Packages: what should we see & get?

[Jaanus]

Today I tried first time to use packages feature. To see whether I can replicate on my site the issue that another user reported (see http://fabrikar.com/forums/index.php?threads/cascadingdropdown-stopped-to-work.33915/ ) and to see at the same time how exactly the packages feature works.

OK, I created a package from he's 3 lists and 3 forms, exported to zip, downloaded and installed on my site. Second attempt was succesful as then I wrote the package name with all small letters (writing as e.g Package instead of package makes the installer confused, so don't use capital letters).

Now the question:
after we install such exported package - should we see then also menu items like "Lists", "Forms", "Elements" etc like in standard Fabrik installation?

All that I see is the link to the installed package (in this case named "kursused") and click on it opens a page that has nothing else but design:

 

[troester]

I've tested recently.
The backend's "Component" is only showing the Fabrik start page. To use this "package" component you must go to Fabrik and there select the package (you should see a package dropdown in Lists, Forms...; there's no dropdown in Connections, not sure if this is missing)

I got one simple package working but at the moment you can only "pack" lists and forms (no vizs), it doesn't include the data tables and templates (you have to copy them manually).
The package zip contains plugin zips (in my example plg_fabrik_element_xxx.zip of the elements used in the package) and it seems they are installed/copied - maybe mixing fabrik versions this way.

Rob?

So I think it's necassary to make sure that both fabrik installations have exactly the same version or to do a GitHub update after installing a package.

 

[Jaanus]

you must go to Fabrik and there select the package

Ah, OK. I was initially confused (where?) but I saw a dropdown "choose package" above my lists. OK, will see what else I find or don't find and can or can't do

 

[Jaanus]

It includes all data tables the lists are built on. Without data. But the issue is that they could conflict because of different collations. And most im?ortant - at least the add link points to com_fabrik, but com_yourpackagename should be in add url instead

 

[troester]

Yes, add + view link are going to com_fabrik (with SEF enabled view is going to .../component/fabrik/details/95/2?tmpl=component , but this a multilang site, so maybe an other issue with SEF)

Edit and PDF link are ok.

 

[Jaanus]

Trick to do - works both with SEF and regular urls (tested it):

in list admin, find the fields for custom link and write (assuming that package name is "yourpackage")

• in custom details link: ?option=com_yourpackage&view=details&formid={formid}
• in custom add link: ?option=com_yourpackage

If you are not sure just write package name as com_{package} - Fabrik converts it automatically replacing it with the right name

Of course normal would be if we don't have to write such "custom links", but as a temporary solution it's good enough. It may also give ideas how to fix the packages feature. In future as this is still work in progress and as Hugh said there is no hope that packages feature will get fully work in Fabrik 3.0,.

BTW - being in package, cdd element says in newly opened form like the watch element was not specified. In standard installation its behaviour is normal.

 

[rob]

add/details links should now render correctly.

 

[Jaanus]

Add is OK, but details:
http://my.site.ee/index.php?option=' . yourpackage. '&view=details&formid=1&rowid=1&tmpl=component

EDIT - found solution and made a pull request
https://github.com/Fabrik/fabrik/pull/705

 

[rob]

details like should be fixed

 

[Jaanus]

OK, but this part that I commented out in my commit:

      if ($this->packageId !== 0)
      {
        $link .= '&tmpl=component';
      }

Do we really need &tmpl=component at the end of the details link when we are in packages?