How to properly manage plugin files with Git and SVN

Hi Carl,

The git-svn command would be the most efficient setup, as it provides you the tools for both git and the Subversion template which is used for pushing changes into the WordPress plugin repo. I will post a link to the command’s documentation here.

Thanks!
Tyler

Moved to Everything WordPress, this is not a Developing with WordPress topic. It’s more of a process topic. Also don’t put [ Something ] in topic titles, it’s not necessary.

Probably the best place to ask is in the #pluginreview channel on the WordPress Slack.

To use that channel you need a Slack account. You can obtain one via these instructions.

https://make.www.ads-software.com/chat/

I know there are plugins that do use a process to keep plugins in the WordPress repository lined up with Github but I’m not aware if that is documented anywhere or even recommended. For example, too frequent updates to a live plugin is really frowned upon on the WordPress repository. The plugins team may be able to better explain why that is.

@tylerthedude OK thanks for that. I’ll have a look at git-svn. Is that what you use for plugin development?

@jdembowski Thanks for that.

>> To use that channel you need a Slack account. You can obtain one via these instructions.
>> https://make.www.ads-software.com/chat/

OK got it. Is it required that I create a Slack account using those instructions? Or, if I already have a Slack account (that I use for other purposes), can I ask the #pluginreview channel using that account?

*Reads. Drinks coffee.*

Don’t be afraid. ??

OK got it. Is it required that I create a Slack account using those instructions? Or, if I already have a Slack account (that I use for other purposes), can I ask the #pluginreview channel using that account?

A very serious question: do you have more than one forum account here? Please, just a yes or no and if so, which account?

I’d prefer you explain rather than I find it.

>> A very serious question: do you have more than one forum account here? Please, just a yes or no and if so, which account?

Yes ?? As you can see, I created this post using one account–carlgross–the account I use to maintain this plugin. But I then accidentally replied from my main account–cag8f–the account I’ve used for years prior to any plugin development. I’ll have to be more careful about that.

I hope it is OK to use two separate accounts in this manner. Before creating the second account, I read the forum guidelines, specifically the section on sockpuppet accounts. It seemed to indicate the use of two separate accounts was acceptable in this type of case.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Carl Gross.

Yeah. No.

*DRINKS COFFEE, COFFEE IS GOOD.*

You are misreading that portion on sock puppets. I’ll explain. You are not in trouble but one of your accounts will be turned into a Spectator and will not be allowed to post in the forums.

https://www.ads-software.com/support/guidelines/#do-not-create-multiple-accounts-sockpuppets

Your real account is this one. So far so good.

https://www.ads-software.com/support/users/cag8f/

This account is not a company account. It’s you. It has been you since 2014 in these forums.

This is your new one. It’s the one that you use to upload your plugin to the WordPress repository using this account.

https://www.ads-software.com/support/users/carlgross/

That’s not a “Company account” either. A company account would be something like “Amazing Widgets Company” (and hopefully not trademarked). Your profile is for Carl Gross because, well, you are Carl Gross. Nice to meet you. ??

A company account would be like one of these. I’m just using these as an example as “company” accounts because they’re fresh in my memory.

https://www.ads-software.com/support/users/rankmath/
https://www.ads-software.com/support/users/codewoogeek/

Unless their parents named them Rank and Code, I am confident that you can see why those are company accounts.

Those users have other accounts as well (moderators SEE EVERYTHING in the forums) but those two accounts are careful. For posting for something not related to their plugins they use their real account.

*Drinks more coffee, coffee is good.*

You are posting as cag8f a lot. That’s fine , it’s your very active account. Company accounts are to be used for representing your company in your own plugin’s sub-forum only. I’ve looked and that’s not what that account is doing.

Closing your new account would be problematic as you’ve uploaded a plugin using that account. So rather than do that, I’m going to set that new account a a Spectator in the forums. This account.

https://www.ads-software.com/support/users/carlgross/

You can still use that account for SVN updates to your plugin but you will not be allowed to post in the forums. One Carl is enough. ??

