[GUI Plugin] Plugin Updater **Deprecated**

[ldolse]

Just installed the new version of this, first version I installed. I updated the Quality Check plugin, and then installed the Extract ISBN plugin. Both were successful. Immediately after that (same updater session) I installed the 'Generate Cover' plugin. Installation semi-failed. Instead of the Window asking me where I wanted the plugin placed in the UI, I got this error message:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "calibre_plugins.plugin_updater.dialogs", line 543, in install_clicked
  File "/Users/ldolse/calibredev/heuristics/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/plugins.py", line 355, in check_for_add_to_toolbars
    plugin_action = plugin.load_actual_plugin(self.gui)
  File "/Users/ldolse/calibredev/heuristics/src/calibre/customize/__init__.py", line 539, in load_actual_plugin
    ac = getattr(importlib.import_module(mod), cls)(gui,
  File "lib/python2.7/importlib/__init__.py", line 37, in import_module
  File "/Users/ldolse/calibredev/heuristics/src/calibre/customize/zipplugin.py", line 150, in load_module
    exec compiled in mod.__dict__
  File "calibre_plugins.generate_cover.action", line 17, in <module>
  File "/Users/ldolse/calibredev/heuristics/src/calibre/customize/zipplugin.py", line 150, in load_module
    exec compiled in mod.__dict__
  File "calibre_plugins.generate_cover.dialogs", line 25, in <module>
  File "/Users/ldolse/calibredev/heuristics/src/calibre/customize/zipplugin.py", line 150, in load_module
    exec compiled in mod.__dict__
  File "calibre_plugins.generate_cover.config", line 123, in <module>
  File "calibre_plugins.generate_cover.config", line 103, in migrate_config_if_required
TypeError: string indices must be integers

I restarted Calibre, and the plugin had successfully installed, but I needed to manually set where it should appear in the Toolbars/menus.

Now that I read the error details I think it might have been better to stick it in the Generate Cover thread than this one, but maybe this is an indication that this plugin could handle errors more gracefully.

[DoctorOhh]

Just curious, after you installed the Plugin updater did you restart calibre prior to continuing on with using the updater?

[ldolse]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

Just curious, after you installed the Plugin updater did you restart calibre prior to continuing on with using the updater?

Yes, I'd learned that lesson the hard way when I'd first started messing with plugins a few weeks back.

[kiwidude]

@Idolse. Thanks for reporting the issue. There are two things happening here - the first is a bug in the Generate Cover plugin which I have posted a new version to fix.

The second is as you say the plugin updater not more gracefully handling the problem of a plugin failing to load. I have added some logic into Plugin Updater to display a more user friendly dialog and uninstall the plugin in this situation. The error details are in the details portion and the user is asked to post in the relevant forum thread. I will release this update to Plugin Updater shortly.

[kiwidude]

As posted above, this includes some extra logic to detect a plugin that has installation problems (when first installed on a toolbar) and display an error dialog with details as well as uninstalling the plugin to prevent further issues until that plugin is fixed.

[kranu]

Hi,

Could you possibly create an "Update All" button just so you don't have to install each plugin individually?

That would be great

[kiwidude]

Originally Posted by kranu

Hi,

Could you possibly create an "Update All" button just so you don't have to install each plugin individually?

That would be great

I've responded to this previously if you look back at posts #25/#26. I completely understand why you are asking for this, particularly if you have a bunch of my plugins that I upgraded recently. However supporting it "properly" may involve (I think) several more screens and basically a lot more dev effort

For instance, how do you handle multiple plugins being installed for the first time, each of which are prompting you where to be installed?

How do you handle a plugin that fails to install for whatever reason? Do you keep going and display a summary at the end, etc?

As this plugin code is intended for Calibre integration one day I've tried to keep it fairly simple and consistent with the existing Preferences->Plugins screen in behaviour where possible.

Having said all that if Kovid tells me he wants it to support installing/updating multiple plugins at once (with some suggestions on how he would like to see the above handled) then I will take a look at some point.

