Upgrade component under development without reuploading files

Question

I'm developing a component and as I make changes to the SQL update files and install files, I'd like to run the component upgrade process without having to package up the component and upload it.

When I create the component directory and manifest file, I can use the "Extension">>"Manage">>"Discover" to make my component undergo the usual installation steps. But if I then modify my component in situ, I can't see any equivalent process to run the upgrade.

When I go to "Extension">>"Manage">>"Manage" I can refresh cache, but this just refreshes the data from my manifest file, so it might show the component version number as having changed, but it doesn't run the SQL updates.

Is there any way to do this?

Answer 1

I understand what you are craving, and I've felt the same way because the structure of my extension package doesn't seamlessly mirror my project directory structure.

It doesn't sound like you have a terrible lot to do since you are able to update/refresh the files as you've described.

You will merely need to run your sql adjustments manually -- which will not take more than a minute. You can use phpMyAdmin to fire your table updates.

In the end, when your extension is complete, take the time to package up all scripts and queries. This avoids having a package that has heaps of versions while you develop and/or having to condense all of those micro-versions when you are ready to release the extension into the wild.