Posible add-on manager improvements
#1
Note: this is a c/p from our internal team forum about add-on manager improvements

As already started by jmarshall in https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc/pull/4287

Suggestions

Add-on manager changes:
- Enable/disable auto-updates always/notify/never per repo
Use case: allow XBMC.org repo to auto update but dev or 3rd party repos not.
Perhaps allow minor patch updates to auto-update. x.y.Z versions
- Disputable set to notify by default. My suggestion would be to ask the user on first use of XBMC and on install of every extra repo he installs what default action should be. Current auto-update options is to hidden to be obvious.
- Restructure add-on manager tree as show in http://addons.xbmc.org/ to simplify layout

PHP Code:
System->Add-ons->
Disabled Add-ons
Enabled Add-ons
Get Add-ons
_
All Add-ons
_
XBMC.org repository
___
Audio
___
Information providers
____
Lyrics
____
Subtitles
____
Metadata (or all these just one level down)
______Artists
______
Albums
______
Movies
______
Music videos
______
Support modules (scraper modules)
______TV-Shows
______
Weather
___
Games (add as future requirement)
___Pictures
___
Programs
___
PVR
___
Repositories
___
Services
___
Screensaver
___
Skins
___
Support modules (python/skin art)
___Video
___
Webinterface
Install from .zip
Search 

alternative layout
PHP Code:
    System->Add-ons->
    * 
Disabled Add-ons
    
Enabled Add-ons
    
Install from .zip
    
Install from repository
    _
All repositories
    _
XBMC.org repository
    ___
Audio
    ___
Information providers
    ____
Lyrics
    
Search all repositories 


- Show modules as separate category as "support modules" (see layout)
- Add "all add-ons" entry that will show all installed add-ons
- Add history list sorted by last updated add-on
- Add warning when installing repo/add-ons through .zip for possible implications
- Remove the side panel or better explain the available options there
- Improve general GUI layout. Perhaps use same layout as is used for the settings categories.
Keep the category on the left visible and show available add-ons on the right side.
Skinners please brainstorm about this.
- Add advanced search/filtering same like done in library. To search by title, description, repo, author, language.
- Add Geo-block option like once started https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc/pull/829
- hide the broken/incompatible ones by default.

- Semi related: Rip skin settings out of guisettings.xml and do it like regular add-ons.

Any remarks/suggestions so this show can hit the road?

Perhaps non developers are interested in taking this job Smile
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#2
Since talking about that one remark about accessing plugins from main UI (Confluence for example).

You go to video then plugins then press more you directly goes to list of downloadable plugins.
All normal.

But then you press back on keyboard you return to video plugins, but press the .. at the top of the list and go to all plugins category listing.
This make a little inconsistency and if you did get there then you need 3 back press to return to wanted target.
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#3
Personally I'd like the addons to be browesable by tags and not their technical extension point. So something like "sports", "humor", "education", "games", "metadata", "appearence" (=skins), "system" (programs, scripts, modules, ...) ...

Also, we should have recommendations and show the newest additions somewhere. Right now it's a real PITA to find anything unless you know what you're looking for. Discovering stuff is almost impossible.
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#4
(2014-10-15, 12:27)da-anda Wrote: Personally I'd like the addons to be browesable by tags and not their technical extension point. So something like "sports", "humor", "education", "games", "metadata", "appearence" (=skins), "system" (programs, scripts, modules, ...) ...

Full agree. We should provide either the possibility to add tags to addons or a defined tree-structure.
I already wrote about this in my 30 Add-on Api wishes-Thread, Its request 4.1.

This is especially useful for video plugins because currently we have more than 300 of them...

I also like the possibility to search for plugins (as a separate node) like Martijn mentioned!
My GitHub. My Add-ons:
Image
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#5
Great idea Martijn. I was thinking about the same thing.

