Comments on: Child plugins in WordPress. An idea? http://matty.co.za/2010/01/child-plugins-in-wordpress/ Web developer, WordPress enthusiast, avid musician, music lover and blogger Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:08:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: apimixweb http://matty.co.za/2010/01/child-plugins-in-wordpress/comment-page-1/#comment-3664 apimixweb Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:16:54 +0000 http://matty.co.za/?p=763#comment-3664 That would be just great for getting the best from popular plugins like autochimp which i love... I'll go towards Matty's solution which is OO with extended classes for now, If anyone has news about child plugins initiatives, please comment Cheers That would be just great for getting the best from popular plugins like autochimp which i love…
I’ll go towards Matty’s solution which is OO with extended classes for now,

If anyone has news about child plugins initiatives, please comment
Cheers

]]> By: kathy http://matty.co.za/2010/01/child-plugins-in-wordpress/comment-page-1/#comment-3571 kathy Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:00:07 +0000 http://matty.co.za/?p=763#comment-3571 I was just thinking about this. or have been for a while, ever since i made a tiny tweak to a plugin i liked. now that plugin has been upgraded and i find myself having to re-do my tweaks. i dont really want to write my own plugin, or even fork the one i was building off of. if plugins could behave like child/parent themes that would be perfect! I was just thinking about this. or have been for a while, ever since i made a tiny tweak to a plugin i liked. now that plugin has been upgraded and i find myself having to re-do my tweaks. i dont really want to write my own plugin, or even fork the one i was building off of. if plugins could behave like child/parent themes that would be perfect!

]]> By: Matty http://matty.co.za/2010/01/child-plugins-in-wordpress/comment-page-1/#comment-3532 Matty Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:09:56 +0000 http://matty.co.za/?p=763#comment-3532 Hi Craig, Thanks for checking in. :) I've been thinking about the concept of child plugins and I think I've got one or two ideas as to how this could be done. It would require a specific approach from the plugin developer though. The first could be using an OO (Object Oriented) programming methodology. This would allow developers to create plugins with a class that extends (read: uses) the class of the plugin they want to customise and override the functions where changes are required, as well as adding their own. The other method would be a bit more intensive, perhaps, and would also allow for easier customisation of the plugins. Rather than simply running functions, the functions would be constructed in such a way that lends themselves to the use of filters or action hooks. Thus, a user could simply add a filter to the function to make a customisation. Possibly, a combination of both would be ideal. As I mentioned above, it would take a fair bit of discussion and adjusting of coding style on the part of the (many) plugin developers out there. :) What are your thoughts? Hi Craig,
Thanks for checking in. :)

I’ve been thinking about the concept of child plugins and I think I’ve got one or two ideas as to how this could be done. It would require a specific approach from the plugin developer though.

The first could be using an OO (Object Oriented) programming methodology. This would allow developers to create plugins with a class that extends (read: uses) the class of the plugin they want to customise and override the functions where changes are required, as well as adding their own.

The other method would be a bit more intensive, perhaps, and would also allow for easier customisation of the plugins. Rather than simply running functions, the functions would be constructed in such a way that lends themselves to the use of filters or action hooks. Thus, a user could simply add a filter to the function to make a customisation.

Possibly, a combination of both would be ideal. As I mentioned above, it would take a fair bit of discussion and adjusting of coding style on the part of the (many) plugin developers out there. :)

What are your thoughts?

]]> By: Craig http://matty.co.za/2010/01/child-plugins-in-wordpress/comment-page-1/#comment-3531 Craig Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:50:40 +0000 http://matty.co.za/?p=763#comment-3531 This is exactly what I was just thinking, which is why I stumbled upon your post. I was thinking of the specific example that is WP e-Commerce. The plug-in is great, but I want to make some changes to integrate some extra features. In order to make these changes, I currently have to change the files themselves. What happens when I want to update it though? I will likely lose my changes, which means I can no longer update. This is exactly what I was just thinking, which is why I stumbled upon your post.
I was thinking of the specific example that is WP e-Commerce.
The plug-in is great, but I want to make some changes to integrate some extra features. In order to make these changes, I currently have to change the files themselves. What happens when I want to update it though?

I will likely lose my changes, which means I can no longer update.

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