Road Runner Plugin Manager Online! Submit Your Plugins Now!

**Sonicxtacy02** · 09-29-2008, 04:58 PM

I'm in the process of creating a plugin which serves a simple purpose... to organize and browse available RR plugins from within RR. Plugins will be able to organized into one place, and i'm using categories to further sort them. When its complete, you'll be able to search for, download, and potentially install RR plugins from within RR.

Now of COURSE this plugin wont work without the support of plugin developers. The way i'm coding will allow each developer to use there own hosting and continue to develop in there own language of choice. Adding a plugin to the browser will be simple and require small number of items to be sent to me. As of now only the following is required:

1. Filename (.dll name)
2. Description of plugin
3. Version Number
4. Download Link
5. (added) Developer Name (or user id whatever)

Optionally, developers can provide a sample image to be displayed within the browser. The database file will be kept online and the plugin will request access directly to that file if internet is detected. Hopefully this will help new users understand plugins and simplify the process.

So I need some feedback before i get too far into this thing. Does it sound like something developers will support? Should there be more information added to the database file? So far i have two categories planned... entertainment and utilities. Any other categories needed? Any feedback now would be appreciated in the long run.

here's a screenie of what i have so far....

Status: Beta 2 released to public
www.sonicxtacy.com/RRPluginManager.zip

**Enforcer** · 09-29-2008, 06:06 PM

Strange, I was thinking today that there needs to be better organisation of the plugins.

Moreover I feel we need to set some rules, like where they are installed. (I try to make mine install independant) but I think it would be nice to have one directory where all plugins get installed. Obviously they would install in their own folder within in that folder. My highly unoriginal suggestion would be a folder called plugins within the main Road Runner folder.

But some sort standardisation needs to be made.

Now, as to your plugin suggestion, I'm in bit of a quandary, because although I agree it would be a good idea, having a direct download link would be against the way my personal distribution system works. BUt I won't rule myself out though.

**Sonicxtacy02** · 09-29-2008, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by Enforcer

Strange, I was thinking today that there needs to be better organisation of the plugins.

Moreover I feel we need to set some rules, like were they are installed. (I try to make mine install independant) but I think it would be nice to have one directory where all plugins get installed. Obviously they would install in their own folder within in that folder. My highly unoriginal suggestion would be a folder called plugins within the main Road Runner folder.

But some sort standardisation needs to be made.

Now, as to your plugin suggestion, I'm in bit of a quandary, because although I agree it would be a good idea, having a direct download link would be against the way my personal distribution system works. BUt I won't rule myself out though.

user will be able to specify where there plugins install via .ini. The real quandry (for me at least) is the actual install (installer vs. .rar. vs. zip, dll registry and such). I did think of you when doing the planning for this and its partially the reason i'm allowing users to specify ther own download link. I could easily add the ability to count downloads per plugin if you're looking for that kind of information. Should you wish to just be able to manage the downloading of your specific plugin you could always just make the download link the address to your registration. I'll put checks that specify to download plugin vs. run WEB with link in address bar. All in all i'm flexible as to how this works, i just want it to be easier to find what you want.

**Enforcer** · 09-29-2008, 07:08 PM

Also I think the biggest issue with installing a plugin is the actual editing of the skin files if the skin someone is using doesn't already support that particular plugin.

hmm chichen and eggs. hmm

**Sonicxtacy02** · 09-29-2008, 08:14 PM

well its easy to add the (x) line, and if i'm installing the dll ican go ahead and throw skin files in skin folder during install should they not exist. wouldnt match but it'd be a temp solution

**quantum** · 09-29-2008, 09:47 PM

This is a great idea!

Just a suggestion, maybe each developer could also compile a help file to go along with the plug in? Maybe even a "how to work with plug-ins for beginners" area? They seem to be a source of difficulty for some, including me sometimes.

It would be nice to be able to download the plug in and then download or view (PDF or whatever) the instructions on-the-spot. Right now, much of that info is simply a link to a thread on the forum, which works in most cases, but a dedicated help file would be awesome, and hen the links!

Just a thought...

**Blue ZX3** · 09-30-2008, 05:47 AM

I did a similar idea in the dfx skin which simply puts all plugin's (found dll's and the "X,xx" lines) and their current status in a custom list to allow users to be able to easy turn on/off the indivual plugins.

I do like and have alway like the idea of having the plugin's in defined location and NOT in the rr folder as there are really too many files there now!! This is something that really should have been put in place long long time ago. I also agree with E's thinking on the structure...ie rr\plugins\RRMediaDb

.

**Sonicxtacy02** · 09-30-2008, 07:41 AM

just realized i had no "Developer" entry in my database. Gotta give credit to the developer who creates the plugin!

**Enforcer** · 09-30-2008, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by Blue ZX3

. I also agree with E's thinking on the structure...ie rr\plugins\RRMediaDb

.

Careful now.

**Enforcer** · 09-30-2008, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by Sonicxtacy02

well its easy to add the (x) line, and if i'm installing the dll ican go ahead and throw skin files in skin folder during install should they not exist. wouldnt match but it'd be a temp solution

Then that would be another rule to add to the list on plugins

ie each developer would have to provide a set of skin files and graphics that contain an example of how there plugin can be used.

my suggestion would be that every plugin should have a set of BMV2 skin files and graphics seeing as that is the default skin it comes with, the PSD's are easily available. (and because that is what I do.

)