================
Plugins
================
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Plugins provide a method of adding functionality to DrPython.
Installing a Plugin
====================
Note:
- Plugins are not loaded on install.
- Some plugins cannot be indexed. They can only be loaded at program startup.
You have two options for installing a plugin.
Use the Wizard
---------------
Select Install Plugin from the Configure Plugins Menu
(Under Options). You can either download from a mirror,
or select a downloaded plugin to install from local media.
When installing, you will be asked to select which plugins
are:
- **Loaded By Default** (These plugins will be loaded at
startup. They are placed in the default index [default.idx].)
- **Loaded From Index** (If supported (only supported plugins
will be listed here), these plugins are indexed. You can
then select them from the options submenu "Load Plugin(s)
From Index".)
Install From Py
----------------
If you are making your own plugin, or have the plugin files
availible in unzipped format, simply locate the main plugin
file (``PluginName.py``), and DrPython will do the rest.
Configuring a Plugin
=====================
You can (via Options:Configure Plugins) edit the Plugin
Source, or Create/Edit/Delete Index Files, which are simply
lists of plugins to load when activated.
You can edit Plugin Preferences via the Plugin Preferences
menu.
You can edit shortcuts or add items to the pop up menu or
toolbar via the standard dialogs, for all plugins which
support each feature.
All changes to a plugin's source take effect the next time
DrPython loads. Shortcuts, Preferences, etc are either
immediate, or effective upon reload depending on the plugin.
If a plugin is not loaded, you can still edit shortcuts and
the pop up menu, but you will be unable to access the plugin
functions unless the plugin is loaded.
Uninstalling a Plugin
======================
Simply fire up the Uninstall Wizard.
Creating a Plugin
==================
NOTE: If you write your own plugin, please note that you can
access the entire DrPython application (via the DrFrame
instance). This means a plugin can make stuff not work right,
or can access an internal function that may be changed in a
future release. If you are adding a new component (such as a
new menu item, and a new dialog), you should be fine.
Naming Convention
------------------
If you want to distribute your plugin named *PluginName*,
make sure that:
1. All needed files are in a zip file:
*PluginName*-*Version*.zip
2. The main plugin file is named: *PluginName*.py
3. The install script, if any, is named *PluginName*.py.install
4. The index file, if any, is named: *PluginName*.idx
The first thing you need to do is import the relevant
wxWidgets modules (usually just "wx").
.. code-block:: Python
import wx
Next, you need to define the "Plugin" function.
.. code-block:: Python
def Plugin(DrFrame):
DrFrame is the variable for the DrFrame in the DrPython
program. It is the same variable as in DrScript.
Now you can add something to the interface simply by using the
underlying code in DrPython. To bind a function to an event,
there are two ways. Let's take a look at the following code.
.. code-block:: Python
#Example Plugin
import wx
def Plugin(DrFrame):
idum = DrFrame.GetNewId()
DrFrame.viewmenu.Append(idum, "Lookit!"," I said Lookit!")
def exampleFunction(event):
DrFrame.ShowPrompt()
DrFrame.txtPrompt.SetText("I'm looking.... Now what?")
DrFrame.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, exampleFunction, id=idum)
DrFrame.AddToPopUpMenu("Lookit!", exampleFunction, 0)
DrFrame.AddSeparatorToPopUpMenu(1)
What this code does is the following. It adds an item to
the viewmenu (you can grab the menu names by looking in the
DrPython source: ``drpython.py``).
DrFrame.GetNewId() makes sure a unique id number is
returned. (You only need an id number if the wx Component
you are adding requires one. You need one for menus).
The second step to adding a menu is to use the DrFrame
function. There are two necessary steps. The first is to
define a function. If this function is going to access
DrFrame, it must be defined within the Plugin function
(which is only called once, when the plugin is loaded).
The function you add must take one argument, ``event``.
You can name them whatever you want. For example,
``MenuEvent`` the second will hold the wx Menu Event.
Next, you must use the wxPython method Bind() to bind
that function to the component you want. Consult the
wxPython documentation for usage. Here is a brief summary
of Bind().
| ``wxPythonWidget.Bind(wx.EVT_EVENTTYPE, Function, id=IdNumber)``
| The idNumber argument is optional (recommended if the
eventtype in question allows it, check the wxWidgets
documentation for that info). ``wx.EVT_EVENTTYPE``
is the event type (wxWidgets documentation for a list).
