[GSoC 2024] Plugin Manager Dialog about synfig HOT 4 OPEN

I suggest to add at least two more metadata to plugin description:

• minimum Synfig version (maybe maximum too if known)
• minimum Python version (maybe ma too if known)

from synfig.

@rodolforg , thanks for the suggestion.

I am running a little later than my schedule. I will cover it up within this week.
Firstly let's begin by defining proper specifications and requirements for Plugin.

Defining a Plugin (from docs)
The Plugins feature allows users to run custom Python scripts directly from the Synfig Studio menu. Each script takes the .sif file as the first argument and will modify its contents in some way. After script execution finished, the file is automatically reopened back in Synfig Studio.

Structure of plugin

Plugin directory structure:

• plugin.xml
• default_config.xml
• main.py

A new file format: .sipz (Synfig Plugin Zipped)
This is a zipped file containing the above files (will include more specific details, once I have a clear understanding of underlying working) (Ref: zstreambuf.cpp)

Here's an overview of how the installation will work.
Accept the sipz file.
Extract the content.
Check for the required files
Check if the required files are valid.
If everything is valid, then move the content to the plugins directory.

Community: Give me guidance and suggestions regarding this.
I will take a look at the code and start experimenting.

Questions that I need feedback from the community.

Where to access Plugin Manager Dialog?
Some possible options are:

1. From preferences (a new tab named "Plugins")
2. From the Plug-Ins Menu

I think we should go with the Plug-Ins menu.

from synfig.

A new file format: .sipz (Synfig Plugin Zipped)

Is this necessary, or can we skip this step for now?
Currently we do not pack plugin files, because it's easier to store them in git (compare/edit/etc).
The Debian package also requires non-binary files for packaging.
Therefore, it is better to pack them only for the release build (if required).

from synfig.

Is this necessary, or can we skip this step for now?
Currently we do not pack plugin files, because it's easier to store them in git (compare/edit/etc).

The intent here is to ease other developers to release their plugins without it being in synfig source code, for example.
Veermetri wrote some of them as well as Mattias Bassaglia. And their distribution as basically a git repository...

from synfig.