Development Discussions

Re: A proposition for a true opened developement !

It's a great idea - but scarey!

But I would suggest one change:

Have a "Live" branch which is the one where any issues and so forth are correct... and the "development" branch which any can contribute to.

The "Live" would always be a few days behind the "development" in order for errors to be reported and acted on...

Report
Topic


A proposition for a true opened developement !

Sato-san brought the subject of the language files in another post, and it made me think about this.

I would like to see a lot more "integration" and "centralization" of code in the ImpressCMS project. I would like to see "more things" in "1 place" then everything spread around the internet.

In that regards, I would like to see the languages files as well as modules and themes all centralized in one location. Ideally SVN. But I know this would be a big change from the "XOOPS" way as it would require many people to have commit acces on SVN.

This might scare some people but not me. With SVN it is very easy to revert anything that needs to. So I do not see real problems with this...

And the more people we have on the SVN, the more quickly bugs will naturally be fixed.

So my suggestion would be to have new folders in our SVN :

- Languages
- Modules
- Themes

Then we provide everyone who requests it with commit access to our SVN so they can commit their modules, their language files, etc...

Maybe we need to think about the tree structure of our SVN, but the idea would be to have everything in one place, and give commit access to everyone who requests it.

A TRUE opened development. Everyone who wants to contribute will now be able to do so ! And if he does something very wrong, because we have many people using it, it will be reverted, fixed or improved quickly after.

Of course, we would have some mechanism to "eject" a user who is just playing dumb...

This would be a clear separation from the "XOOPS way", a clear statement of our true enforcement of our OPENED vision !

Now I know this will scare some of you, but let's discuss it

Report
Topic


Rules to follow when using ImpressCMS SVN

Hi everyone, I would like to propose a few basic rules for all of us to follow when it comes to committing in the ImpressCMS SVN. This is a few rules I gattered from Dave_l post a few days ago.

1. Be informed of our discussions

Every developer need to stay informed of our discussions here. So we all need to make a commitment of reading everything that is posted on the Current and Future release forums. It is the only way we can all work together towards the same goal, and bringing synergy in our efforts.

2. Documenting our code

That means that every function has a phpDocumentor-compliant header comment, which is both correct and understandable, states the purpose of the function and describes the parameters and return value.

The same applies to class properties. The header comment for a function (or a class) is intended to be a "mini user manual" for the function that provides all the information needed to call that function, without having to examine the body of the function.

3. Use our trackers for nearly everything

Use the ImpressCMS trackers for everything you do. Bugs, Features, Tasks, everything.

For example, adding the Multilanguage features needs to have a task related. Same thing for the security audit or the removal of the XOOPS word all around.

4. Create 2-ways links

Create as many two-way links between Subversion changesets and ImpressCMS trackers as possible:

- In your commit message, refer to the tracker item ID.

- When you edit the tracker item on SourceForge, refer to the revision number of your commit in th SVN.

5. Commit logical changesets

When you commit a change to the repository, make sure your change reflects a single purpose: the fixing of a specific bug, the addition of a new feature, or some particular task. Your commit will create a new revision number which can forever be used as a "name" for the change.

6. About branching

We will use the "Branch-when-needed" system :

- Users commit their day-to-day work on /trunk.

- Rule #1: /trunk must compile and pass regression tests at all times. Committers who violate this rule are publically humiliated.

- Rule #2: a single commit (changeset) must not be so large so as to discourage peer-review.

- Rule #3: if rules #1 and #2 come into conflict (i.e. it's impossible to make a series of small commits without disrupting the trunk), then the user should create a branch and commit a series of smaller changesets there. This allows peer-review without disrupting the stability of /trunk.

Thoughts ?

Report


Remember me

There are number of hacks for "remember me" feature. Most famous is by GIJOE.

Can we extend this feature to have something what LinkedIn (and many other sites) already using.

* Once you login, you should have full access until session timeouts.
* After timeout, you have read-only access to your allowed contents.
* It prompts to login again if you want to do something transactional - say submit post.

Can we have built into new CORE?

Thanks,

Report


Re: Auditing Code (security wise)

  • 2007/12/10 5:46:00
  • herko

Should we also review where queryf is used in key modules, as this is often misused by developers who want a quick way to access core tables.

Herko

Report


Re: GoPHP5

and what about mysql5 too?

but in particular mysql5 has some functions that could be utilised (if used correctly, and that input is validated and sanitized before hand)

especially as mysql5 is able to use multiple queries in 1 session whereas mysql4 can only accept single queries at 1 time.. it could speed things up if multiple query ability is introduced.