Function is the function you are binding to the widget.
Keyboard Shortcuts
-------------------
To Tell DrPython to let a user access a function from
keyboard shortcuts, the pop up menu, or the toolbar, you
have several options. You can specify each separately
(or choose only one or two methods), or you can specify all
at once.
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.AddPluginFunction(NameOfTheCurrentPlugin, FunctionLabel, FunctionYouWantToAdd)
Here is a brief code example.
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.AddPluginShortcutFunction("SearchInFiles", "Find In Files", OnFindInFiles)
This will let the user add the function OnFindInFiles to
keyboard shortcuts, the pop up menu, or the toolbar.
For more info on what this means for each method, see below.
To add a keyboard shortcut, you have two options. You can
simply use "AddKeyEvent". It takes the following arguments.
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.AddKeyEvent(FunctionYouWantToAdd, Keycode, Control, Shift, Alt, Meta)
The default for all modifier keys (Control, Shift, Alt, Meta) is 0 (do not use).
Keycodes can be tricky. For both lowercase and uppercase,
use the Python function ``ord()`` plus the uppercase letter.
Add Shift=1 if you want to use uppercase.
**Target**: Uppercase 'A'
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.AddKeyEvent(FunctionYouWantToAdd, ord('A'), 0, 1)
**Target**: Lowercase 'a'
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.AddKeyEvent(FunctionYouWantToAdd, ord('A'))
This will make the shortcut set in stone.
If you want to let the user configure the shortcut:
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.AddPluginShortcutFunction(NameOfTheCurrentPlugin, FunctionLabel, FunctionYouWantToAdd)
For example:
.. code-block:: Python
#Example Plugin
#This file is called "examplenumber2.py"
import wx
def Plugin(DrFrame):
idum = DrFrame.GetNewId()
DrFrame.viewmenu.Append(idum, "Lookit!", " I said Lookit!")
def exampleFunction(event):
DrFrame.ShowMessage("I'm Looking Already!", "Result:")
DrFrame.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, exampleFunction, id=idum)
DrFrame.AddPluginShortcutFunction("examplenumber2", "Example Function", exampleFunction)
Now, you can open the customize shortcuts dialog, and select
the "examplenumber2" plugin, to set the shortcut for the
function "exampleFunction" you just added.
Note the use of the ShowMessage function.
Show message calls the drScrolledMessageDialog.
DrFrame.ShowMessage(message, title) The
drScrolledMessageDialog automatically displays a traceback if
one exists.
Pop up menu
------------
To allow the user to add to the pop up menu, use
``AddPluginPopUpMenuFunction``.
.. code-block:: Python
AddPluginPopUpMenuFunction(NameOfTheCurrentPlugin, FunctionLabel, FunctionYouWantToAdd)
The NameOfTheCurrentPlugin is straightforward.
This will allow the user to, via the PopUpMenu Dialog, add
a Plugin Function to the PopUpMenu (with the label
*FunctionLabel*).
Notes: If you uninstall the plugin, you have to manually
remove the item from the PopUpMenu list via the PopUpMenu
Dialog.
Each Plugin Item on the PopUpMenu is only loaded if that
plugin is loaded. So if the plugin is loaded via index,
when you load the plugin, the relevant item will show up on
the PopUpMenu. Even if the plugin is not loaded, the item is
on the PopUpMenu List.
Toolbar
--------
To allow the user to add to the ToolBar, use
``AddPluginToolBarFunction``.
.. code-block:: Python
AddPluginToolBarFunction(FunctionLabel, FunctionYouWantToAdd)
This will allow the user to, via the Customize ToolBar Dialog,
add a Plugin Function to the ToolBar (with the label
*FunctionLabel*).
Notes: If you uninstall the plugin, you have to manually
remove the item from the ToolBar list via the ToolBar Dialog.
Each Plugin Item on the ToolBar will be loaded no matter what,
so be sure to remove the entry if you remove the plugin (if
not, nothing will happen when you click the button.)
