Migration to support Django 5.2.

Phase 1, still on Django 4.2, updated the code to be compatible with 5.2.

* askbot/deployment/templates/settings_py.jinja2:
  - added STORAGES setting, removed DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE
* askbot/deps/group_messaging/signals.py:
  - removed providing_args kwarg from the custom signal definitions
* askbot/deps/group_messaging/urls.py:
  - import re_path as url, remove legacy try/except url imports
* askbot/doc/source/changelog.rst: added entry re: migration to django 5.2
* askbot/doc/source/optional-modules.rst:
  - described migration of DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE -> STORAGES config
* askbot/importers/stackexchange/{models,parse_models}.py:
  - replaced usage of NullBooleanField with BooleanField(null=True)
* askbot/startup_procedures.py:
  - extract staticfiles storage from the STORAGES setting
* askbot/tests/test_startup_procedures.py:
  - added tests for the get_staticfiles_backend function to
    assert that it works with both legacy STATICFILES_STORAGE
    and the STORAGES configs (i.e. that it works with the old format
    of Django 4.2 and 5.4 settings.py)
* docker/extra_settings.py: minor edit
* testproject/testproject/settings.py:
  - migrated to STORAGES setting
  - added DEFAULT_AUTO_FIELD setting to use the 32 bit AutoField
* testproject/testproject/urls.py:
  - import urls functions from the modern canonical locations, removed
    try/except import fallbacks
  - removed the legacy rosetta app urls

Author: evgenyfadeev

askbot/__init__.py

@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@
 
 VERSION = (0, 12, 9)
 
-default_app_config = 'askbot.apps.AskbotConfig' #pylint: disable=invalid-name
-
 #keys are module names used by python imports,
 #values - the package qualifier to use for pip
 REQUIREMENTS = {

askbot/deployment/templates/settings_py.jinja2

@@ -119,7 +119,15 @@ FILE_UPLOAD_HANDLERS = (
 )
 ASKBOT_ALLOWED_UPLOAD_FILE_TYPES = ('.jpg', '.jpeg', '.gif', '.bmp', '.png', '.tiff')
 ASKBOT_MAX_UPLOAD_FILE_SIZE = 1024 * 1024 #result in bytes
-DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE = 'django.core.files.storage.FileSystemStorage'
+
+STORAGES = {
+    'default': {
+        'BACKEND': 'django.core.files.storage.FileSystemStorage',
+    },
+    'staticfiles': {
+        'BACKEND': 'django.contrib.staticfiles.storage.StaticFilesStorage',
+    },
+}
 
 
 #TEMPLATE_DIRS = (,) #template have no effect in askbot, use the variable below

askbot/deps/group_messaging/signals.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 import django.dispatch
 
-thread_created = django.dispatch.Signal(providing_args=['message',])
-response_created = django.dispatch.Signal(providing_args=['message',])
+thread_created = django.dispatch.Signal()
+response_created = django.dispatch.Signal()

askbot/deps/group_messaging/urls.py

@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 """url configuration for the group_messaging application"""
-try:
-    from django.conf.urls import url
-except ImportError:
-    from django.conf.urls.defaults import url
+from django.urls import re_path as url
 
 from askbot.deps.group_messaging import views
 

askbot/doc/source/changelog.rst

@@ -1,6 +1,17 @@
 Changes in Askbot
 =================
 
+Development (not yet released)
+------------------------------
+* Django 5.2 LTS preparation (no Django bump yet): removed
+  ``default_app_config``, dropped legacy ``Signal(providing_args=...)``,
+  modernised vendored ``url()`` imports, replaced ``NullBooleanField`` in
+  the StackExchange importer, and migrated ``DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE`` to the
+  ``STORAGES`` dict in deployment templates, the test project, the docker
+  overrides, and the user-facing docs. The startup check for the static
+  files backend now reads ``STORAGES`` first and falls back to the legacy
+  setting.
+
 0.12.9 (May 24, 2026)
 ---------------------
 * Optimized multi-tag question search: replaced per-tag JOINs with a single subquery,

askbot/doc/source/optional-modules.rst

@@ -230,14 +230,29 @@ with::
     AWS_S3_CUSTOM_DOMAIN = '%s.s3.amazonaws.com' % AWS_STORAGE_BUCKET_NAME
     MEDIA_ROOT = "https://%s/%s/" % (AWS_S3_CUSTOM_DOMAIN, 'media')
     
