Wireshark · Ethereal-dev: Re: [Ethereal-dev] plugins version-subdirectory: Why?

[Ulf Lamping <ulf.lamping@xxxxxx>]

Lars Ruoff wrote:

> Hi,
> why do we need that version-subdirectory under 'plugins' in the installation
> directory and don't have the plugins directly in 'plugins'?
> Personally, it would simplify my life, not having to change some target
> paths in my plugin make scripts every time i move to a new version
> (including SVN intermediate versions).
> And if someone wanted to have different versions of Ethereal installed,
> wouldn't they be in different base directories anyway?
> Just wondering.
>
> Lars
>  
I agree this isn't the best way to handle things.


But it's dangerous to not versioning the plugin dirs.

Consider the following:

Install a private plugin let's say compatible with version 0.10.9.

After updating to Ethereal 0.10.10 (which let's say have some 
incompatible binary changes) this plugin is still in the plugin dir and 
not updated by the installer (because it's a private plugin).

When you now start Ethereal, it will crash unexpectedly, not telling you 
anything about the cause.

I had that problem, as my private testing environment does it the way 
you suggest (but "usually" I know what's the cause when Ethereal is 
crashing :-).

I really do agree, that the current solution is ugly, but I don't have 
the time and interest "fixing" this as it works for me (and a lot of 
other's too :-).

Regards, ULFL