[theme-reviewers] How to manage 3rd party libraries and dependencies in a theme framework

[Maximilian von Wortdrücken]

I thought about this possibility, but it left me with more
questions/problems:

   1. Are plugins held to different standards with regards to making
   connections to other servers and/or downloading and unpacking files from
   those servers?
   2. One of the goals is to create an environment where child theme
   developers can rely on the availability of this functionality (and thus be
   freed from having to bundle 3rd party libraries with their themes). In
   order to meet that goal, I would have to make the theme framework dependent
   on a plugin. What are the WP theme review guidelines concerning this? Will
   WordPress reviewers accept a theme framework that is dependent on certain
   plugins?




On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 3:52 PM, Simon Prosser <pross at pross.org.uk> wrote:

> Why not just host the libs in a plugin? Then you can update that
> whenever you like and the theme will not need updating.
>
> 2012/2/20 Maximilian von Wortdrücken <max.wortdrucken at gmail.com>:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I am working on a WP theme framework that will have a large number of
> > dependencies on 3rd party code libraries. My intent is to provide theme
> > developers with a simple interface (in the WP Admin dashboard) that
> allows
> > them to easily import/include/update/delete 3rd party libraries--both
> server
> > side *and* front end code libraries.
> >
> > I'm envisioning a system similar to a Linux package manager. With a
> system
> > like this in place, theme developers using my framework could have easy
> > access to all their favorite libs (above and beyond what is available
> from
> > the WordPress default options), but I wouldn't have to bundle those libs
> > with the theme. Additionally, this system would provide a standard API
> that
> > child themes could use to verify dependencies upon being activated (and
> > prompt the administrator to update or download those dependencies if need
> > be).
> >
> > So my general question is: how can I build this functionality into my
> theme
> > framework without it being rejected by the official WP theme review
> process?
> >
> >
> >
> > Here are the requirements:
> >
> > Theme developers can import and update 3rd party libraries independently.
> > That is, without updating the theme framework itself.
> > Child themes and the theme framework can check for dependencies before
> > proceeding with certain actions.
> > Developers and site admins can view a list of installed libraries and be
> > notified of available updates.
> > 3rd party libraries are limited only by whether or not they're publicly
> > accessible on the Web.
> > The theme framework would not come with any 3rd party libs installed.
> > Instead, each library would be defined as a subclass of some base class
> that
> > manages details like:
> >
> > name of lib
> > remote address to connect to for downloading
> > routine for connecting to server
> > routine for unpacking / writing files to the file system
> > installation path
> > routine for determining version
> >
> > Theme framework would maintain a master list of all 3rd party libraries
> by
> > maintaining the directory of subclasses. If a developer encounters the
> need
> > for a particular library that isn't defined, she can easily create her
> own
> > custom connector object (and submit it for inclusion in the next
> framework
> > release).
> >
> >
> >
> > Here are some specific concerns:
> >
> > What are the rules regarding WP themes making connections to other
> servers
> > (e.g., svn repos, github repos, etc.) ?
> > What are the rules regarding WP themes downloading and unpacking files
> > (e.g., a new version of some code library) from other servers?
> > Does WordPress provide any kind of standard API for this already?
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your help and consideration.
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > theme-reviewers mailing list
> > theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
> > http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
> >
>
>
>
> --
> My Blog: http://pross.org.uk/
> Plugins : http://pross.org.uk/plugins/
> Themes: http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/profile/pross
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>
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