[Feature request] Ability to provide input parameters to plugin

[bilal-fazlani]

Proposal

A plugin developer can publish input parameter requirement in the metadata file (xattr). These parameters can have default values too

Users can then configure plugins by providing (or overriding) input parameters using SwiftBar UI

SwiftBar can provide these input parameters to plugin using environment variables

[melonamin]

I think we can generalize this to user-defined environment variables.

Plugin developer defines supported env variables, like this:

<swiftbar.environment>['var1':'default value', 'var2':'default value', ... ]</swiftbar.environment>

And than we expose this in Plugin settings for user to override

[bilal-fazlani]

How about?

<swiftbar.environment>
    <var1>default value</var1>
    <var2>default value</var2>
    <var3></var3>
    <var4 />
</swiftbar.environment>

[melonamin]

I think I'm going to stick with <swiftbar.environment>['var1':'default value', 'var2':'default value', ... ]</swiftbar.environment> at least for now. Much easier parsing with the current code base.

It is live in the beta, you can try it

[bilal-fazlani]

Ok

[bilal-fazlani]

plugin file

zoomcontacts.30m.zip

[melonamin]

Please keep it within #167, these are not related

[bilal-fazlani]

Apologies.

[bilal-fazlani]

I will test this in latest beta today evening

[melonamin]

Hi @bilal-fazlani, did you have a chance to try this one?

[bilal-fazlani]

Hey sorry, I got busy during week. Since tomorrow is Saturday, I can test this.

[bilal-fazlani]

Still don't see anything in settings

# <bitbar.title>Zoom Contacts</bitbar.title>
# <bitbar.version>v1.0</bitbar.version>
# <bitbar.author>Bilal Fazlani</bitbar.author>
# <bitbar.author.github>bilal-fazlani</bitbar.author.github>
# <bitbar.desc>Shows zoom contacts from a csv file</bitbar.desc>
# <bitbar.abouturl>https://swiftbar4s.bilal-fazlani.com/</bitbar.abouturl>
# <swiftbar.hideAbout>false</swiftbar.hideAbout>
# <swiftbar.hideRunInTerminal>true</swiftbar.hideRunInTerminal>
# <swiftbar.hideLastUpdated>false</swiftbar.hideLastUpdated>
# <swiftbar.hideDisablePlugin>false</swiftbar.hideDisablePlugin>
# <swiftbar.hideSwiftBar>true</swiftbar.hideSwiftBar>
# <swiftbar.runInBash>false</swiftbar.runInBash>
# <swiftbar.environment>['org':'', 'csvFile':'~/Documents/zoom-contacts.csv']</swiftbar.environment>

zoomcontacts.5s.bin.zip

[melonamin]

Ah, sorry, nothing in UI at this point, only metadata support and internal logic.

I’m adding the UI in the next build

[bilal-fazlani]

Ok 👍 . I can test that once it is available.

[bjinse]

Can you email me if UI needs translation? Happy to provide any new Dutch translations if needed. Not on Github everyday, so not sure if I would miss a notification of some sorts.

[romansavrulin]

Hello @melonamin

Are xbar variables supported for backward compatibility with plugin re repo?
Is UI property edit feature available in 1.4.4?

[melonamin]

Hey @romansavrulin,

xbar and bitbar parameters are supported in plugin's metadata, if it is what you mean.

UI edit is working, but probably not the way you expect. Instead of updating values in plugin's source code it puts them into source file metadata(file extended attributes), this feature works only in SwiftBar

[romansavrulin]

@melonamin I believe it is not working as expected. I've put

# <xbar.var>string(APP_NAME="zoom.us"): Zoom app path inside /Application folder</xbar.var>
into my plugin config and the variable is not shown in the UI section of the plugin. I've tried to restart app/reload plugin, etc. No change. Am I missing something?

[melonamin]

Ah, got it, <xbar.var> are not supported.

[romansavrulin]

Any alternative options?

[melonamin]

No, not at the momen. SwiftBar doesn't support parametrization in the same sense as xbar, yet. I don't like how xbar approaches this, but didn't came up with a better version myself yet.