Plugin Index

[Ego Eram Reputo]

@SodiumEnglish is right. I proof the JSON file with JSlint before I upload it. I'll have another look to see if there are any issues I can find.

[toe_head2001]

The .NET deserializer is rather limited, so I had to perform a substring on the .json file to make it work correctly for this case.  However, I failed to perform a whitespace trim, so the double newline (\n\n) killed the whole thing.

The extra newline has been removed, and it should work without issue.

 

I'll add some more sanity checks to the next release of The Plugin Browser.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Thanks toe_head. I'll make a note to trim whitespace in the future.

[null54]

The required files for DDS FileType Plus, JPEG 2000,  PdnFF,  Soft Proofing and the WebP Filetype could be simplified.

 

For example DDS FileType Plus lists the following required files.

DdsFileTypePlus.dll, and one of DdsFileTypePlusIO_x64.dll or DdsFileTypePlusIO_x86.dll

This could be simplified to match the format used by the EA FSH Filetype:

DdsFileTypePlus.dll, DdsFileTypePlusIO_x64.dll and DdsFileTypePlusIO_x86.dll

 

This would make it easier for users to determine what files to install without requiring them to know if Paint.NET is running on a 32-bit or 64-bit machine.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

8 hours ago, null54 said:

This would make it easier for users to determine what files to install without requiring them to know if Paint.NET is running on a 32-bit or 64-bit machine.

 

Removing the rider will leave users believing they need all 3 files, when they don't. I prefer the more precise wording myself. Convince me....?

[null54]

22 minutes ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

Removing the rider will leave users believing they need all 3 files, when they don't. I prefer the more precise wording myself. Convince me....? 

 

If a user follows your recommendation and installs the wrong DLL the plugin will not work.

The installation instructions for all of my plugins that require native DLLs state that both the 32-bit and 64-bit DLLs should be placed in the appropriate folder with the plugin.

While may not be necessary to install both DLLs from a technical perspective, it makes the instructions easier for users and reduces the number of troubleshooting messages from incorrect installation in my plugin threads (I switched static linking the Visual C++ runtime for the same reasons).

 

If you are keeping the more verbose format the EA FSH Filetype can be changed to.

FSHfiletype.dll, and one of squish_x64.dll or squish_Win32.dll

Finally you can remove the references to the Visual C++ 2010  runtime from the Optimized JPEG and Soft Proofing descriptions.

As I mentioned above I now use static linking because it reduces the troubleshooting messages from incorrect installation in the plugin threads.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

5 hours ago, null54 said:

If a user follows your recommendation and installs the wrong DLL the plugin will not work. 

 

I'm not trying to give detailed installation instructions - that's the plugin author's job. I'm trying to help a user determine which files are related to which dll and which are required for it to work. Sometimes I do give a little tip to installation, but this is not really meant to replace the information the plugin author should supply.

 

5 hours ago, null54 said:

the EA FSH Filetype can be changed to

 

5 hours ago, null54 said:

remove the references to the Visual C++ 2010  runtime from the Optimized JPEG and Soft Proofing descriptions

 

Thanks - changed the Index accordingly.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

May Update

 

Four new plugins this month, including a couple of first-time authors. Welcome aboard @EzArIk and @pavlik1307 ?

 

Content Aware Fill null54 Replaces the contents of a selection with pixels that are the closest match sampled from areas outside the selection. Can be used to seamlessly remove elements from an image.

 

Fractal Curly Tree MadJik Uses a fractal algorithm to draw a curly tree. Found in the Magical Plugins Megapack.

 

Tom's Palette Format EzArik Load and save Tom's palette format (Palettes data is displayed on odd lines in rows of 32, the next line contains the previous lines Quantise information)

 

Trippy Rainbow pavlik1307 Converts pixel brightness to a shade on a rainbow spectrum. The effect is much like the color cycling when adjusting only the Hue slider in Hue/Saturation

 

[Seerose]

 @Ego Eram Reputo! Many thanks to you and all plugin writers.    

[Ego Eram Reputo]

June Update

 

Two new plugins this month. Enjoy! ?

 

Error diffusion dithering pavlik1307 Reduce number of colors in an image with the help of eleven error diffusion dithering algorithms. You are able to choose one of four software palettes.

 

Trail Blur MJW Create a straight or curved blurred trail. Similar to Motion Blur with additional curve and fade out options.

[Seerose]

Thanks also to all plugin authors.      Thanks  @Ego Eram Reputo also to keep us informed!  

 

[GeorgeB]

Not sure if I need to post here, or in the Plugin Browser topic.  If the other, just tell me, and I'll post there.

