Forum OpenACS Development: Should we think about mini service packages to add small features?

Collapse
1: Should we think about mini service packages to add small features?
Posted by Dave Bauer on 06/13/03 03:22 AM
In this thread: https://openacs.org/forums/message-view?message_id=106751 I suggested adding a small package to add one feature to acs-templating. It would add additional parameters to acs-templating and add and optional location to add to the template search path.

This is a very small feature, but not everyone would want to use it. I think it would fit into a small package easily.

Besides that we could distribute other small chunks of code the same way. Perhaps some custom form widget etc.

Collapse
2: Re: Should we think about mini service packages to add small features? (response to 1)
Posted by Don Baccus on 06/13/03 07:49 PM
I'd like to see a little more info on the change you propose, even if not everyone would want to use it I think it's likely reasonable to put into the acs-templating package.  The template search path option in particular sounds like it is generally useful.

As far as custom for widgets and the like - yes, additional small packages make sense.  I keep thinking I'll find time to clean up (generalize) the Greenpeace widgets and add them as a package to contrib.  This is a perfect example of something that belongs in contrib, not in acs-templating, because they require Javascript to work and heavy dependence on JavaScript is not something we want to put into the toolkit proper.  But they're useful in a controlled environment (in GP they only appear on staff pages and GP controls which browsers are available to Planet staffers so complex Javascript's OK)