-In addition, replace the following::
-    
-    DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE = 'django.core.files.storage.FileSystemStorage'
-    
+In addition, replace the following ``STORAGES`` entry::
+
+    STORAGES = {
+        'default': {
+            'BACKEND': 'django.core.files.storage.FileSystemStorage',
+        },
+        'staticfiles': {
+            'BACKEND': 'django.contrib.staticfiles.storage.StaticFilesStorage',
+        },
+    }
+
 with::
-    
-    DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE = 's3utils.MediaRootS3BotoStorage'
-    
+
+    STORAGES = {
+        'default': {
+            'BACKEND': 's3utils.MediaRootS3BotoStorage',
+        },
+        'staticfiles': {
+            'BACKEND': 'django.contrib.staticfiles.storage.StaticFilesStorage',
+        },
+    }
+
+
 Last but not least, we would need to update the ``INSTALLED_APPS`` field to let Django know that the storage modules have been installed::
     
         INSTALLED_APPS = (

askbot/importers/stackexchange/models.py

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ class Badge(models.Model):
     class_type = models.IntegerField(null=True)
     name = models.CharField(max_length=50, null=True)
     description = models.TextField(null=True)
-    single = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
-    secret = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
-    tag_based = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
+    single = models.BooleanField(null=True)
+    secret = models.BooleanField(null=True)
+    tag_based = models.BooleanField(null=True)
     command = models.TextField(null=True)
     award_frequency = models.IntegerField(null=True)
 
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ class FlatPage(models.Model):
     url = models.CharField(max_length=128, null=True)
     value = models.TextField(null=True)
     content_type = models.CharField(max_length=50, null=True)
-    active = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
-    use_master = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
+    active = models.BooleanField(null=True)
+    use_master = models.BooleanField(null=True)
 
 class Message(models.Model):
     id = models.IntegerField(primary_key=True)
     user = models.ForeignKey('User', related_name='Message_by_user_set', null=True, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
     message_type = models.ForeignKey('MessageType', related_name='Message_by_message_type_set', null=True, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
-    is_read = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
+    is_read = models.BooleanField(null=True)
     creation_date = models.DateTimeField(null=True)
     text = models.TextField(null=True)
     post = models.ForeignKey('Post', related_name='Message_by_post_set', null=True, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ class Tag(models.Model):
     count = models.IntegerField(null=True)
     user = models.ForeignKey('User', related_name='Tag_by_user_set', null=True, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
     creation_date = models.DateTimeField(null=True)
-    is_moderator_only = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
-    is_required = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
+    is_moderator_only = models.BooleanField(null=True)
+    is_required = models.BooleanField(null=True)
     aliases = models.CharField(max_length=200, null=True)
 
 class ThemeResource(models.Model):
@@ -231,10 +231,10 @@ class User(models.Model):
     views = models.IntegerField(null=True)
     creation_date = models.DateTimeField(null=True)
     last_access_date = models.DateTimeField(null=True)
-    has_replies = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
-    has_message = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
-    opt_in_email = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
-    opt_in_recruit = models.NullBooleanField(null=True)
+    has_replies = models.BooleanField(null=True)
+    has_message = models.BooleanField(null=True)
+    opt_in_email = models.BooleanField(null=True)
+    opt_in_recruit = models.BooleanField(null=True)
     last_login_date = models.DateTimeField(null=True)
     last_email_date = models.DateTimeField(null=True)
     last_login_ip = models.CharField(max_length=15, null=True)

askbot/importers/stackexchange/parse_models.py

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
    'string':'models.CharField',
    'text':'models.TextField',
    'int':'models.IntegerField',
-   'boolean':'models.NullBooleanField',
+   'boolean':'models.BooleanField',
    'dateTime':'models.DateTimeField',
    'base64Binary':'models.TextField',
    'double':'models.IntegerField',

askbot/startup_procedures.py

@@ -474,6 +474,24 @@ def test_new_skins():
             )
 
