Multi-Instance – Is it useable?

[Torsten Baldes]

Hi,

I just read about Multi-Instance in PW3 (https://processwire.com/blog/posts/multi-instance-pw3/#using-multi-instance-in-pw3).

As I'm in the process of evaluating different approaches of a multi site setup, this is one of the choices. 

Is this working properly or are there any downsides or caveats?

@ryan Is this already possible or is it still on the todo list: https://processwire.com/blog/posts/multi-instance-pw3/#future-multi-instance-goals

 

Thanks!

[szabesz]

@Torsten Baldes

1 hour ago, Torsten Baldes said:

Is this working properly or are there any downsides or caveats?

There are always downsides or caveats to any solution, more on this here too: https://processwire.com/docs/more/multi-site-support/

You can also take a look at the multisite modules' codebase to learn more or you can even roll out your own solutions (I am in the process of do it, too) if you have the time, of course.

BTW, would you please refrain from breaking our Community Rules & Guidelines? Please, see:
https://processwire.com/docs/more/multi-site-support/

"3. No discussion of politics or religion anywhere on these forums including the Off Topic boards - there are many other websites where you may discuss these topics."

This means changing your profile image.

 

[wbmnfktr]

No matter if multi-site or multi-instance you should not only read and think about possibilities here, you actually should really build out at least one test setup for each of both options.

Did this last year with the multi-site approach and found things I had to iron out I never thought before.

You can do this locally with either MAMP, XAMP or any other LAMP stack and local domains. Keep those local domains close to the real ones. I have to look it up but there was one thing that didn't work well with the real domains later on but with my test domains.

Hope I can find those older posts and will paste them here.

[ryan]

@Torsten Baldes I think it works well. We use it for https://processwire.com/modules/, where it pulls (and manipulates) all the data from a separate PW installation using the multi-instance support. I recommend keeping all instances running the exact same PW version. Supporting multi-instance does sometimes require recognition from installed modules, and and I think it's likely some 3rd party modules might not fully support it (though don't know of any specifically), so the fewer 3rd party modules installed I would think the less likely you are to run into issues, but I'm only guessing there. 

Quote

 

"3. No discussion of politics or religion anywhere on these forums including the Off Topic boards - there are many other websites where you may discuss these topics."

This means changing your profile image.

 

I don't know what's up with the chains and fire in the logo (looks potentially violent), but I just googled it and ended up here. They don't appear to be promoting racism and do not appear to be affiliated with a political or religious group, unless you guys know something I don't? It looks like it's for an exercise/running group and clothing brand with a seemingly positive message "Running is to unite people, not to disconnect or isolate them". Or are the graphic elements the logo inferring something bad or affiliated with a religious/political group?

[Torsten Baldes]

  @szabesz

2 hours ago, szabesz said:

@Torsten Baldes

There are always downsides or caveats to any solution, more on this here too: https://processwire.com/docs/more/multi-site-support/

You can also take a look at the multisite modules' codebase to learn more or you can even roll out your own solutions (I am in the process of do it, too) if you have the time, of course.

@wbmnfktr

1 hour ago, wbmnfktr said:

No matter if multi-site or multi-instance you should not only read and think about possibilities here, you actually should really build out at least one test setup for each of both options.

Did this last year with the multi-site approach and found things I had to iron out I never thought before.

You can do this locally with either MAMP, XAMP or any other LAMP stack and local domains. Keep those local domains close to the real ones. I have to look it up but there was one thing that didn't work well with the real domains later on but with my test domains.

Hope I can find those older posts and will paste them here.

Thanks for your comments. As I said I'm evaluating the different methods right now. And part of this evaluation is doing some research (e.g. posting here). Narrowing down the possible solutions and building some testcases is the next step. As the main site is already done and live since 2016, the multi site solutions with third party modules are too much hassle. So the possible ways to go are "native" multi site or multi instances.

 

2 hours ago, szabesz said:

BTW, would you please refrain from breaking our Community Rules & Guidelines? Please, see:
https://processwire.com/docs/more/multi-site-support/

"3. No discussion of politics or religion anywhere on these forums including the Off Topic boards - there are many other websites where you may discuss these topics."

