List of Installed Plugins

[stanking]

Where would I find a list of installed plugins? I want to display the installed (custom) plugins and possibly call some of their methods from my own. I'm pretty sure this is a noob question, but then, I'm pretty noob. I've been looking on my own and can't find the proper modules for this.

[davidfor]

You probably don't need a list of plugins, just to check if one you want to use is installed. The following is what I use to add a book to the a reading list. I probably stole this from the FanFictionDownloader plugin as it uses several other plugins.

    def update_reading_lists(self, book_ids):
        rl_plugin = self.gui.iactions['Reading List']

        reading_lists = []
        for list_name in rl_plugin.get_list_names():
            reading_lists.extend(rl_plugin.get_book_list(list_name))
        debug_print("update_reading_lists - reading_lists", reading_lists)
        toread_book_ids = []
        for book_id in book_ids:
            if not book_id in reading_lists:
                toread_book_ids.append(book_id)
        debug_print("update_reading_lists - toread_book_ids", toread_book_ids)

        send_on_connect_list = "Send on connect"
        rl_plugin.add_books_to_list(send_on_connect_list, book_ids, display_warnings=False)

        toread_list = "To Read"
        rl_plugin.add_books_to_list(toread_list, toread_book_ids, display_warnings=False)

[stanking]

Originally Posted by davidfor

You probably don't need a list of plugins...

Your code snippet helps, and it may do the job, but yeah, I really do need a list. My secret goal is to provide the user a list of plugins he/she can string together to run in succession. Blame BetterRed; he put me on the idea:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

But here's maybe a better idea if your interested. A PI that would allow the user to string a series of actions into a 'work task' - eg Extract ISBN, Polish ISBN, Download Metadata - or another one might be Convert, Count Pages, Modify.

But baby steps, this gets me a little closer.

[kovidgoyal]

self.gui.iactions is a mapping of plugin name to plugin object(for all user interface action plugins). So if you want a list

list(self.gui.iactions)

And if you want to iterate over all types of plugins, then use the functions in calibre.customize.ui

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by stanking

Your code snippet helps, and it may do the job, but yeah, I really do need a list. My secret goal is to provide the user a list of plugins he/she can string together to run in succession. Blame BetterRed; he put me on the idea:



But baby steps, this gets me a little closer.

OK, I remember seeing that suggestion.

For a list of plugins, have a look at the Marvin plugin. I don't have it installed at the moment, but it lists all user plugins when the calibre is started in debug mode.

But, I think you will still have to work with a known list of plugins. The real problem is going to be knowing what they do and if they have any function that can be called externally. I know Reading List does and I remember JimmXinu working with kiwidude to change the interface so he could call it. It has options to suppress error message boxes and throw exceptions instead.

[stanking]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

self.gui.iactions is a mapping of plugin name to plugin object(for all user interface action plugins). So if you want a list

list(self.gui.iactions)

And if you want to iterate over all types of plugins, then use the functions in calibre.customize.ui

Can't get more authoritative than that. Thanks, Kovid! (Dude, he actually talked to me!!!)

Originally Posted by davidfor

But, I think you will still have to work with a known list of plugins. The real problem is going to be knowing what they do and if they have any function that can be called externally. I know Reading List does and I remember JimmXinu working with kiwidude to change the interface so he could call it. It has options to suppress error message boxes and throw exceptions instead.

Yeah, you're right, but it will be helpful to pull the user's installed list, and unless I want to modify my code every time a new candidate comes along, I have to provide the user a way to use a new plugin if it works.
There's all kinds of speed bumps to an idea like this. Getting buy-in from other developers to provide hooks and suppress the message boxes would be key. Even then, I don't see launching this without huge danger signs attached, but if you do the same 4 things to each book or group of books you import, it would be nice to automate the process.

[kovidgoyal]

You're welcome and if you look through the threads in the Development forum, you'll realize I talk to most everybody. Not to keep you from feeling special or anything...

[stanking]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

You're welcome and if you look through the threads in the Development forum, you'll realize I talk to most everybody. Not to keep you from feeling special or anything...