5.2.0 cannot enable it

[Rudd-O]

Backtrace after pushing Install in the control panel add-ons screen:

Traceback (innermost last):
  Module ZPublisher.WSGIPublisher, line 162, in transaction_pubevents
  Module ZPublisher.WSGIPublisher, line 359, in publish_module
  Module ZPublisher.WSGIPublisher, line 262, in publish
  Module ZPublisher.mapply, line 85, in mapply
  Module ZPublisher.WSGIPublisher, line 63, in call_object
  Module Products.CMFPlone.controlpanel.browser.quickinstaller, line 689, in __call__
  Module Products.CMFPlone.controlpanel.browser.quickinstaller, line 454, in install_product
  Module Products.GenericSetup.tool, line 396, in runAllImportStepsFromProfile
   - __traceback_info__: profile-Products.PloneFormGen:default
  Module Products.GenericSetup.tool, line 1468, in _runImportStepsFromContext
  Module Products.GenericSetup.tool, line 1280, in _doRunImportStep
   - __traceback_info__: pleonformgen
  Module Products.PloneFormGen.setuphandlers, line 95, in importVarious
  Module Products.CMFCore.utils, line 13, in check_getToolByName
  Module Products.CMFCore.utils, line 138, in getToolByName
AttributeError: archetype_tool

Archetypes compatibility product is disabled — my site is Archetypes-free.

[mauritsvanrees]

I tried with Plone 5.2.2 and there it works for me. It could be that something has been fixed since 5.2.0, but I wouldn't know from the top of my head.

I cannot tell from the traceback, so: which Python version are you using? You MUST use Python 2.7.

On install, PloneFormGen automatically installs basic Archetypes functionality. After install, I do see the archetype_tool object in the ZMI.

Then I can add a form. But viewing it fails. I see this is because portal_skins/PloneFormGen is empty. On the Properties tab of that object, you must change the path PloneFormGen/skins/PloneFormGen to Products.PloneFormGen:skins/PloneFormGen, so adding Products. and a colon instead of a slash.
That is wrong in this line in skins.xml, but that line has not changed in the last twelve years. I guess this path no longer works in the underlying Zope 4 that Plone 5.2 uses.

[Rudd-O]

Now that I notice, while I am running Plone on Python 2.7, I think I will skip PFG until it has support for Python 3, because I'm migrating to Python 3. I have to point out that, in my setup, Archetypes compatibility product is not installed as part of the PFG install. Even if it would, I guess the product needs to modernize to Zope 4 / Plone 5 standards.

Thanks. Love the product. I wish it could get into the 21st century.

[mauritsvanrees]

PloneFormGen will never get ported to Python 3. It is based on Archetypes, which itself will not get ported.

The modern alternative is collective.easyform.

That being said, some effort could be put into making PloneFormGen work better on Plone 5.2, although I haven't really checked how well it currently works there. I don't think there is much interest from developers for putting time and effort into this.

[mauritsvanrees]

I have released 1.8.8, which fixes viewing forms and the control panel in Plone 5.2.

[Rudd-O]

Thanks. I'll make a note to try it this week and report back. Much appreciated.

EDIT: will still not actually install on production until Python 3 compatibility is in.