 

I have v1.2.1.0 of the Plugin Browser.  And v4.0.21 of PdN.  When I launch the browser and try to get an updated index, I get the following error message:

 

     Network error.

     Unable to connect to the remote server.

 

I'm getting a similar message when I check for updates for PdN itself.  I checked my firewall, nothing related to anything "paint" or "forums" is being blocked.

 

I don't suppose there's a manual method of downloading the Plugin index?

 

Thanks,

 

--JustGeorge

 

[toe_head2001]

18 hours ago, GeorgeB said:

I don't suppose there's a manual method of downloading the Plugin index?

 

Sorry, there is not.

 

18 hours ago, GeorgeB said:

When I launch the browser and try to get an updated index, I get the following error message:

     Network error.

     Unable to connect to the remote server.

 

I'm getting a similar message when I check for updates for PdN itself.  I checked my firewall, nothing related to anything "paint" or "forums" is being blocked.

 

Yeah, if something is blocking the connections, there's nothing we can do.

Theses days, the Plugin Browser downloads the Index from github.io using a TLS connection over remote port 443.

If I remember correctly, paint.net downloads updates from dotpdn.com.

[GeorgeB]

Thanks, toe_head. 

 

Out of curiousity:  how did I get the current list?

 

I did a little research into Port 443, and while I have often been rather cavalier in messing around with such things, as I'm getting older, slightly wiser, I think I'll skip opening that port -- for the time being anyway.

 

Thanks again,

 

--George

 

 

 

[toe_head2001]

27 minutes ago, GeorgeB said:

Out of curiosity:  how did I get the current list?

 

What's listed in the Plugin Browser are the plugins you have installed. Those are loaded from disk.

 

The downloaded Index provides a list of plugins you don't have installed.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

2 hours ago, GeorgeB said:

Out of curiousity:  how did I get the current list?

 

The location of the Plugin Index data has recently changed. It used to be hosted on this forum (Plugin Browser was parsing the PDF in the first post of this thread). Now the data is hosted on GitHub. I wonder if the location change was enough to trigger your error?

 

[GeorgeB]

2 hours ago, toe_head2001 said:

 

What's listed in the Plugin Browser are the plugins you have installed. Those are loaded from disk.

 

The downloaded Index provides a list of plugins you don't have installed.

 

toe_head:  Okay, now that makes sense.  Even I can understand it.  ?   And I'm happy to live with following this topic and PDF plugin listing.

 

32 minutes ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

 

The location of the Plugin Index data has recently changed. It used to be hosted on this forum (Plugin Browser was parsing the PDF in the first post of this thread). Now the data is hosted on GitHub. I wonder if the location change was enough to trigger your error?

 

 

EER:  See my reply to toe_head, I now understand how this plugin works at the user level.  (I haven't used the Plugin Browser in a long, long time.  I may have known this back in olden times, it rings a tiny bell.).  And now I wonder if MS will apply it's magic sauce to GitHub, make it work oh so much better?

 

Thanks to you both for the quick, patient and useful replies.

 

--George

[SodiumEnglish]

Update!

First time I'm posting an update here haha.

I bring a performance enhancement to the Plugin Index by pre-loading the data into the page with Jekyll so that there is no need to fetch the data after page load. You should see the plugins on the page now without any delay!

[Ego Eram Reputo]

@SodiumEnglish You have my heartfelt thanks for making the Plugin Index into this brilliant tool.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

July Update

 

Just the one new plugin this month.....just as well it's another excellent one from MJW ?

 

Equirectangular Viewer MJW Displays and reorients equirectangular images (panoramic views, which represent a complete spherical image in longitude-latitude format).

[Seerose]

❤️ @Ego Eram Reputo! Thank you for your effort. ? 

❤️  @MJW! Thank you for your effort. ?

[BoltBait]

That's what I get for publishing a plugin on the last day of the month!

 

[Ego Eram Reputo]

You've gotta remember I'm on the other side of the international date line. "First to see the sunrise" 'n all that.... ? (NZ milked this shamelessly at the turn of the millennium)

[Scooter]

On ‎6‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 6:52 PM, Ego Eram Reputo said:

You've gotta remember I'm on the other side of the international date line. "First to see the sunrise" 'n all that.... ? (NZ milked this shamelessly at the turn of the millennium)

 

I thought New Zealand  had  "shear"  Baaaa-d taste in "penning" that title on themselves. Wool-d not want to see ewe all feeling sheepish over it.  

              

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Wayleggo Scooter, wayleggo.