[naviserver-devel] Deprecation of Legacy Functions and Introduction of Modernization Script

[Gustaf N. (sslmail) <ne...@wu...>]

> I see that we are still using ns_formvalueput in some very old, but still used, code. 

I noticed that OpenACS is still using "ns_formvalueput" in some legacy packages within the OpenACS repository.

To help identify and manage outdated functions, I have created a small utility script available on my GitHub:

    https://github.com/gustafn/ns-modernizer/
    
How the Script Works:

The script recursively scans .tcl files in a directory tree, flags deprecated commands, and optionally replaces some of the simpler ones automatically. Here’s an example of its output:

----- /usr/local/oacs-head/openacs-4/packages/dotlrn-ecommerce/tcl/dotlrn-ecommerce-init.tcl
use of deprecated command: 'ns_register_adptag'
... updating ./dotlrn-ecommerce/tcl/dotlrn-ecommerce-init.tcl (1 changes)

----- /usr/local/oacs-head/openacs-4/packages/imsld/www/admin/imsld-export-xo.tcl
use of deprecated command: 'ns_tmpnam'
... updating ./imsld/www/admin/imsld-export-xo.tcl (1 changes)

The full README on GitHub provides additional details, including how to enable the "change mode" for automatic replacements.


Next Steps for Deprecation

Based on feedback, I plan to mark some TBD functions as deprecated. However, this does not imply their immediate removal; they will remain available for the foreseeable future.

Additionally, I identified two more functions with unclear distinctions that I’ve added to the TBD section:

    ns_requestauthorize
    ns_checkurl

Both functions are implemented using the same core method (NsTclRequestAuthorizeObjCmd) but have different manual pages [1, 2]. My current understanding is:

    NaviServer allows authentication procs to be registered at the C level, used primarily by the nsperm module.
    These two noted Tcl functions allow manual invocation of this functionality, which can be useful for testing or specific scenarios.
    However, having two separate functions seems unnecessary.

Proposal

I suggest keeping "ns_requestauthorize" because its name better reflects its purpose and marking "ns_checkurl" as deprecated. However, I propose preserving the more concise documentation from "ns_checkurl" for clarity with the other name.

Since OpenACS uses its own database-driven permission and authority management system and does not rely on "nsperm", I lack direct experience with these commands.

I welcome your insights, especially from anyone more familiar with nsperm or related functionality.

all the best
-g

[1] https://naviserver.sourceforge.io/n/naviserver/files/ns_requestauthorize.html
[2] https://naviserver.sourceforge.io/n/naviserver/files/ns_checkurl.html