IPB 3.0 Applications Framework

[terabyte]

I've just read the blog entry posted by bfarber on IPS Blog, here you go:

 

IP.Board has grown a lot over the years. We've added new functionality through the components framework, allowing us to deliver first-party supported addons such as IP.Gallery, IP.Blog and IP.Downloads. Our Community Projects leverage this infrastructure to provide even more value for your board, and third party developers have produced wonderful components utilizing the same infrastructure on their own.

 

As IP.Board has progressed, we've seen challenges with the integration and continued separation of these components. We don't want our addons modifying core IP.Board files - this makes upgrading IP.Board a much more challenging task than it should be. At the same time, the components should seamlessly integrate into the core of the site so that everything can be managed together, and common code libraries can be shared.

 

IP.Board 3.0 introduces our new application framework which will replace traditional "components". The software "out of the box" comes with 5 applications. There are 3 default applications: System (which includes things like template editing and settings, things that are not specific to any section, but are part of the core of the site as a whole), Members (member management, group management, and similar functionality), and IP.Board itself (forum and moderator management, for example).

 

Further to this, the core of IP.Board 3.0 supports IPS-provided addons, and third party addons, which will function the same as our integrated built in applications. We provide 2 IPS addons out of the box: Calendar and Portal.

 

Applications can be disabled globally (i.e., you can easily shut off or turn on the Calendar, for example). The IPS and third party addons operate identically, and utilize the same fully-featured application framework our built in applications use. You can easily add settings, adjust the secondary menus, build in permission routines and determine cache loading/updating routines, and much much more simply by utilizing this framework in specific ways (for instance, providing a specific file in a specific location within your application).

 

We hope that the new framework will help third party developers (and ourselves!) to be able to segregate code so that it does not interfer with the core IP.Board code, while at the same time being able to fully integrate into both the front end of the site, and the admin control panel.

 

We will be providing some guides and developer information with the launch of IP.Board 3.0. For instance, we plan to provide an overview of exactly how we convert one of our first-party components over to the new framework to show developers exactly how they can convert their own code base.

 

This new framework should be utilized for fully-featured sections or addons. More information will be forthcoming in future blog entries on how to utilize new plugin and hook functionality provided with IP.Board 3.0 for addons that don't require separate "sections", and thus don't require use of the full application architecture.

I hope to see soon a documentation about this new system so i can try to convert some of my mods :P

 

 

Most likely i'll convert some of my paid mods (the most used) and then I'll start with the Ticket System 2.0 :D

[AlexH]

:lol: Wish I could say more about Tracker and Shoutbox now, but you'll have to wait and see lol

[terabyte]

 

 

(You have a PM anyway :P)

[AlexH]

Yeah, replied aswell. If you come on board, you'll know exactly what I am on about which I couldn't say above, vadim knows, but he can't really say either

[emoney]

so secretive...

[terabyte]

Some secrets are always useful to keep attention high :P

[Gorbo]

So once 3.0 is released will you continue to support me on 2.3 still TB?

Cause we all know I can't upgrade :(

[ÑÀRÇÁÇΧT]

Is this saying they going to make it easier for ppl to add there own ideas to there forum?

[terabyte]

Yes, i'll still support IPB 2.3 but the major support will be for 3.0 anyway.

 

Maybe i'll still make some small mods for it but not "big projects".

 

 

Is this saying they going to make it easier for ppl to add there own ideas to there forum?

Should be more simple ;)

 

Also i like the idea that we can turn off Calendar Easily now :)