40 lines
2.1 KiB
ReStructuredText
40 lines
2.1 KiB
ReStructuredText
.. _sec-plugin-concepts:
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General Concepts
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================
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OctoPrint's plugins are `Python Packages <https://docs.python.org/2/tutorial/modules.html#packages>`_ which in their
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top-level module define a bunch of :ref:`control properties <sec-plugins-controlproperties>` defining
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metadata (like name, version etc of the plugin) as well as information on how to initialize the plugin and into what
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parts of the system the plugin will actually plug in to perform its job.
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There are three types of ways a plugin might attach itself to the system, through so called
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:ref:`mixin <sec-plugins-mixins>` implementations, by attaching itself to specified
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:ref:`hook <sec-plugins-hooks>`, by offering :ref:`helper <sec-plugins-helpers>` functionality to be
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used by other plugins or by providing :ref:`settings overlays <sec-plugins-controlproperties-plugin_settings_overlay>`.
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Plugin mixin implementations will get a bunch of :ref:`properties injected <sec-plugins-mixins-injectedproperties>`
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by OctoPrint plugin system to help them work.
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.. _sec-plugins-concept-lifecycle:
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Lifecycle
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---------
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There are three sources of installed plugins that OctoPrint will check during start up:
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* it's own ``octoprint/plugins`` folder (this is where the bundled plugins reside),
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* the ``plugins`` folder in its configuration directory (e.g. ``~/.octoprint/plugins`` on Linux),
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* any python packages registered for the entry point ``octoprint.plugin``.
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Each plugin that OctoPrint finds it will first load, then enable. On enabling a plugin, OctoPrint will
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register its declared :ref:`hook handlers <sec-plugins-hooks>` and :ref:`helpers <sec-plugins-helpers>`, apply
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any :ref:`settings overlays <sec-plugins-controlproperties-plugin_settings_overlay>`,
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:ref:`inject the required properties <sec-plugins-mixins-injectedproperties>` into its declared
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:ref:`mixin implementation <sec-plugins-mixins>` and register those as well.
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On disabling a plugin, its hook handlers, helpers, mixin implementations and settings overlays will be de-registered again.
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.. image:: ../images/plugins_lifecycle.png
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:align: center
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:alt: The lifecycle of OctoPrint plugins.
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