(2014-10-14, 20:36)Martijn Wrote: - Semi related: Rip skin settings out of guisettings.xml and do it like regular add-ons.
+1 for this
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#6
(2014-10-14, 20:36)Martijn Wrote: - Semi related: Rip skin settings out of guisettings.xml and do it like regular add-ons.
But it's so many clicks. This is something that's annoyed me with service addons, since there aren't any dedicated menus for it. To change settings you have to go System->Add-ons->Enabled Add-ons->Services->Addon x->Configure. That's 6 different menus to go though!
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#7
(2014-10-16, 13:42)takoi Wrote:
(2014-10-14, 20:36)Martijn Wrote: - Semi related: Rip skin settings out of guisettings.xml and do it like regular add-ons.
But it's so many clicks. This is something that's annoyed me with service addons, since there aren't any dedicated menus for it. To change settings you have to go System->Add-ons->Enabled Add-ons->Services->Addon x->Configure. That's 6 different menus to go though!

what i meant with that was to remove the settings that skins now store in guisettings.xml to their own addon_data folders like any other addon already does. So purely the storing of it. Not the navigation part.


fyi, this OP came from our internal forum thread where we discussed possible improvements for addon manager. Just to show that we are thinking about this stuff or get some one interested.
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#8
(2014-10-16, 13:42)takoi Wrote: But it's so many clicks. This is something that's annoyed me with service addons, since there aren't any dedicated menus for it. To change settings you have to go System->Add-ons->Enabled Add-ons->Services->Addon x->Configure. That's 6 different menus to go though!
How many times do you have to do this? Once? Twice?
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#9
Maybe something like this:
PHP Code:
System->Add-ons->
Search (recursive)
Enabled Add-ons
Disabled Add-ons
Install from file
* <hr>
Apperance
__
Screensaver
__
Skins
__
Support modules (python/skin art)
Executables
__
Games (add as future requirement)
__Programs
__
Services
Media extentions
__
Lyrics
__
Subtitles
Media sources
__
Music
__
Pictures
__
Video
Metadata (or all these just one level down)
__Artists
__
Albums
__
Movies
__
Music videos
__
TV-Shows
__
Support modules (scraper modules)
Plugins (binary/third party)
__Encoders
__
something
__
something
Tools
__
Repositories
__
Webinterface 

And no repositories level. I guess that's better way to handle this.
Additional icon/label maybe?
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#10
IMO we should make it more like an app store, or at least have such kind of view. That means that "enabled", "disabled" will be hidden behind something like "my add-ons". Search also should not be a listitem but rather a permanently visible GUI element.
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#11
Quote:* Support modules (scraper modules)
* Support modules (python/skin art)
What was the reason for showing these in the first place? They weren't in Gotham. If you browse for addons these are just noise.

Quote:* Services
* Programs
Is it a service, is it a program.. nobody cares to tbh. Could be collapsed into 'tools' or something.
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#12
I think it was required for either dependency resolving or "available updates" thingy to have them listed - could remember wrong though
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#13
Reason for all showing was that that was the only way to be able to control them updating or not. Situation was then whatever you had set for addon update, if they were hidden they would update regardless.

service != programs
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#14
So in principle it can be hidden or stuffed away somewhere. There is certainly no reason users should go and install python modules manually, which you currently can!

(2014-11-18, 14:03)Martijn Wrote: service != programs
sure, but nobody cares. 'I need twitter' where should i go? (answer: it's a service). Many service and program addon are already both and functionality overlap. "Programs" is a bad name for a category in general too.

I agree with the "more like an app store" idea. Maybe newest/update similar to addons.xbmc.org could be shown by default, then categories filtered/browsed on request. The whole tree structure can be cumbersome at times if you don't know exactly what you want.
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#15
(2014-11-18, 14:32)takoi Wrote:
(2014-11-18, 14:03)Martijn Wrote: service != programs
sure, but nobody cares. 'I need twitter' where should i go? (answer: it's a service). Many service and program addon are already both and functionality overlap

Love the pragmatism and couldn't agree more. Average user doesnt give a flip and it serves nobody to determine the distinction

It clouds what should be clear. Is there a case where something like RCB is a program and the RCB-helper is a service? Sure. Would anyone be confused to see them side by side (one denoted helper) in a collapsed category? I don't think anyone would be confused

Overall the less categories the better. It makes finding things easier. I hate search personally, because I think it's unnecessary when you have a clear directory tree to begin with

Also, an "All installed addons view" was something I did a feature request for a long time ago. I think it would be easier if the directory tree was removed entirely for the "Enabled add ons view" -- they'd still be listed alphabetically and with turbo scroll what does the extra category click help?
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