Core Hacks

[mjaz]

I just re-read the rules and realised that my extension to remove double keywords is not allowed, as it requires a hack to a core file.
http://extensions.joomla.org/component/ ... Itemid,35/

Of course, I willl delete it to comply to the rules, but I was wondering: Wouldn't it be possible to have the listing show that the extension requires a hack? Perhaps a little icon similar to the component/module/plugin/tool icons.

In my case: the plugin requires a small core hack (which, I just realised, can be improved -- will do that tomorrow), but apart from that it functions like a normal mambot. In Joomla 1.5, the hack won't even be necessary anymore.

[ot2sen]

Hi mjaz,

Thanks for letting us know. I didn´t realize that a hack was needed when your extension was approved.

Hacks which alter Joomla! source code must do so through the standard Joomla! install and uninstall process. Uninstalling should revert any changes made to Joomla! source code.

According to this rule, hacks that revert any changes when uninstalling can be approved.

Your extension has been unpublished for now, but if you make any changes to it, so it can be approved according to the rules, then please send a pm, and I will publish it again.

*When you know that your mambot make changes to core, you perhaps should put that information in the file description at the forge project.

[mjaz]

Hi,

sorry for the confusion, guess I was a bit too enthusiastic in releasing it! 
I've added the info about the hack on the forge.

I don't think there's a "clean" way to have the plugin install and uninstall the hack code. But I've been thinking: My first version only worked on content items, I later added to hack to make it work for the whole site. Maybe I could make that optional, so that the plugin would work out of the box on content. Users then could decide for themselves if they need the hack.

Also, I'll change the hack code so that if you uninstall the extension but leave the code, it won't affect anything.

Maybe these changes would be sufficient?

If not, we'll all just have to wait for J!1.5... 

EDIT: Making the hack optional isn't possible due to J!1.0.x structure.
The new version 1.0.1 with better hack code is available at the forge: http://forge.joomla.org/sf/projects/mjaztools