Changelog for GKrellM Plugins

Changes for version 1.0.0

None.

Changes for version 0.10.5

Added these routines:

gkrellm_config_modified()
gkrellm_chart_images_override()
gkrellm_get_gkrellmrc_integer()
gkrellm_get_gkrellmrc_string()

See the Plugins programmers reference for descriptions.

Changes for version 0.10.2 - 0.10.4

None.

Changes for version 0.10.1

There has been a loose end with controlling plugin placement when multiple plugins are placing themselves before the same monitor. So far this placement has been determined by the order plugins are read from the plugin directories and this in turn is a function of the order they were written into the directory. There is no alphabetical sorting at all. So to give some control, plugins can now specify a gravity value from 0 to 15 in the placement parameter. Think of it as higher gravity pulling a plugin down in its placement slot. If you see no reason your plugin should care about this level of control then do nothing, no code changes are required. But if there is some reason you prefer your plugin be biased downwards, then give it gravity like so:
```
#ifdef GRAVITY
#define MY_PLACEMENT (MON_APM | GRAVITY(8))
#else
#define MY_PLACEMENT (MON_APM)
#endif
```
If there is a very strong reason to bias it down, give it gravity 15. If you want placement with respect to another plugin that has gravity, then give yours a gravity value just above or below the gravity for the other plugin. Many plugins can just pass this by and be fine with the default zero gravity.
Cleaned out all GK.debug usage from GKrellM source so it is now solely for plugin use. You can run "gkrellm -debug" or "gkrellm -debugN" where N is an arbitrary integer you pick for your plugin specific use. Basically, use "if (GK.debug)" for general debugging, or use "if (GK.debug == N)" for debugging isolated to your plugin. I guess just rely on chance and squatters rights and just pick an N that you hope does not collide with some other plugin.

Changes for version 0.10.0

Final release check list (some details are below):

Fix GK struct references - only xxx_tick and debug references are OK.
Consider adding style_id support - use the new functions.
Consider using gkrellm_load_image() to load custom #included images.

Details
New functions (see plugin programmers reference):
gboolean gkrellm_load_image(gchar *name, gchar **xpm, GdkImlibImage **im, gchar *subdir);
gboolean gkrellm_set_image_border(gchar *name, gchar **xpm, Style *style);
gint     gkrellm_add_chart_style(Monitor *mon, gchar *name);
gint     gkrellm_add_meter_style(Monitor *mon, gchar *name);
gint     gkrellm_lookup_chart_style_id(gchar *name);
gint     gkrellm_lookup_meter_style_id(gchar *name);
gchar    *gkrellm_get_theme_path(void);
void     gkrellm_add_info_text_string(GtkWidget *text, gchar *string);
The GK structure is changing. It has always been the case that the only safe parts of GK to access are the debug and xxx_tick parts. If any plugin directly accesses the structure (does not use the gkrellm_XXX() helper functions) for image or style pointers it's pretty certain it will break. Also, even if you did use gkrellm_XXX() functions to access images or styles for other monitors (not the DEFAULT_STYLE) you will now get unexpected results (but should not crash). Use the gkrellm_lookup_xxxx_style_id() functions to get a style_id for other monitors. Some other references are OK for now, like GK.theme_path, but should be changed to the new gkrellm_get_theme_path() under 0.10.0 (but consider using the new gkrellm_load_image() function so you don't have to do any theme path processing at all).
Code references like these are a problem:
    GK.XXX_style[id]      where XXX is chart, panel, or meter.
    GK.bg_XXX_image[id]   where XXX is chart, panel, meter, or grid.
    GK.krell_XXX_image[]  where XXX is panel or meter
    GK.monitor_height += p->h;
    UC.chart_width
    GK.decal_misc_pixmap
    some_function(XXX_STYLE) where XXX is APM, FS, CLOCK, CAL, etc.
Fix them like this:
    gkrellm_XXX_style(id);
    gkrellm_bg_XXX_image(id);
    gkrellm_krell_XXX_image(id);
    gkrellm_monitor_height_adjust(h);
    gkrellm_chart_width();
    gkrellm_decal_misc_pixmap();
    some_function(gkrellm_lookup_meter_style_id(XXX_STYLE_NAME));
See the plugin programmers reference. It has updated documentation on the above new calls and the demo programs are updated as well. The short story is plugins can now be themed at the same level as builtins. Check the Styles and Themes section.
Here's something that might help:
Make your plugin compilable under 0.9.x or 0.10.x by doing this:
In a header or at the top of your source file:
#if ((VERSION_MAJOR>0)||(VERSION_MINOR>9))
#define PLUGIN_STYLE style_id
static gint  style_id;
#else
    #define PLUGIN_STYLE DEFAULT_STYLE
#endif
Access styles and images by using PLUGIN_STYLE as an argument. And in the init_plugin() routine, add this:
#if ((VERSION_MAJOR>0)||(VERSION_MINOR>9))
    style_id = gkrellm_add_meter_style(&plugin_mon, "somename");
#endif
If you have custom images to load and want to use gkrellm_load_image(), it is more difficult to be compilable under 0.9.x and 0.10.x. You could use #if around gkrellm_load_image() calls, or you could just not bother and have the requirement that the plugin needs 0.10.x.

