Installing new languages

November 10, 2013, 05:25:33 pm

Elk (like SMF) is able to install languages in three ways:
1) uploading the files via ftp,
2) through the admin page "add language",
3) installing a package (i.e. a zip file properly formatted, like a mod/addon).

I think one between 2 and 3 is redundant.

What I've seen at SMF is that many people get confused by trying to upload the wrong package in the wrong page, so my general idea would be to have just one "entry point" for any "package" installation (addon, theme, language pack, smiley pack).
Of course that doesn't necessarily mean that uploads could not be done somewhere else too (i.e. keep the current installation pages and redirect them to "special" versions of the same packages page). This, in association with this and another discussion I can't find at the moment, would make things easier to handle (I think).
For 1.0 is probably too late to think about it (feel free to blame me so that I can blame my memory, no problem!

), but for 1.1 could be doable (and mostly backward-compatible).

What are the consequences?
Well, for addons/mods none.
For themes almost none.
For smiley packs almost none again.
For languages some: first the files to download/upload would be packaged as an addon (I think we can create a special type so that a simple xml file along the line of the one in the themes would be more than enough), second... I think that's all.

Oh well, again some random thoughts after an ugly PR.