I see someone has worked on adding mysqli support too, so even with mysqli, multiple queries can be utilised by the function mysqli_multi_query() instead of mysqli_query().

certainly something to look at tho either way.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow, Learn as if you were to live forever

The beauty of a living thing is not the atoms that go into it, but the way those atoms are put together!
Report


Re: Auditing Code (security wise)

nice reading, very exhausting tho..

thanks for those dave & dave.

with regards to the conversation I had with Dave last night, it is apparent that the exit(); after redirect_header() is not required as redirect_header function is already terminated with exit(); in the function itself. I'll remove the extra exit(); in a bit for consistency.

my next task that I will look for is in the mysql query statements. In particular making sure that all values in the sql query itself are quoted '' regardless of datatype, this includes alphanumeric values aswell as integer values. this will help decrease SQLi attacks.

for example >

$uid = $_GET['uid']; $pass = $_GET['pass']; mysql_query("SELECT * FROM table WHERE uid=$uid AND pass='$pass'");


is very vulnerable (i am not ignoring sanitation here, but just the above is for example of why quotes are necessary)

in the above, if a user provides a value of "1 OR 1=2" the above query then becomes >

SELECT * FROM table WHERE uid=1 OR 1=2 AND pass=''


which means that an attacker could then retrieve an arbitrary row from the db bypassing the password itself.



I think maybe a good idea for me to keep using this thread to write down my intentions and explain the reasoning, + if anyone else would like to also offer suggestions, it's a good place to keep this discussion in 1 place.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow, Learn as if you were to live forever

The beauty of a living thing is not the atoms that go into it, but the way those atoms are put together!
Report


Re: ImpressCMS Theme

james, looks great so far from the "view into source output". What I would add is a [html]label for the input(s).

after a quick look I ran into problems when the id of the single centercolums were assigned.

eg, I never get a "single-top-center-column" though both left and right centerblocks were not set. This is because the values are overwritten some lines below.

it is true that when both centerleft and centerright were empty normally this should be rendered as "single-top-center-column".

but, ... some lines below there is
<{elseif empty($xoops_clblocks) && !empty($xoops_ccblocks)}>
which is in this explecit situaton also true so the id of the centerblock will be rendered as "wide-top-right-column" only.

We can solve this situation copying the first block of lines (of the 3 blocks where the ids were assigned, not the blockoutput) below the 2 others (ctop centerblocks related)

So we get this instead:

<{if empty($xoops_ccblocks) && empty($xoops_crblocks)}>
<{assign var='tclc' value='single-top-left-column'}>
<{elseif empty($xoops_ccblocks) && !empty($xoops_crblocks)}>
<{assign var='tclc' value='wide-top-left-column'}>
<{assign var='tcrc' value='wide-top-right-column'}>
<{elseif !empty($xoops_ccblocks) && empty($xoops_crblocks)}>
<{assign var='tclc' value='wide-top-left-column'}>
<{assign var='tccc' value='wide-top-center-column'}>
<{else}>
<{assign var='tclc' value='top-left-column'}>
<{/if}>

<{if empty($xoops_clblocks) && empty($xoops_ccblocks)}>
<{assign var='tcrc' value='single-top-right-column'}>
<{elseif empty($xoops_clblocks) && !empty($xoops_ccblocks)}>
<{assign var='tcrc' value='wide-top-right-column'}>
<{assign var='tccc' value='wide-top-center-column'}>
<{elseif !empty($xoops_clblocks) && empty($xoops_ccblocks)}>
<{assign var='tcrc' value='wide-top-right-column'}>
<{assign var='tclc' value='wide-top-left-column'}>
<{else}>
<{assign var='tcrc' value='top-right-column'}>
<{/if}>



<{if empty($xoops_clblocks) && empty($xoops_crblocks)}>
<{assign var='tccc' value='single-top-center-column'}>
<{elseif empty($xoops_clblocks) && !empty($xoops_crblocks)}>
<{assign var='tccc' value='wide-top-center-column'}>
<{assign var='tcrc' value='wide-top-right-column'}>
<{elseif !empty($xoops_clblocks) && empty($xoops_crblocks)}>
<{assign var='tccc' value='wide-top-center-column'}>
<{assign var='tclc' value='wide-top-left-column'}>
<{else}>
<{assign var='tccc' value='top-center-column'}>
<{/if}>


this works for me in this situation. Same counts for the bottom centerblocks.

Or is it only me stupid?


what i would like to see in the source were hr's to devide the sections more clearly. we may hide them or make the "not visible" but we may (a)buse them to clear (repair) some "module templates output errors" using clear:something.


this for now!
keep on good work my friend
michael

Report


Re: german files in SVN?