Changes for version 0.9.9

Not much new for this release. About the only thing is I have followed the lead of several plugins and added a global function to get the nice bold (and added italic) text into the Info/Help pages. You can use it if you want or keep doing it the way you have been, but one benefit is that I have an alternate larger font size the user can select if he wants. Just insert for bold or for bold italic in front of strings in a string array, like this:
gchar	*info_text[] =
 {
 "The first ",
 "two words of this line are bold\n"
 "and the last two words of this line ",
 "are italic\n"
 };
...
GtkWidget *text;

...
text = gtk_text_new(NULL, NULL);
gkrellm_add_info_text(text, info_text, sizeof(info_text) / sizeof(gchar *));
...
If you look at the GKrellM source you will notice _( ) and N_( ) macros around text strings. There has been some interest in internationalizing the program (Turbolinux Japan) and these macros support that. I don't know if this will extend to the plugins, so my suggestion is do whatever you feel comfortable with (the macros are a no-op unless i18n is enabled). If you choose to do this, then the above info_text declaration would look like:
gchar	*info_text[] =
 {
 N_("The first "),
 N_("two words of this line are bold\n"
 "and the last two words of this line "),
 N_("are italic\n")
 };
I'm giving some thought to a way for plugins to have custom theme images (as do the builtins), but did not get to it for this release. Maybe next time.

Changes for version 0.9.8

make install from source and package installation now installs the header files. So, source for plugins can now
#include <gkrellm/gkrellm.h>
as a default so people compiling plugins do not have to install them in the plugins source tree or edit the location of gkrellm.h.
Fixed a bug where DecalButtons were not destroyed when gkrellm_destroy_panel() was called.

Changes for version 0.9.7

IMPORTANT: init_plugin() returning NULL is now properly handled. Any plugin which finds it cannot install itself because some resource is not available should not issue any error messages from the init_plugin() routine. If the resource deficiency is serious (some feature not compiled into the kernel, etc), the plugin should return NULL. However, if the problem is resolvable (as in a permission problem or setup issue), then the plugin should return the address of the monitor structure as normal, but should then trap the problem and issue an error message in the create_plugin() routine. The reason for this is that there is now a system wide plugins directory where plugins for all users may be installed. This means plugins may be loaded for users who do not want them enabled at all or who do not currently have permission to access resources needed by the plugin. A message in the init_plugin() routine will appear each time GKrellM is started and will probably just annoy the user. The proper place for any messages, in the create_plugin() routine, will not be called unless the user has asked for the plugin to be enabled. A message here could let the user know what is needed to make the plugin accessible, so you could issue the message and then return without creating your monitor. And of course, your update routine needs to be aware if the plugin has actually been created.
A flag can be or'ed into a placement value so a plugin can be placed after a builtin monitor instead of the default before the monitor. For example, to place a plugin after the file system monitors, use
(MON_FS | MON_INSERT_AFTER)
I think a good rule to follow would be to place a plugin before a particular monitor when you are doing it for appearance (ie that is where the plugin looks like it should go), but place the plugin "after" a monitor when there is a functional similarity between the builtin and plugin. Otherwise, a plugin which has a functional similarity and really should be placed right next to a builtin monitor may not end up in the right place if several plugins are asking to be placed in the same position. If I can use current plugins as an example, I think the Mailwatch would be a candidate to be placed after MON_MAIL because it has the similarity and it is likely to be enabled at the same time as the builtin mail monitor. The others are probably OK being placed before any particular monitor. The powerbook_pmu plugin does not need to be placed after the builtin MON_APM because it will not be enabled at the same time the builtin apm monitor is enabled.

Changes for version 0.9.6

As of 0.9.6 I want to make name changes (and one prototype change) for these four routines. But for several versions, I'll keep them around to avoid breaking plugins.



Decal   *gkrellm_create_text_decal(Panel *p, gchar *, TextStyle *, Style *, gint, gint, gint);
Decal   *gkrellm_create_pixmap_decal(Panel *, GdkPixmap *, GdkBitmap *, gint, Style *);
void    gkrellm_draw_pixmap_decal(Panel *, Decal *, gint);
void    gkrellm_draw_text_decal(Panel *, Decal *, gchar *, gint);

They are changed to:

Decal   *gkrellm_create_decal_text(Panel *p, gchar *, TextStyle *, Style *, gint, gint, gint);
Decal   *gkrellm_create_decal_pixmap(Panel *, GdkPixmap *, GdkBitmap *, gint, Style *, gint, gint);
void    gkrellm_draw_decal_pixmap(Panel *, Decal *, gint);
void    gkrellm_draw_decal_text(Panel *, Decal *, gchar *, gint);

Plugins writers should migrate these four routines at their convenience. This is simply done by replacing the names, and in the case of gkrellm_create_decal_pixmap(), the following two calls are equivalent:


    gkrellm_create_pixmap_decal(p, pixmap, mask, depth, style);
    gkrellm_create_decal_pixmap(p, pixmap, mask, depth, style, -1, -1);

Changes for version 0.9.0

The API for plugins is changed for version 0.9.0. There are a few prototype changes and coding style changes. One change is necessary because GKrellM now resizes and changes themes without restarting. This changes the create_plugin() routine from a one time create function to a create event function which can be repeatedly called.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
Coding style change: create_plugin() 

-------------The old style--------------:

static void
create_plugin(GtkWidget *vbox)
	{
	Chart	*chart;
	Panel	*p;

	chart = gkrellm_chart_new0();
	p = chart->panel = gkrellm_panel_new();
	...

