Administrative and Maintenance Tools - Template Modification System

Template Modification System
Description
This modification allows easy management of template modifications.
Hack authors can define the necessary template modifications for their products.
When exporting a product, all template modifications assigned to this product
in MASTER style will be embedded into the product XML and imported on the
end-user vBulletin installation automatically if TMS is available.
Alternatively, it is also possible to create separate XML files for template modifications.
This way, 3rd parties can provide Template-Modification XML files for existing hacks.
Hack authors can also export standard template modification instructions as
textfiles to package them with their hacks, which allows users that do not
have TMS to also install them

In case the author defined modifications do not work (eg. the user uses a custom style),
the users can easily customize the modifications for their style(s).

TMS modified templates transparently, e.g. all Templates can still be modified
manually in style manager - they will appear unchanged there.


System Requirements
This Modification requires MySQL 4.1 or higher - it does not work with MySQL 4.0!
If you use MySQL 4.1 series, MySQL 4.1.10 or higher is required
If you use MySQL 5.0 series, MySQL 5.0.3 or higher is required
TMS 1.2.0 Beta 1 or higher requires vBulletin 4.1.5 or higher

vBulletin Compatibility
Versions up to and including 1.1.5 are compatible with vBulletin 3.6.X, 3.7.X and 3.8.X
Version 1.1.5 is partly compatible with vBulletin 4.0.X and 4.1.X
Version 1.2.0 Beta 1 or higher is compatible with vBulletin 4.1.5 or higher
vBulletin 4.1.11 or higher is currently not fully supported by TMS. If you use this version please apply the following patch: tms_patch120b4.zip

Branding:
Please note that TMS puts a small branding/copyright notice in footer - see readme.txt for further details.

Version History
1.2.0 Beta 4

• Bugfix: Database error when trying to add a template modification (this bug was introduced in TMS 1.2.0 Beta 3)

1.2.0 Beta 3

• Changed: Converted hardcoded text to phrases
• New Feature: Added doubleclick for editing style variables
• Bugfix: Database error when trying to add a template modification with an existing varname to a different style
• Changed: Fixed formatting of templateedits.php
• Bugfix: Fixed erors when manually modifying a template with template modifications

1.2.0 Beta 2

• Bugfix: Fixed errors in style variable editing code

1.2.0 Beta 1

• Changed: Ported to vBulletin 4.1
• New Feature: If an error occurs while trying to compile a template this error is now being disaplayed when trying to save the template modification
• New Feature: Styles variables used in templates can be edited via AJAX from the modify template screen

1.1.5

• Fixed Bug: Fixed incorrect variable type
• New Feature: Box 'Template-Modifications' (shown on editing a template) can now be collapsed/expanded

1.1.4

• Fixed Bug: Fixed HTML error/XSS in Template Modifications Manager

1.1.3

• Fixed Bug: Added missing phrase on ACP home

1.1.1

• Fixed Bug: Fixed Error with conflicting Template Modifications when importing a product
• Fixed Bug: Removed Pre-Selection of processing mode when adding new modifications
• Fixed Bug: Fixed Bug with zlib.output_compression AND vBulletin internal gzip being both turned on
• Fixed Bug: Display search results correctly
• Fixed Bug: Added missing phrase 'varname_x_already_exists'
• New Feature: Automatically rebuild template modifications after vBulletin Upgrade

1.0.0

• Changed: Several files renamed
• Fixed Bug: Fixed incorrect handling of product ids that contain only numbers
• New Feature: Search text can be search in template when editing a Template-Modification in Style Manager
• Changed: Multiple Template-Modifications can be loaded via AJAX
• First Release on vBulletin.org

1.0.0 RC 1

• Fixed Bug: All Bugs reported for Beta 4 have been fixed
• Changed: Display of modified Templates with HTML comments has been modified
• Changed: Debug-Mode is no longer required
• New Feature: It is now possible to export/import style-specific Template-Modifications

