[wp-hackers] Plugins -- new header fields: max-compatible and min-compatible

[Xel]

If one wants to take it to this extend it may be fine to have both "tested
up to" (soft) "breaks above" (hard)...

However I fear people will not belive a plugin may not work in a version, if
there is no message while other plugins would create such messages...

If a plugin author wants to stop things breaking - well... one could allways
try to add his add_filter, add_action, add_shortcode stuff in an if
statement checking the WP version to be less/higher than... this should
work, however I have not tried it now. One could also add an else which adds
the admin panel (if the plugin uses one) which will inform the user about
the version requirements.

One could also add an init action triggered when the plugin is installed
which could query a server to get to know the working versions and add this
into the db to check them as mentioned above. I would prefere this because
you do not need to update your readme.txt and it may also work with already
installed plugins - of course then one would have to think about a way to
query this on a regular basis without slowing down wordpress at every page
load.

This would also add the ability to remove shortcodes from the output
whenever the plugin doesn't work with the installed version any more,
without haveing to deinstall it - when the plugin is updated the shortcodes
will be rendered again.

Alex

2008/4/4, Stephen Rider <wp-hackers at striderweb.com>:
>
> Yes, but I've already given a good example of this.  The developer of the
> Drop Down Admin Menu could add the "max" header to his older version of the
> plugin when he realizes that it will not work with newer versions.  (Both
> <2.5 and >2.5 versions are available to download.)  Won't help people who
> already have it, but will help users of older versions of WordPress who
> download the older version.
>
> I'm not _married_ to the hard limits options (and in any case, it would be
> an option between hard/soft), but it does have a certain usefulness.
>
> The soft upper limit and the hard lower limit would be useful, however. :)
>
> Stephen
>
> On Apr 3, 2008, at 2:45 AM, Xel wrote:
>
> > A hardlimit to top isn't really a good idea I think.
> >
> > Second:
> > If I write a plugin today it will - of course - support 2.5. It would
> > not be
> > too smart to write a plugin only for outdated versions.
> > It may or may not support 2.6 - how should I know when I release this
> > version of the plugin, which upcomming versions of wordpress will be
> > supported?
> >
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