Export & Import Custom Modules in Vtiger 7 with PHP

To export and import custom modules as a package using Vtlib in Vtiger CRM 7, you can follow these steps. This process allows you to move custom modules from one CRM instance to another.

1. Exporting Custom Module:

Step 1: Use Vtiger_Module::getInstance to get the module you want to export.

$moduleName = 'CustomModule'; // Replace with your module name
$moduleInstance = Vtiger_Module::getInstance($moduleName);

Step 2: Call the export_Module method to export the module as a ZIP file.

$packageFile = 'modules/' . $moduleName . '/' . $moduleName . '.zip'; // File path
if ($moduleInstance) {
    $moduleInstance->export_Module($packageFile);
    echo "Module exported successfully: " . $packageFile;
} else {
    echo "Module does not exist.";
}

This will create a ZIP package of your module that you can download.

2. Importing Custom Module:

To import a custom module, use the Vtlib method to upload and install the module.

Step 1: First, ensure you have the exported ZIP file for the custom module.

Step 2: Use Vtiger_PackageImport to install the module.

require_once('vtlib/Vtiger/PackageImport.php');

$package = new Vtiger_PackageImport();
$packageFile = 'path_to_zip_file/CustomModule.zip'; // Replace with the actual file path

$module = $package->import($packageFile);

if ($module) {
    echo "Module imported successfully!";
} else {
    echo "Failed to import module.";
}

Key Points:

• Ensure proper access permissions are given to the ZIP files for export/import.
• Custom modules may include tables, workflows, and fields, so the export process preserves the structure.
• Always back up your Vtiger instance before performing any module import/export operations.

Notes:

• If you are exporting a very large module, use Vtiger’s UI instead of script-based methods.
• This example assumes that your CRM is hosted on a platform where PHP has read/write access to the modules directory.

Let me know if you need more detailed explanations!

Conclusion

To simply both import as well as export custom modules as a package with the help of Vtlib in Vtiger CRM 7, then you have to follow all above-mentioned steps. This whole procedure lets you move all custom modules from any specific CRM instance to another with the best Vtiger hosting solutions.