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Plugins Overview

March 11, 2026 70 views

Plugins User Guide

Plugins extend the platform with custom data processing, computed signals, and additional controls. They can provide three types of capabilities: Readers (data sources), Writers (control outputs), and Triggers (callable actions).

Plugins Overview

Plugins page showing plugin table with status badges, capability counts, and action buttons

The Plugins page displays all loaded plugins in a table:

Column Description
Name Plugin name, version badge, and ID
Status Active (green), Warning (amber), or Degraded (red)
Description Plugin description
Readers Number of reader definitions
Writers Number of writer definitions
Triggers Number of trigger definitions
Actions Unload button

Toolbar and Filters

  • Load Plugin button — Open the file upload modal
  • Search — Filter by name, ID, or description
  • Filter dropdown — All Plugins, Has Readers, Has Writers, Has Triggers
  • Sort dropdown — Name A-Z, Name Z-A, Most Readers, Most Writers
  • Plugin count — Shows "X of Y plugins" below filters

Loading a Plugin

Load plugin modal with drag-and-drop zone and file picker

From the Modal

  1. Click Load Plugin in the toolbar
  2. Either:
    • Drag and drop .orbit or .zip files into the drop zone
    • Click to browse and select files
  3. The plugin loads immediately

Drag and Drop

You can also drag plugin files directly onto the Plugins page — a visual overlay appears to indicate the drop zone.

Plugin Details

Expanded plugin row showing readers, writers, and triggers sections

Click any plugin row to expand its details panel showing:

Readers

Data sources that process CAN frames, compute values, or provide custom data streams for dashboard widgets.

Writers

Control outputs that receive values from widgets and can transmit CAN frames, call APIs, or perform other actions.

Triggers

Callable functions that can be invoked manually or through automation for one-time actions.

Each capability lists its name and description.

Plugin Status

Plugin status is calculated from telemetry data, updated every 2 seconds:

Status Badge Meaning
Active Green Plugin functioning normally
Warning Amber Error rate >1% or >5 slow handlers
Degraded Red Error rate >10%, may not work properly

An error count badge appears next to the status when errors exist.

Unloading a Plugin

Unload confirmation modal showing capability counts and warning about affected widgets

  1. Click the unload button (trash icon) in the Actions column
  2. Review the confirmation dialog showing:
    • Reader, writer, and trigger counts
    • Warning: "Any dashboard widgets using this plugin will stop working."
  3. Click Unload to remove the plugin

Plugin Settings

Plugins that expose configuration options have a dedicated settings page.

Accessing Plugin Settings

  1. Navigate to Settings > Plugins
  2. Click on a plugin card (only plugins with settings are clickable)
  3. Configure the plugin using the form controls

Plugin Settings Page

Element Description
Header Plugin name with "Unsaved" badge when changes exist
Version/Author Plugin metadata
Configuration form Dynamic form based on the plugin's JSON Schema
Reset to Defaults Restore factory settings
Revert Changes Discard unsaved edits
Save Settings Persist configuration

Settings are saved with confirmation feedback (green success alert).

Using Plugin Readers in Dashboards

  1. Add a widget to your dashboard
  2. Click Add Reader → Plugin
  3. Select the plugin and reader
  4. Configure any reader-specific settings
  5. The widget displays data from the plugin

See the Widget Configuration Guide for detailed Plugin Reader configuration.

Using Plugin Writers in Dashboards

  1. Add a control widget to your dashboard
  2. Click Add Writer → Plugin
  3. Select the plugin and writer
  4. Configure writer-specific settings
  5. The control widget sends data through the plugin

Troubleshooting

Plugin won't load

  • Verify the file format is .orbit or .zip
  • Check the browser console for error details
  • Ensure the plugin is compatible with your firmware version

Warning or Degraded status

  • Expand the plugin row to check error details
  • Check the Output tab in the Console Panel for plugin logs
  • Use Performance Monitoring in the Console Panel to identify slow handlers

Reader data not appearing

  • Verify the plugin is loaded and has Active status
  • Ensure the dashboard is in live mode (Play button)
  • Check that CAN data is being received on the correct channel
  • Review the Problems tab in the Console Panel for errors

Related Documentation

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