Fixed _output directory gets generated and breaks add-ons

[Jake B.]

Affected version

2.0.0

If I have development/debug mode enabled and install an add-on that doesn't have an _output directory through CLI it appears that directory is getting generated making any subsequent installs fail because that directory exists but doesn't have all of the data. I'm able to reproduce this with XFRM, XFMG and several third party add-ons. I think it'd be better if this system was more similar to the designer mode system where dev output will only be used if dev mode is enabled for that add-on already (and would get automatically enabled when you install it from CLI with the _output directory, and when it's created using the CLI). Alternatively, bringing back the extra step where you choose whether to install from dev output or not would be a fine solution as well.

 

[Jake B.]

Just an update on this, doesn't seem to matter if I install the add-on from CLI or from the adminCP, the _output directory still gets generated and it's making it a real process to try to install/upgrade third party add-ons

 

[Jake B.]

You’re supposed to add other Addons to the excluded Addons config parameter, I believe.

Liam

Which is fairly unreasonable to add every addon I install to that, and to have every one on our team do the same. IMO output should never generate when you install via admincp since you’re not able to install from that output via the acp and arguably should never be generated when installing an addon anyways. it should have its own separate command to do so and if output doesn’t exist already nothing should try to create it randomly unless you run a command to generate it

 

[Snog]

Although it appears to be of a concern since there's been no feedback from the guys at XenForo yet, I can't duplicate any problems like you're experiencing.

I've installed/uninstalled/upgraded many add-ons on my development server via the admin control panel both with and without the _output folder being present without any problems. Maybe I'm doing something different?

 

[Chris D]

If I have development/debug mode enabled and install an add-on that doesn't have an _output directory through CLI it appears that directory is getting generated making any subsequent installs fail because that directory exists but doesn't have all of the data.

Doing an install of XFRM from the Admin CP and I get an _output directory that only contains a member_stats directory.

That's certainly a bug -- the member stats add-on data handler doesn't do anything to suppress the dev output writing. I'll check through the others.

 

[Jake B.]

Well the issue is if you have an addon without an output file while debut is enabled, first install works fine but it then generates a nearly empty output directory and subsequent installs will not install correctly because of that directory

 

[Chris D]

I'm not disputing that, I'm trying to ascertain which add-on data handlers are not suppressing the output of the dev output as they should be.

So far I've found BbCode, HelpPage, MemberStat, and TemplateModification add-on data handlers weren't suppressing the output being written on import. Does that seem consistent with the add-ons you've tested so far?

 

[Snog]

I can confirm TemplateModifications here. It's the one I've seen most often when installing an add-on.

 

[Jake B.]

I'm not disputing that, I'm trying to ascertain which add-on data handlers are not suppressing the output of the dev output as they should be.

That was meant to be a response to Snog's post explaining the issue, yours hadn't shown up yet when I replied

So far I've found BbCode, HelpPage, MemberStat, and TemplateModification add-on data handlers weren't suppressing the output being written on import. Does that seem consistent with the add-ons you've tested so far?

That's more than I've come across. I think all I've seen are member_stat and template_modifications

 

[Chris D]

That’s fixed then for the next release. Thanks!