Question Kunena 1.6 API: plugin parameters/config and installation

Hi,

I have done some investigation with the API and I'm impressed about the possibilitys and I will use it to integrate my AutoTweet plugin. As I see there are entry points for new, edited etc. posts in the activity class and much more interesting things.

The following two things are not clear to me:

Installation: Is there an installation procedure/function for the plugins/extensions or mut the user copy the files manually to the right place(s)?

Parameters for the extension/plugin (tab "Integration"): As I see for the AlphaPoints and CB integration this parameters are "hardcoded" in the main Kunena config class and the UI is also hardcoded in the html backend template (Or have I overseen something?). I think this needs a more flexible solution to add own parameters dynamically as it is for standard Joomla plugins: I will suggest that it should be possible to store an XML file in the extension specific subfolder with some data about the plugin (name, version etc.) and the parameters (same as it is for Joomla standard plugins). With this solution the params for a plugin can be added dynamically to the config and to the integration tab.

Thx for any feedback and also for all work you have allreay done for Kunena and the API,
Ulli

The API is still mostly incomplete and is missing a lot of stuff. Actually we have moved on and most of the stuff in api.php will be deprecated and replaced with more joomla alike solution (check admin/libraries -> that is our new api, well, most of it anyway).

For K1.7 I'm also planning of moving kimport() (or add startup function) into a plugin to allow very easy way to load Kunena. I also hope that we can make the API very flexible, but I need some feedback to do it in the right way.

There's currently no installation procedure and Kunena is not very helpful enabling them, either. Just say what you need (only small changes for K.16) and I will add it.

Hi,

thx for the fast response. It is not a problem for me to wait for Kunena 1.7 because I can make the actual plugin working with 1.6 with a few modifications. So please take the time you need, no problem...

IMO the most missing part with the API is a way to add plugin parameters dynamically (e. g. AutoTweet has some options like "post also when posts are modified", "post for logged in users only" ...).

I will suggest to implement the same scenario as it is for standard plugins:

- Possibility to store an XML config file with the parameters and plugin info in the plugin folder (e. g. "/administrator/components/com_kunena/libraries/integration/autotweet/". For an example file see the standard Joomla plugin manifest XML.
- Store the parameters for each plugin in the database on base of the XML. (At the moment they are hardcoded in the global kunena config file).
- Add dynamically a section with the parameters for each plugin to the integration tab. (At the moment they are hardcoded in the template).

This are my main suggestions.

Thx and kind regards,
Ulli

Kunena 1.6 provide just an API, which can allow you to leverage easily some Kunena functions, but kunena doesn't support plugins like joomla! does. Maybe in a future version we will support plugins directly in kunena...

My two-cents' worth: as long as people are aware that the design of K 1.7 is still being discussed and construction has not yet begun on this project; as long as people are aware that the dust has not yet settled on K 1.6 and that work is continuing to make it stable; as long as people are aware that the first stable release of K 1.6 won't necessarily have all the features that were "promised" and that those unfinished features may have to be included with a later maintenance release; and, as long as people are aware that K 1.7 could be a few months away ... there's no problem with waiting for K 1.7.