[request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

rathersplendid · 2010-01-26 16:43:43

Like you, I create many Textpattern sites and I generally always use the same, or similar, plugins on each install. I would like to request a plugin that allows me to group together a bunch of plugins and install them all at once, and preferably enable them afterwards if I so choose.

My suggestion would be to create a large text file consisting of a few, or many, individual plugins with specific delimeters, so that this new plugin could determine when an individual plugin’s code starts and stops.

I think it could lead to the creation of plugin sets, for example we could have an SEO set or development set, or admin specific set to name a few.

maniar · 2010-01-26 17:02:18

Interesting Idea although it may or may not not apply to me. +1

But this ‘plugin sets’ worries me a little – could it happen that a set would have a some plugins an individual would never use ?

After years of sticking to a clean – skeleton installation, Drupal is changing to include “commonly used” plugins – unfortunately many I would never use and are a waste of space on my server.

Bloke · 2010-01-26 17:08:14

More importantly, should the plugin manager plugin ever be included in any of the sets, and will the universe collapse if so?

^{stef runs after the space-time continuum with a sticking plaster}

MattD · 2010-01-26 17:14:34

I think a better idea would be to install plugins from a directory. FTP the text files to the directory, run this installer plugin and it imports the plugins. This would allow it to work well with templating.

I don’t think combining plugins into one text file is a good idea. Another alternative may be uploading a zip file that contains mutilple plugin text files.

rathersplendid · 2010-01-26 17:22:03

@Bloke Haha, I had pondered that myself, but my thought would be that you install the ‘Plugin Manager’ (for want of a better term) and then the ‘plugin set(s)’.

maniar wrote:

But this ‘plugin sets’ worries me a little – could it happen that a set would have a some plugins an individual would never use?

I know, it was just a thought and I suppose the best example of what I mean is Firefox’s Add-on Collections. I often stumble upon plugins that make my life easier when developing sites and spend a fair bit of time looking around for them, if these plugins were to be in a ‘set’ already it would make things much easier for developers and new users to Textpattern alike.

rathersplendid · 2010-01-26 17:23:25

@Matt Love those ideas! I only thought of that one way because I thought it would be easier, if a plugin can manage what you suggest, then all the better.

Thanks

Bloke · 2010-01-26 18:04:47

Expanding on Matt’s suggestion, why not just upload the uncompiled PHP files (template format) of the plugins to a dir in your installation, and then set that to be your plugin cache directory in Advanced Prefs? Your plugins are just one FTP away with no need for installation: they’re always “on”.

ied_plugin_composer can export the plugins you use most often in this format (export as .php on the edit pane). You can then organise your own “sets” on your local machine, or on a repo somewhere in web land.

Last edited by Bloke (2010-01-26 18:09:06)

uli · 2010-01-26 19:13:55

Bloke wrote:

why not just upload the uncompiled PHP files (template format) of the plugins to a dir in your installation

Needs some attention, loading a plugin-file like that once stopped another of my plugins from working.

masa · 2010-01-26 19:15:59

Another possible way to achieve this, is to set up a clean local install of Textpattern, install your preferred set of plugins and then export the DB. You can then import that into a fresh installation on the remote server, before doing anything else.

Naturally you can also use this method to bring over a standard set of templates, forms, CSS etc. The fact that it’s all contained in the DB is one of Textpattern’s strengths.

It gets more tricky with an installation that already has content in the DB but you might be able to only import for instance the plugins table; I haven’t tried that though.

jsoo · 2010-01-26 19:24:13

masa wrote:

It gets more tricky with an installation that already has content in the DB but you might be able to only import for instance the plugins table; I haven’t tried that though.

Works fine. You do have to be aware of any plugins that have their own preferences or extra tables, though.

So one solution to the idea of “plugin sets” is simply a txp_plugin dump file.

rathersplendid · 2010-01-26 20:30:54

There must be a more user-friendly way to achieve this, it would be nice to have a solution that even TXP novices can use.

Last edited by rathersplendid (2010-01-26 21:45:20)

jsoo · 2010-01-26 20:54:04

Txp novices are unlikely to need a set of plugins all at once, unless we’re talking about themes, which is another story.

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#1 2010-01-26 16:43:43

[request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#2 2010-01-26 17:02:18

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#3 2010-01-26 17:08:14

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#4 2010-01-26 17:14:34

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#5 2010-01-26 17:22:03

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#6 2010-01-26 17:23:25

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#7 2010-01-26 18:04:47

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#8 2010-01-26 19:13:55

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#9 2010-01-26 19:15:59

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#10 2010-01-26 19:24:13

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#11 2010-01-26 20:30:54

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

#12 2010-01-26 20:54:04

Re: [request] Request for plugin to install multiple plugins at once

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