I suggest you edit your old account display name to be Carl Gross as you’ve done with the new one. That would be appropriate.

BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL QUESTION ??

OK got it. Is it required that I create a Slack account using those instructions? Or, if I already have a Slack account (that I use for other purposes), can I ask the #pluginreview channel using that account?

Yes, please open a new Slack account for your real account. Use that account only please.

*Un-spectator new account*

After the coffee set in, see why I drink coffee, I occurs to me that you may want keep the new account and have the old one closed.

That’s OK too. @carlgross @cag8f is that what you would prefer? The new account is replying as well but one of those accounts is going. That’s not what the sock puppet portion in the guidelines is for.

OK I understand the sockpuppet guidelines now–thanks for that clarification.

And I see that you are saying one of my two users must be made into a spectator now, and that you are giving me a choice. Before we proceed though, can I describe my situation and get some clarification on protocol? I am the WordPress admin for several sites (all with different clients), and hence, ask many questions in the WordPress forums about themes/plugins/WordPress–all related to sites I manage for these clients. In my spare time, unrelated to any of my clients, I built this plugin. Are you saying that from now on, I will always have to post to the WordPress forums from one single account–the same account I use to manage my plugin? That would be a bit unfortunate–it would be helpful to be able to maintain two separate and unrelated accounts. One would be a very public account I use solely to manage my plugin (with my real name, etc), and the other with which I could post about client issues, and maintain anonymity (as I’ve done with @cag8f until now). Is that allowed with WordPress?

Thanks.

OK I understand the sockpuppet guidelines now–thanks for that clarification.

That’s good.

Are you saying that from now on, I will always have to post to the WordPress forums from one single account–the same account I use to manage my plugin?

That’s not what I am saying and it is good for you to ask.

This account is not a “company account”.

https://www.ads-software.com/support/users/carlgross/

Please do not try and make a case for it being a company account. It’s not, that’s you. Being a real person is better by the way and this forum is not a place of business.

I’m saying that you cannot have two accounts. It’s not allowed in the use case that you are trying to use here. And no, I am not picking on you personally. This has appeared before and the person with multiple accounts loses one.

Multiple accounts are always a bad idea and someday the exception should go in my opinion. But for now it is allowed in an extremely narrow use case. This is not that use case so I suggest you choose to retire the cag8f account and keep the new one that is also your name.

The new one will NOT be a company account and you can use it anywhere on these forums. Your new account will not be limited to just your plugin sub-forum. Nor should it; you are that person.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Jan Dembowski. Reason: Silly grammar mistake

>> Are you saying that from now on, I will always have to post to the WordPress forums from one single account–the same account I use to manage my plugin?
>> That’s not what I am saying and it is good for you to ask.

Really? Maybe I’m misunderstanding, but to me, It seems like that this is indeed what you are saying. To clarify, you are saying that right now I have to choose to relinquish one of my two users, and continue to use one single user for all my future forum activity. Specifically, any time I post to any WordPress forum, it will have to be from that one user. That is how I am understanding this. But can you clarify any misunderstanding?

For example, you later say, “…you cannot have two accounts.” Doesn’t that validate my understanding of the situation?

I apologize for all the questions. I’m not trying to be combative. I’m asking a lot of questions only because I want to be clear on the rules, and ensure I am compliant.

For example, you later say, “…you cannot have two accounts.” Doesn’t that validate my understanding of the situation?

You cannot have two accounts on this site.

Your accounts here can only be used on the www.ads-software.com domain sites and not anywhere else. They are not connected to any other site or any other WordPress installation. Closing an account here will not have any impact outside of this domain.

It’s fine (these questions) but this can be all reduced to a one question reply from me: which account do you wish to keep?

I am going to close one and I’d prefer that you make that choice.

You have and use two accounts. There is only one permitted exception for that and your case is not it. You do not qualify to have a second account and that was explained to you above with examples of where the exception applies.

