Supporting Inter-Plugin Configuration

Table of Contents

• Receiving Inter-Plugin Configuration Request
• Sending Inter-Plugin Configuration Request

The cc_tools_qt allows one plugin to influence the configuration of another. The configuration exchange is done via QVariantMap data type and it's up to the plugins to interpret the values stored in the map.

Receiving Inter-Plugin Configuration Request

The plugin class is expected to extend the cc_tools_qt::ToolsPlugin and override the applyInterPluginConfigImpl() member function.

class MyFilterPlugin : public cc_tools_qt::ToolsPlugin
{
    ...
protected:
    void applyInterPluginConfigImpl(const QVariantMap& props) override
    {
        auto somePropVar = props.value("some_prop");
        if (somePropVar.isValid()) {
            // The inter-plugin configuration contains a value this plugin
            // can use:
            auto someProp = somePropVar.value<QString>();
            ... // Do something with the extracted value.
        }
    }
 
    ...
};

In most cases the plugin configuration is handled inside the class extending the socket, filter, or protocol, then such class can override its applyInterPluginConfigImpl() member function while the plugin's applyInterPluginConfigImpl() one can redirect the request.

class MySocket : public cc_tools_qt::ToolsSocket
{
    ...
protected:
    void applyInterPluginConfigImpl(const QVariantMap& props) override
    {
        auto somePropVar = props.value("some_prop");
        if (somePropVar.isValid()) {
            // The inter-plugin configuration contains a value this plugin
            // can use:
            auto someProp = somePropVar.value<QString>();
            ... // Do something with the extracted value.
        }
    }
 
    ...
};
 
class MySocketPlugin : public cc_tools_qt::ToolsPlugin
{
 
public:
    MyFilterPlugin() : m_socket(new MySocket) {...}
 
protected:
    void applyInterPluginConfigImpl(const QVariantMap& props) override
    {
        m_socket->applyInterPluginConfig(props);
    }
 
    ...
};

Sending Inter-Plugin Configuration Request

The plugin class can invoke inheirted reportInterPluginConfig() member function to report populated inter-plugin configuration.

class MyFilterPlugin : public cc_tools_qt::ToolsPlugin
{
    ...
private:
    void someEvent()
    {
        QVariantMap props;
        prop["some_prop"] = QVariant::fromValue(QString("some_value"));
        prop["some_other_prop"] = QVariant::fromValue(123);
        reportInterPluginConfig(props);
    }
};

In case the inter-plugin configuration event is initiated inside the class extending the socket, filter, or protocol, then such class can use inherited cc_tools_qt::ToolsSocket::reportInterPluginConfig() member function. The plugin class will connect the signals automatically and emit its own sigInterPluginConfigReport().

class MySocket : public cc_tools_qt::ToolsSocket
{
    ...
private:
    void someEvent()
    {
        QVariantMap props;
        prop["some_prop"] = QVariant::fromValue(QString("some_value"));
        prop["some_other_prop"] = QVariant::fromValue(123);
        reportInterPluginConfig(props);
    }
};

HOWEVER, depending on the implementation of the actual plugin, the socket, filter, or protocol objects may be created before the the cc_tools_qt::ToolsPlugin calls appropriate createSocketImpl(), createFilterImpl(), or createProtocolImpl() to get hold on the appropriate object, and may require an ability to still initiate inter-plugin configuration. In such case the the actual plugin is expected to explicitly connect appropriate signal:

class MySocketPlugin : public cc_tools_qt::ToolsPlugin
{
    ...
protected:
    virtual ToolsSocketPtr createSocketImpl()
    {
        createSocketIfNeeded();
        return m_socket;
    }
 
    virtual QWidget* createConfigurationWidgetImpl()
    {
        createSocketIfNeeded();
        auto widget = ... // Create widget and connect its signals
        return widget;
    }
 
private:
    void createSocketIfNeeded()
    {
        if (m_socket) {
            return;
        }
 
        m_socket.reset(new MySocket);
        connect(
            m_socket.get(), &cc_tools_qt::ToolsSocket::sigInterPluginConfigReport,
            this, &cc_tools_qt::ToolsPlugin::reportInterPluginConfig
        );
    }
 
private
    std::shared_ptr<MySocket> m_socket;
};

Note that the automatic connection of the cc_tools_qt::ToolsSocket::sigInterPluginConfigReport, cc_tools_qt::ToolsFilter::sigInterPluginConfigReport, cc_tools_qt::ToolsProtocol::sigInterPluginConfigReport signals to the cc_tools_qt::ToolsPlugin::sigInterPluginConfigReport signal mentioned earlier happens ONLY when the deriving plugin class does NOT perform such a connection (to avoid duplication).