Re: [Planner] CVS and stable together

["lincoln phipps openmutual net" <lincoln phipps openmutual net>]

Isaac Jones wrote:
> Greetings.
>
> First off, planner is really cool software.  I've been using it for a
> few months to keep track of what's going on around here.
>
> So I decided that I'm going to install the CVS version and see how
> things are going since 0.11.  Thing is, this project file is pretty
> important and I don't want to break it (obviously, I'll make a backup). 
> Are the XML formats different between versions?  Will I be able to use
> the old version again if I make some changes with the new version?
Isaac

I created the patch to do the most recent CVS changes for
adding the "short name" so I can comment on what the changes
mean. Others will have to answer your other points.

There seems to have been very few schema changes with
Mrproject/planner to date as there is no cross-version
compatility.

Once you start to use the very latest CVS versions then any
XML file you save will automatically have any new fields. If
you try and save to a database then it'll fail until you add
the new column. I've provided the sql commands in the docs/sql
directory and ideally expect to have a nice script to help
people migrate.

If a old version of planner opens a new CVS save file then
it'll say (can't remember the exact words) that it has no
way of opening that file.

So its a one-way street at this time. Once you start using
CVS for working on real project files you have to keep
doing that else you're asking for trouble. So in your case
DON'T open and save over your current project file else
you 'll have to fix it using the next section !

DOWNGRADING: You can always get out of this accident forced
upgrade of a NEW format file and want to get back to the
OLD format: Open New format file using new Planner - Save to
database.  Exit. Use suitable database tool to drop any new
columns. Then open database with OLD Planner and then save
to a file.  You now have an old version file. The new columns
are listed in the docs/sql/upgrade???.sql file.

I test the SQL/DTD changes both cut-forward and cut-back on
new and old Planner versions to see how things crash or handle
the migration.

We do need two things: I want to add in a "File Save As"
method for backward compatibility for the XML files and
we need a schema version record in the database so that
the database save/read can also adapt to different database
versions on read (or write). BUT haven't done these yet.
By Planner 1.0 I'd imagine I would have looked at the
"File Save As" and extended the database structure to
encompase a version field because its a friendly thing to
do and future-proof further DTD/schema changes post
Planner 1.0. I've spent years working on database migrations
and regression testing so working on my instincts as to
whats nice for our customers ;)


> Do you guys ever tag CVS with a "moderately stable" version?  Is there
> any projected release date?
>
> A couple of BTWs:
>
> - On the hackerlog, someone mentioned that they updated the roadmap
> around march 16th, but the date on the roadmap is from december.
>
> - Your install instructions don't include building from CVS, which
> involves the autogen.sh file.
>
> - What's the deal with the mrproject / planner dichotomy? Is it a fork?
> Is mrproject abandon-ware?  Why won't the mrproject web page go away?
>
> - For one reason or another, the bugzilla link on your contact page is
> broken.  I have a bug report that I'll email seperately:
> http://planner.imendio.org/contact/
>
> And now a bit of philosophy / pie-in-the-sky stuff:
> I'm a bit of a nut for to-do lists.  I use the to-do list on my PDA, at
> work I use the to-do list on Evolution. I love bug trackers because they
> are like to-do lists, and planner has really fancy to-do list features. 
> Some day, maybe they'll all be integrated.  I'd love it if when bugs get
> closed in bugzilla, it updates the completion status in planner.  

I too would like to define a special Planner update XML message for
this. Something that can be emailed, webdav'd, Jabbered, or otherwise
imported into a Planner plan.  Sort of a project change message:

"<Task-change> <Task>xyz</><complete-old>50</><complete-new>100</>
<actuals><duration>x</><cost>y</></actuals></Task></Task-change>
<Signature>Signed Team leader</><SIG>sha1 hash</>"

(forgive my XML but you get the idea !) Defining an xml to message
these changes really does open up collaboration on projects and helps
integrate Planner with email/Chat/IM/PIMs/Web Services....
Rgds,
Lincoln (just a new planner hacker).


I'd
> love it if the bugs assigned to me in bugzilla and the Debian BTS would
> be reflected in my evolution to-do list, where I could schedule them on
> my calendar.  I'd love it if, when I assign someone a to-do in planner,
> it sends them the to-do via evolution.
>
> Just some food for thought.
>
>
> peace,
>
> isaac