To set icons, you have two options. One is to write an
install script that installs the icons onto the user's
harddrive, and then adds entries for each icon into the
custom icon data file in the user's DrPython preferences
directory.
The other is to let the user set the icons manually.
To add entries, you can either do so manually, or use the
following built in functions.
.. code-block:: Python
AddPluginIcon(Label, LocationOf16x16File, LocationOf24x24File)
.. code-block:: Python
RemovePluginIcon(Label)
Here is an example.
.. code-block:: Python
plugindir = DrFrame.GetPluginsDirectory()
DrFrame.AddPluginIcon("Find In Files", "", plugindir + "/bitmaps/24/Find In Files.png")
Assuming you have copied the icon file to the proper location
(in this case, in the plugin directory
``plugindir/bitmaps/24/``), this will add an entry into the
user's custom icon data file, so that if they have their
toolbar set to 24x24, and they add the Find In Files item,
it will display the "Find In Files.png" icon. This function
is best called in a ``.install`` script.
``RemovePluginIcon`` is best called in the ``Uninstall``
function, and removes the entry in question from the custom
icon data file.
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.RemovePluginIcon("Find In Files")
Note: ``AddPluginIcon`` will overwrite any entries in the
custom icon data file with the same label.
Preferences
------------
If the you want to set and load preferences in your plugin,
all you have to do to edit those preferences is define a
function.
.. code-block:: Python
def OnPreferences(DrFrame):
This function will be called (with DrFrame as the argument)
from the Options menu. You can make your own Preferences
Dialog, and have it launched from this function.
About Dialog
-------------
If you want to have an About dialog, or a Help dialog, use:
.. code-block:: Python
def OnAbout(DrFrame):
.. code-block:: Python
def OnHelp(DrFrame):
This function will be called (with DrFrame as the argument)
from the Help menu. You can make your own Dialog, and have it
launched from this function.
DrFrame Events
---------------
DrPython defines a few wxPython events you can use in your
plugins. They are:
EVT_DRPY_DOCUMENT_CHANGED
(Posted whenever the active document is changed).
EVT_DRPY_FILE_OPENING
(Posted at the start of DrFrame.OpenFile).
EVT_DRPY_FILE_OPENED
(Posted at the end of DrFrame.OpenFile).
EVT_DRPY_FILE_SAVING
(Posted at the start of DrFrame.SaveFile).
EVT_DRPY_FILE_SAVED
(Posted at the end of DrFrame.SaveFile).
EVT_DRPY_FILE_CLOSING
(Posted at the start of DrFrame.OnClose).
EVT_DRPY_FILE_CLOSED
(Posted at the end of DrFrame.OnClose).
EVT_DRPY_NEW
(Posted at the end of DrFrame.OnNew).
EVT_DRPY_NEW_PROMPT
(Posted at the end of DrFrame.OnNewPrompt).
Usage is as below:
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.PBind(DrFrame.EVT_DRPY_FILE_OPENED, CustomFunction)
That's it. Just bind the event to DrFrame. By default,
no argument is passed to the function. (There is no need to
call event.Skip()).
You can change this as follows:
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.PBind(DrFrame.EVT_DRPY_FILE_OPENED, CustomFunction, None)
This will result in CustomFunction(None).
(The last argument is a tuple of arguments to pass to the
function.)
**IMPORTANT: You MUST Unbind the event if the function is a
member of a deleted object.**
For example:
If you have:
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.PBind(DrFrame.EVT_DRPY_NEW, MyPanel.OnButtonPress, None)
and you want to call
.. code-block:: Python
DrFrame.ClosePanel(MyPanel.Position, MyPanel.Index)
You MUST call ``DrFrame.PUnbind((DrFrame.EVT_DRPY_NEW, MyPanel.OnButtonPress)``
first.
DrFrame.PUnbind takes the same arguments as PBind, except you
do not need the optional arguments bit.
**Note: If a plugin runs code in OnNew, it is highly
recommended that the plugin is loaded by default, rather than
via an index. Otherwise things can be a bit complicated if
multuiple documents are open when the plugin is loaded
(you can always handle this in your plugin code, however).**
Adding to Panels
-----------------
Want to write a panel to access from the main window? Here
is what the code looks like for the creation of a Panel.
