Plugin System

I am a developer. Developer API.

I am a template designer. Guide for template designer.

Developer API

What can I do with plugins?

The plugin system let you:

How can I create a plugin for Shaarli?

First, chose a plugin name, such as demo_plugin.

Under plugin folder, create a folder named with your plugin name. Then create a .php file in that folder.

You should have the following tree view:

| index.php
| plugins/
|---| demo_plugin/
|   |---| demo_plugin.php

Plugin initialization

At the beginning of Shaarli execution, all enabled plugins are loaded. At this point, the plugin system looks for an init() function to execute and run it if it exists. This function must be named this way, and takes the ConfigManager as parameter.

<plugin_name>_init($conf)

This function can be used to create initial data, load default settings, etc. But also to set plugin errors. If the initialization function returns an array of strings, they will be understand as errors, and displayed in the header to logged in users.

Understanding hooks

A plugin is a set of functions. Each function will be triggered by the plugin system at certain point in Shaarli execution.

These functions need to be named with this pattern:

hook_<plugin_name>_<hook_name>($data, $conf)

Parameters:

For exemple, if my plugin want to add data to the header, this function is needed:

hook_demo_plugin_render_header

If this function is declared, and the plugin enabled, it will be called every time Shaarli is rendering the header.

Plugin's data

Parameters

Every hook function has a $data parameter. Its content differs for each hooks.

This parameter needs to be returned every time, otherwise data is lost.

return $data;

Filling templates placeholder

Template placeholders are displayed in template in specific places.

RainTPL displays every element contained in the placeholder's array. These element can be added by plugins.

For example, let's add a value in the placeholder top_placeholder which is displayed at the top of my page:

$data['top_placeholder'[] = 'My content';](]-=-'My-content';.html)
# OR
array_push($data['top_placeholder'], 'My', 'content');[](.html)

return $data;

Data manipulation

When a page is displayed, every variable send to the template engine is passed to plugins before that in $data.

The data contained by this array can be altered before template rendering.

For exemple, in linklist, it is possible to alter every title:

// mind the reference if you want $data to be altered
foreach ($data['links'] as &$value) {[](.html)
    // String reverse every title.
    $value['title'] = strrev($value['title']);[](.html)
}

return $data;

Metadata

Every plugin needs a <plugin_name>.meta file, which is in fact an .ini file (KEY="VALUE"), to be listed in plugin administration.

Each file contain two keys:

Note: In PHP, parse_ini_file() seems to want strings to be between by quotes " in the ini file.

It's not working!

Use demo_plugin as a functional example. It covers most of the plugin system features.

If it's still not working, please open an issue.

Hooks

Hooks Description
render_header Allow plugin to add content in page headers.
render_includes Allow plugin to include their own CSS files.
render_footer Allow plugin to add content in page footer and include their own JS files.
render_linklist It allows to add content at the begining and end of the page, after every link displayed and to alter link data.
render_editlink Allow to add fields in the form, or display elements.
render_tools Allow to add content at the end of the page.
render_picwall Allow to add content at the top and bottom of the page.
render_tagcloud Allow to add content at the top and bottom of the page, and after all tags.
render_taglist Allow to add content at the top and bottom of the page, and after all tags.
render_daily Allow to add content at the top and bottom of the page, the bottom of each link and to alter data.
render_feed Allow to do add tags in RSS and ATOM feeds.
save_link Allow to alter the link being saved in the datastore.
delete_link Allow to do an action before a link is deleted from the datastore.

render_header

Triggered on every page.

Allow plugin to add content in page headers.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

buttons_toolbar_example

Note: This will only be called in linklist.

fields_toolbar_example

render_includes

Triggered on every page.

Allow plugin to include their own CSS files.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

Note: only add the path of the CSS file. E.g: plugins/demo_plugin/custom_demo.css.

Triggered on every page.

Allow plugin to add content in page footer and include their own JS files.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

text_example

Note: only add the path of the JS file. E.g: plugins/demo_plugin/custom_demo.js.

Triggered when linklist is displayed (list of links, permalink, search, tag filtered, etc.).

It allows to add content at the begining and end of the page, after every link displayed and to alter link data.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

action_plugin_example

link_plugin_example

plugin_start_zone_example

plugin_end_zone_example

Triggered when the link edition form is displayed.

Allow to add fields in the form, or display elements.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

edit_link_plugin_example

render_tools

Triggered when the "tools" page is displayed.

Allow to add content at the end of the page.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

tools_plugin_example

render_picwall

Triggered when picwall is displayed.

Allow to add content at the top and bottom of the page.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

plugin_start_end_zone_example

render_tagcloud

Triggered when tagcloud is displayed.