[kiwidude]

Changes in this release:

• Support skinning of icons by putting them in a plugin name subfolder of local resources/images

[random43743]

It seems to be just a "cosmetic" bug.

I have just installed the Plugin Updater for the first time.
Now Plugin Updater gives me the info a new version for Plugin Updater is available (v1.1.3). Even if i click update and restart calibre, the update is still available. Take a look at the attached ss.



I don't think there is a version 1.1.3 available yet, so this seems to be some kind of bug.

Info:
Calibre 0.7.54; Plugin Updater v1.1.2; Windows 7 SP2 x64 all updates installed; UAC with admin rights;

[kiwidude]

@random - thx for reporting this. The problem was just the plugins forum index page, I made a typo on the version number (should not release things at 2am).

v1.1.2 is the correct latest version of this plugin - if you go back into the updater now you will see it is correct.

[Backdraft]

When is this plugin going to be natively implemented into Calibre? I would love to see Calibre development plugin/extensions take off ala like Firefox/Chrome.

[kiwidude]

When is really up to Kovid. I know he asked me to tell him when it is in a state for migrating over. The only thing that could be considered outstanding with it is supporting multiple selections to allow a user to upgrade all of their plugins at once. I've expressed my opinions on that a few times in this thread - basically I have no plans at this point to support it unless Kovid says it must be added.

So he is welcome to take the plugin code at any point now to shape it and integrate it with Calibre however he sees fit. I would offer to do it for him but I think it would take longer for me to remotely read his mind than for him to just do it

[kovidgoyal]

kiwidude: Go ahead and add it to calibre, I am swamped at the moment with trying to finish the 0.8 code and keeping the weekly release cycle going. Here is how I see it working:

1) Add a button to Preferences->Plugins (probably next to the Add a new plugin button) called check for updates which will launch the dialog in "update available" mode

2) Keep it as an action, so that people that want it can add it to the toolbar/menubar.

3) Add some code to gui2.update to check for new plugins periodically/on startup. If a new plugins are found, notify the user, like the new version notification. Maintain a history of notifications so we dont notify the user repeatedly for the same update.

4) If gui2.update finds updates, change the text/icon of the plugin.qaction accordingly.

Feel free to suggest modifications to this scheme.

[kovidgoyal]

On 1) above, probably a good idea to have two buttons (get plugins and check for updated plugins)

[kiwidude]

I will have a situation very shortly where two plugins (Goodreads Metadata and Goodreads Covers) will reach "end of life" and be replaced by a single Goodreads plugin. Also at some point the Plugin Updater will get consumed into Calibre as per Kovid's suggestions above, and its life as an independent plugin will end. I also want to release the "Find Duplicates" plugin here for a short while for testing before it too goes into Calibre.

I imagine that down the track there could be other plugins either existing already or that others come up with which eventually become part of Calibre or are deprecated for various reasons.

At the moment, every plugin is listed on the plugin index page. This allows the plugin updater screen to act as a way of viewing and managing all the custom plugins you have installed. If I simply just remove a plugin from the index page, it would disappear from plugin updater screens. So a user might not be fully aware they still have it installed, that it has been deprecated etc.

One possible solution to this is to keep them on the index page, but move them to the bottom to a visually differentiated section (for forum users) and adding a ";Deprecated: Yes" pair to the informational section. Then plugin updater could highlight those plugins (perhaps with a red title), and maybe ensure they appear on the "Updates available" filtered view. The description text for the plugin could be used to describe the situation and what the replacement if any is etc.

Does that sound reasonable or do others have a better suggestion?

Also I am unsure if/how we handle the situation of a plugin such as Plugin Updater which the user has installed independently, then becoming a part of Calibre. Must it have a different name when in Calibre, will Calibre automatically remove/ignore the "separate" version somewhow, must we tell the user to uninstall it first etc etc. I am not sure if Kovid has ever had to deal with this situation before?