Item10580: new outfile parameter introduces extra directory layer; breaks old configurations

Version 2.20

I'm rather confused by the new outfile parameter; it seems to perform the same purpose as the relativedir parameter, but with the disadvantage that it can't be turned off. The current behavior breaks existing configurations.

For example, my current pre 2.20 configuration sets PUBLISH_INSTANCE to the empty string, so that the published output is written directly into $Foswiki::cfg{PublishPlugin}{Dir}. With 2.20, if outfile is not set it will default to the string "file", which causes output to be written to $Foswiki::cfg{PublishPlugin}{Dir}/file, which unfortunately breaks my mirroring scripts.

The distinction between relativedir and outfile isn't obvious. I'm sure there's a good reason for the introduction of the new parameter, but it's default value isn't very intuitive, and there doesn't seem to be any way of setting it to an empty value (or / or . ) so that the historical behavior is maintained.

I'm marking this as urgent as it breaks existing configurations and there doesn't seem to be a straightforward method of working around it.

-- DiabJerius - 31 Mar 2011

outfile is required for publishing to file formats that output to a single file. relativedir doesn't cover this case; relativedir=X and outfie=Y should publish PDF to X/Y.pdf. The issue here though is that there isn't a sensible default for outfile, and there needs to be some logic to unfold the case where relativedir is set but outfile is not.

Later: actually, all that's needed is to support a null outfile.

-- CrawfordCurrie - 25 May 2011

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