solved jrAparna module

izhmel
@izhmel
6 years ago
1,319 posts
I don't see the jrAparna module in the market place


--
The Scientist
dubmusic.com
Thanks for any assistance.

updated by @izhmel: 07/22/18 04:31:45AM
paul
@paul
6 years ago
4,325 posts
It’s been removed from the Marketplace. It was a very old module that in many ways was not compliant with the way Jamroom now works. It also created a lot of support questions with users not understanding what it was for or how to use it, so we made the decision to retire the module.


--
Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist
izhmel
@izhmel
6 years ago
1,319 posts
How do I create a module now ?


--
The Scientist
dubmusic.com
Thanks for any assistance.
paul
@paul
6 years ago
4,325 posts
I can email you the module? But please be aware that we are no longer supporting it.
Let me know.


--
Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist
izhmel
@izhmel
6 years ago
1,319 posts
I hound a copy thanks


--
The Scientist
dubmusic.com
Thanks for any assistance.
gary.moncrieff
gary.moncrieff
@garymoncrieff
6 years ago
865 posts
Just a thought but what about an unsupported channel in marketplace for these type of modules, official and 3rd party. People would have to be invited to get channel access knowing there is no official support should something not work.
paul
@paul
6 years ago
4,325 posts
Its a thought Gary. I'll mention it during our weekly Skype meeting tonight.


--
Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist
blindmime
@blindmime
6 years ago
772 posts
paul:
It’s been removed from the Marketplace. It was a very old module that in many ways was not compliant with the way Jamroom now works. It also created a lot of support questions with users not understanding what it was for or how to use it, so we made the decision to retire the module.

Is there currently a simple method to create a basic barebones module starting point that is compliant with the way jamroom now works?
michael
@michael
6 years ago
7,692 posts
There is a Hello World module here:
https://github.com/PMaynard/JR5-Hello-World

That shows you how to get "Hello World" out into all the various locations.

Once you understand all the locations you wont need that big of a module to start your own.

Depending on what you want to do, a complete module might only have an include.php file and a changelog.txt. If all you wanted was a listener to adjust how other modules work.

If it needs views then it would have an index.php

If you need a datastore then it would have a schema.php.

If you need GLOBAL CONFIG tabs then it would have a config.php

but each module is different so what your module needs will determine what exists.
blindmime
@blindmime
6 years ago
772 posts
I'm curious to understand how Aparna is not compliant with the way Jamroom now works. I'm not questioning the statement or anything. I just don't understand it. Aparna works OK with how I personally work with Jamroom. But it wouldn't be the first time I'm doing things completely the wrong way.
michael
@michael
6 years ago
7,692 posts
The big issue is skins that provide template overrides such as the FollowMe skin.

What aparna does is create a module that supposed to work, but it doesn't on all skins, so its only going to get you half way there in some cases. Because its only going to get you half way there it causes confusion for those that it doesnt work for because they expect it to work.

If it works for you, keep using it, but its hard to support a module that creates a broken system in some cases that require technical knowledge to fix on behalf of the user using the module or us to go fix it for them.
blindmime
@blindmime
6 years ago
772 posts
What is a template override?
paul
@paul
6 years ago
4,325 posts
blindmime:
What is a template override?

A skin template can 'override' a module template.
As an example, the jrBlog module includes a blog template called index.tpl. If you create a skin template called jrBlog_index.tpl, that skin template would be called and parsed instead of the module's.
hth


--
Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist
blindmime
@blindmime
6 years ago
772 posts
Well I'll be. I've always just changed the template in the module folder. So doing it as outlined above makes aparna-generated modules behave badly?
paul
@paul
6 years ago
4,325 posts
blindmime:
Well I'll be. I've always just changed the template in the module folder. So doing it as outlined above makes aparna-generated modules behave badly?

No - What Michael was saying was that most recent skins like FollowMe override known/regular module templates. When someone creates a new module with Aparna, it then doesn't show up in the skin. Its not really possible to create skin templates that can cover all options of what users might create!!


--
Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist
michael
@michael
6 years ago
7,692 posts
blindmime:....
Well I'll be. I've always just changed the template in the module folder...
Guess you hate it when updates come out then? Probably don't update because you don't want to re-apply your changes? Use those methods and you can like updating again ;)
blindmime
@blindmime
6 years ago
772 posts
michael:
blindmime:....
Well I'll be. I've always just changed the template in the module folder...
Guess you hate it when updates come out then? Probably don't update because you don't want to re-apply your changes? Use those methods and you can like updating again ;)

No, updates don't really affect my process any more than if I override the template in the skin folder. You override it either way don't you? (I update module templates via the ACP, incidentally).

I'm still trying to understand the issue with Aparna, however. Or rather the thought behind disabling it because new skins are overriding aspects of the module-based template system. Is this an indication that Jamroom will be changing its approach to modules? Seems like we reached this point in the battle between skin and profile in Jamroom history back in the day.
michael
@michael
6 years ago
7,692 posts
If you change a modules template in the file system, then whenever a new module is released the change will disappear.

The problem is:
* skins that don't override modules will have no issue.
* skins that require an override of a module template in order to fit into the skin wont work with a default module made by aparna because the modules template wont have been customized to fit the skin.

Using aparna to create a module that doesnt fit with the skin causes:
"I made this with aparna, but it doesnt work" type questions to be asked, to which the answer is "It will work but you have to customize the templates now", to which the response is "How do I do that without code, im not a coder".

Which leaves us at a point where we need to do direct customizations to individual sites each time the module is used.

Thats not a good structure, so its better to retire the module and let those that will make modules make them, and not give half finished modules to those that dont really want to make modules.
blindmime
@blindmime
6 years ago
772 posts
I'm not really following your logic at all, I guess. I use Aparna a lot. I've never thought the modules I create with it should work perfectly with whatever skin I'm using. It's just a cool way to start a module, something that gives you a plug into the database and works with jamroom's list functions and templating system. It's up to me to edit and create the templates after that.
paul
@paul
6 years ago
4,325 posts
blindmime:
I'm not really following your logic at all, I guess. I use Aparna a lot. I've never thought the modules I create with it should work perfectly with whatever skin I'm using. It's just a cool way to start a module, something that gives you a plug into the database and works with jamroom's list functions and templating system. It's up to me to edit and create the templates after that.

Well that is exactly the logic we had in mind when we developed Jamroom, its modules, and Aparna. Jamroom was designed for 'technically savvy' users who were prepared to use it as a platform and modified templates etc. in order to build the site of their dreams, and this has worked well for us over the years. However, the majority of our new users are the first to admit they they are 'not coders' but still want to use Jamroom, and its benefits, to build their sites. The upshot is a massive increase in support work for ourselves, which we are often in danger of being swamped by!! What Michael says above is our attempt to allieviate this issue and to make Jamroom less complicated and easier to implement by today's users.
Hope that makes sense.


--
Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist
blindmime
@blindmime
6 years ago
772 posts
Why not make a note that says Aparna requires knowledge on building templates.? Due to the open-ended nature of the modules it produces Jamroom Support can't possibly provide free support for generated modules.

Actually, Aparna itself makes Jamroom less complicated and easier to implement for users like me. Without it, it would be more complicated and more difficult to do a number of things I've been able to do.
michael
@michael
6 years ago
7,692 posts
We do say that sometimes for some things, like "don't use these beta modules on production sites...." but still they get used, and support is still expected when something breaks.

In this case the modules been retired. It will still keep working for you though because you have it. You can still put it on any site you like. Its just not available in the marketplace anymore.

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