Jefsoft planning plugin support
 

Sounds like Jelsoft is getting the message regarding the current lack of support for extensions:

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showpost.php?p=717720

I would guess that the new release will at least provide addon/hack support for:

1) Import of phrases from XML
2) Import of AdminCP nav panel/settings/settinggroups from XML
3) Import of new templates from XML
4) Hopefully, a little support in functions_online.php so that every extension has to hack that file, but would only have to set a few global variables that would be noticed in functions_online.php

It would be a dream to do those 4 little things you mentioned ;)

Yup. It would be a help for sure. The more we encourage extensibility of vBulletin through:

1. Easy to use extension tools/API/SDK
2. Upgrade-safe tools/API/SDK

the more products we should see for vBulletin and, perhaps as important, less work and headaches for administrators.

I would guess that vBulletin is currently working on the delivery of extensions (hacks, mod's, templates, ... not sure what they mean by "plugin") in more than one file:

hack_name.php and/or hack_name.xml.

I could live with that, although I would prefer the more innovative approach of single-source file delivery. I surehope they are not looking at requiring many files for an extension, such as:

hack_name.php, hack_name_templates.xml, hack_name_phrases.xml, and so on

Cheers

I genuinely don't see Jelsoft implementing any kind of plugin API in vBulletin3 at all. The way the code is done means you have to edit it. There's no facilities anywhere to plugnplay as is the idea behind extensions :)

This is only true precisely because Jelsoft has yet to provide extension support. There is no good reason for it to remain this way. There is nothing inherent in the use of PHP or the implementation of vBulletin that would preclude decent extension suppport.

My sense is that they understand how disfunctional the current approach is and that they are planning for support that would not require hacking code for many types of hacks, or at least, for the most common features of hacks (i.e., admincp, phrases, settings, options, templates).

This is not difficult to accomplish. Other software does it. Systems have been dealing with and solving extensibility issues for decades. All the various solutions move contributors away from having to change the installed code base.

sounds great, i actually just made something where the integration requires no modding of files, other than adding a page to the admincp

I would really like to see more extensibility for the use of modifications such as those found here, especially if / when Jelsoft starts getting into the CMS / Gallery / whatever business.