Slightly off topic: I spoke with a module developer the other day, who is working on a language file generation module - which could be very useful for translators

Report


Re: german files in SVN?

  • 2007/12/9 23:18:54
  • herko

SVN has a big learning curve, while editing translations (language files) doesn't require one to be a developer with SVN skills. So I'm not sure if this is a good idea.

How to deal with translations is a more general issue. I'd prefer it if the language packs are provided separately, as it decreases the upload time for the files, and normally only one language is used anyway (multilang sites excluded of course, but there isn't a rock solid solution for that yet).
Also, I would prefer if a translation is checked by at least 2 people. This to improve the quality of the translation.
What are the guidelines for translations? how formal is the language, or how technical? I would love to go through the core language files to see if we can make it more user friendly, and create some language guidelines for translators.

Herko

Tomorrow never comes until it's too late
Report


Re: ImpressCMS Theme

i will have a deeper look at this.

Report


Re: german files in SVN?

  • 2007/12/9 22:05:05
  • nekro

I think that it could be posible to have all the language packs in sourceforge...


Ohloh profile for nekro
Report


Re: Auditing Code (security wise)

Few utilities I've found:

http://developer.spikesource.com/projects/phpsecaudit/

http://www.dragoslungu.com/2007/10/30/pixy-is-a-free-php-code-audit-tool/

http://www.php-mag.net/magphpde/magphpde_news/psecom,id,27497,nodeid,5.html

http://www.darknet.org.uk/2007/11/skavenger-source-code-auditing-tool/

Report


Re: german files in SVN?

Where is the best location for language files?

Report


Re: Auditing Code (security wise)

As promised. here are my notes:

Notes from SPI Dynamics workshop, Richmond, VA, 2007-04-17

This free workshop was obviously intended to encourage people to buy SPI Dynamics' web security products. But the presenter, Brett Sagenich (brett.sagenich AT spidynamics DOT com), was a security engineer, not a salesman, and he provided much information of general use. His point was that web applications present numerous potential security vulnerabilities. He demonstrated actual techniques used by attackers. The reason that he discussed these details is that while they can all be addressed by proper software design, this is very labor-intensive, while SPI Dynamics' tools perform automated detection for these vulnerabilities.

Specific vulnerabilities discussed:

1. Extraneous files such as readme's, documentation, old files
- Provides info to attackers
- Old versions of scripts may have unpatched security issues.

2. Unvalidated user input

3. Visible error messages
- May reveal information useful to attackers
- Software in use
- File system paths
- Variation in error messages in response to an attacker's input can guide him.

4. SQL injection
- iterative (trial and error)
- with error messages
- blind (based on displayed output or presence/absence of output)

5. Session hijacking
- Exploit spoofable session ID, customer ID, etc.

6. XSS (or CSS, cross-site scripting)

---

I can elaborate on some of these items, if there are questions. I know that "Unvalidated user input" is a problem often encountered with XOOPS.

---

By the way, here's a good reference I found on this topic: Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP)

Report


german files in SVN?

Hi all,

may I, the German language files (ISO) in SF.net?

Report


Re: Auditing Code (security wise)

yes dave :) but i used telnet as just 1 example.

thanks for the offer of your notes, any information that can help improve security is a bonus.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow, Learn as if you were to live forever

The beauty of a living thing is not the atoms that go into it, but the way those atoms are put together!
Report


Re: ImpressCMS Theme

I've got most of the logic, XHTML and CSS done. There is some work needed on fine-tuning the margins and padding, but the hardest part is done.

At this point, the images need sliced, the CSS needs color matched, and the aforementioned fine-tuning needs done.

I won't be around today and much of tomorrow. If somebody else wants to take what I've done so far and continue on it, that would be a great help!!!

Work so far attached.

Let's make this first theme a team effort!!!

JMorris (aka James Morris)
ImpressCMS Professional Services: INBOX International inc.
James Morris Online | Frolicking on the playground that is the Internet...
Report


Re: ImpressCMS - Team building

This is important to the longevity of ImpressCMS (or any project). I agree with Herko about what we need to be focusing on at this stage - a list of tasks that need to be completed and a clear overall vision, much like we did here when pulling together at Xi.

Report


Re: GoPHP5

  • 2007/12/9 7:41:21
  • herko

Why not split it up?

I mean this:

the codes that build on just the current xoops 2.0.x code will have its php4 compatbility, but
the *real* impress codes (the ones that will take it away from xoops) will be php5 native.

This is what Skalpa wanted to do with XOOPS anyway: work towards a php5 native codebase. Basically, you'd have till 8.8.08 to create a superduper new php5 only system that will make the current patching xoops work obsolete.

Herko

Tomorrow never comes until it's too late
Report