How to Create Contributions

[Syrsknight]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the place to ask this, but here goes:

I would like to learn how to create my own contributions, is there a thread somewhere that explains this step by step? After going thru most of the hundreds of different contributions available and there are a few things that I would like to create (mainly because I couldn't find anything like I what I'm wanting) and I would like to know how to do begin.

Thanks!

[pedgette]

I've only written a simple one, but all I did was document everything while making the changes. The key thing is to make the documentation easily readable along with the code that you are adding or altering. If in doubt add it into the contribution page after you are satisfied with what you have written, then state that it's a work in progress and provide a link to a support thread that you have made in the proper forum for people to report bugs or request additions to your code.

[Jack_mcs]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the place to ask this, but here goes:

I would like to learn how to create my own contributions, is there a thread somewhere that explains this step by step? After going thru most of the hundreds of different contributions available and there are a few things that I would like to create (mainly because I couldn't find anything like I what I'm wanting) and I would like to know how to do begin.

Thanks!

This thread may help. There's no set way to create one, as can be seen by looking through a few. And many are so terribly put together that I can't understand how the authors would not be embarassed to put their names on them. Just be sure of the following:

 

- The code actually works in both MS2 and RS2 and for mysql 5

- There are no extra fields in it that are there because they are in your test system

- Installation instructions are clear

- Open a support thread and actually support your work

 

Jack

[Syrsknight]

Thank you all so much for your comments.. Usually when I do write code I comment it heavily because even I need to know what I have done, if this makes sense...lol. I just don't know where to get started with it I guess. :)

[Jack_mcs]

Commenting code is important but not very useful in the case of contributions, although you should still do it. That is because most of the people installing them have little, if any, experience with programng and do not even know what a comment is. So you should write the install instructions with that in mind.

 

To get started:

- create your contribution

- install it into a clean oscommerce shop

- test it

 

If that all went well,

- create a file with step-by-step instructions on how to install it

- add an open source license file to the package. They are required and the contribution will be removed if it is found lacking one. You can get one from any other contribution.

- add your files to the package in the same structure of a shop. So any files that you changed in the admin directory should be in the admin directory of the contribution package.

- use a zip utility to archive it. This is because zip is the most common archiving tool. Remember, you want to make this as easy as possible for those people never having seen a contribution before.

- download a number of other contributions and see how they are put together. As mentioned previously, they are not all done well so you have to be careful with the ones you chosse to mimic.

 

At this point, I suggest you let it set for a week or so, without touching the code. Then try installing it using the package you created. It is easy to install your own contribution when it is fresh in your mind, but you might be surprised to find how much more difficult it is if you haven't looked at it for a while. This will help you find problems with the package. If it is all working fine at this point, then upload it and see what happens. If you make some terrible mistake, you can contact a team member to have the contribuiton removed. Once it is uploaded, open a support thread for it. Actually, this should be opened first so you can get the link to it and add it to your documentation. Then, after you have uploaded it, go back and add a link to the contibution in the support thread.

 

Jack