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Standard libraries vs. Modular Extensions / Matchbox
#1

[eluser]Dave Stewart[/eluser]
Hi All,

I'm about to release a really useful Navigation library that should get any CI developer making sites that are more than a few pages really excited.

The Base Install which is all you need to get started, is just a single library and a single config file, so no great shakes with distribution there.

However, the Development Install (with a bunch of development tools in a manner similar to Scaffolding) would consist of:

- The main Library
- The main Config file
- A Utility library
- A Utilities controller
- up to 5 Views for each of the Utilities (I could hard-code much simpler versions into the controller, but what a headache)
- Optional additional user-defined Config files

Obviously for the Development Install the traditional CI file schema would be a total headache, so I've been looking at the two extensions named above (Modular Extensions & Matchbox).

So, my questions are:

- Is this the best way to go, to have developers install a library before being able to work with all the extra tools?
- Which one of the two is easiest to get up and running with (PHP 4/5)?
- Are they both still being actively developed?

Many thanks for your input,
Cheers,
Dave
#2

[eluser]wiredesignz[/eluser]
Modular Extensions is still being developed and supported. I am currently working with a PHP5 only version of ME which will also be ported back to work with PHP4 sometime soon.
#3

[eluser]Dave Stewart[/eluser]
Thanks for the info.

I guess I'll get started with Matchbox and see how I get on.
Do your two libraries have the same routing syntax? ie, they both route via

Code:
/module/controller/method/parameter

Cheers,
Dave
#4

[eluser]wiredesignz[/eluser]
Yes, routing is the same, if the module and the controller name are identical you only need the controller segment in the URL, if they are different you must also add the module segment.

Modular Extensions is faster and has more features than Matchbox, while providing the same functionality if that's all that you require.
#5

[eluser]Dave Stewart[/eluser]
Yeah, I literally just need modules to run within their own space, with their own rseources, that's all.

I've just been checking out Kahona. It looks very similar to CI, but with the HMVC stuff built in. Do you know what CI's plans are long term?

Most stuff I make needs to be modular, and I'm so used to Wordpress plugins just working (or not, then you just delete the folder!) so I can't see how the current architecture would be scalable in the long term.

Also, it's beginning to feel quite fragile that you can only extend a controller/library/whathaveyou only once with the standard install.

I'm only a week or so into CI. Maybe I should run in tandem with Kahona and see how I get on. Has anyone any experience with it?

(I must admit, I feel slightly guilty for thinking about defecting!)




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