Install plugins/scripts manager/repository

[Hildo Guillardi Júnior]

KiCad could have a plugins repository. This could work:

1) KiCad APP having a wizard installation/search plugins dialog (such eclipse);
2) At https://github.com/KiCad or the official web site have a list of supported plugins;
2.a) This list are submitted by the developers to the website changes / kicad git repository;
2.b) Should contain plugins name, icon, description and download page (other git link for example);
2.c) In each developer plugins Git/folder should contain the version control and a standardized file/folder hierarchy;
3) The download use the information of the above repository to install the Python plugins into the KiCad folders allowing only this user / all users installation.

Application: kicad
Version: 5.1.0-unknown-a81512c~82~ubuntu16.04.1, release build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.2
    libcurl/7.47.0 OpenSSL/1.0.2g zlib/1.2.8 libidn/1.32 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Linux 4.4.0-145-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.2 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 2.24
    Boost: 1.58.0
    OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.8.0
    Curl: 7.47.0
    Compiler: GCC 5.4.0 with C++ ABI 1009

Build settings:
    USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
    USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_PYTHON3=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON_PHOENIX=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
    BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCC=OFF
    KICAD_SPICE=ON

[Hildo Guillardi Júnior (hildogjr)]

This package appear to be related https://pypi.org/project/kipi/

[Piotr Esden-Tempski (esden)]

I think this is a great feature to add. I think It should actually be expanded to a "plugin/script manager/store". I think this should be one of the core tools in the toolbar of the main KiCad window, not an external tool maintained only for one platform as mentioned above. I also don't think it should be only Python scripting specific. There are other tools out there that are not python scripts and would be useful to have access to through the "KiCad Store".

I recommend updating the title of this Whishlist item to "KiCad plugin manager/store", making it clearer for people who want to vote on this.

Good plugin/package systems to draw inspiration from is for example Cargo. This adds the capability of integrating third party contributions in the CI tests. In our case it would help to make sure the plugin API is not broken without the developers noticing, as the CI test will run against all the plugins published in the "Store" for KiCad and assure they did not break, unless the API change is intentional.

[Hildo Guillardi Júnior (hildogjr)]

Also a link to development page should be available,so the user will be able to work issues and propose improvements.

[Hildo Guillardi Júnior (hildogjr)]

If this interface allow to install plugins from Git, should be interesting to define the branch to install (master / development / stable). So, the user by default get the stable but could should to install the beta plugin.

[KiCad Janitor (kicad-janitor)]

KiCad bug tracker has moved to Gitlab. This report is now available here: https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/2379