To 4.6 and beyond ...

hcgtv · 2015-07-05 15:51:55

Thinking, pondering, what to do?

Using and testing 4.6dev, especially the Admin Layout Update branch, I can’t wait to run it live.

Which brings me to when and if to release a 4.6. The major changes in store are Admin Layout Update, Unlimited Custom Fields, and the proposed Themes implementation.

My thinking is why not release a 4.6 with the Admin Layout Update, throw in Themes, so we can begin in earnest to create Themes. Then move the Unlimited Custom Fields to let’s say a 4.7 release later on.

For me, having the tag builder go bye-bye, and the admin side supporting the same form name across multiple Themes, would be most excellent.

Now that’s just me, I’d love to hear what you think, because I’d hate to blow the rest of this year waiting for Themes to become a reality.

Bloke · 2015-07-05 16:30:48

Once I commit this custom fields thing to a new branch, I’ll be free to start on Themes. I can probably knock out basic (Page/Form/Style) Themes this week. Can you wait that long?

hcgtv · 2015-07-05 18:16:01

Bloke wrote #292594:

Once I commit this custom fields thing to a new branch, I’ll be free to start on Themes. I can probably knock out basic (Page/Form/Style) Themes this week. Can you wait that long?

Sure, all I really need is the new admin layout coupled with rudimentary Themes, and I can start testing it by actually creating Themes, if it’s a go, I’ll use the build to start making Mucho Themos.

As to what you release next, then that’s up to you, I just didn’t want to lose momentum at this point.

philwareham · 2015-07-06 08:50:49

I will continue the admin layouts update soon.

Been juggling a few different Textpattern things – but I want to get the documentation site repo to a point where other people can work on it first, as there is some momentum right now from users to help out on that part of the project. I will then look at the admin layouts again.

Regarding the release of 4.6 – we probably were a bit ambitious with all the changes we envisioned for this release (with the best intentions) and in hindsight it might have been better to release sooner with smaller updates, but we have committed to a substantial change in the underpinnings of the code which is now half way through, so it would be difficult to release until that part is finished off more (i.e., the vendors directory, OOP model, comment blocks, etc.).

After we have this mammoth update out the door I hope the team would be able to move to a more frequent, minor update, schedule.

hcgtv · 2015-07-06 09:44:11

philwareham wrote #292621:

Regarding the release of 4.6 – we probably were a bit ambitious with all the changes we envisioned for this release (with the best intentions) and in hindsight it might have been better to release sooner with smaller updates, but we have committed to a substantial change in the underpinnings of the code which is now half way through, so it would be difficult to release until that part is finished off more (i.e., the vendors directly, OOP model, comment blocks, etc.).

Phil, there’s 84 issues on GitHub, how many of those have to be resolved to ship 4.6?

Are there any personal todo lists that you and Stef have that aren’t reflected on GitHub?

I’m just trying to get an idea of what needs to be done, where I or anyone else with some time can lend a hand.

Bloke · 2015-07-06 10:16:45

hcgtv wrote #292630:

there’s 84 issues on GitHub, how many of those have to be resolved to ship 4.6?

Some are trivial to implement and could easily be done via Pull Request from anyone with a modicum of PHP knowledge. Others aren’t much more complicated. Here’s a list of eminently “doable” low-hanging fruit:

~~466 fairly easy to add the one line. Just pick a callback name based on other callbacks around the patch.~~ Done.
~~485 fairly easy to do.~~ Done.
~~424 just needs some thought and testing.~~ Done.
414 can probably be closed, but requires confirmation from those running MySQL 5.6+ that it all works.
412 is grunt work. Pretty much all done, but I’d add documentation (DocBlock) to this issue and close 278. Improving docs is something anybody can do via PR. Sublime Text has a DocBlockr plugin which works brilliantly for automatically adding docs to functions and helping them being filled out correctly in just a few keystrokes.
398 is a potential performance improvement, just requires testing.
352 is done in admin-layout-update branch. Feedback welcome.
345 is vital. As a halfway house, we could try mysqli instead. Might be worth a punt, and should be simple for anyone to at least try it out.
~~265 needs testing.~~ Done.
166 needs testing.

