[jonyo]

Here are a few ideas for ways to add to the functionality of IPF:

1. Have different install types, like "minimal", "upgrade", "full", ect. Then each type would include a subset of the total files to copy over. Have the install types be able to have custom names, and customize which files to upload.

2. Ability to mark a file or files as "don't overwrite target", to keep people from overridding custom images or css files. Tie it into idea 1 so that you can mark images in an "upgrade" install type to be "don't override target", but set php files to be "allow overwrite target", then on a "full install" install type, all files would be marked as "overwrite target"

3. This one could used instead of #1: Allow user to specify a local folder (or even remote folder?) that contains customized files. When it is uploading the files in the package, if it sees that file exists in the local folder, it uses that file instead. If there are any files that are not in the install package, it would automatically upload those when it is done. This would allow people to have their custom images or files automatically preserved, and allow 3rd party add-ons to be uploaded at the same time..

4. Super advanced upgrade feature: diff/auto patch feature (non-encoded/non-encrypted files only): When a user customizes their files, run the install program in "create patch" mode, which takes a diff of the original files to the customized files. Then, when the next upgrade comes along, the user uses that diff file and applies it to the upgraded files. If any conflicts occure, tell them it's not compatible and default to normal no-patched mode.

[liaison]

Thanks for the suggestions, these are noted. We have some already on the things that we've thought of for an upgrades feature, but it's good to see them suggested as well.
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[jonyo]

Any update on this, is there any new releases of IPF coming out soon? One of our clients was asking about more advanced software update capabilities, to keep from writing over code modifications..

Thanks