Re: plugin hook xml format proposal

>
> Hi,
>
>
>
> this is my proposal for the lazy loading abiword plugins.
>
> For now i think i will only implement the first part (see xml sample),
> but for Luca, Martin and the other math people it might be interesting
> to extend that.
>
> The whole proposal is very limited and there are quirks, but i'll fix
> as i go.
>
>
>
> + Every menu (in the menubar) has a default positon where hooks are
> inserted. The default default position is at the bottom of the menu,
> but e.g. the Tools menu might insert hooks right above the first
> separator.
>
>
>
> + I would no more clutter the popup menu with plugins by default. It
> should however be possible to explicitely hook popups. An example where
> that would be needed is
>
> http://bugzilla.abisource.com/show_bug.cgi?id=8306
>
>
>
> + Toolbars can also be hooked, the problem ATM is when to (dis)activate
> the items. This is also a problem when doing something more complicated
> than simple entries in the Tools menu.
>
>
>
> The plugin loader takes care of creating all the entries described in
> the xml file and is a proxy for all the callbacks. So it can load the
> shared lib when it's needed for the first time. The connection between
> code and xml description is made by using the ID attributes. The ID of
> the activated entry is passed on to the plugin so it can dispatch
> correctly.
>
>
>
> Sidenote to Martin: if we lazily load the math plugin all equations
> would have to be rendered using the snapshot first. Is it feasible that
> switching to edit mode is so smooth that the user doesn't "feel" it?
>

Hi Robert,
            Sorry for the delay. This is pretty much my vision except a
point I address below. Go for it :-)

There was similar proposal for the gnome-office plugin system but I don;t
know if it ever got implemented.

This should not happen. Upon creation the fp_MathRun will request
fl_DocLayout for an EmbedManager to provie it with a mathview. The
initally loaed plugin (call it fl_DummyMath) would then load the full
gr_MathManager plugin which in turn would create a copy of itself and
return that to fl_DocLayout.

(see my little example code earlier.)
This would only happen if there was Maths in the document though. Without
maths the full MathManager is never loaed, just the lightweight dummy
class.

Cheers

Martin

>
>
> Problems, Limitations:
>
> - For now icons will probably not be loaded.
>
> - We have no means of l10n for plugins. That's not good if we're
> starting to use them more and more.
>
> - I don't know yet if i can come up with a general solution for
> activating/deactivating entries depending on the current context. At
> least for now the plugin probably has to do that itself.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
> - Rob
>
>
>
>
>
> <?xml version="1.0" ?>
>
> <abiplugin>
>
>
>
> <!-- Add entries to the "Tools" menu -->
>
> <hook type="ABI_HOOK_MENU" for="Tools">
>
> <entry id="1" title="Google Search"
> icon="google.png"/>
>
> <!-- more entries here -->
>
> </hook>
>
>
>
> <!-- Add entries to the popup menu for images -->
>
> <hook type="ABI_HOOK_POPUP" for="Image">
>
> <entry id="2" title="Edit with GIMP" icon="gimp.png"/>
>
> <!-- more entries here -->
>
> </hook>
>
>
>
> <!-- Add entries to a toolbar -->
>
> <hook type="ABI_HOOK_TOOLBAR" for="Extra">
>
> <entry id="3" title="Google Search"
> icon="google.png"/>
>
> <!-- more entries here -->
>
> </hook>
>
>
>
> <!-- what else could be done (later ...) -->
>
> <!-- so ignore this for now ... -->
>
>
>
> <!-- define a toolbar -->
>
> <toolbar name="Math">
>
> <entry id="1" title="New Equation"
> icon="new-math.png"/>
>
> <entry id="2" title="Edit Equation"
> icon="edit-math.png"/>
>
> <entry type="separator"/>
>
> <entry id="3" title="Superscript"
> icon="superscript.png"/>
>
> <entry id="4" title="Subscript" icon="subscript.png"/>
>
> <entry type="separator"/>
>
> <entry id="5" title="Subscript" icon="subscript.png"/>
>
> </toolbar>
>
>
>
> <!-- define a (popup)menu -->
>
> <menu name="MathPopup">
>
> <standard-entry name="cut" show="true"/>
>
> <standard-entry name="copy" show="false"/>
>
> <standard-entry name="paste" show="true"/>
>
> <entry type="separator"/>
>
> <!-- custom menu entries go here -->
>
> </menu>
>
> </abiplugin>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Received on Thu Feb 10 13:02:14 2005