.. code-block:: Python
if self.SourceBrowser is None:
target, i = self.mainpanel.GetTargetNotebookPage(self.prefs.sourcebrowserpanel, "Source Browser")
self.SourceBrowser = drSourceBrowserPanel(target, -1, self.prefs.sourcebrowserpanel, i)
target.SetPanel(self.SourceBrowser)
self.mainpanel.ShowPanel(self.prefs.sourcebrowserpanel, i)
else:
if not self.mainpanel.IsVisible(self.SourceBrowser.Position, self.SourceBrowser.Index):
self.SourceBrowser.Browse()
self.mainpanel.TogglePanel(self.SourceBrowser.Position, self.SourceBrowser.Index)
So there are four steps to creating a side panel:
Get the Target Notebook Page itself, and its index,
- Create the Panel.
- Set the Notebook page's Panel
- Tell DrPython to Show the Panel.
There are several important things to note:
1. ``GetTargetNotebookPage`` takes two arguments, the
position (0 = Left, 1 = Right), and (optionally) the tab
text for the target notebook.
2. ``GetTargetNotebookPage`` returns the page itself
(the parent of the Panel you create), and the index.
The Index and the Position (Left, Right) are how you
access that specific panel. In this case, the last two
arguments to ``drSourceBrowserPanel`` are the position and
the index.
3. You need to call the target sash window's .SetPanel method
to ensure the Panel you create is sized properly.
4. You need to call ``ShowPanel`` after newly creating
a panel.
5. You have two options for toggling a panel.
A. Simply call TogglePanel(Position, Index).
B. Call ``ShowPanel(Position, Index, ShowThePanel=True)``.
(ShowThePanel is a boolean, enabled by default.).
If you choose B, you can use ``IsVisible(Position, Index)``
to determine if the Panel is showing. In this case, if the
panel is going to be shown, DrPython refreshes the Source
Browser.
Here is the code for destroying the Panel.
.. code-block:: Python
def OnbtnClose(self, event):
self.parent.PUnbind(self.parent.EVT_DRPY_DOCUMENT_CHANGED, self.OnbtnRefresh)
self.parent.txtDocument.SourceBrowser = None
self.panelparent.ClosePanel(self.Position, self.Index)
``ClosePanel(Position, Index)`` will destroy the panel
completely, so any code after it will cause issues. This makes
calling ``ClosePanel`` from code that gets called more than
one (like ``wx.EVT_SIZE``) a bad idea.
Also note that the SourceBrowser variable is set to None here.
Closing a Panel does not automatically do this, so if you are
using the value of variable holding the Panel in your code,
be sure to set it to None before destroying the Panel itself.
The full code can be found in the SourceBrowser code in the
DrPython Core.
Install/Uninstall Scripts
==========================
DrPython provides a method for automatic install script
execution.
If you have a plugin named ``example.py``, a file named
``example.py.install`` in the same directory will be
automatically run on install.
Install Script
---------------
An install script is especially useful if you have files
you want to install to a specific location on the user's
hard drive (eg, bitmaps for the toolbar).
Here is an example.
.. code-block:: Python
#Example Plugin Install Script
#This file is called "example.py.install"
import wx, shutil, os, os.path
def Install(DrFrame):
d = wx.MessageDialog(DrFrame, "This will install some bitmaps for the Example plugin.\nAre you sure you want to proceed?",
"Install Search In Files",
wx.YES_NO | wx.ICON_QUESTION)
answer = d.ShowModal()
d.Destroy()
if (answer == wx.ID_YES):
cwd = os.getcwd()
plugindir = DrFrame.GetPluginsDirectory()
if not os.path.exists(plugindir + "/bitmaps"):
os.mkdir(plugindir + "/bitmaps")
if not os.path.exists(plugindir + "/bitmaps/16"):
os.mkdir(plugindir + "/bitmaps/16")
if not os.path.exists(plugindir + "/bitmaps/24"):
os.mkdir(plugindir + "/bitmaps/24")
shutil.copyfile(cwd + "/bitmaps/16/Example.png", plugindir + "/bitmaps/16/Example.png")
shutil.copyfile(cwd + "/bitmaps/24/Example.png", plugindir + "/bitmaps/24/Example.png")
DrFrame.AddPluginIcon("Example", plugindir + "/bitmaps/16/Example.png", plugindir + "/bitmaps/24/Example.png")
return True
Note the return statement. This determines the behaviour
after your plugin install script exits. If you return ``True``,
DrPython will continue to install the plugin. This is good
if you just want to install some bitmaps, but otherwise want
DrPython to handle the rest.
