New Plugin: Python extension (and Remote KDE unlock)

[Srivatsan Iyer]

Hello,

Just checking in to see if the community has a strong opinions on this
topic.

Thanks,
Srivatsan

On Aug 18, 2016 8:56 PM, "Srivatsan Iyer" <supersaiyanmode.rox at gmail.com>
wrote:

>
>
> On Thu, 18 Aug 2016 at 17:23 Aleix Pol <aleixpol at kde.org> wrote:
>
>> On Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 1:58 AM, Srivatsan Iyer
>> <supersaiyanmode.rox at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Hi Aleix,
>> >
>> > Unlock/lock is just a sample. The main idea is to embed python
>> interpreter
>> > with custom modules, so that anyone can easily write their own plugins.
>> All
>> > it would take is a few lines of python as opposed to a shared object.
>> > Further, the Android activity corresponding to this plugin can
>> potentially
>> > be made generic enough to dynamically show elements corresponding to
>> each
>> > plugin. Currently the ListView gets automatically populated with plugins
>> > information (specifically ones that have expressed an intent to listen
>> to
>> > "MAIN" event  -- akin to android.intent.action.MAIN).
>> >
>> > May be providing a different example might help what I'm trying to
>> explain.
>> > Assuming the android device is able to listen to an event "battery fully
>> > charged", any one can quickly write up a script that listens to that
>> event,
>> > and sends a desktop notification to unplug the charger. All you'd need
>> to do
>> > is drop the script (and metadata.json) in a specific folder. That's it.
>> No
>> > change on the android side at all (assumption of being able to listen
>> to the
>> > event still holds but this is just a one time business).
>> >
>> > Srivatsan
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On Thu, 18 Aug 2016 at 16:24 Aleix Pol <aleixpol at kde.org> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> On Tue, Aug 16, 2016 at 10:50 AM, Srivatsan Iyer
>> >> <supersaiyanmode.rox at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >> > Hello,
>> >> >
>> >> > I have been writing a kdeconnectd plugin that embeds a python
>> >> > interpreter
>> >> > allowing scripts to be written to extend functionality. These scripts
>> >> > can
>> >> > respond to android system events (such as phone unlock) or be
>> manually
>> >> > invoked via the Android App.
>> >> >
>> >> > There's a bare-bones implementation in my Github repository (links
>> >> > below),
>> >> > that is able to load two scripts: one that locks the KDE session from
>> >> > the
>> >> > android device, and the other that listens to android device unlock
>> >> > event
>> >> > and also unlocks KDE. (Link to a gif below).
>> >> >
>> >> > I have a few questions and I'd really appreciate you guys' response.
>> >> >
>> >> > 1) Although I do not see it within the repository here:
>> >> > github.com/KDE/kdeconnect-kde, is this something someone else is
>> working
>> >> > on
>> >> > locally? If so, I'd love to collaborate and contribute.
>> >> >
>> >> > 2) This point is valid provided the plugin sounds like a good idea.
>> The
>> >> > current implementation is really not that robust and has a lot of
>> rough
>> >> > edges. I have about 10-15 non-trivial todos before I can even think
>> of a
>> >> > PR.
>> >> > Eventually, this plugin will expose basic desktop functionalities of
>> KDE
>> >> > (like notifications), and the android device (like other calls,
>> texts,
>> >> > or
>> >> > notification access). Additionally I am also thinking about
>> virtualenvs
>> >> > and
>> >> > ability to install 3rd party packages for these python scripts. This,
>> >> > surely, is too ambitious for me. But in the short term, I feel I am
>> done
>> >> > with a basic skeleton and would like others taking a look. What
>> would be
>> >> > the
>> >> > best process? I can surely submit a review at
>> git.reviewboard.kde.org,
>> >> > but
>> >> > it might take me a few months to fully finish this and submit for
>> >> > review. Or
>> >> > is it okay submit work that is (somewhat) complete but not ready to
>> be
>> >> > merged? I am looking for something that allows for a lot of going
>> back
>> >> > and
>> >> > forth.
>> >> >
>> >> > Links:
>> >> > - kdeconnect-kde diff:
>> >> >
>> >> > https://github.com/KDE/kdeconnect-kde/compare/master...super
>> saiyanmode:master
>> >> > - kdeconnect-android diff:
>> >> >
>> >> > https://github.com/KDE/kdeconnect-android/compare/master...s
>> upersaiyanmode:master
>> >> > - Remote KDE Unlock demo:
>> >> > https://twitter.com/supersaiyan_9/status/765440342023745536
>> >> >
>> >> > Thanks,
>> >> > Srivatsan
>> >> > --
>> >> >
>> >> > Srivatsan Iyer
>> >>
>> >> There's already a plugin for un/locking in plugins/lockdevice, we
>> >> didn't enable it by default because we don't have UI for Android. I'd
>> >> suggest making your Android patch work with this one, so it's not
>> >> duplicated in the KDE side.
>> >>
>> >> HTH,
>> >> Aleix
>> >
>> > --
>> >
>> > Srivatsan Iyer
>>
>> Hi,
>> Sorry, I didn't understand you.
>>
>> Personally, I'm not interested in having plugins in Python at this
>> point, and it would also be a rather big dependency to add. I'd be
>> happy to know others' opinions.
>>
>> Aleix
>>
>
> Hi, I totally understand your hesitation to add this dependency. I'd
> probably hesitate too. However:
>
> 1) We can put this plugin under experimental section, and continue
> development until it matures.
>
> 2) I always wanted to extend KDEConnect with additional features. Most of
> the features are tiny but writing independent plugins would be an overkill.
> Also, the lazy in me could never find time to sit down to read, understand,
> and extend C++/Java code. This would be one solution -- Write up a few
> lines of script, drop in a specific folder, and things would just work. No
> need of recompiling server or android. It would just work :)
>
> 3) Once this matures, I imagine we can have a little community of scripts
> that people might be able to use. (I might be too ambitious but maybe KDE's
> "Get Hot New Stuff" :) )
>
> -Srivatsan
> --
>
> Srivatsan Iyer
>
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