Allow to add content at the top and bottom of the page.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

For each tag, the following placeholder can be used:

plugin_start_end_zone_example

render_taglist

Triggered when taglist is displayed.

Allow to add content at the top and bottom of the page.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

For each tag, the following placeholder can be used:

render_daily

Triggered when tagcloud is displayed.

Allow to add content at the top and bottom of the page, the bottom of each link and to alter data.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Items can be displayed in templates by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

link_plugin_example

render_feed

Triggered when the ATOM or RSS feed is displayed.

Allow to add tags in the feed, either in the header or for each items. Items (links) can also be altered before being rendered.

Data

$data is an array containing:

Template placeholders

Tags can be added in feeds by adding an entry in $data['<placeholder>'] array.

List of placeholders:

For each links:

Triggered when a link is save (new link or edit).

Allow to alter the link being saved in the datastore.

Data

$data is an array containing the link being saved:

Triggered when a link is deleted.

Allow to execute any action before the link is actually removed from the datastore

Data

$data is an array containing the link being saved:

Guide for template designer

Plugin administration

Your theme must include a plugin administration page: pluginsadmin.html.

Note: repo's template link needs to be added when the PR is merged.

Use the default one as an example.

Aside from classic RainTPL loops, plugins order is handle by JavaScript. You can just include plugin_admin.js, only if:

Otherwise, you can use your own JS as long as this field is send by the form:

Placeholder system

In order to make plugins work with every custom themes, you need to add variable placeholder in your templates.

It's a RainTPL loop like this:

{loop="$plugin_variable"}
    {$value}
{/loop}

You should enable demo_plugin for testing purpose, since it uses every placeholder available.

List of placeholders

page.header.html

At the end of the menu:

{loop="$plugins_header.buttons_toolbar"}
    {$value}
{/loop}

At the end of file, before clearing floating blocks:

{if="!empty($plugin_errors) && isLoggedIn()"}
    <ul class="errors">
        {loop="plugin_errors"}
            <li>{$value}</li>
        {/loop}
    </ul>
{/if}

includes.html

At the end of the file:

{loop="$plugins_includes.css_files"}
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="{$value}#"/>
{/loop}

page.footer.html

At the end of your footer notes:

{loop="$plugins_footer.text"}
     {$value}
{/loop}

At the end of file:

{loop="$plugins_footer.js_files"}
     <script src="{$value}#"></script>
{/loop}

linklist.html

After search fields:

{loop="$plugins_header.fields_toolbar"}
     {$value}
{/loop}

Before displaying the link list (after paging):

{loop="$plugin_start_zone"}
     {$value}
{/loop}

For every links (icons):

{loop="$value.link_plugin"}
    <span>{$value}</span>
{/loop}

Before end paging:

{loop="$plugin_end_zone"}
     {$value}
{/loop}

linklist.paging.html

After the "private only" icon:

{loop="$action_plugin"}
     {$value}
{/loop}

editlink.html

After tags field:

{loop="$edit_link_plugin"}
     {$value}
{/loop}

tools.html

After the last tool:

{loop="$tools_plugin"}
     {$value}
{/loop}

picwall.html

Top:

<div id="plugin_zone_start_picwall" class="plugin_zone">
    {loop="$plugin_start_zone"}
        {$value}
    {/loop}
</div>

Bottom:

<div id="plugin_zone_end_picwall" class="plugin_zone">
    {loop="$plugin_end_zone"}
        {$value}
    {/loop}
</div>

tagcloud.html

Top:

   <div id="plugin_zone_start_tagcloud" class="plugin_zone">
        {loop="$plugin_start_zone"}
            {$value}
        {/loop}
    </div>

Bottom:

    <div id="plugin_zone_end_tagcloud" class="plugin_zone">
        {loop="$plugin_end_zone"}
            {$value}
        {/loop}
    </div>

daily.html

Top:

<div id="plugin_zone_start_picwall" class="plugin_zone">
     {loop="$plugin_start_zone"}
         {$value}
     {/loop}
</div>

After every link:

<div class="dailyEntryFooter">
     {loop="$link.link_plugin"}
          {$value}
     {/loop}
</div>

Bottom:

<div id="plugin_zone_end_picwall" class="plugin_zone">
    {loop="$plugin_end_zone"}
        {$value}
    {/loop}
</div>

feed.atom.xml and feed.rss.xml:

In headers tags section:

{loop="$feed_plugins_header"}
  {$value}
{/loop}

After each entry:

{loop="$value.feed_plugins"}
  {$value}
{/loop}