PlugIns Screen UI Comment/Suggestion

[phossler]

I noticed a little confusing labeling on the Plugins screen

I had an installed PI that I wanted to remove (sorry meme) and when I filtered to show only the Installed, the action command button still showed as [Install] and the context menu had [Install], [Enable/Disable], and [Remove] plus some other options

It's no biggie, but if the PI is Installed then the button could say [Uninstall] and if the PI is Not Installed the button would say [Install]

Same for the context menu

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by phossler

I noticed a little confusing labeling on the Plugins screen

I had an installed PI that I wanted to remove (sorry meme) and when I filtered to show only the Installed, the action command button still showed as [Install] and the context menu had [Install], [Enable/Disable], and [Remove] plus some other options

It's no biggie, but if the PI is Installed then the button could say [Uninstall] and if the PI is Not Installed the button would say [Install]

Same for the context menu

On Windows

To get that dialogue box I have to hit the Get New Plugins button, begs the question why would I go to Get if I wanted to Remove.

To see what plugins I have I tick the Show only installed plugins on the main Prefs->Plugins screen and Remove from there

And Configure from there if necessary

BR

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

On Windows

To get that dialogue box I have to hit the Get New Plugins button, begs the question why would I go to Get if I wanted to Remove.

Or you get to that dialog by clicking the Check for updated plugins. I agree with your logic, but I frequently use this dialog (by clicking Check for updated plugins and filtering on installed plugins) to quickly find an installed plugin to remove. Since all I ever do is right click and choose remove the thought the OP presented never occurred to me.

For me this dialog acts as a one stop shopping for all my management plugin needs. That said if Kovid ever had the time the suggestion from the OP would be a nice touch. Eliminating the Get new plugins and the Check for updated plugins and replacing them with a Manage User installed plugins with the suggestions from the OP would be a nice touch.

But these items would be far down on the priority list. Maybe added as a little polish moving to version 2.0.

[theducks]

My 2cents
The Get PI is a shopping tool, not a Management tool.

To Manage all PI's (some don't have quick links to their configs or have no config) , Preferences: Plugins:<PI Type>:PI
to Add/update, disable or modify settings.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by theducks

My 2cents
The Get PI is a shopping tool, not a Management tool.

To Manage all PI's (some don't have quick links to their configs or have no config) , Preferences: Plugins:<PI Type>:PI
to Add/update, disable or modify settings.

I would more or less agree with you... except that the Shopping Cart does indeed have hooks for customizing, enable/disable, and remove.

So it won't be any great loss to make the install button dynamically depend on the current install status.

Side note: DeDRM is user-installed. It doesn't show up in the Shopping Cart, because it isn't indexed.
Nor do any other custom (not indexed) plugins, like Diaps Editing Toolbag.
Various people may have made custom plugins for their specific use-case, too.

It is a good thing the Shopping Cart is not the ONLY way (or even the main way (debatable )) to configure plugins...

[kovidgoyal]

The correct way to disable/remove plugins is via the main plugins screen in Preferences->Plugins. The get new plugins dialog is really not intended to be used for this.

That said, I have no objections to enhancing it. However, that dialog and its related code were all written by kiwidude which makes it a lot more effort for me to change, so...

[phossler]

The reasons I like the [User Plugins] is that it can show me the PI's that are installed in alphabetical order in a simple list.

However I do agree that the Preferences approach is the better management approach. IMHO the two different paths are inconsistent and a possible source of user confusion

Possibly

1. Not having the [Get Plugins to Enhance Calibre] on the Preferences dropdown on the main toolbar

2. On the Preferences - Plugins, initialize with the [Show only user installed plugins] checked

3. Also on the Preferences - Plugins [Get new plugins] only show the new (i.e. not installed) PI's that could be installed. Right now it says 'Get new' and on the surface it seems like it could be misinterpreted since the 4 in my screenshot are not 'new'

4. Remove the 'management' code from the revamped [User Plugins] dialog so that after the user selects [Get new plugins] from Preferences, the screen is limited to a list of uninstalled PI's that are available. Maybe re-label the button as [Get Additional Plugins]

Like I said, it's not a major issue. but I was confused so possibly others are also

[theducks]

Not installed is the PULLDOWN default
Installed
Update available

are the other choices

Sorting: Click the column titles

GET PI does not include those not listed in the Index at the top of the PI forum

[phossler]

@theducks -- My original comment was that after using the pull down to select Installed, the action button still said Install, which I found to be a little confusing since they were already Installed. My suggestion was to change the label to Uninstall since that seemed to be the only available action if the Installed dropdown was selected


What I meant was that kiwidude's PI lists the plugins in a simple list with no grouping, whereas the Calibre - Preferences - Plugins groups the PI's by type (Catalog Generator, Conversion Input, etc.). To me, the simple ungrouped list was easier to use, and might be a potentially useful feature to add to the Preferences - Plugin screen. I don't think there is a way to sort THAT dialog by clicking on a column.


kovid's comment about the Preferences - Plugins method being the intended PI management makes sense and maybe some of the features of kiwidude's could be added to that dialog

[theducks]

Originally Posted by phossler

@theducks -- My original comment was that after using the pull down to select Installed, the action button still said Install, which I found to be a little confusing since they were already Installed. My suggestion was to change the label to Uninstall since that seemed to be the only available action if the Installed dropdown was selected


What I meant was that kiwidude's PI lists the plugins in a simple list with no grouping, whereas the Calibre - Preferences - Plugins groups the PI's by type (Catalog Generator, Conversion Input, etc.). To me, the simple ungrouped list was easier to use, and might be a potentially useful feature to add to the Preferences - Plugin screen. I don't think there is a way to sort THAT dialog by clicking on a column.


kovid's comment about the Preferences - Plugins method being the intended PI management makes sense and maybe some of the features of kiwidude's could be added to that dialog

My bad.

The Install button on Installed PI could be used to refresh damaged PI

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by theducks

The Install button on Installed PI could be used to refresh damaged PI

I use it after fiddling with the code in a PI to get back to the released version.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Side note: DeDRM is user-installed. It doesn't show up in the Shopping Cart, because it isn't indexed.
Nor do any other custom (not indexed) plugins, like Diaps Editing Toolbag.
Various people may have made custom plugins for their specific use-case, too.

On that note ...
ARE there any (or plans for) indexed editor plugins?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

On that note ...
ARE there any (or plans for) indexed editor plugins?

Why don't you start, by getting yours on the plugin index thread?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Why don't you start, by getting yours on the plugin index thread?

Be glad to. I guess I need to know if there's a specific prefix that should be used--to differentiate between the other types of plugins (and to facilitate the auto-scraping process).

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Be glad to. I guess I need to know if there's a specific prefix that should be used--to differentiate between the other types of plugins (and to facilitate the auto-scraping process).

AFAIR, there is nothing special.

http://plugins.calibre-ebook.com