Zotero Plugin Template and TypeScript Definition Package Available Now

[XY Wong]

Hi everyone,

I'm the author of these plugins: PDF Translate, Better Notes, PDF Preview, and Zotero Tag.

I introduce two repos to those who want to create their own plugin and developers that would definitely be helpful:
- The Zotero Plugin Template/Framework: https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-addon-template
- The NPM package of TypeScript definition d.ts for Zotero: https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-types (npm page: https://www.npmjs.com/package/zotero-types). You can also use it as a handbook of Zotero API.

As a Zotero plugin developer, I've been using TypeScript(TS ) in my several plugins for a long time. TS is more advanced than JS, making it easier to maintain the plugins using auto-complete and type-checking and preventing possible type bugs.

I've witnessed many Zotero users who want to create a plugin to customize their Zotero.  However, to the best of my knowledge, there are NO Zotero plugin frameworks using TS for beginners and the official documentation is out-of-date.

I've also witnessed many Zotero plugin owners spending a lot of time debugging tons of JavaScript code, without auto-complete and type-checking. Using TS could be a solution, but most developers are not familiar with TS and do not know how to.

If you want to start coding your own Zotero plugin, I recommend you to start with the Zotero Plugin Template and you can run the Hello World demo in 5 minutes if you are familiar with any programming language.

If you are a Zotero plugin maintainer or owner, I strongly recommend you migrate to TS with this typing package!

I and two other authors write a documentation about how to create your Zotero plugin(in Chinese): https://zotero-chinese.feishu.cn/wiki/wikcn2498hSjibbd4vDRre5pPmQ

*The typing package is not complete or fully correct yet. I test it in my plugins. If you find any declaration missing or incorrect, please post an issue or pr on Github.

[Bo An]

Hi XY,

Thanks so much. retorquere's plugin generator supports Typescript, which I currently use (https://github.com/retorquere/generator-zotero-plugin), but your template is certainly a welcome addition!

And thank you for the definitions! It's much more complete than the one I was using.

Great work!

Best,

Bo

[Dan Stillman]

This should be changed to create bootstrapped extensions. Zotero 7 will
support bootstrapped extensions exclusively, so any work on an overlay
extension at this point would be time wasted. (We'll have more info on
Zotero 7 soon.)

See Zutilo for an example of a bootstrapped extension.

[XY Wong]

Thank you, Dan, glad to know Zotero 7 is on the way.

It should not be too complicated to switch to bootstrapped I guess. Not very familiar with that. I'll check what I can do.

[XY Wong]

BTW, would XUL elements be supported in the Zotero 7?

And is it possible to provide another way to allow plugins to add content to the Zotero pref-window, as overlay will no longer be supported?

Many plugins use an overlay to add their settings page to the pref-window. Would it be possible to have an official API to add the elements to the pref-window? Otherwise, plugins may have to add extra entrance in the menus for their setting windows, which would break user habits(and watching if the pref-window is opened is not that efficient)

Sorry if I have any misunderstanding. Thank you and the Zotero team for the excellent platform for plugin developers!

在2022年9月2日星期五 UTC+8 05:45:14<Dan Stillman> 写道：

[Dan Stillman]

We're going to be providing much more info on Zotero 7 soon.

Short answers for these questions:

1) It's complicated.

2) Yes, there'll be a new way to add a pref pane.

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[XY Wong]

Hi,

I've made a new branch `bootstrap` for this addon template, which is also set to the default branch.

The addon will be loaded using `addon/bootstrap.js` and the root object will be injected to `Zotero` as always. Unlike Zutilo, which loads the root object of the addon independently, hooking it under `Zotero` is more convenient.

See logic init in `src/events.ts` and UI init in`src/views.ts`. The `addon/overlay.xul` is removed now.

Once more APIs are available for bootstrap mode addons, I'll add them to the `zotero-types` package.