Mods and their installation instructions

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by acidburn0520

Are we required to ZIP our XML products? I didn't know that -- if so, what's the point? Why would you zip just 1 file with a negligible reduction in filesize, to boot.

I'm not sure if it ever got incorporated into written rules, but it was changed last year such that you could upload one file only for a mod (be it txt/xml/php/zip etc), so if the mod needed more than one file it had to be a zip, otherwise it could be a single xml etc file.

I used to upload single product xml files (partly because I had no winzip at work) but now I tend to always zip them as some people cannot work out how to download an xml file properly (and I have winzip at work now ).

[corn dog]

I agree. When I registered for vBulletin I was totally confused because I could not figure out where the templates are :P

[amykhar]

Honestly, I don't release my mods for novice users. I write code that I need and I put a little effort into documenting it and packaging it for others to use. I could care less about install counts or titles. My goal is simply to share code with others who have shared code with me. It's not, I'm sorry to say, to share code with anybody who owns vbulletin. The level of support required to make modifications suitable for all is just too much to expect from somebody for free.

Ideally, coders could limit access to their more difficult mods to fellow coders to prevent the frustration novices feel when they run into problems using code that is beyond their abilities.

Until that happens, the responsibility falls on the end user to figure out how to use modifications posted here. Peer support is available if you have questions, and there is a plethora of information on installing mods, running queries, etc.

[kall]

Originally Posted by westpointer

I think one of the mods he struggled with is my mod AboutToday. I try hard to make the install simple and the instructions clear but appeared to have failed for him. I'd be curious to have other's look at my install instructions and tell me how they could be improved.

I just had a look..

abouttoday.php
includes/class.csv.php
includes/class_abouttoday.php
includes/plugin_abouttoday.php
includes/xml/bitfield_abouttoday.xml
includes/xml/cpnav_abouttoday.xml
admincp/abouttodayadmin.php

Seems very straightforward to me.

[Damian]

Originally Posted by amykhar

Ideally, coders could limit access to their more difficult mods to fellow coders to prevent the frustration novices feel when they run into problems using code that is beyond their abilities.

What would be ideal about this?
I have not released any code here so I do not have a "Coder" title. Your ideal solution would prevent me from downloading hacks which I am more then capable of installing, modifying or changing to fit my needs.
I also happen to believe the majority of members here are just like me, more then capable to install hacks and do not require much support, if any at all.

Originally Posted by amykhar

.... the responsibility falls on the end user to figure out how to use modifications posted here. Peer support is available if you have questions, and there is a plethora of information on installing mods, running queries, etc.

I completly agree. Why is there not a area for coders to release hacks that are unsupported, and stated so in the forum description?

[Freesteyelz]

I think hacks should (also) be categorized by Unsupported and Supported.

Originally Posted by amykhar

Ideally, coders could limit access to their more difficult mods to fellow coders to prevent the frustration novices feel when they run into problems using code that is beyond their abilities.

It seems to be (by way of reading between the lines of your post) that the frustrations come mostly from the authors' rather than the users. Give a bit of credit and let the users decide if it's difficult or not. Better yet, implement a difficulty rating system, which can be selected by the author while setting up the first post, such as:

Level: Beginners
Level: Moderate
Level: Advanced
Level: Don't even bother...

There are many users here, novice to advanced, who are willing to learn if given the opportunity.

[Kirk Y]

Originally Posted by Paul M

I'm not sure if it ever got incorporated into written rules, but it was changed last year such that you could upload one file only for a mod (be it txt/xml/php/zip etc), so if the mod needed more than one file it had to be a zip, otherwise it could be a single xml etc file.

I used to upload single product xml files (partly because I had no winzip at work) but now I tend to always zip them as some people cannot work out how to download an xml file properly (and I have winzip at work now ).

I never figured that a user wouldn't know how to "Save Target as" the XML the file -- nobody has complained thus far about not being able to download, but I do see your point.

[Roms]

With products, plugins, and very few code edits these days I really can't see a need for levels. Members who aren't very computer literate shouldn't even try to hack their vB's until they get a grasp for how things work... If they do they don't have anyone to blame but themselves..

No matter how well you write instuctions some people still won't understand what to do... There is only so much you can "spell out". If someone doesn't understand how to run queries, ftp files, write simple HTML it can be like reading another language...

[Ohiosweetheart]

Originally Posted by Freesteyelz

Hehe. Well the flip-side of it is that if the instructions were clear enough, you wouldn't get the redundant questions on the how-to.

AAAAAAAAAMEN to that!

Originally Posted by Ntfu2

I think its a better idea for noobies to learn vBulletin better so you can understand the hard to follow instructions.

and how do you propose they do that if they don't have good instructions to follow? Learning vBulletin comes from experience. Not having clear instructions is frustrating. You were a brand new vB user at one time, remember?

Originally Posted by j1mmy

The only way you cant learn it, is by getting a good set of instructions a few times, and then next time you will know what to do without needing such a detialed set.

Exactly

Originally Posted by kall

I agree here. It shouldn't be the job of the coder to teach people the utter basics of vBulletin.

Noone is saying it's the coders job to teach anyone anything. But creating a modification, then offering a set of CLEAR install instructions (especially if it's more detailed than just a xml upload and one or two template changes) is just common sense.

Originally Posted by Freesteyelz

I think hacks should (also) be categorized by Unsupported and Supported.

Absolutely agree

Originally Posted by Freesteyelz

.........implement a difficulty rating system, which can be selected by the author while setting up the first post, such as:

Level: Beginners
Level: Moderate
Level: Advanced
Level: Don't even bother...

There are many users here, novice to advanced, who are willing to learn if given the opportunity.

EXCELLENT. I've said this before in another thread. phpBB has their hack/mods database set up this way. In that respect (their hack/mod database), they are FAR ahead of vB.