with all updates as they are released, but I don't know about VB4, I'll have to wait a bit, and make sure. I have to agree with Jacquii. I hope it dosen't but it looks like this will be a LOT of work for people to change.

After thinking about it for a while and after spending many months learning VB I don't think I'm gonna upgrade to VB4. Too much hassle to relearn things only for them to offer VB4.10 two months later. I also don't like the looks of VB4. I guess I'm kind of a traditionalist when it come to columns and such. The way VB4 is set up, it makes it harder for guest to see how many posts are in each forum-which if there are alot, makes people want to register.

Hmmm - I think a lot of time has been put into making the forum not look like a forum which is a bit counterproductive IMO, as people generally register at forums because it's a forum LOL --- All the talk about tableless styling and css and how tables are so old and blablabla - just seems a bit of nonsense to me. I think the 4.0 series is gonna be sweet to those just implementing vBulletin into their site - I think it's gonna be too much of a task to deal with for your average vB license holder of 3.6.x, 3.7.x and/or 3.8.x versions.

On an interesting note - It may be quite a lucrative time for vBulletin freelancers to rake in cash upgrading themes LOL

((opinion based on Luke's post: None of the current 3.X styles will work in vBulletin 4 and will need to be recreated from the beginning...))

Jacquii.

Yes this is going to be a lot of work.... but if there are major improvements in performance/function it's all good with me. I have a feeling many many sites are going to be running 3.x for a long time, so many sites have removed the version number already to keep people from knowing they are already very outdated without major changes.

I'm worried about upgrading too mostly cause of server usage