1.0.0 Beta 4

• Fixed Bug: All Bugs reported for Beta 3 have been fixed
• Changed: Sorting in Template Modifications Manager has been changed
• New Feature: When adding or editing a Template-Modification, the Template can now be displayed and searched via AJAX
• Changed: When exporting as Text, the original instructions (eg. insert below/above) are retained
• New Feature: It is now possible to test each Template-Modification
• New Feature: Testing improved. It is now being display if a Template is OK after applying a Template Modification
• New Feature: When editing a Template, it is possible to activate/deactvate multiple Template-Modifications
• New Feature: Template-Modifications can now also be exported and tested from withing Product Manager
• New Feature: Function to display a template with all Modifications applied.
  This function can also display embedded comments to make it easier to identify changed parts

1.0.0 Beta 3

• Fixed Bug: All Bugs reported for Beta 2 have been fixed
• New Feature: Simplified adding Template-Modifications by allowing to select how to handle replacement text (eg. replace or insert above/below)
• New Feature: Each Template-Modification can now be disabled
• Changed: Testing Template-Modifications has been reworked:
  Column ordering can now be set through vBulletin Options; column headers are clickable to sort results
  Output has been separated by styles
  It is now possible to test only selcted products
• New Feature: TMS now integrates with 'Style Manager' and 'Product Manager'
• New Feature: The language can be selected when exporting Template-Modifications
• New Feature: Weh TMS gets deactivated, all Template-Modifications will be deactivated too
• New Feature: Display of Template-Modifications while editing a Template in Style Manager has been improved:
  It is now being display if a Template-Modification could be applied
  Template-Modifications can be edited via AJAX

1.0.0 Beta 2
First public Beta

[Hawaiian-TV]

You should never ever modify templates in MASTER style (unless they are templates of a product you are deveoping).

Voila' ... the modifications were done on all templates. I was impressed!

I thought that was the point: Modify only the MASTER template manually, and all your other style templates are automatically modified along with that template ... and revertable back with a single button click? At least it would make sense to me that that is the way it would or should work.

You can't 'uninstall' templates vir product manager, only producst?

Yes, I know you can't uninstall templates via the product manager but what I said is that I went to uninstall a "product" (also called "add-ons") that required manual template edits. Those required manual template edits for that product were done on the MASTER template using the TMS system and when I hit the Revert button, they didn't revert, as the button seems to indicate, ... it's very misleading.

If you manually modified a template in MASTER style, TMS won't ever revert those changed - as it has nothing to do with the modifications anyway.

What do you MEAN "it has nothing to do with the modifications anyway"? I modified only the MASTER template! .. and TMS then modified all my other templates the way I modified the MASTER template.... so it has EVERYTHING to do with the modifications, "anyway". Then I don't understand the purpose of this product. Please explain again what it does?

It is clearly stated in the readme.txt that TMS puts a branding in the footer.

Oops! You're right. It didn't say however that the branding would be in German and also doesn't say this on this Modifications Forum in this thread. Please add it to the sticky description at the top of each page here so people won't miss it.

There is no reason for such action; TMS runs fine on dozens of production sites.

Please then also publish a manual for TMS that shows in detail how to use it. I'm very confused about what this product really does (except for making it super easy to ruin all your templates in seconds at the single click of a button and wind up with German footers at the bottom of EVERY PAGE you didn't think you had to read about in the readme.txt file because such things are important enough that you'd expect them to have to be in a LARGE BOLD PRINT "NOTE:" right on the description page).

All I can say is, this product wasted about 8 hours of my time today because I had to restore a whole database from a couple of days ago because of using this product. Good thing I had backups. CAUTION: IF YOU USE TMS, KEEP BACKUPS OF YOUR SITE... AND WAIT UNTIL FULL DISCLOSURE IS MADE ON THIS PRODUCT ON THE DESCRIPTION PAGE and a MANUAL IS PUBLISHED first on how to use it properly or I still recommend it be retired immediately to the Product Graveyard.

Thanks for the fast response. I hope you fix this soon, if it does what I tried to make it do, I would like to use it!

