Ok, I understand that new data must be "piped into" the datastore table. I was wondering if it was automatically updated via cron, etc. but that's not the case.

Also, there is no mechanism for placing data in the datastore and then having it automatically go back to the original data. So the lesson is: you have to do your queries as normal, and then update the datastore.

I still don't understand the magic of the specialtemplates array. Why must an entry be made in this array? When?

Anytime your PHP file will need info from the datastore, you need to add the title in the array. This will then load only the nessary datastore info. For instance, there is no need to grab the attachmentcache from the datastore in the whosonline page, so we won't add "attachmentcache" to that array, and in return it won't try to grab unnessaray info from the datastore, making the main datastore query alittle less intense.

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When global.php is called, some datastore items are always loaded - others are only loaded if an entry for them has been included in $specialtemplates. I have no idea why it's called $specialtemplates as it has nothing to do with templates at all, it would have been much less confusing to call the array $datastore or something.

Thank you both, I believe you've clarified the matter.

1) Any database entries/records/tables etc. you create should ideally be placed in the datastore.

2) The time to do this is directly after your insert/update/delete query.

3) Prior to retrieving your data from the datastore, you must insert the relevant datastore record in the $specialtemplates array

4) The proper time to do this is... when? cache_templates? or global_start?

as of right now there is no way to add your entry to the special templates array without manually adding them to the array. (hacking) This is becaus ethe array is called before global.php is loaded.Though you can use this in plugins to call your datastore items.

Though this will add one small query.

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And which file would you edit to add your datastore record to the $specialtemplates array?

1. Not really, the datastore is just for global stuff you need to keep, that doesn't justify a table of it's own. I don't actually use it much.

2. The DS is not related to sql queries so I'm not sure what you mean here.

3. & 4. That has to be done before global.php is called - generally a file has to be edited.

The datastore is not all vb data - it's just a convienient way to store global settings or items - each datastore record is just a row in the datastore table, I assume you are aware of this ?

Yes, I'm aware. My questions were in response to the original tutorial here, where it was recommended that plugins that required new tables for often-used data should use the datastore mechanism. I understand all of that, but not the role played by $specialtemplates.

it doesn't works with me
i made every thing but still not shown in datastore query

I saw you posting in the coders forum at vB.org. Looks like you have it situated. If not let me know what exacly doesn't work.

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