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Module XML Packaging

CMSMS distributes modules as XML packages. When you install a module through Extensions > Module Manager, CMSMS downloads an XML file that contains all of the module's files encoded in a single package. Your module class includes a built-in method to generate this package.

Generating an XML Package

The CreateXMLPackage() method on your module class generates the XML package string:

$message = '';
$filecount = 0;
$xml = $this->CreateXMLPackage($message, $filecount);

if ($xml) {
    // $xml contains the full XML package string
    // $filecount contains the number of files included
    // $message may contain warnings
}

This method walks your module directory, encodes each file (base64 for binary files, CDATA for text), and wraps everything in an XML structure that includes your module metadata.

What Gets Packaged

The XML package includes all files in your module directory, with some exceptions:

• Files and directories starting with . (e.g., .git, .gitignore) are excluded.
• The lib/, lang/, templates/, docs/, and other standard directories are included.
• Binary files (images, etc.) are base64-encoded.

Note: Keep your module directory clean before packaging. Remove any development files, test fixtures, IDE configuration files, or build artifacts that should not be distributed.

Package Structure

The XML package contains:

• Module metadata (name, version, author, dependencies, minimum CMSMS version).
• All module files with their relative paths and contents.
• File sizes and checksums for integrity verification.

Distribution Methods

Method	Description
CMSMS Forge	Upload the XML package to the Forge. Users install directly from Module Manager.
Manual XML install	Provide the XML file for download. Users upload it via Module Manager > "Install from file".
ZIP archive	Distribute as a ZIP of the module directory. Users extract it into modules/ and install from Module Manager.

Next Steps

Continue to Module Info File (moduleinfo.ini) to learn about the metadata file that describes your module.