[development] Splitting up patches

[Dries Buytaert]

On 25 Aug 2006, at 04:47, Angela Byron wrote:

> For example, say merlinofchaos splits off the .meta files part of  
> his new module administration patch page feature (http://drupal.org/ 
> node/76340), which one could conceivably say is a separate chunk of  
> functionality easily submitted as a patch on its own. The whole  
> issue could stagnate just because people can't agree on  
> whether .meta files should instead become .install files or whether  
> they should be written as .ini files or XML files or PHP files  
> or... In the meantime, we miss this great piece of functionality  
> that will bring Drupal administration to the next level because of  
> these kinds of details which can always be changed later.

This contrasts with my view.  The reason the module administration  
patch isn't committed yet and why it is taking weeks (if not months)  
now, is because it does too much.  It introduces:

   1. _uninstall hooks,
   2. a dependency system,
   3. a notion of 'packages',
   4. a new UI for module management and
   5. meta files.

Parts of this patch could probably be committed already, other parts  
need more discussion.  In its current state, it is not likely to  
advance because it is such a burden for everybody involved.  Unless  
this patch gets split, it is not likely to make the September 1  
deadline.  If this patch gets split, it won't be an 'all or nothing'  
scenario, and we are much likely to benefit from it in 4.8/5.0.

--
Dries Buytaert  ::  http://www.buytaert.net/