Last edited by Bloke (2015-07-08 23:09:05)

hcgtv · 2015-07-06 11:31:35

In the next few days, I’ll have a stab at some of the low hanging fruit.

Do you have a roadmap, something in your head that says, I have to finish this, this and this for a stable 4.6 RC ?

I’m just alluding to what Phil said about being halfway through major core code changes, what are those changes?

With this information, I have a better grasp of where we’re heading in order to setup up test environments.

Bloke · 2015-07-06 12:07:01

hcgtv wrote #292639:

In the next few days, I’ll have a stab at some of the low hanging fruit.

Brilliant, thanks.

Do you have a roadmap, something in your head that says, I have to finish this, this and this for a stable 4.6 RC ?

Of sorts, in no particular order:

Admin layout update, with suitable UI for the tag builders. Prefs panel improvements included. Integration with the help system would be a bonus, along with more complete Textpack translations.
Reducing reliance on the RPC server, packaging up help locally for distribution if possible. Pophelp improvements to go along with this. Requires community involvement to get stray help files translated.
Basic themes support, now I have a clear idea of how to do it. Templates and Packages (the extensions to Themes you proposed) can appear in subsequent 4.6 point releases. Basic themes slated for inclusion this week, providing no major interruptions.
The improved Ruud/etc parser and associated speed optimisations.
Squash mysql_*() deprecated errors, even with a temporary fix like using mysqli_*() instead.
Given that MLP is not going to work under 4.6 (and it’d be a real headache to make it compatible), some mechanism to allow a proper multi-lingual plugin to appear, or better internationalisation support baked into core. Without this, people with MLP sites won’t be able to upgrade.
Given how long it took me to get the first commit done, unless there’s significant community involvement in the custom-fields branch, that might wait. Or it may be that we get Article fields done for 4.6.0 with a suitable glz_cf migration plugin available, and then roll out CFs across other content types in subsequent point releases.
Finishing the object code as much as makes sense (/vendors directory), although that’s a little above my pay grade right now so it’d be better if someone else could do that.
Any outstanding bugs on the issue tracker.

Nice to haves, probably only if we have benevolent code contributions from the community:

Image grid (see tom_image_grid plugin, which I’d like to steal parts of for core)…
… which leads to improved image insertion in the Write panel.

All subject to change, addition, removal.

candyman · 2015-07-06 13:30:49

Glad to hear that glz_custom_fieds and tom_image_grid could be included: I use both.
Anyway, many people likes txp fat-free philosophy: what’s the advantage to add plugin into the core?
To make their future development safer regardless their authors?

philwareham · 2015-07-06 13:42:21

candyman wrote #292643:

what’s the advantage to add plugin into the core?

Which plugins exactly?

candyman · 2015-07-06 13:45:31

Maybe I didn’t understand well: I thought that new template, image and unlimited custom fields features would be added in the core.

philwareham · 2015-07-06 13:49:45

They are to be added. They are long overdue core features IMO. They shouldn’t be left to a potentially orphaned plugin (i.e., glz_custom_fields).

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#1 2015-07-05 15:51:55

To 4.6 and beyond ...

#2 2015-07-05 16:30:48

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

#3 2015-07-05 18:16:01

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

Bloke wrote #292594:

#4 2015-07-06 08:50:49

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

#5 2015-07-06 09:44:11

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

philwareham wrote #292621:

#6 2015-07-06 10:16:45

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

hcgtv wrote #292630:

#7 2015-07-06 11:31:35

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

#8 2015-07-06 12:07:01

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

hcgtv wrote #292639:

#9 2015-07-06 13:30:49

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

#10 2015-07-06 13:42:21

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

candyman wrote #292643:

#11 2015-07-06 13:45:31

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

#12 2015-07-06 13:49:45

Re: To 4.6 and beyond ...

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