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Slimmed down release.
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pugdog
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Sep 27, 2004, 6:51 PM

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Slimmed down release.	Can't Post

I needed to make some choices to get this released, now, and not later.

1) Cookies are dropped from this version, so if you are running with cookies, don't upgrade yet.

2) Requires a logged in user. This is unavoidable, since tying the list to a user is necessary some how.

3) Cookies are problematic, since many "cleaner" programs are telling users to delete their cookies, and some don't preserve "valid" sites properly in the clean up.

4) Import routines are *not* ready, but if you know SQL, you can modify the tables easily from the SQL monitor. Just back up your database before doing it. Table names need to be changed, and a few fields need to be added, but the *easiest* thing is really to just install the new plugin, copy the data from the old tables to the new ones. Since people have most likely made changes to their default installs, the import routines were flakey, and it's over kill to use the GT upgrade routines for this little thing. The released version will include some sample SQL code to do the "upgrades/imports" from your old tables. You can enter it via SQL Man, preferably via MySQLMan, not the Links Admin.

Ok, that said, once this is out, I'll trim out the cookie routines from Andy's program, and we'll offer that as a separate program, rather than trying to put them into one program. It will save a lot of overhead and maintennance issues.

Also, the next release of the SQL version, will *hopefully* have an import routine for a users cookies, so you'll be able to offer a user a choice to upgrade. You could run both on your site, with a simple template tag, and at most one more field in the User table. Users could upgrade as they logged on, and you could phase out new users of cookies, or offer the cookies version to non-members, and the advanced version to members.

I just want to get this out! Have much, much more coming behind it.

pugdog
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Sep 27, 2004, 6:55 PM

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Re: [pugdog] Slimmed down release. [In reply to]	Can't Post

BTW... I was starting to drive myself crazy with the cookie options, as you'll see, so pulling that stuff out, and not having to test for cookies vs sql, etc slims down both start up and running code, as we'll as memory overhead.

*MOST* (perhaps 99%) of sites will want/need to run the SQL version, anyway.

jag
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Sep 28, 2004, 2:19 AM

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Re: [pugdog] Slimmed down release. [In reply to]	Can't Post

I agree Pugdog, It does actually create a fair amount of support issues with the cookies, with issues that sometimes don't even get back to you because people just don't tell you what went wrong and go elsewhere when the cookie system doesn't work for them. It seems to me that the SQL version is far more capable of supplying error feedback whereas the cookie version (where a cookie has been wiped for example) will most probably just leave the user stranded. And if the streamlined version is faster, uses less resources and available sooner, why complain and actually I'm really looking forward to it !

John

pugdog
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Sep 28, 2004, 11:21 AM

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Re: [jag] Slimmed down release. [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi,

I'm cleaning it up now, and hope to have it out shortly, for bug reports <G> There always are initial bugs, as people use the program in a way we never did.

Looking at the tables, importing Andy's program should be fairly easy, and that support will probably be enabled before release.

Looking at the MyLinks_DB program, you can see the fields line up:

Code

MyLinks_Viewable      MyFavLinks_Viewable    
MyLinks_Rating        MyFavLinks_Rating      
MyLinks_Count         MyFavLinks_Count       
MyLinks_Per_Page      MyFavLinks_Per_Page    
MyLinks_Grouping      MyFavLinks_Grouping    
MyLinks_Ordering      MyFavLinks_Ordering    
MyLinks_Order         MyFavLinks_Order       
MyLinks_Font          MyFavLinks_Font        
MyLinks_Title         MyFavLinks_Title       
                      MyFavLinks_Save_Type

Pretty well.

The reason for upgrading/changing the fields is to prevent problems later on, with upgrades. By changing the names of the fields, it will cut confusion as to what plugin is running.

I still think it's "safer" to install the new program, and copy the data over, and delete the columns you don't need, but you'd also be able to do:

ALTER TABLE lsql_Users CHANGE MyLinks_Viewable MyFavLinks_Viewable INTEGER;

Where you list the table, old column name, new column name, and column type.

Doing this during the install/upgrade can cause issues that may not be recoverable.... It's cool, but I think the problems far outweigh the benefits for this sort of trivial application.

jag
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Sep 30, 2004, 8:16 AM

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Re: [pugdog] Slimmed down release. [In reply to]	Can't Post

Just wondering whether the slimmed version is close to release, 'cos I'm really looking forward to a test drive Wink

John

jag
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Sep 30, 2004, 3:08 PM

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Re: [pugdog] Slimmed down release. [In reply to]	Can't Post

Just read your post on GT about the fine-tuning. Hope you get it all ironed out without too many worries and yes I know your code is good stuff Wink

. That's why we're so happy to invest in your work Smile

John

pugdog
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Oct 2, 2004, 6:40 AM

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Re: [jag] Slimmed down release. [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yeah, I'm still fine tuning, creating the .tar file is not as easy as it would seem, have to go through the Links interface, or things don't work right for some reason.

Collecting the templates now, and trying to figure out what to change in them to make them plug-n-play on most sites.

Also, seeing if I can integrate the import of Andys progam into this release, since it should be fairly simple. The hard work has been done, it's mostly clean up at this point.

I've also started work on the DVD/Book script again, wishlist, and an improved version of the AllPosters import scripts, as well as an OEM version of the poster site, with a bunch of pre-installed modified plugins, as well as the plug-in version add on to an existing site. Amazon is finalizing the 4.0 version of their AWS this week, so hopefully, that will be the platform it's built on.

Also, trying to modularize all the cool tweaks I've made over the years -- some I don't even remember making, but I'm finding in my globals and plugin files.... I think most of them were responses to forum posts, I tested out and forgot about.

The final "test" of the program is if I can install it on my http://posterlist.com site, and have it run as a wishlist with only minor changes to the templates, and no code changes. If so, it can be released :)

jag
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Oct 2, 2004, 8:24 AM

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Re: [pugdog] Slimmed down release. [In reply to]	Can't Post

I had a look at the site http://posterlist.com. I saw a link to a site called girlfriends.com and it is very pretty and the mods look really impressive. Quite nicely thought through with regards to the way LinkSQL and the other GT products interact ! But hey you guys do interact pretty well with a lot of GT proucts Wink

.

John

PS : still can't wait to test drive your new 'born' plug-in Wink

pugdog
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Oct 2, 2004, 4:10 PM

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Re: [jag] Slimmed down release. [In reply to]	Can't Post

Girlfriends.com is a joint venture between Gossamer-Creative and PUGDOG Enterprises, so pat Jack on the back if you like it ;)

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