WindowPlugins bloated? (1 Viewer)

pherret

New Member
February 8, 2006
3
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I'm trying to figure out what the thinking behind bundling all the window plugins in one library was.

My understanding on the current code is that it searchs the plugins/windows directory (and other directories) for plugins and if they are enabled, load them. My CVS build has three dlls. The monster dll, WindowPlugins.dll, contains a LOT of plugins. Some of them not working entirely.

Shouldn't the approach be that each plugin is its own dll? This way, only the *actual* enabled plugins are loaded and the disabled ones are not loaded. Also, team-mediaportal doesn't need to manage all the plugins.

I've already begun separating out the plugins into separate VS projects and configuring the references and build directories. Am I helping out or am I reversing something good?

Thoughts? Comments?

If the idea is liked, I'd be happy to submit a patch. The patch might be pretty large though.
 

samuel337

Portal Pro
August 25, 2004
772
0
Melbourne, Australia
It used to be like that, a long time ago.

I never really asked why it was all rolled into one, but I'm guessing that from a performance perspective, loading one assembly is faster than loading many different assemblies.

I find it better too if it was all seperated - that way I can update certain parts and remove other parts if I don't want them at all. Seems more logical I think.

Sam
 

pherret

New Member
February 8, 2006
3
0
That's all I could think of too, was a "performance perspective".

Performance would only be increased if everybody wanted to use all the plugins. Because they are contained in the one library, they are all loaded (regardless of whether they are disabled/enabled in the configuration).

Currently, MP checks the configuration file for enabled plugins before loading the plugins. However, it doesn't check each and every one of the plugins inside the WindowPlugin.dll. It loads every one of them.

Any other thoughts/comments? I would really like to start working on a patch.
 

tomtom21000

Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • April 22, 2004
    1,226
    120
    Germany
    pherret: you seem to know what your talking about and mp sure could need some more talented programmers.*
    But the point you picked for your first work on mp source seems to be quite basic.

    So, please try to come to the irc channel #mediaportal at efnet and try to catch frodo, because he will certainly have the background information you need and it is certainly the easiest way to get into contact with him.

    tomtom
    (not a programmer)

    *Please read as "more talented programmers", not "more talented programmers", hehe ;)
     

    bevpet1

    Portal Member
    November 27, 2005
    11
    0
    Toronto, Canada
    bloated plugins dll

    Pherret,

    i would agree with you, the plug-ins should be separted. If it was me...
    i would have the plug-in system work like this:

    if you want to use a plug-in, it should be installed in the 'plug-ins' directory.
    when MP starts, it loads what it finds in that directory and thats it, simple as that.

    PB
     

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