Yes that is the idea. That is what plugin_t2 and plugin_checkout do now. Admin can already handle them since a plugin is also an app. What is missing is a protocol for describing the functionality of the plugin.
Massimo Massimo On Jan 21, 12:46 pm, vince <[email protected]> wrote: > would it be better if plugin can share between application so we can > only need to maintain one copy? also if the admin page can simplify > the plugin installation that would be great. > > -vince > > On Jan 22, 2:05 am, mdipierro <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > * I think that the very fact that you can take parts of T2 and > > > incorporate them in the core proves that a plugin is not necessarily > > > an app (in the recognised sense of the word). If Auth is replaceable > > > by a plugin, it is (or may as well be) a plugin itself. The key > > > element is how that plugin is integrated. In the case of Auth, I > > > seems it must be via Crud (I could be wrong) but Crud enforces a URL > > > format which surely can't be mandatory to handle authorisation. > > > Stuff is moved into core only if can be done in a module without > > services, static files and without mandating conventions on how to > > expose them. Nevertheless Auth and Crud do provide a "simple" and > > "naive" way to expose themselves until the developer figures out how > > that can be customized (I will document it eventually). > > > > * you say a plugin is an app and "does not deserve a special folder > > > but plugin apps need to identify themselves. I think a PLUGIN file in > > > the app folder should do the task." But in the previous sentence you > > > say a plugin " can have modules, models, controllers, views, static > > > files, services." That is contradictory isn't it. > > > No. the plugin is an app (which already contains modules, static, > > etc.) > > the PLUGIN file is needed to describe via some metadata or text how > > this app exposes services that other apps can use. Thus making it a > > spacial app, the plugin that is. > > > > * Neither of the above apply to Auth which doesn't have a lot of other > > > files but isnt in an "app folder" either. > > > The way I am implmenting it does not need to be an app. But class > > CasAuth(Auth):pass needs to be an app because exposes CAS provider > > services. > > > > * when you say "in the app folder" do you mean "applications" folder > > > or the same folder as the app? (I'm assuming the latter) So every > > > app that requires Auth must have it's own copy of the plugin? I'm not > > > sure whether that is good/bad. > > > Every application that requires Auth will just need web2py and do from > > gluon.utils import Auth! > > If an app needs a plugin that extends Auth by providing for example > > CAS would need the plugin (as they need CAS now). > > > It has. It just has not been explained properly perhaps. It is also > > true that different people expect different things from a "plugin". > > For me a "plugin" is defined as an "app" that provides modules, > > services, views and static files, that can be used by other apps. This > > means I do not want specifications to be too strict. If you are > > expecting more from it perhaps you should explain what you would like. > > > Massimo > > > > I'm sorry, it just seems the thing hasn't been thought thru. > > > > On Jan 21, 4:09 pm, mdipierro <[email protected]> wrote:> Hi Bill, > > > > > I will try to answer some of the questions you raised in the thread. > > > > > We had an IRC meeting last week and we agreed that T2 was becoming > > > > common and people started to rely on it. At the same time maintaining > > > > web2py+T2+T3 as separate entities was becoming a nightmare. We agreed > > > > that it was possible to incorporate some parts of T2 (those that we > > > > consider good practice and those that only require python modules) > > > > into web2py. > > > > This includes: > > > > - Authentication > > > > - Role Based Authorization > > > > - Smarter Crud than SQLFORM provides (integration with authentication, > > > > more restful paths) > > > > > The current T2 would become an example on how to extend this core, in > > > > the same fashion as you suggest. > > > > > T3 will stay an anonymous app that based only on web2py and perhaps, > > > > once polished, it could be distributed with web2py in the future. > > > > > About the "concept" of plugin. I agree with almost everything you say > > > > but let me insist: A PLUGIN IS AN APPLICATION. Just a special type of > > > > app. It can have modules, models, controllers, views, static files, > > > > services. It does not deserve a special folder but plugin apps need to > > > > identify themselves. I think a PLUGIN file in the app folder should do > > > > the task. > > > > > We do need to write API specs on how to write plugins. > > > > > For example. By having Auth provided now by web2py code, a plugin > > > > could be > > > > > class CasAuth(Auth): ... > > > > > which exposes the same APis as Auth but uses CAS. The plugin would > > > > also include a CAS provider app. > > > > > Massimo > > > > > On Jan 21, 9:19 am, billf <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > RE plugins, I think the other area that could be addressed is how > > > > > web2py allows certain types of plugin to operate. > > > > > > For example, it would be nice if web2py says "I provide for the > > > > > following types of authorisation at point x, y, and z where I will > > > > > call a function (either called a, b and