This means changing your profile image.

 

My profile image is from my twitter account and automatically pulled in from there. I don't see where it is part of a discussion here and frankly it's not even political but common sense.

 

 

[Torsten Baldes]

7 minutes ago, ryan said:

@Torsten Baldes I think it works well. We use it for https://processwire.com/modules/, where it pulls (and manipulates) all the data from a separate PW installation using the multi-instance support. I recommend keeping all instances running the exact same PW version. Supporting multi-instance does sometimes require recognition from installed modules, and and I think it's likely some 3rd party modules might not fully support it (though don't know of any specifically), so the fewer 3rd party modules installed I would think the less likely you are to run into issues, but I'm only guessing there. 

I don't know what's up with the chains and fire in the logo (looks potentially violent), but I just googled it and ended up here. They don't appear to be promoting racism and do not appear to be affiliated with a political or religious group, unless you guys know something I don't? It looks like it's for an exercise/running group and clothing brand with a seemingly positive message "Running is to unite people, not to disconnect or isolate them". Or are the graphic elements the logo inferring something bad or affiliated with a religious/political group?

Thanks @ryan! I'll give it a try!

Is it also working via http?

---

Regarding the profile image:

Yes it's from a running clothing brand and it's a statement against racism. The following screenshot is from their website:

Quote

Or are the graphic elements the logo inferring something bad or affiliated with a religious/political group?

No, not that I know.

[szabesz]

20 minutes ago, Torsten Baldes said:

Regarding the profile image:

Yes it's from a running clothing brand and it's a statement against racism. The following screenshot is from their website:

It does not matter whether it is positive or negative in this case. It is clearly politics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics

Quote: It may be used positively in the context of a "political solution" which is compromising and non-violent,["....

Anyway, sorry for being off topic. I am not an administrator here, I just wanted to point out that you introduced something which is not inline with the forum rules.

[wbmnfktr]

39 minutes ago, Torsten Baldes said:

As the main site is already done and live since 2016, the multi site solutions with third party modules are too much hassle. So the possible ways to go are "native" multi site or multi instances.

Ok... so you are already deeper into ProcessWire than I previously thought. 

And yes... upgrading an existing project or site can be quite painful - at least when there is a ton of content.

[ryan]

Quote

Is it also working via http?

Instance refers to an object instance of the "ProcessWire" object, and there can be more than one. When used, it has full access to the instance it connects to, so it's not something that could be done through http. Though if you need to share some data through http then this is very simple to do in PW (especially now with URL/path hooks), but it's something completely different in this case. 

Quote

It does not matter whether it is positive or negative in this case. It is clearly politics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics
Quote: It may be used positively in the context of a "political solution" which is compromising and non-violent,["....

I'll take your word about the technical semantics. I don't think we intended that broad of a definition for the forum rules, though perhaps they need to be modified to better clarify. I was thinking more of "relating to the government or political party of a country" type political stuff. If someone wants their avatar to communicate they like running, swimming or biking, or that they are against racism, cancer or school shootings, or they want to have a bow to support breast cancer awareness, a puzzle piece to support autism awareness, support diversity, etc., seems fine. Though if they want to open a topic about it, we'd want it in the beer garden or one of the other off-topic boards. I'd also say the difference between positive and negative matters too. Hopefully we veer on the positive side as being a place for inclusion where everyone is welcome and we support and help each other out, at least I think of you all here as my best friends. 

[Torsten Baldes]

17 hours ago, ryan said:

Instance refers to an object instance of the "ProcessWire" object, and there can be more than one. When used, it has full access to the instance it connects to, so it's not something that could be done through http. Though if you need to share some data through http then this is very simple to do in PW (especially now with URL/path hooks), but it's something completely different in this case. 

@ryan

Thanks! I was refering to your "Future multi-instance goals" https://processwire.com/blog/posts/multi-instance-pw3/#future-multi-instance-goals

That would possibly a great nice-to-have, but i guess, it's not that easy to implement.