Plugin API much needed!

[shad1w]

I've recently bought Affinity Designer and it's a great tool - but it lacks one extremely important feature: A plugin API of some sort.

 

Currently there is no way I know of to add any kind of custom functionality to it.

 

A plugin API would add the great benefit of making it relatively easy to automate common tasks. Also, you guys can focus more on bigger and more important features if we can create plugins for small features by ourselves.

 

I'd suggest using an already available scripting language like JavaScript for creating plugins.

Especially JS would be a great language for such a thing because of the huge amount of already existing JS libraries for almost everything you need.

 

As for the API itself, the following features would be great:

- Accessing and modifying the properties of elements

- Data persistence (Adding custom information to documents. These should be kept even when opened on a computer that the plugin is not installed on)

- Filesystem access (needs to be permitted for each plugin by the user. This would provide more/better security)

- Network access (also needs to be enabled by the user)

 

You could add some sort of marketplace for plugins, as suggested before.

This would let you check plugins for any malicious code and would enable you to gain some extra income.

[dkx888]

*thumbs-up* I would really appreciate that as well, because I am also interested in developing plugins for affinity (currently I was thinking about creating a dynamic clothing plugin for characters). JS would be my favorite language as well, but I would be also happy with any other language (except Java).

[Dams]

I think your request follows the one I posted yesterday: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/37239-open-file-format/

[shad1w]

@Dams it follows your post in some ways indeed.

 

An open format would definitely be a huge step in the right direction - but a plugin API would have the advantage that you can add features to Affinity Designer itself instead of editing the files.

 

This way you could, for example, preview changes live without even exiting Designer.

 

But yes, an open format would be a HUGE step in the right direction!

[hedghog]

Vote for plugins and open format: these are in (ok, open format file is going to be in the upcoming v43) Sketch, let's say, and simplicity with flexibility both are what make it so good piece of software.

[Guest]

Hello guys :D
I recently have buyed photo and designer too and this feature request is awesome
If this feature was implemented I think the community will be growning
I really wanna make my own plugin and share them with the community :D
That can be the power of affinity in comparaison of photoshop or illustrator

[hpetty]

I would really hope they would consider incorporating Python as a scripting language as well or instead of JS. It has a huge community and has many more out of the box libraries to work with across many different subjects. Plus it seems to be becoming a standard for Software API languages (ie Maya, 3ds Max, Nuke). It would make Pipeline development for production environments almost seamless.