c or stored in attributes d, e > > > > > and f)", i.e. the api that a "standard" authorisation plugin must > > > > > meet. That way a) anyone writing their own know what they have to > > > > > provide and b) it documents what web2py must support for backwards- > > > > > compatibility. > > > > > > There are probably some internal areas that might benefit from a > > > > > similar api document, e.g. the "api" exposed to a view, although I > > > > > can't quite envisage it at present. > > > > > > On Jan 21, 2:47 pm, billf <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > For now, I don't know if there is a difference between module and > > > > > > plugin but let's assume there is to keep it discreet. > > > > > > > * a plugin folder > > > > > > > * each plugin is a) a file or b) a folder - latter is more flexible > > > > > > if > > > > > > more than file required > > > > > > > * an admin UI can display all plugins from the plugin folder > > > > > > > * a means of stating dependency upon other plugins and conflict with > > > > > > other plugins so that the admin UI can automatically check/include/ > > > > > > warn - is this by lines within the main(?) plugin file or a separate > > > > > > config/manifest/descriptor file > > > > > > > * a means of describing the plugin - in text including syntax (same > > > > > > points as above lines or file) > > > > > > > * I don't know the best way to actually import/include into app/ > > > > > > project - any ideas? > > > > > > > Bill > > > > > > > On Jan 21, 2:08 pm, Timothy Farrell <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > So the big question is...what would a plugin system look like? > > > > > > > What > > > > > > > would you want it to control? > > > > > > > > Currently the T2 functionality is a set of Python methods that > > > > > > > you can > > > > > > > expose and add to your app. I agree that it looks cludgy, but > > > > > > > how can > > > > > > > it be made better? > > > > > > > > I want to keep things narrow in this discussion. So let's have an > > > > > > > example: Authentication. Let's say I have an app and I want to > > > > > > > add > > > > > > > authentication to it (aside from Basic HTTP auth). How would a > > > > > > > plugin > > > > > > > add this functionality to my app? > > > > > > > > -tim > > > > > > > > billf wrote: > > > > > > > > I've been away a while so I am trying to catch up with all the > > > > > > > > new > > > > > > > > stuff. I've downloaded the version in trunk and I'm trying to > > > > > > > > get my > > > > > > > > head around it all. My first (admittedly very early) > > > > > > > > impressions are: > > > > > > > > > 1) The functionality is nice but, personally, I don't see > > > > > > > > utils.py > > > > > > > > stuff as core web2py. > > > > > > > > > 2) I would prefer to see a simple, well-defined, rock-solid > > > > > > > > core and > > > > > > > > everything else as a plugin. I accept that where you draw the > > > > > > > > line is > > > > > > > > totally subjective. For example , I have no problem with a > > > > > > > > mandatory > > > > > > > > 'id' and would like to see an optional > > > > > > > > 'last_modification_timestamp' > > > > > > > > included in the core. Others want neither. I have a problem > > > > > > > > with > > > > > > > > Mail, Auth and Crud in the core. I'm sure others see no > > > > > > > > problem. > > > > > > > > > 3) Someone devise a good plugin system pleeeeeease. Or a > > > > > > > > requirements > > > > > > > > spec for one? I know; "do it yourself" :-) > > > > > > > > > 4) There is a bug in utils.py: lines 821, 833 and 849 should > > > > > > > > all refer > > > > > > > > to self.settings. not self.setting. > > > > > > > > > [BTW is it possible to override the redirect at the end of > > > > > > > > create(), > > > > > > > > update() and delete()? I couldn't.] > > > > > > > > > 5) The url > > > > > > > > format:http://..../[app]/default/database/create/[app]_event > > > > > > > > ...has got to be the least elegant way of saying "I want a form > > > > > > > > to add > > > > > > > > a record to table [app]_event" you could think of. Shouldn't > > > > > > > > the goal > > > > > > > > be:http://..../[app]/default/[app]_event ? > > > > > > > > > 6) Crud just seems a way to minimise the need to write function > > > > > > > > stubs > > > > > > > > (by enforcing action/table/id in the url) and enforcing a call > > > > > > > > to Auth > > > > > > > > if present. It's just really a pattern for a do-everything > > > > > > > > function. > > > > > > > > > 7) I think web2py is struggling to define itself. Is it: > > > > > > > > > - a powerful general-purpose framework (that could do with a > > > > > > > > little > > > > > > > > attention to its foundations)? > > > > > > > > > - a cms with a long way to go? > > > > > > > > > - some sort of app-builder app for plugins/modules with no > > > > > > > > plugin/ > > > > > > > > module api/infrastructure? > > > > > > > > > I don't think it will succeed if it tries to be more than one > > > > > > > > of the > > > > > > > > above. But maybe I'm just not aspirational enough. > > > > > > > > > Obviously, the above is mostly personal hot air but then that's > > > > > > > > what a > > > > > > > > forum's for :-) > > > > > > > > > Bill > > > > > > > > > On > > ... > > read more » --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "web2py Web Framework" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/web2py?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