Computerman

[Ingress]

Originally Posted by Hawaiian-TV

CAUTION: IF YOU USE TMS, KEEP BACKUPS OF YOUR SITE

Making backups before any such edit is mandatory. Any modification is tested and installed three times until it is finally live on my site:

1. I install it on a local copy and test installation, deinstallation, template edits and so on
2. I install it on a live copy (testforum) and let selected users (usually the staff) test the new functionality and documention I created or adapted thoroughly.
3. I install the mod in my live environment

I don't like my site being a beta-test-area for anything so these steps almost guarantee that nothing will go wrong with my live site as nobody else can and will since you cannot predict how a mod will act on your site with probably some other mods.

From that point of view I can't understand why this mod should go to the mod-graveyard. It's up to the site-admin to prevent problems with his live environment.

Kind regards,

Ingress

[Icy]

@Hawaiian-TV - Installs: 359! Assuming 300 people are using this (including me) Nobody got any complain against the HOW TO instructions & the modification description but you. The product didn't waste your 8 hours, you did! Never mind but your words sound like more ordering than requesting.

[phenom21]

can u use this on 3.6.8

[dartho]

can u use this on 3.6.8

Yes I have it running on a 3.6.8PL2 and 3.7 Beta 4

[baz_kingfish]

I uploaded all of the respective files and installed your product on vBulletin 3.6.8, and it seemed to install ok. However, when I go into the "Templates Modifications Manager" and select "Add Template Modification" from the drop down list for my "Default Style"... nothing happens! I get a little yellow yeild sign with "page error" in the bottom left corner of my browser...that's it?

I can and did, however, upload the Welcome Message XML through the "Up/Download Template Modifications" link and that appears to be working correctly in my forum.

Any idea why the "Add Template Modification" function is not working?

Please advise,
KF

[baz_kingfish]

Originally Posted by Andreas

Try the attached JS file.
I'll also update the package later.

Well, you must not have updated the "package" download yet. I found this fix and implemented it. All seems to be working now, and I successfully made my first manual update. You may want to update the download to save future users the grief of alot of reading through this thread!

Thanks,
KF

[Andreas]

Originally Posted by Hawaiian-TV

Yes, I know you can't uninstall templates via the product manager but what I said is that I went to uninstall a "product" (also called "add-ons") that required manual template edits.

If you are uninstalling a product that requires manual template modifications, you must manually undo those when you uninstall it.
Template Modifications for a certein product/addon done through TMS should be automatically undone when you uninstall ist

Those required manual template edits for that product were done on the MASTER template using the TMS system

This sounds confusing to me.
As already stated, you should never-ever manually modify MASTER templates!

[quote]when I hit the Revert button, they didn't revert, as the button seems to indicate, ... it's very misleading.[/COLOR][/COLOR]
When exactly did you click Revert?

• If it was in some style (not MASTER) in Style Manager, the template will revert to the inherited template (which might be the MASTER template or a template customized in a parent style
• If it was in MASTER style in Style Manager the template will be deleted (as there is nothing left to revert to)
• If it was in some style (not MASTER!) in Template Modifications Manager, the template modification will revert to the inherited template modification (which might be the MASTER template modification or a template modification customized in a parent style
• If it was in MASTER style in Template Modifications Manager, the template modification will be deleted (as there is nothing left to revert to)

Then I don't understand the purpose of this product. Please explain again what it does?

It does modify the templates before the are saved in compiled state.

Please add it to the sticky description at the top of each page here so people won't miss it.

Erledigt.

[baz_kingfish]

Originally Posted by Andreas

This sounds confusing to me.
As already stated, you should never-ever manually modify MASTER templates!

That being the case, why do you even ALLOW modification of MASTER templates in the TMS system? Furthermore, why does the respective drop down list default to "MASTER". I accidentally made a minor mod to a master template even though I had selected "Add Mod..." in the drop down on the line that said "Default Templates". Somehow, the mod showed up in the TMS on BOTH the MASTER and Default. If it is that big of a deal, you should certainly NOT make the drop downs default to MASTER. Makes no sense...

Just my 2 cents...
KF

[Andreas]

You should not manually modify MASTER templates; adding template modifications in TMS to MASTEr style is fine.