[development] Choosing the N number for .install's hook_update_N

[Derek Wright]

On Aug 5, 2008, at 6:08 AM, Earnie Boyd wrote:

> Your limitations are your limitations and should not be placed on  
> Moshe or anyone else (w.r.t. this subject).

You chose not to quote the parts of my message[1] where I explained  
there's actually no limitation at all, and Moshe or anyone else is  
free to use 2 digits for their major version in the N of hook_update_N 
().

> A simple delimiter in the N format of hook_update_N would allow for  
> all possible scenarios.

You quoted but seem to have not read or understood the part of my  
other message[2] where I explained this isn't "simple":

"A) This is a convention that allows branch-aware updates to work  
*without any changes to the core update.php logic, the schema for the  
{system} table, and other places.*"

Adding another delimiter to hook_update_N() function signatures would  
require a fairly far-reaching patch.  You can see some of the initial  
discussion in the issue[3] where we decided using an integer  
convention was much easier.

Please (re)read all of this before you propose a "simple" delimiter  
for hook_update_N() which would "solve" a "problem" we don't have. :)

Thanks,
-Derek (dww)

[1] http://lists.drupal.org/pipermail/development/2008-August/ 
030682.html
[2] http://lists.drupal.org/pipermail/development/2008-August/ 
030680.html
[3] http://drupal.org/node/64212