How to take functionality of 3rd party modules and convert to Core(Modules)

[pquerner]

In my opinion a battleplan need to be made and discussed about how OpenMage is able to take funcationality of 3rd party open source modules.

Discussions about

• Are we allowed to take the 3rd party code and put it in the core (not 1:1, because we are on the core now and have more ways than previously)
• How do we put the functionality in the core (aka, behind events, ACL rules, feature toggles) etc.

needs to take place imho.

Can anyone shed some light about the situation regarding copyright?

(Previous content of this message)

Description (*)

It would be great if we had any events around \Mage_Adminhtml_Block_System_Config_Form_Fieldset::render, so we can have more control over a single field being rendered.

This is coming because we use https://github.com/avstudnitz/AvS_ScopeHint and would like to add more fields to it. By default it only handles text-ish fields okay. SerializedArray fields dont work at all.
After a hacky process I got it to work (not without changing the module AND my classes using the SerializedArray); however I think it would have been much easier if I had the chance of changing (ie. transportObject) the item being rendered there.

Expected behavior (*)

Benefits

Additional information

[fballiano]

actually https://github.com/avstudnitz/AvS_ScopeHint would be a nice addition to the core itself...

[pquerner]

True. I am currently here patching it so it works with SerializedArray forms;

(not a mockup, I just removed some text so I dont leak stuff)

It works, but its very hacky. An event at the right places would have saved me some time.

[fballiano]

I'm pro adding both of the things ;-)

[pquerner]

My idea was (when it all is cleaned up) pushing it to AvS_ScopeHint. (wouldnt get merged there anyways I think, Andreas moved to M2 long ago and probably doesnt touch M1 anymore).

(Changes to the AvS_ScopeHint module arent really bad. Just some logic from avs_scopehint/app/code/community/AvS/ScopeHint/Block/AdminhtmlSystemConfigFormField.php moved to helpers)

[pquerner]

Should we ask AvS about porting his modules changes to the core itself? I am not sure if we need to do that. (It would be the classy way to do it, obviously)
Also there are some open issues left. If we were to port it to the core itself, port it 1:1 at first and then fix issues, right?

[fballiano]

mmm it is true that there are quite some issues: https://github.com/avstudnitz/AvS_ScopeHint/issues, some of them seem quite important, like avstudnitz/AvS_ScopeHint#27 and probably should be fixed in the porting.

For sure if AvS would do it, it would be great.

[pquerner]

No nono, I am asking generally about taking opensource modules which now seem possible to merge into the codebase. How that should be handled.

(Also, how to not break instances which have these modules installed, or is that a willing BC to take)

I dont think AvS is taking care of that, but it is his copyright afterall.

We need a battleplan for this. :D And answers, like whats happening to the copyright. If we can touch it, or what.

[fballiano]

I wouldn't really add then as modules, if it makes sense IMHO (just my opinion) they should be kinda rewritten in the Mage namespace are really integrated, avoing rewrites and this kind of stuff

[pquerner]

I wouldnt add them as modules either, but if you now have calls in the Mage classes which werent there previously, it could do unknown stuff. (ie. calling parent::) on something you arent aware of?

[pquerner]

Can a moderator move this to a discussion (I dont know how to do it) please?
I'd like to work out a plan for this with you guys, so I can work on it.

Topics to discuss (at hand)

• How and if we are allowed to take 3rd party opensource M1 modules and put its functionality in the core
  (take as-is with minor adaptions (cleaner code, ready for php8 and so forth) - or complete rewrite? (aka when we dont have to use observers, or introduce a specific new event etc))
• How and if we should display difference about values inbetween the store-views. (Same as AvS_ScopeHint? A little cleaner? Less detail? SerializedArray from the Database shouldnt be diffed imho. Just if they differ the text "Change detected" (or something) should be enough) -- only show for admins? add acl role? etc.pp

[Flyingmana]

done ✅

[pquerner]

ive updated the first post, maybe in the first round the first bulletpoint needs to be discussed.
(shouldve created a fresh ticket for it actually.. maybe you can delete offtopic messages from this discussion?)