Coders Refuge Forums: (FSY23) Universal Mod Installer v2.6.4 - Coders Refuge Forums

Compatibility:
This mod is compatible with both the IP.Board 2.2.x and IP.Board 2.3.x series.

What is it?:
The Universal Mod Installer is a script designed to let you quickly and easily install or uninstall any mods that are designed to be compatible with it. Using this script, you can have one secure place to perform (nearly) all of the steps involved in adding or removing modifications to your v2.2.x or v2.3.x Invision Power Board.

What can it do?:
The script reads the XML file that will come with the mods you want to install and use this information to build a task list of steps that it must perform. This task list will be dynamically generated based on the content of the XML, and it will use that same info to construct a list of uninstallation tasks if you ever want to uninstall a mod using the script. The following is a list of what things the script is capable of doing/creating:

• ACP Setting Groups
  
• ACP Settings
  
• Components
  
• Language Strings
  
• Skin Templates
  
• Tasks
  
• Help Files
  
• ACP Help Entries
  
• Database Tables
  
• Database Columns
  
• Database Rows
  
• Database Updates
  
• Custom Scripts (mod makers can write PHP files with custom mod installation instructions not covered above)
  
• Rebuild IPB Caches (Rebuilds the Components, Forums, Groups & Settings caches)
  
• Rebuild Skin Caches
  

What can't it do?:
The script is very powerful, but it won't do all of the work for all mod installations. It cannot perform file edits (with the exception of the Language and Skin files), those will still need to be done manually. The only other limitation I am currently aware of is that the code to allow Database Tables to be created is supported in MySQL only, not in MSSQL or Oracle. MySQL is far and away the most commonly used database driver, though, so this should not be a problem for most users. And of course it is only going to work with mods designed to use this script; mod makers would need to create their XMLs in a very specific structure to take advantage of this.

Benefits:
So what exactly are some of the benefits to using this script?

• Security - This script is now fully integrated into the IPB Admin CP, meaning that someone would have to find a way to log in to your Admin CP before they could access this script; it adds no additional security risk to your board.
  
• Convenience - There's no need to remember or bookmark any URL to an installer script anymore, as long as you can reach your Admin CP you can install, uninstall, or upgrade any compatible mods. No more worrying about whether or not you typed in the correct URL to the installer, and no more asking the mod maker for uninstallation instructions.
  
• Thoroughness - The feature set of this mod is second to none, it can perform a wide variety of different tasks, and the ability to add custom PHP scripts into it just increases the flexibility of potential uses of this script.
  
• Staying up to date - The Admin CP menu for this component will keep you updated of new versions for the mods you have installed using this script, as well as keeping you updated on the script itself.