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Keeping track of changes

Printed From: ProductCart E-Commerce Solutions
Category: ProductCart
Forum Name: Customizing ProductCart
Forum Description: Exchange messages with other users that are customizing ProductCart.
URL: https://forum.productcart.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13
Printed Date: 23-November-2024 at 2:11pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Keeping track of changes
Posted By: Dean
Subject: Keeping track of changes
Date Posted: 30-October-2005 at 12:13pm
I was just wondering how folks keep track of the customizations they do in ProductCart.  The good and bad  of the product is Early Impact in always coming out with updates.  Which, of course, are always for the same modules I've customized.

What I did with my first site was to document the lines that were changed and carefully looked at each update to see which of my changed modules would be over written, then make my changes to the new code.  It was a bit of a bother.

Now I'm onto my second ProductCart site and this much improved forum so I'm hoping that others may have a better way of doing it.

 



Replies:
Posted By: ComputerJack
Date Posted: 31-October-2005 at 9:06am

That's about what I've been doing...just re-applying changes each time a patch comes out.

I think I'm up to around 15 files I need to integrate each time, not counting the 5 or so completely new files I've added.  Not terribly onerous, but it does take time.

Has anyone tried putting PC into some sort of source control software?  Not sure how well that would work.



Posted By: GB IT Solutions
Date Posted: 01-November-2005 at 11:00am

I have made quite a few changes to my PC installation. It was only when I saw new releases coming that I realised I had a bit of a problem hacking the code again.

I was considering bundling as much as I could into Functions in a separate include file - that would make them easier to call - but that isn't always practical either with some of the hacks made.

Has anyone got any better ways?
Alternatively can Early Impact give us more of a 'what has changed' list, especially for small changes - that way, for example it they have just put in a "FormatCurrency" in a file, we could add it ourselves rather than editing the new file.



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http://www.gbitsolutions.co.uk - GB IT Solutions Ltd
Bespoke web development based in the UK


Posted By: sawan
Date Posted: 08-August-2006 at 8:16am

GB IT Solutions,

thats a better idea. hope we see something like this happening soon now

Regards,
Sawan



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Sawan S Ruparel


Posted By: netprofits
Date Posted: 08-August-2006 at 8:39am

Each PC release includes a text file that explains the modification and details every file that changed due to that modification. Being developers ourselves, it is probably not feasible for PC to send a list of actual code that changed but here is what we do:

1. Keep a list of every module you change with a note about the changes.

2. In the code, place a standard comment at the top and bottom of each section where you make changes. Use the same comment in all places, i.e. "Your Company Name - Start Modification" and then add a detailed comment about the change below the standard comment. This allows you to quickly search within one file or across all files to see where your changes are.

3. For those files you modified where PC includes an updated file, use a file compare utility to compare the original PC file to the updated PC file to see what changes were made. If there are a few PC changes, backwrite those to your file. If there are a lot of PC changes, backwrite your changes to the updated PC file.

I know it's a pain but that's the price of customizing code. We do it all the time.



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NetProfits Internet Consulting

Certified ProductCart Developer

http://www.nicwebdesign.com" rel="nofollow - Our Site


Posted By: sawan
Date Posted: 08-August-2006 at 8:53am

Thanks netprofits,

That was a detailed and perfect answer. we too do the same thing.

I am a mod developer myself for other cart system. I follow these steps exactly.

Regards,



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Sawan S Ruparel



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