See this reply.

https://www.ads-software.com/support/topic/plugin-development-how-to-properly-manage-plugin-files-with-git-and-svn/#post-12053514

Again: which account do you wish to keep? I can pick one and I think it would be less problematic if your old account was closed. But that will happen so please choose the account you wish to keep and let me know here.

I think you should keep the new one but that is up to you. Pick one to keep or I will make the choice for you.

>> Your accounts here can only be used on the www.ads-software.com domain sites and not anywhere else. They are not connected to any other site or any other WordPress installation.

OK I understand all that, although I don’t quite understand what you mean by ‘WordPress installation.’ Are you simply saying my WordPress forum account would not grant me login access to any specific WordPress installation? If so, then yes, I understand.

>> Pick one to keep or I will make the choice for you.

Is it really that urgent? I would prefer it if it could wait at least until I fully understood the situation, and asked my follow-up questions (which I still have). If you absolutely need to delete one of the users right this second, I guess I could delete the cag8f user now. But before you do that—that user currently has open forum posts that are awaiting reply. If you delete the user now, what will happen to those posts? Will I still receive an email notification when someone replies to those posts? Or will those posts be abandoned, forcing me to create a new post with the carlgross user? Or something else? Can I at least have some time to note the URL of those posts, in case I need to revisit them from the carlgross user?

Is it really that urgent?

You’re doing something that’s not permitted so yes, it’s urgent. That’s how rules are enforced. It’s the start the day where I am, by noon my time say 4 hours I will close your old account unless you say close the new one before that.

Edit: All of the topics you’ve started can be found here. Closing an account on the forums does not remove your posts or replies from that account.

https://www.ads-software.com/support/users/cag8f/topics/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Jan Dembowski.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Jan Dembowski.

OK no worries—I understand you have a job to do and I respect that.

>> by noon my time say 4 hours I will close your old account unless you say close the new one before that.

OK I hear you. But what about the questions I asked? Specifically, if you close the cag8f account, what will happen that user’s existing, unanswered, forum posts? Will I still receive email notifications if someone replies?

Also, let’s say I choose to relinquish the cag8f account, and keep the carlgross account. I have a related question about company accounts in that case. First of all, I realize the carlgross account is not a company account, nor am I hoping to convert it to one. But let’s say one of my clients is a real estate company named Island Real Estate. Would it be OK for me to create a WordPress account specifically for that client–https://www.ads-software.com/support/users/islandrealestate/–and use that account to post all activity related to the work I do for Island Real Estate? To be clear, I’m not trying to circumvent any rules—-I want to be compliant. But by the way you’ve defined ‘company account,’ it seems like such accounts are intended for just this purpose, i.e. use that account to post all activity related to that company. If so, I think it would alleviate some of the privacy concerns that I’m having. Specifically, until now, the cag8f account has been able to post with relative anonymity—as desired. If, in the future, I post all activity from the carlgross account, that anonymity will be gone (since the carlgross account contains my full name, bio, etc). If I can create separate company accounts for each of my clients, I would be able to continue to post to the forums—regarding client websites–with relative anonymity. Again, my plugin is not related to any of my clients.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by cag8f.

Also, let’s say I choose to relinquish the cag8f account, and keep the carlgross account.

That would be good.

But let’s say one of my clients is a real estate company named Island Real Estate. Would it be OK for me to create a WordPress account specifically for that client–https://www.ads-software.com/support/users/islandrealestate/–and use that account to post all activity related to the work I do for Island Real Estate?

That would get all of your accounts banned for sock puppetry.

You’re not a company here. You’re not representing anyone else here. Your account represents you, a person. The multiple accounts exception is a very limited exception for plugin and themes related support.

If someone is supporting their customers using a islandrealestate in these forums they’re making an allowed mistake. Their mistake would be that they’re a real person and company accounts like that are silly. That’s allowed though and you do see that sort of account.

When they create a new account here for any other reasons and use it? That is
sock puppetry. And no, I will not debate that. That would get both their accounts banned when found. It does not happen often but it does happen occasionally.