Returning ``False`` will tell DrPython to halt the
installation. This is good if you want to let the user cancel,
or if you want to manually install the plugin yourself.
Also note ``GetPluginsDirectory()``. This returns the user
directory where plugins are stored once they are installed.
Uninstall Script
-----------------
If you want specific behaviour on uninstall, write a method
in your plugin file called ``UnInstall``.
.. code-block:: Python
#Example Plugin
import wx, os, os.path
def UnInstall(DrFrame):
plugindir = DrFrame.GetPluginsDirectory()
if os.path.exists(plugindir + "/bitmaps/16/Example.png"):
os.remove(plugindir + "/bitmaps/16/Example.png")
if os.path.exists(plugindir + "/bitmaps/24/Example.png"):
os.remove(plugindir + "/bitmaps/24/Example.png")
DrFrame.RemovePluginIcon("Example")
return True
def Plugin(DrFrame):
yadda yadda yadda...
Again, note the return. ``UnInstall`` must take a DrFrame as
the only argument. If this function returns ``True``,
DrPython will continue with the rest of the uninstall process.
If the function returns ``False``, DrPython will halt the
uninstall.
Useful Methods
===============
Here are a few useful methods, and what they do:
(They are all members of DrFrame)
.. code-block:: Python
Ask(question, title='DrPython')
Asks a yes or no question, with an optional title.
Returns True if the user selects 'Yes',
False otherwise.
.. code-block:: Python
Execute(command, statustext='')
Executes a raw command in the prompt, displaying optional
statustext.
.. code-block:: Python
ExecutePython()
Runs the python interpreter in the prompt.
.. code-block:: Python
ExecuteWithPython(command, statustext='', pythonargs='')
Executes a command as an argument to python in the prompt,
displaying optional statustext, and using optional additional
arguments to the python interpreter (in addition to those set
in preferences).
.. code-block:: Python
GetActiveSTC()
Returns the active Styled Text Control (Document or Prompt).
.. code-block:: Python
GetAlreadyOpen()
Returns a tuple of the filenames of each open Document.
.. code-block:: Python
GetNewId()
Returns a new wx Id, making sure the value is not anywhere
near constants used by drpython.
.. code-block:: Python
GetPluginsDirectory()
Returns the directory where the user's plugins are stored.
.. code-block:: Python
GetPluginMenuLabel(plugin, functionlabel, menulabel='')
You must first add the shortcuts with
(DrFrame.AddPluginFunction or
DrFrame.AddPluginShortcutFunction). Then use
DrFrame.LoadShortcuts(plugin). When this function is called,
it will return a properly formatted menu label that includes
the corresponding shortcut.
'plugin' is the name of the plugin. 'functionlabel' is the label given in 'AddPluginFunction'.
'menulabel' (optional) lets you specify a specific label to append the shortcut to
(like adding '...' or and Ampersand).
.. code-block:: Python
GetPreference(pref, key=None)
Returns the value of preference 'pref', using the optional
key 'key'. pref should be a string. key should be either a
string or an integer as appropriate.
.. code-block:: Python
GetPreferencesDirectory()
Returns the directory where the user's preferences, shortcuts,
pop up menu, toolbar settings, etc, are stored.
.. code-block:: Python
LoadPluginShortcuts(plugin)
If this is called within a plugin, it will load the shortcuts
(useful if you need to get the shortcuts to display in the
menu).
Otherwise, it is automatically called during plugin
initialization.
It can only be called once for each plugin.
.. code-block:: Python
ShowMessage(msg, title='DrPython')
Shows a message, with an optional title. If there are any
tracebacks to be had, shows them too.
.. code-block:: Python
ShowPrompt(Visible=True)
Either shows or hides the prompt.
.. code-block:: Python
ViewURLInBrowser(url)
Shows the url in the default browser specified in preferences.
