[Run][Plugin Manager] Plugin management section (enable / disable, ...)

[htcfreek]

We have different plugins for PowerToys Run and there are several issue where people asking for new plugins. Also we have no concept of integrating the settings for some plugins.

Here are my ideas with some additional descriptions. Please note that the mock ups are no real xaml windows. The are made with Word and Paint.

The back arrow on the sub pages is for navigating back to the parent page.
While giving the user the ability to disable plugins, they can define which types of results they wan't to see in the result list.

CRUTKAS addition from #6770

For PT Run, we need a way to manage plugins

• enable / disable
• add additional weight multiplier
• set action keyword
• Key shortcut to autolaunch directly like an action keyword

This should be dynamically loaded as well so when new plugins are added in, or a 3rd party plugin is there, it continues to work.

HTCFREEK added 2020-09-30

• Maybe it is possible to define the order of results by sorting the plugins. This means if I order the WindowWalker plugin above the Program plugin, the open Windows will be shown first in the results.

Images (from HTCFREEK)

Plugin section on main page

Maybe we can use a sub item in navigation view fo access the plugin management page.

If no plugins are enabled the section looks like this.

Sub page with plugin list

The default plugins which are installed with PT Run are non-removable!

If all plugins are disabled you will see this message.

Sub page where the user can manage a plugin

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[htcfreek]

Improvements for users with many plugins

Search field for plugin list

If we have many plugins it would be interesting to have a search field between page title and plugin list.

Import plugin section

If the user has many plugins installed it's not relay nice if he has to scroll down the long list to import an new plugin. Maybe it's better to have an import plugin section at the top of the page.

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If you'd like to see this feature implemented, add a 👍 reaction to this post.

[niels9001]

@htcfreek. I really like the concepts and how it reflects how Windows 10 Settings does these things!

It does introduce some complexity with multiple views etc. with a lot of functionality that might not be there in a first version. I wonder if something like this would suffice for a quick v1.

Basically listing all plug-ins that come with PT Run out-of-the-box with the possibility to turn them on or off with a switch?

Here's a mock of what that would look like:

This is based on the Apps & Websites W10 Settings page:

@crutkas is Plug-in management on the roadmap for V1? Or a V2 activity?

[htcfreek]

@crutkas is Plug-in management on the roadmap for V1? Or a V2 activity?

I think for the first step (v1) it's okay if only enable/disable works.

The other things need more work in fronted and backend. So I think we won't get it in for v1.

[crutkas]

I think it is something we'd like to do but not on roadmap. I feel like more and more we need it

[crutkas]

namely around the web search stuff

[htcfreek]

How about just a UI scaler? It seems pretty big for me. I'd like to be able to 50% size it to get more search results on-screen

These are design and functionality ideas. They are realized as images with image software. - So the proportions not final and maybe a bit incorrect.

[gordonwatts]

This would (eventually) provide a UI for adjusting the keyboard filter shortcuts - which is one big thing my pr #6129 is missing.

[htcfreek]

This would (eventually) provide a UI for adjusting the keyboard filter shortcuts - which is one big thing my pr #6129 is missing.

Yes. I have missed this setting in my concept images.

[enricogior]

This will not be done in 0.29.

[htcfreek]

@crutkas, @enricogior
If plugin manager is basically implemented we should not directly close this issue and (#9655). These issues include ideas for future enhancements like import third-party plugins, search in plugin list and define settings for third-party plugins (#9655 (comment)).

Before we close the issues it makes imo sense to open a new "thrid-party plugin" issue that track the ideas.

[enricogior]

@htcfreek
we should open individual issues for future enhancement, and close this one and #9655.

[htcfreek]

@htcfreek
we should open individual issues for future enhancement, and close this one and #9655.

I agree. Let's do this when 0.33 is released.

[htcfreek]

@enricogior
All the new issues for each of the remaining remaining enhancement ideas in this issue are created. (I didn't create any issue for ideas which regarding 3rd-Party-Plugin features.)

[enricogior]

@htcfreek
great work! Thanks.

[crutkas]

Great news! This was resolved in the newly released 0.33 version of PowerToys! Head to https://aka.ms/installpowertoys to grab latest.

[garrulinae]

Awesome, great work! Where is the weighting/ordering feature now being tracked? This issue and #3271 and #3371 are all closed.

[crutkas]

We were waiting on feedback for weight to see if this was enough. It adds a lot of complexity for debugging with community

[enricogior]

@crutkas @garrulinae
the weighting algorithm was not working because of a bug, the initial request to allow manual weighting was assuming that the algorithm was working but not good enough.

For ordering, I think we should open a new issue since now that the plugin manager has been implemented, we can propose a specific UI for this feature.