I don't see the need for this

I don't see the need for this

Why did I expect that reply? ROTFLOL

Already too many alerts on the dashboard IMO, do we really need another?

Can we not have a more discrete button that opens a modal, displaying this information instead?

1. Why is there a need to differentiate core and third party data sets?

2. Even though the plugins won't install sample data to the way that you would like, how does installing the data on a multi language website actually cause harm other than needing the user to do some more work if they really wanted to use it as a base to build on?

3. To me the only part of this which is valid is the suggestion to not add data to an existing site

I have tested this item ✅ successfully on d1b3e12

Patch ok for me.
Good idea adding some warnings/infos to sampledata module.

Why is there a need to differentiate core and third party data sets?

Because there may be a legitimous reason to install a 3rd party sample data after installing some core sample data. Separating Core and 3rd party clarifies what the sets are doing.

Even though the plugins won't install sample data to the way that you would like, how does installing the data on a multi language website actually cause harm other than needing the user to do some more work if they really wanted to use it as a base to build on?

Because one gets a totally confusing site where only a few default parts are multilingual (the ones created in the Installation part). The harm is enormous, some more work becomes an almost impossible work specially when installing the core testing data. Basically, if some one installs it over a multilingual site, one has better delete the whole db and start again from scratch.

To me the only part of this which is valid is the suggestion to not add data to an existing site

— The part explaining that the data may be installed in a specific language is also an important information. For example, some language communities distros use to propose various sample datas except the testing one. French TT will not translate that ini except its name and description to make it clear it is in English. The blog sample data name and definition will state it is in French.

Folks, the purpose of this PR is simply helping users to not mess totally their site by lack of information, even if it is a local test site. I am astonished to find so much opposition to this simple way of reaching this goal.

NOTE: Solving the double category creation by the plugins is also a bug that needs to be solved before release.

If it is so dangerous to install the sample data on a multilingual site then we should be protecting the user from this instead of just warning them and not enable thi8s feature in that circumstance. As we have an api to detect if a site it mulitlingual then that should be used instead of the message.

Because there may be a legitimous reason to install a 3rd party sample data after installing some core sample data. Separating Core and 3rd party clarifies what the sets are doing.

Yes, you may install additional data after install. No, this does not call for an indicator of core versus third party supplied data. We do not make this distinction anywhere in the system except for the things we have to do to deal with updates, I don't see the need for this to start making that distinction in a very superficial way.

Solving the double category creation by the plugins is also a bug that needs to be solved before release.

Figured that one out. See #17461

If it is so dangerous to install the sample data on a multilingual site

It is not more dangerous than installing it in on a monolingual site. Same work to remove it (actually a bit less, just filter by language).

By the way, the description of the sample data could be used to add a note. Eg for the testing sample data one could write "Sample data which will help with testing the CMS. Not recommended to be installed on a productive site."
The blog imho isn't that much of an issue as it doesn't add that much data. The testing is by far worse.

As for the multilingual site, the installer part of setting up the site as multilingual (adding the various home menuitems and some associated content and enabling the switcher module) could be done in such a sample data plugin as well if we want. They could do much more than just inserting some data since they have full access to the Joomla installation (like any plugin). Just an idea to keep in mind.

The testing data isnt supposed to be distributed anyway

Then we can just remove the plugin and make it available as an installable plugin. Easy.

@Bakual if possible it would be best - we dont include the sql file in the distributed installer

The only drawback I see is that having it just in a repo tends to get forgotten and not found by testers. But yeah, it doesn't make much sense to ship it in stable.
I'll see if I have time in the next few days to prepare the PR.

you dont need a separate repo for it

you just need to exclude it from the build in build.php

We'd also have to deal with the install SQLs and whether the plugin's in the filesystem. For a static file that gets read it's easy to exclude, extensions in full not so much.

shoot I forgot that

I have found the best solution ?

Folks, can you take a final decision on what will and will not be in the release? I already updated com_localise to take into account the new inis.

Created a PR to remove the testing sample data plugin. Michael can decide if he wants to ship it in 3.8 or not ?

Is this PR needed?

no need any more Franz. Closing.