The new version of my module depends on more modules than the old version … how to ensure module users install them?

Question

I am updating an existing module I have developed. The new version requires a "helper" module that the old version did not (fwiw, specifically "Nodereference Count"). How do I ensure that when people upgrade from the prior version of my module to the new version, they make sure to install the newly required helper module first?

Is there something I should put into hook_update_n function?

Thanks.

Answer 1

You could use hook_requirements(), which should allow you to display an error when the module is installed/updated.

Alternatively, if that doesn't work you can implement hook_init() to run a check for the modules and react accordingly.

Update: I've just run into the same issue myself and here is the code that I have used:

/**
 * Implements hook_init().
 */
function MYMODULE_init() {
  if (!module_exists('ctools')) {
    module_enable(array('ctools'));
    if (!module_exists('ctools')) {
      drupal_set_message(t('MYMODULE has been disabled as the required !ctools module is not present.', array('!ctools' => l(t('Chaos tool suite'), 'http://drupal.org/project/ctools'))), 'error');
      module_disable(array('MYMODULE'));
    }
  }
}

This will try to enable the required module and if it is unable to do so it will display an error message to the user and disable the my module.