Editing WoW:Creating defaults (section)

== Advanced Default Setting Updating ==
Having worked with this for so long now, I've developed even more advanced methods for using these defaults.

The first thing I've done is seperated the update code from the loading code, so it is it's own function. Another change I've made is that it can now work with tables within tables. The following can work with up to 3 levels of tables within your defaults. (Main level, 1 subtable, and a subtable within that.)

You will also notice that if the version you are upgrading from is below or equal to version 1.2, then an error message will be displayed using a custom message display function. (Which I won't get into here.) This is useful if you've made major database changes and don't feel like making an adaptor for the settings. A common use of this would be if you had a lot of settings, but decided to move them into a subtable. This would ensure the old settings were erased. This functionality should be used sparingly.

 function ThisAddon_OptionUpdate()
  local temp = ThisAddon_Defaults["Options"];
  if (ThisAddon_Settings["Version"]) and (ThisAddon_Settings["Version"] <= "1.2") then
   ThisAddon_Error_Msg("Your Database is Severely out of date. Some settings may not have carried over.");
  else
   for k,v in pairs(ThisAddon_Settings) do
    if (type(ThisAddon_Settings[k]) == "table") then
     for k2,v2 in pairs(ThisAddon_Settings[k]) do
      if (type(ThisAddon_Settings[k][k2]) == "table") then
       for k3,v3 in pairs(ThisAddon_Settings[k][k2]) do
        if (ThisAddon_Settings[k][k2][k3]) then
         temp[k][k2][k3] = v3;
        end
       end
      else
       if (ThisAddon_Settings[k][k2]) then
        temp[k][k2] = v2;
       end
      end
     end
    else
     if (ThisAddon_Settings[k]) then
      temp[k] = v;
     end
    end
   end
  end
  temp["Version"] = ThisAddon_Version;
  ThisAddon_Settings = {};
  ThisAddon_Settings = temp;
 end

Now let's go through this;

*The function's name.
** Copy the new defaults into a temp variable.
** Here is the detection of an out-of-date database that can't be updated like normal. Will only fire if it detects an old version.
*** What to do if it's out of date. (Send an error message so they know!)
** Otherwise...
*** For every variable in your current settings...
**** If it's a table...
***** Now we run through the subtable.
****** If it's a table...
******* You get the idea. (This function is repeated for the 2nd subtable.)
****** If it's not a table...
******* If the setting exists...
******** Update it!
***** End subtable.
**** If it's not a table...
***** If the setting exists...
****** Update it!
** Update the temp var's Version number.
** Delete all the old settings. Technically, we shouldn't have to do with our next command, but this ensures that the old settings are deleted first.
** Copy the temp variable into our settings.
* End function

That's the basics of this new setting. The best thing is, now in our Post-Load function, instead of writing all that out, we just call:
 if (not ThisAddon_Settings["Version"]) or (ThisAddon_Settings["Version"] < ThisAddon_Version) then
  ThisAddon_OptionUpdate();
 end

Now you can do even more with defaults! If you come up with something new and original, put it on this HowTo's Discussion page! I'd love to see how people use this!

[[Category:HOWTOs|Create Defaults]]