How to Re-Sync Studio and Module Builder

[johns582]

I am supporting a new Sugar environment that has been pretty heavily customized. Most of the customizations were done by an outside agency using Module Builder and some custom code has been added to individual fields. After the customizations were handed off to the client, the client began making changes to custom modules using Studio. As a result, when a change is needed to a custom module that can't be accomplished with Studio, using Module Builder to make the change isn't an option anymore (as redeploying the module would cause the changes that have been made in Studio to be lost). Changes can still be made at the code-level, but our concern is that doing this for every little adjustment will compromise our commitment to keeping the environment "upgrade safe." Has anyone encountered an issue like this before? If so, what is your advice for the best way to bring Studio and Module builder back into alignment? I am guessing that one could simply go through the tedious process of comparing every field, relationship and module between the two and get it done that way but am pretty new to Sugar and so would like to hear others' views.

Thank you!

[salesagility]

If their are custom code changes to Studio modules ... then there is no way back I'm afraid.

Additionally, making Studio changes to Custom Modules with non-upgrade safe custom code may break the module.

[johns582]

Is that because the code-level changes made in Studio (this was done using the Enhanced Studio plug-in, btw) cannot be reproduced on the MB side? If so, as an academic exercise, what would have been the best way to make code-level changes to custom modules without making MB useless as a vehicle for making future changes that don't necessarily require code-level customization?

[salesagility]

Think of module builder as a framework ... you build the framework .... you deploy the framework ... then you should plan to do everything else in Studio ... there are no good reasons to go back to MB. You do not have to keep MB and Studio in sync.

However, you may still have issues with custom code and Studio ..

[johns582]

Makes sense. Though our motivation for using MB is that not every field is editable in Studio. This thread basically captures the problem we are facing: http://www.sugarcrm.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45765.

Regarding the threat of blowing up custom modules by continuing to use Studio: What is the recommended best practice here? Is the bottom line: if you customize at the code level, you can't expect to continue to be able to use tools like Studio or MB?

[mikesolomon]

Makes sense. Though our motivation for using MB is that not every field is editable in Studio. This thread basically captures the problem we are facing: http://www.sugarcrm.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45765.

Regarding the threat of blowing up custom modules by continuing to use Studio: What is the recommended best practice here? Is the bottom line: if you customize at the code level, you can't expect to continue to be able to use tools like Studio or MB?

I do most of my mods at code level but still use studio to move fields around on forms

I never create custom fields in studio

I only use module builder to create an outline new module

[johns582]

Thank you both for your comments. I especially appreciate the insight into best practices you both provided.