 
+def get_staticfiles_backend():
+    """returns the dotted path of the staticfiles storage backend.
+
+    reads from the modern STORAGES dict first (Django 4.2+ shape used
+    by every supported version) and falls back to the legacy
+    STATICFILES_STORAGE setting for projects that have not migrated
+    yet. returns an empty string when neither is configured.
+    """
+    storages = getattr(django_settings, 'STORAGES', None)
+    if isinstance(storages, dict):
+        staticfiles = storages.get('staticfiles')
+        if isinstance(staticfiles, dict):
+            backend = staticfiles.get('BACKEND')
+            if backend:
+                return backend
+    return getattr(django_settings, 'STATICFILES_STORAGE', '') or ''
+
+
 def test_staticfiles():
     """tests configuration of the staticfiles app"""
     errors = list()
@@ -570,7 +588,7 @@ def test_staticfiles():
                 'ASKBOT_EXTRA_SKINS_DIR just above STATICFILES_DIRS.'
             )
 
-    if django_settings.STATICFILES_STORAGE == \
+    if get_staticfiles_backend() == \
         'django.contrib.staticfiles.storage.StaticFilesStorage':
         if os.path.dirname(django_settings.STATIC_ROOT) == '':
             # static root is needed only for local storoge of
@@ -607,7 +625,7 @@ def test_staticfiles():
         )
 
     print_errors(errors)
-    if django_settings.STATICFILES_STORAGE == \
+    if get_staticfiles_backend() == \
         'django.contrib.staticfiles.storage.StaticFilesStorage':
 
         if not os.path.isdir(django_settings.STATIC_ROOT):

askbot/tests/test_startup_procedures.py

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+"""Tests for askbot.startup_procedures helpers."""
+from unittest import mock
+
+from django.test import SimpleTestCase
+
+from askbot import startup_procedures
+from askbot.startup_procedures import get_staticfiles_backend
+
+
+LEGACY_BACKEND = 'django.contrib.staticfiles.storage.StaticFilesStorage'
+MODERN_BACKEND = 'django.contrib.staticfiles.storage.ManifestStaticFilesStorage'
+DEFAULT_FILE_BACKEND = 'django.core.files.storage.FileSystemStorage'
+
+
+class _StubSettings:
+    """A tiny object used in place of django.conf.settings.
+
+    getattr falls back to the requested default when an attribute is
+    missing, so we can model a project that has STATICFILES_STORAGE
+    set but no STORAGES, or vice versa.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, **attrs):
+        for key, value in attrs.items():
+            setattr(self, key, value)
+
+
+class GetStaticfilesBackendTests(SimpleTestCase):
+    """get_staticfiles_backend prefers STORAGES, falls back to legacy."""
+
+    def _run_with(self, stub):
+        with mock.patch.object(startup_procedures,
+                               'django_settings', stub):
+            return get_staticfiles_backend()
+
+    def test_legacy_only(self):
+        """returns STATICFILES_STORAGE when no STORAGES dict configured."""
+        stub = _StubSettings(STATICFILES_STORAGE=LEGACY_BACKEND)
+        self.assertEqual(self._run_with(stub), LEGACY_BACKEND)
+
+    def test_storages_only(self):
+        """reads from STORAGES dict without falling back to legacy."""
+        stub = _StubSettings(STORAGES={
+            'default': {'BACKEND': DEFAULT_FILE_BACKEND},
+            'staticfiles': {'BACKEND': MODERN_BACKEND},
+        })
+        self.assertEqual(self._run_with(stub), MODERN_BACKEND)
+
+    def test_storages_wins_when_both_present(self):
+        """STORAGES['staticfiles'] beats legacy STATICFILES_STORAGE."""
+        stub = _StubSettings(
+            STATICFILES_STORAGE=LEGACY_BACKEND,
+            STORAGES={
+                'default': {'BACKEND': DEFAULT_FILE_BACKEND},
+                'staticfiles': {'BACKEND': MODERN_BACKEND},
+            },
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(self._run_with(stub), MODERN_BACKEND)