[Bf-committers] Plugin API proposal

[Kent Mein]

In reply to Austin Benesh (bfdeveloper at gmail.com):

> Looking through the Plugin code, I realized that it really is only 
> geared toward "texture" and "sequence" plugins, not allowing for any 
> extensibility. I propose a complete rewrite of the entire plugin system, 
> using a more "cross-plugin" approach. A standard API for loading plugins 
> should be written, and then all the types of plugins can be added using 
> that API. If there are any additions/changes or other proposals, they 
> can go here or at the wiki page 
> (http://wiki.blender.org/bin/view.pl/Blenderdev/PluginAPI).

Hi Austin,

I don't mean to burst your bubble here, but quite a few people have
proposed expanding blender via plugins.  Check out the archives but
basically the replay has been.

If you look at the majority of applications that use plugins extensively 
they are closed source and need an api to extend them.  
(Yes their are exceptions), in general though they add complexity to 
blender and don't really buy you a whole lot since everyone has access 
to the entire source code.

Having said that, I do think that standardization could help in a number
of places within blender.

Kent
-- 
mein at cs.umn.edu
http://www.cs.umn.edu/~mein