	/* Create decals, krells. Configure panel, create panel, create chart */
	...

	gtk_signal_connect(GTK_OBJECT(p->drawing_area), "expose_event",
			(GtkSignalFunc) panel_expose_event, NULL);
	gtk_signal_connect(GTK_OBJECT(chart->drawing_area),"expose_event",
			(GtkSignalFunc) chart_expose_event, NULL);
	}

--------------The new style-------------:

static void
create_plugin(GtkWidget *vbox, gint first_create)
	{
	Chart	*chart;
	Panel	*p;

	if (first_create)
		{
		chart = gkrellm_chart_new0();
		p = chart->panel = gkrellm_panel_new();
		}
	else
		{
		gkrellm_destroy_krell_list(p);
		gkrellm_destroy_decal_list(p);
		}
	...

	/* Create decals, krells. Configure panel, create panel, create chart
	|  just as before.
	|
	| If you create any local pixmaps, widgets, etc you should destroy
	| them or not create them again if this is not the first_create to
	| avoid memory leaks.  You could test for first_create or objects != NULL.
	| See the plugin_example.c for code marked with MMM.
	*/
	...

	if (first_create)
		{
		gtk_signal_connect(GTK_OBJECT(p->drawing_area), "expose_event",
				(GtkSignalFunc) panel_expose_event, NULL);
		gtk_signal_connect(GTK_OBJECT(chart->drawing_area),"expose_event",
				(GtkSignalFunc) chart_expose_event, NULL);
		}
	}



================================================================
Coding style change: panel decal and krell lists are now a GList.

-------------The old style--------------:
Krell *k;

for (k = chart->panel->krell; k; k = k->next)
	{
	...
	}

-------------The new style--------------:
Krell   *k;
GList   *list;

for (list = chart->panel->krell; list; list = list->next)
	{
	k = (Krell *) list->data;
	...
	}

Same change for panel->decal.



================================================================
Coding style change: gkrellm_default_textstyle() function defunct:

-------------The old function--------------:
gkrellm_default_textstyle(p->textstyle, TEXTSTYLE_XXX, style);

-------------Is replaced with several functions--------------:
p->textstyle = gkrellm_panel_textstyle(DEFAULT_STYLE);
p->textstyle = gkrellm_chart_textstyle(DEFAULT_STYLE);
p->textstyle = gkrellm_meter_textstyle(DEFAULT_STYLE);
p->textstyle = gkrellm_chart_alt_textstyle(DEFAULT_STYLE);
p->textstyle = gkrellm_panel_alt_textstyle(DEFAULT_STYLE);
p->textstyle = gkrellm_meter_alt_textstyle(DEFAULT_STYLE);

Use these functions in context.  If you have created a chart with panel
and want to write text on the panel, use gkrellm_panel_textstyle().


================================================================
Function prototype changes (see gkrellm_public_proto.h):

Change gkrellm_create_krell() calls from:
	k = gkrellm_create_krell(krell_image, &p->krell, style);
to
	k = gkrellm_create_krell(p, krell_image, style);


Change gkrellm_create_xxx_decal() calls from:
	d = gkrellm_create_text_decal(label, TEXTSTYLE_XXX, &p->decal,
					style, x, y, w);
	d = gkrellm_create_pixmap_decal(pixmap, mask, n_decals, &p->decal, style);
to
	d = gkrellm_create_text_decal(p, label, textstyle, style, x, y, w);
	d = gkrellm_create_pixmap_decal(p, pixmap, mask, n_decals, style);


================================================================
Monitor structure change:
The pre-spacer and post-spacer members are gone.  There is no longer
a bg_spacer.



=================================================================
Notes:
If you create a krell you can reference it later in two ways (if
it is only a single krell in a panel or meter area):

1) save a pointer to the created krell, and reference that:
	my_krell = gkrellm_create_krell(p, krell_image, style);
	my_krell->full_scale = xx;

2) Don't save a pointer and reference the krell from the GList:
	gkrellm_create_krell(p, krell_image, style);
	KRELL(p)->full_scale = xx;

   Note that in this case you cannot use the old reference style:
	p->krell->full_scale = xx;

If you have more than one krell per panel or meter area, use the first
referencing method, save pointers to all the krells you create.

The same two referencing examples apply to decals as well.


=================================================================
New:
Decals can be converted to buttons.  The plugins_example.c now
creates two decal buttons, so look there.