Editors, NLS, NodeDefs, Status Names, UOM… Why, oh why?!

If you’ve ever tried wrangling these beasts, you know the pain. Constantly hopping between text files, XML files, and Python files, trying to keep them all in synch. Pulling teeth is less painful! And then there’s debugging, like finding a needle in a haystack but blindfolded.

I’ve been there. Developing plugins like YouTube, AudioPlayer, Drop, Modbus, and others felt like surviving an escape room designed by a mad genius for a mad genius. At one point, I genuinely questioned, Who in their right mind would willingly develop plugins for IoX? (No offense to my fellow geeks who already have.)

But instead of giving up, I thought, What if I could make this process eisy? (Yes, eisy)

So, I rolled up my sleeves and set out on a quest to eliminate the misery. My goals?

1. Only One JSON File: Because juggling multiple files is hell. This JSON file describes everything—features, properties, commands, etc.
2. Smart Editing: An editor so intuitive it practically writes your JSON for you. Need valid UOMs or valid elements for editors? Just pick from the list, and boom—you’re done. No second-guessing, no “why is this broken?” moments.
3. Automation:
   • Auto-generate Python code stubs, so you only fill in the logic without touching the boring boilerplate.
   • Automatically publish your plugin to the local store, like magic but geekier.
   • An execution environment that lets you run and debug with breakpoints immediately. Yes, immediately. Like, before your coffee gets cold.

And guess what? I nailed it.

I chose VS Code as the IDE and developed an extension called IoX Plugin Developer. It does everything except make your bed. And the best part? No tedious installs or configurations. Just type ide in the terminal, sit back, and watch as all the extensions and libraries set themselves up.

Setback!!!

Ah, the sweet taste of victory—short-lived, of course. While basking in the glory of my creation, I shared it with a few developers, only to be hit with a humbling realization: I had completely missed a crucial point. I’d naively assumed that everyone develops directly on eisy. Because, obviously, who wouldn’t want to?

Spoiler alert: Nearly everyone. Boy, was I wrong.

Determined to fix this oversight, I searched for a solution. And wouldn’t you know it? VS Code already has a remote development extension. 

With this newfound wisdom, I updated the ide command to do even more magic. Now it automatically installs all the necessary libraries so you can use VS Code on any machine, and it’ll feel like you’re working directly on eisy. Glory restored!!!

Here are the instructions.

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Now that developing plugins for IoX is no longer a test of your sanity, why not jump in and help us make it even better?

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