[dev] Best practice to add my changes and keep the ability to install future updates

[Michael J Rubinsky]

Quoting Hendrik <lists at object.earth>:

> Hello List,
>
>
> thank you very much for all of your efforts, creating and maintaining
> this amazing software project.
>
> I am new to Horde and its components. Setting it up was easier than
> expected and things work just fine.
>
> Now I would like to extend and change some functionality, but I am
> lacking information about the best practices.
> And that is why I am writing to you.
>
> For example, I would like to change this function:
>
> Horde_Auth::genRandomPassword()
>
> found in php/Horde/Auth.php at line 316:
>
>     /**
>      * Generates a random, hopefully pronounceable, password. This can
> be used
>      * when resetting automatically a user's password.
>      *
>      * @return string A random password
>      */
>     public static function genRandomPassword()
>     {
>         /* Alternate consonant and vowel random chars with two random
> numbers
>          * at the end. This should produce a fairly pronounceable
> password. */
>         return substr(self::CONSONANTS, mt_rand(0,
> strlen(self::CONSONANTS) - 1), 1) .
>             substr(self::VOWELS, mt_rand(0, strlen(self::VOWELS) - 1), 1) .
>             substr(self::CONSONANTS, mt_rand(0, strlen(self::CONSONANTS)
> - 1), 1) .
>             substr(self::VOWELS, mt_rand(0, strlen(self::VOWELS) - 1), 1) .
>             substr(self::CONSONANTS, mt_rand(0, strlen(self::CONSONANTS)
> - 1), 1) .
>             substr(self::NUMBERS, mt_rand(0, strlen(self::NUMBERS) - 1),
> 1) .
>             substr(self::NUMBERS, mt_rand(0, strlen(self::NUMBERS) - 1), 1);
>     }
>
>
>
>
> Of course I could simply change this function so it does exactly what I
> want.
> But as soon as I install an update, I assume, my changes might get undone.
>
> Since this function does not contain a hook I am wondering, what's the
> best practice to add my changes and keep the ability to install future
> updates?

For something like this, that has no hook or other possibility to  
customize, you will need to create/maintain your own patches and  
re-apply after updating. If you have done a lot of customization you  
could utilize Git to manage this.


-- 
mike
The Horde Project
http://www.horde.org
https://www.facebook.com/hordeproject
https://www.twitter.com/hordeproject
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